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KGW's investigative team sent letters to 86 inmates currently serving time for burglary in the Oregon Department of Corrections. The inmates were asked to respond anonymously to 17 questions detailing how they broke in, when the crime occurred and what they were looking for.What we learned could help you keep your home safe from burglaries.Below is a summary of the answers we received.How did you typically break into a home or apartment?Most inmates broke in through an unlocked door or window. Several burglars kicked the door open.“I would kick in the door rather than break glass. Loud bangs are better than loud glass breaking, plus you run the risk of getting cut,” said one inmate.2. Once inside, what was the first thing you looked to steal?Jewelry, electronics, cash and credit cards are all attractive to burglars. Inmates also added collectibles and guns.“NRA sticker on car bumper = Lots of guns to steal,” wrote one burglar.3. Where did you look for hidden valuables?Most burglars started by searching the master bedroom for valuables, then moved through the rest of the house.“Everywhere! From the stove and freezer, to the fish tank and toilet tank, book shelves and in boxes of cereal,” said an inmate.4. What time of the day did you prefer to break in?Burglars prefer breaking in early morning or afternoon.“Between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm. Anyone that was home for lunch should be gone by then and most kids should all still be in school,” wrote a convicted burglar.5. Did home protection or security signs posted outside the home deter you?Burglars had mixed opinions about home security signs. Some burglars said it didn't faze them. Others said they knew how to disable alarms or avoid setting them off.6. Did pets in the home, like a dog, make you think twice?If a homeowner had a big, loud dog most burglars would stay away. Smaller dogs don't seem to bother them.“Dogs are a deal breaker for me,” said one inmate. “Big breeds, home protectors are the best to keep people out.”7. Did you typically knock on the front door before breaking into a home?Yes. All of the inmates who responded said they would knock on the front door before breaking in.8. If someone answered the door, what would you do or say?“Act like I was lost or looking for a friend.”“I would approach the resident as though they had posted an ad on Craigslist.”“Say wrong house, sorry and thank you.”“Ask if they'd seen my dog and leave.”“Sometimes I would wear nice clothing and print a questionnaire off the Internet and carry a clipboard and see if they could spare a moment for an anonymous survey.”9. If a home alarm system went off, what would you do?Most intruders said they would leave immediately if a security alarm went off.“I would try and turn it off or get the hell out of there,” said one burglar.10. If there was a security camera visible, would it keep you from breaking in?Generally, burglars agreed security cameras were a deterrent. But some said it also likely signaled there were valuables inside the home.11. Did lights on in the home make you think twice?Responses were mixed regarding lights on in a home. Some said it was a deterrent. But one burglar said the combination of lights on and blinds closed created an attractive location.“Would drive through upper class neighborhoods looking for many things, like porch light on with all window blinds close,” wrote one inmate.12. If you heard a radio or TV on inside the home, would you still break in?Most burglars feared someone might be home if they heard a radio or TV. They wouldn't break in.“Absolutely not,” wrote a burglar.13. Would it make a difference if there was a vehicle in the driveway?As a homeowner, this is one of the best precautions you can take. Almost all of the burglars said they'd think twice if there was a car in the driveway.“Most of the time that is a sure-fire sign of someone being home,” wrote an inmate.14. What was you ideal target for a burglary?Burglars don't want to be seen. They looked for homes with big fences and overgrown trees or bushes.“Home away from other homes, blind spots, older window frames, cheap wooden doors,” wrote a burglar.“Large trees, bushes or shrubs around the home, or very reserved and conservative neighbors,” wrote another inmate.“Nice home with nice car = A person with money,” another said.15. Did you ever do surveillance on your target?The responses were mixed. Some burglars did surveillance before a burglary, while others did not.16. If you did surveillance, what were you trying to figure out?Of those burglars who did surveillance, most agreed they were looking for the best opportunity to break-in.“Who lives in the home, what are their weekday schedules (weekends are too unpredictable), what they drive, is there a dog, a hidden key,” wrote one inmate.“What time the house would be empty and for how long,” wrote another.17. What is the one thing homeowners can do to avoid being burglarized?Burglars suggest homeowners make their property visible with good lighting and trimmed bushes and trees. You should get to know you neighbors and alert police if you see anything suspicious.“In my opinion, I think homeowners should always leave a TV or radio on,” said one inmate.“Get a camera and make it visible!” wrote another.“Put bars on your windows and doors, get an alarm, keep an extra car in the driveway, keep lights, TVs and radios on when you leave your home,” read one questionnaire.“Home alarm, know your neighbor so they can report suspicious people around the neighborhood,” said a burglar. We asked 86 burglars how they broke into homes

Unlike most answers, I do think we have some “good gun laws”. The problem is twofold; those laws don’t (can’t) go far enough in scope, and they’re not enforced until after much more heinous crimes have occurred as a result. And not even then; the Parkland shooter violated the Gun Free School Zones Act, but he’s not being charged with that offense, because the 17 counts of premeditated murder he racked up in the next few minutes afterward are being treated quite rightly with much higher priority by prosecutors. You’re typically only charged with these kinds of malum prohibitum crimes when the investigators and prosecutors can’t find anything else to charge you with, which literally makes the law a way to turn people with no intention of committing a violent crime into felons anyway.On the other hand, the great majority of the laws we have, Federal and State, are either so anachronistic they no longer make sense, or are feel-good measures that never made any sense to begin with. Case in point, the aforementioned GFSZA; who in their right mind ever thought that a sign would have deterred the Stockton shooter? Or the Columbine shooters? Sandy Hook? Parkland? Santa Fe? They all walked right past one of these:And nothing happened until they started shooting.So, this list is gonna piss everybody off at some point or another, in that it will, in one single argument, call for more and less gun laws than our current status quo. You have been warned:Universalize and streamline background checks using updated technology. When NICS was conceptualized in the early 90s, the Internet as a public resource was still very young, and most people and businesses didn’t have access to it. 20-ish years later in 2015, 77% of Americans live in a home with broadband, 75% have a smartphone or other Internet enabled mobile device, and Internet access is a practical must-have for any retail businesses to run credit/debit cards, so even if you happen to not have Internet access, your local gun store will.As such, there’s really very little reason for NICS to still be a call center, at least not one of its current size. We can do the same job with a secure web application handling the overwhelming majority of the traffic. That would additionally allow that app to be accessible to people besides FFLs, and would be the most convenient option available for universalizing background checks.That also creates other possibilities, such as streamlining the 4473. This is actually a virtual necessity if you’re going to universalize background checks without requiring an FFL to run the check; the information on a 4473 is identity theft on a silver platter, and you’re going to be expecting the average Joe to not only not misuse that data, but to safeguard it for however long you want the provenance chain to be traceable. The REAL ID Act gives us some possibilities for uniquely verifying identity without traditional identifying information; name, address and “document discriminator” aka audit number off of an RIA-compliant ID would be enough to get any other information needed as of time of sale, and when actually running the background check, all you’d actually need to input is the DD code and state of issue and the app could retrieve anything else needed.The questionnaire is little more than a trap, and we can get rid of it; the idea is that if you are a prohibited person and filled the questionnaire out such that the FFL actually bothered to call it in, and NICS denied you, you have just made a materially false statement on a Federal government form. However, the Brady Act itself makes trying to buy a firearm while knowingly prohibited a crime in itself, so either way the Feds have to prove the offence was committed knowledgeably. All we really need to give background checks “teeth” is a very obvious “click-wrap” disclosure in the app that states unambiguously that if you fall into one of the listed prohibited categories and submit the form, you are committing a crime. We can capture a signature image if you really want, but no handwriting analyst will ever swear on oath that your signature drawn on a tablet with a stylus would match a signature sample written on paper.Once the check comes back clean, you have to give the seller the ability to prove beyond any doubt that he ran the check. Since centralization of records of gun sales is an extremely touchy issue, not to mention illegal under the 1986 FOPA, the proof has to be self-contained in the paper record of sale. You can do that by encoding a “digital signature” on the paper document, such as in a QR code (it’d be a large one, but the spec allows for up to 4K of data to be encoded in one QR which would be enough). NICS basically receives all the information on the form, makes sure the background check on the listed individual passed, then strings it together in a known order, hashes it with a secure hash function, then encrypts that hash using an “asymmetric key” algorithm like RSA or ECC. You don’t have to know the technical details, just that this “hash and encrypt” signature system is the backbone of secure communications on the Internet that most major websites now use for all their traffic, and it’s worked for a couple decades now, failing only when the human side of information security does.So, to prove you ran the background check, you produce a copy of the record of sale, the QR code can be scanned into a mobile version of the NICS app along with the plain text data of the form, and the plain text data is hashed the same way as the signature originally was. Then, the app decrypts the signature with the public key of the keypair that initially encrypted it, and if the hashes match, whoever’s asking knows the record is authentic, and the guy on the form is the next guy they need to talk to about why that gun ended up at a crime scene. They know it’s authentic because only the information on that form, encrypted using a key known only within the NICS system as of the date of sale (they have a lifespan; NICS could generate a new keypair every couple years, and the app would know all public keys and the date range each one was valid for), could have produced the digital signature in the QR code, which means NICS vetted the exact data on the printed form. If you don’t have a record of sale or other proof of dispossession (i.e. police record of theft, loss or destruction) and your gun shows up at a crime scene, you’re now a POI and guilty of a crime in itself (failure to maintain required records).A system like this would allow UBCs to be performed by anyone with a laptop or smartphone, and it would even allow buyers to avoid the three-day delay on an in-person private meetup by vetting themselves and obtaining a “pre-authorization”. And it would do so without requiring an FFL (though you could still use one and they’d become the custodian of the record of sale), and without centralizing these records in government hands (a de facto registry of gun owners).Increase the Federal minimum age to purchase semi-automatic long guns to 21, alongside the minimum for handguns. Psychologists are pretty clear that puberty, and the host of chemical, physical and mental changes that occur during it, really doesn’t wind down until the mid-20s for the average man; maybe a year or two earlier for women. Auto insurance companies know this; you can be totally accident free your entire driving career since the age of 16, and they don’t consider you “low-risk” until you’re 25. On that note, we as society grant the rights and privileges (and responsibilities) associated with adulthood to young adults gradually; most religions have an informal age of majority (such as the Age of Reason in Christianity, around 12 or 13), then from a more legal standpoint you can drive at 16, you’re criminally and civilly liable for your actions at 17 (though this varies by state), you can vote and own most guns at 18, and drink at 21. So, the “eighteen means eighteen” argument that when you’re legally an adult, you’re a full adult, just doesn’t fly. Any SDI in boot camp will tell you their 18-year-olds are just as immature as any other, the main difference is that along with their service rifle (and long before they touch one), they get a no-nonsense introduction to following orders as given without argument or discussion, designed to condition them to do exactly that when lives are on the line.So no, I do not think that an 18 year old, simply by virtue of managing to not piss off their parents or teachers long enough to attain said age, should be able to walk up to the firearms counter of a sporting goods store and buy absolutely anything under the glass or on the back wall. There’s legal adulthood and there’s physical adulthood, and the medical consensus is that those are currently separated by about 8 years. At least give them the three extra that we already do for alcohol and handguns, for them to realize that life actually does get better in many ways after high school, before we allow them to purchase a rifle that can end a life for each wiggle of their pointer finger with no other action required. At 18, you can buy and own break-action and repeating-action long guns; for semi-automatics and revolvers, it should be 21.Temporary firearm restraining orders. Oh yeah, we’re going here too. “Red Flag laws” have been the subject of serious debate in the U.S., with arguments against ranging from “the police can already do this if there’s a credible threat to someone’s safety” to “this is just an end run around the rights of the accused allowing vindictive individuals to use the government to indefinitely suspend a person’s RKBA without the burden of proof required for a criminal conviction“.Personally, I think it’s a good idea that needs very careful attention paid to its implementation. Whether or not society needs an actual law detailing a new process, we shouldn’t have to wait for a potential, specific threat to public safety to become an actual specific threat to public safety before action can be taken. At the same time, I recognize the very serious potential for evil, and it simply cannot be dismissed. Protective orders don’t require a unanimous jury verdict based on there being no reasonable doubt that one is needed. All the petitioner needs is to convince a judge it’s a good idea, and judges run the gamut on the topic, with most of the ones in New Jersey chomping at the bit to sign anything that comes across their desk that takes a gun away from a civilian.So, if we’re gonna use court orders to remove guns from a person who has not been convicted of any crime, we need to strike a very fine and specific balance between the law being too easily abused for government or personal gain, and the law being just as ineffective as waiting for a crime to be committed. There must be controls in place regarding who can “wave the red flag”, what criteria is valued in determining to grant the initial order, and a guaranteed maximum time for hearing the subject’s challenge to said order. In addition, a common criticism of the laws is that is that the restraining orders target the guns based on a need for mental health care, but don’t provide mental health care. If we’re really worried about someone’s mental state, that sounds like the obvious place to start. We can talk about these orders as an exception to being “involuntarily committed to a mental health institution”; if the care was the result of a temporary restraining order it doesn’t trigger the permanent Federal prohibition, provided the care has some measure of success (or doesn’t find a problem).I’ve also floated the idea of a “yellow flag”, an indication that someone is in need of a refresher on firearms safety due to demonstrated complacency or ignorance of basic safety rules, but is unwilling to get the training themselves. A court order to force the training based on a description of the unsafe behavior, in lieu of any possible criminal charges for said behavior, might have a significant effect on reducing negligent discharges and unintended access by children while protecting gun owners from rabid prosecution for first-time offenses. Similar safeguards would be needed to avoid this being used as a nuisance or a backdoor to indefinite loss of gun rights with no criminal conviction.Now, having agreed in a very big way to a few major recent demands of the myriad gun control groups, I must in all seriousness ask, what do gun owners get in return for being limited to single-shots and repeating-actions for three years, having to defend against repeated aspersions on our mental health from a vindictive ex-spouse or your in-laws, plus being required to Federally vet anyone they pass a gun to, and then maintain proof of that check for years or even indefinitely?While I think the conclusion of the “cake analogy” - “I want my whole damn cake back now” - is unhelpful and even counterproductive, the position is sound; gun owners have been agreeing to allow their right to keep and bear arms to be restricted in the name of public safety for over 80 years, and all that’s happened is that those who are against gun ownership in the first place come back wanting more restrictions.This is in fact the stated goal of gun control activists like Josh Sugarmann; to restrict, piece by piece, the RKBA in the U.S., like boiling a frog, until the 2A is effectively dead because those still willing to jump through the regulatory hoops are a superminority, and/or because the only weapons still available for civilian purchase have little practical use for self-defense (which is what 60% of gun owners give as a major reason they are gun owners, compared to just 36% for hunting). They get impatient from time to time and make big pushes, but after most of the major players favoring gun control “outed” themselves as to their end goal in the early 90s, resulting in the Republican Party’s first bicameral Congressional majority in 40 years, most have walked back their public positions. Can those new stated end goals for gun control be trusted? Only the GCAs really know for sure, but history is not on their side.So, if we’re going to call UBCs and an increased minimum age a “compromise”, it should fit the definition; both sides should leave the table angry with the agreement they reached. To that end, gun control advocates do not get it all their own way; policies proven to be counterproductive or ineffective since their passage need to be rolled back, along with additional measures that become possible once it’s that much more obvious that the guys who legally own guns are not the problem in our country:Repeal the Federal Gun-Free School Zones Act, and all government-level policies restricting the possession of guns on any publicly-owned or managed land or building where entry is not contingent on passing through an armed security checkpoint where all entrants are searched for weapons. If the government and/or property owner is serious about people not having guns in a particular place, you know it before you get five feet inside. We have the technology and the process. The question is whether it’s worthwhile to implement these in any given place. If it’s not, hanging up a sign forcing those breaking no other law to disarm not only doesn’t solve the problem, it makes it worse.I will, in this discussion, give private property owners the benefit of the doubt; its your property, you’re a legal entity just like I am, it’s your prerogative to restrict entry as you wish based on any fact not explicitly protected under Federal law. I personally like to at least know someone else in my home besides me has a gun, and I won’t begrudge you the same. But had you caught me on any other day I’d be insisting on landowner liability for owners/controllers of “places of public accomodation” posted as “no guns allowed” for victims of violent crime in such venues. You are imposing a restriction on my entry into your otherwise publicly-accessible place, which places me and everyone else there at any give time at greater risk of harm, and you take no additional steps to mitigate that risk; that makes your policy a contributing factor to any criminal violence I might become a victim of while on your property.Repeal the Hughes Amendment, and allow purchase and registration of new automatic firearms in the United States. Yeah, you heard me right. The NFA, in itself, was sufficient to virtually end the violence committed with legally-owned automatic weapons; it gave the precursor organizations to the BATFE and FBI the legal tools they needed to dismantle the Mafia gangs of the 1920s, and since it passed, not one violent crime was committed with a legally-owned, NFA-registered machine gun. The only two crimes committed with any legally-owned machine gun involved police-issue machine pistols, and the crimes that actually prompted the Hughes Amendment, mainly in the Miami area among rival drug gangs, were committed with illegal weapons smuggled into the country alongside the drugs. The most notable shootout involving automatic weapons since the passage of the NFA, the North Hollywood Shootout, happened 10 years after the passage of the Hughes Amendment, and involved illegally-modified AKMs that would have landed the robbers in prison for 20 years each even without the Hughes Amendment in effect.Once again, the law is only a restriction on those inclined to follow it in the first place. The Hughes Amendment was passed in response to a spate of crimes in Miami, representing less than 3% of the total homicide count in Miami-Dade County, committed with weapons the ATF didn’t even know about in the first place. The ability of people to legally buy machine guns didn’t figure into it in the slightest. The Hughes Amendment also gave us the current political climate regarding guns and any registration thereof; in 1986, the Feds proved that they were willing to use registration as a first step to an outright ban. It had been done at lower levels before (DC’s handgun ban dated to 1976 and was legislated a similar way; you had to register all firearms to possess them in DC, and beginning in 1976 you couldn’t register handguns unless they were already there), but the Hughes Amendment brought the tactic to national attention, poisoning any attempt at actual compromise ever since. If gun control advocates want gun rights advocates to ever sit down at a negotiating table and assume good faith ever again, this strategy needs to be demonstrably off the table as a gun control tactic.Deregulate suppressors and short-barreled firearms. The NFA was passed 80 years ago, and was originally intended to restrict access to “concealable” firearms by union labor protesters, while not being an insurmountable hurdle to the labor bosses putting down the strikes, nor the police who are specifically exempted by the law and for whom the factory or mine was the primary taxpayer in the locale. In the works for most of the Roaring 20s, the NFA finally passed early in FDR’s term, due to a combination of the increasing publicity of mafia violence in the media involving fully-automatic weapons, and an attempted assassination of then-President-elect Roosevelt making gun control an early personal priority of FDR’s.That was 84 years ago. In more recent times, we wear less clothing in general, making these same types of weapons harder to conceal, meanwhile even illegal use of weapons and devices subject to NFA restrictions (registered or otherwise) is very low. Hunters and homeowners want to use suppressors to save their hearing and reduce the disturbance inherent in a rifle shot to those nearby, and for proof they’re not dangerous in themselves, one only has to look at the UK, where they’re sold off the shelf in any sporting goods store, and hunters are encouraged by police to use one. Homeowners also want access to short-barreled rifles as home defense weapons, easier to aim than a handgun while easier to maneuver through a home than a 16″ barreled rifle. For both SBRs and SBSes, workarounds to the law have been found and vetted by the ATF, and have become very popular, making the additional NFA restriction of short-barreled weapons useless in practice.National carry permit reciprocity, and a Federal pre-emption of “may-issue” permitting policies among State governments. Totally within the Feds’ purview under provisions of the Full Faith and Credit Clause (giving Congress the power to legislate the manner in which legal instruments of one state are to be recognized and honored by any other), Federally-enforced national reciprocity would force all 50 states, D.C. and all Federal territories to recognize a valid concealed-carry permit issued by any state - or the government-issued resident ID card of any state that does not require a permit - as if it were a valid concealed carry permit in their jurisdiction, subject to the laws of the state in which the person is currently located. So if it’s illegal to enter a bar in Texas with a concealed weapon (and it is, a felony in fact), it’s just as illegal to do so with a Tennessee permit as a Texas one. But, if it’s legal to walk around Central Park while strapped if you have an NYC carry permit, it’s just as legal to do it with a Texas permit, or a Tennessee permit, or a driver’s license from the State of Vermont.Now, national reciprocity, especially when it includes nonresident licenses, will accomplish an effective end to “may-issue” policies anyway, but I wanted to be explicit about this. The majority of the states in this country recognize a right to carry, typically subject to state regulation on the manner of the wearing of arms. As of 2018, the remaining few states that exercise subjective discretion in permitting, typically along the lines of requiring “good cause”, do so for the sole and express reason of limiting permits to a privileged few. It’s codified in Maryland’s version of the good cause requirement; applicants must have a reason to carry that “distinguishes the applicant from the general gun-owning public”; a desire to defend oneself is not distinguishing, as 60% of gun owners have their guns for that reason.This is unconstitutional, and to date the only credible reason SCOTUS has not heard a case on this topic is that the Court, and Roberts as Chief Justice, is unwilling to be seen as a tool to overturn state gun laws in a series of lock-step ideologically-polarized 5–4 decisions. They want the existing decisions in Heller and McDonald to be digested and mixed into lower court case law, and once that settles to a backwash of a few notable disagreements among Circuit Courts and State Supreme Courts, they’ll entertain the question. It’s well-known in legal circles that Gorsuch and Thomas are already chomping at the bit for another 2A case, but as of when Peruta was denied cert in 2016, the popular theory was that Alito and Roberts were unsure of Kennedy’s vote (on top of the whole “tool to overturn state laws 5–4” thing), and so took the out that with Moore v. Madigan not having been appealed by Illinois, there was no active Circuit Court split pending SCOTUS review.That’s compromise. I give you, you give me. Gun owners began the 20th Century with zero Federal restrictions on gun purchase or ownership, and many fewer State restrictions than most of the more problematic states for gun owners currently impose. The original position of this debate is that Americans have free and easy access to whatever firearms were available, and therefore “keeping some of my gun rights for now” is not a “compromise position”. That’s like me telling you “give me all the money you have now and all your future earnings”, you refusing, and then me saying “let’s compromise; you give me half of your money and 75% of your future earnings”.Would you agree to that “deal”? Yeah, didn’t think so.

What is a good way to build up a successful business from nothing and have fun doing it? The import/export business may be your answer. Not only does it require little financial investment to start, but it offers the prestige of working with clients from all over the world.You don't need previous experience in the field, but you should have a good head for organizing. Fulfilling a successful import/export business requires constant attention to little details.Do you know some local manufacturers looking for ways to increase their market for the goods they make? Or are you planning a trip abroad and want to make some contacts for setting up a business?If you have an ability to sell, and an air of diplomacy, the import/export business might be right for you. All you need is the desire and determination to make it work.As you progress in the business, many factors become obvious and easy to handle. For example, you'll need to find a person to handle shipments, called a freight forwarder. And you'll need to create solid contacts and strong relationships with reliable suppliers. But after a short time, you can be well on your way to making a sizeable income - with a very low overhead.Do you like the idea of running your own business? How would you like a tax deductible trip to foreign places a couple of times a year? The advantages of an import/export business are great.The biggest advantage is the money you'll make. Once you get the business underway, the commission for setting up sales is very profitable. And after you establish and maintain a number of exclusive accounts, you'll find the time you spend is highly rewarded with money.Take a look into the import/export business. Consider the risks, and consider the advantages. Talk to people in the business. Is it for you?HOW IT WORKSOf all the manufacturers in the United States, only a small percentage distribute goods outside of North America. The goods that do find foreign markets are exports. On the other hand, anything that is manufactured outside the country and brought in for sale, is imported.Although it seems obvious that all manufacturers would want a worldwide market, it is not easy for a company that is limited in its scope and abilities. That's where you come in.An import/export agent is a matchmaker. Manufacturers of domestic goods seek foreign distribution; foreign manufacturers want a United States market. You need to find them, make a solid connection, and establish a business relationship with these companies.The agent's commission is generally about ten percent. Now, think of ten percent of $500,000 or ten percent of a million. Although that may seem like a large order, it wouldn't be, if you're talking about machinery, raw materials, or computers.The market is unlimited and there are hundreds of manufacturers looking for foreign distribution. Sporting goods, clocks, electronic games, radios, housewares, garments, tools - anything can be readily imported or exported if there is a consumer demand and if you can get the products.The United States Government encourages exports. Indeed, it is those sales that keep our balance of payments with the vast amounts of goods that are imported. And you'll find government agencies helpful in establishing your business.THE BASICSYou can start your import/export business at home with a telephone. You'll need a file system, business cards, and a machine to answer the phone calls. Once you get going, you'll want a cable address or a telex hook-up.And you'll need a classy letterhead. Until you establish personal contacts, it is your letterhead that represents you. Make it look professional, possibly embossed or two-color, or gold leafed. Have it printed on light-weight paper for airmail correspondence, but don't have airmail envelopes printed. You'll have a lot of domestic correspondence too.More than office equipment, you need the determination to make it work. It will be slow at first, and you'll need to plan your moves, make contacts and SELL YOURSELF. But once you make a few sales and sign several exclusive contracts worth money, you'll know your dedication was worthwhile.MAKING CONTACTSThe most important step in setting up your business is finding the contacts. You may have relatives in a foreign country; you may have frequently visited and established business relationships in a country. Or, you might just have a feeling for what will sell where. A person who keeps well-informed in the business world can pick up and ride the crest of worldwide trends.Foreign consulates located in the United States have commercial attaches who want to establish outlets in the U.S., and they're a good place to start. Sometimes these consulates can help you find indices of their own import/ export enterprises.The United States embassies abroad are another place to find contacts for commercial distribution. They can help you find out about a company's solvency and reputation.Another way to establish contacts is through the Chambers of Commerce of every city you are aiming for.Start small - don't tackle the world. Where do you want to sell the American goods you might have in mind? Which countries have the merchandise you want to import? Find out about the countries, what they have to offer, and what is generally in demand.Then prepare a massive mail campaign.The easiest way to mail hundreds of letters is to use a typing service that has the equipment to produce the same letter with a different address each time. It's worth the money it will cost - you'd go crazy typing so many identical letters.To every possible contact, write a letter introducing your company, requesting the names and addresses of appropriate firms to contact. Ask to have the notice published in the monthly bulletin or posted in an appropriate place.From the names you get back, write another letter, again introducing yourself, and asking information about their company. You can use a questionnaire, which fill out and invites a response.What goods do they want to import? What products are now imported and how are they distributed? Does the company have a certain territory, does it have sales representatives, branches in other cities? What are the basic details of operation - history, assets and liabilities, plans for growth.Request any information you need, to find out what they will buy and what they have to sell. If the company is a manufacturer, ask for samples or a catalog, the facts and figures of current foreign distribution, and the product demand in their own country.ANALYZE THE MARKETKeep informed. Read everything you can find about world trade. Look at trade publications, international newspapers, news magazines, and financial reports. Who is selling what to whom? Although the market for American-made airplanes is sewn up, there are thousands of medium to small sized manufacturers in every state of the union.You can get goods to sell, but you have to be sure to study where they are in demand and can get the price to make exportation viable. Your questionnaires will tell you what further and read the journals published by that country - and many are available in English. Do these publications confirm the desire for certain products?The American market for imported products fluctuates with the value of the dollar in comparison to the value of each other country's currency. And, importation prices reflect that directly. Can American consumers afford to pay the price of certain imported goods? Or will they?Finding the right market is as important as the actual particulars of making deals and selling goods. What do you think will sell? If you do some careful studies and think about the trends, you'll be able to come up with hundreds of products to import and export.The import/export business is actually smaller than you might think. There are only a few of these businesses - that's why there's plenty of room for more.WHERE TO FIND HELPEstablish a good business relationship with a local bank that handles international business. Your personal banker will follow through on the actual foreign transactions, and will help keep your credit afloat. In fact, that is one of the best factors about an import/ export business. Aside from office supplies and correspondence, or possible business trips, you need no personal cash outlay. All you need is good credit and a good reputation.Your banker is your credit manager and will give you valuable advice and references when you deal with both American and foreign manufacturers and distributors.The United States Government agencies are great places to find help. These agencies promote the import/export business, and publish many small booklets and pamphlets. They also distribute continually updated reports on foreign markets, commerce and financing.Read these sources of information and find out the particulars of exports, global surveys and ocean freight guidelines. Become familiar with the market share reports, current laws and regulations, and government promotional facilities.MAKING CONNECTIONSAs you continue your correspondence with foreign companies, build up a good rapport with their representatives. Pin down a few companies - perhaps in the same country or similar territory - to their exact needs. What are the two or three products most in demand?Consider their methods of distribution. You may be able to work directly with a wholesaler of an overseas importing company. Your commission will be lower, but you won't need to handle as many particulars, and they will take care of distribution.Or, you may need to supply catalogs and samples, working with a network of small companies, or sales representatives from a larger conglomerate.The highest fees that you can collect are for raw materials taken from the source and delivered directly to a manufacturer. But you must be certain of a guaranteed quantity and the continued ability to deliver.If you are importing goods, you'll need to find U.S. distributors that can handle the quantity of goods at a high enough price for you to profit by. A single retail outlet or two is not enough to make your time worthwhile. Look into how buyers work and make contacts in the larger retail chains if you have retail merchandise.GETTING THE GOODSThere are hundreds of American manufacturers with limited distribution looking for an overseas market. Exporting their goods is the place to start your business.You have many selling qualities for convincing the manufacturers to engage you as the sole export agent. You have foreign contacts and know the demand for specific goods. You will handle the sale, the paperwork, the money, all shipping, customs, and foreign distribution.The manufacturers in return provide quotations, and you put your fees on top of that - you cost them nothing.The manufacturers have everything to gain - an increase in sales, a broader market, and more profit. And you have everything to gain - establishing your business, an a commission on the cost of the goods. That is the basis of a firm business connection and a mutually profitable arrangement.Contact local manufacturers first and then move into larger territories. You can make these contacts by phone, in person, or by personal introduction from contacts you may already have. Or, you can advertise in business publications and newspapers.Before you do get into a legal agreement, be sure to check the reputation of the company. How long has it been in business? Where are the products distributed domestically? What is the solvency and reliability of the company and its goods? When you make your sale, you'll want to be able to deliver.MAKING AN AGREEMENTOnce you have agreed to represent the manufacturer as the export agent, you need to have a written and signed contract to bind this agreement. Your attorney should be the one to draw up this contract - later you can just use the same one, substituting names of other manufacturers.Basically, the contract is between the manufacturer and you as the export representative. You are granted exclusive rights to distribute goods to all countries except those they already distribute in.The manufacturer will pay you the specific commission quoted to the distributors on top of the price of goods. The company will also provide catalogs and samples for your use in distribution.You, the export representative, in turn will promise to do everything possible to make contacts and distribute the manufacturer's goods in foreign territories.The terms of the contract should then be stated: how many years the contract will be signed for, the terms of cancellation by either party voluntarily or because of no sales action over a certain period of time.THE SALEYou've made your contacts with foreign distributors who will buy the merchandise. You have a signed contract with an American manufacturer that will deliver the goods. Perhaps one of the distributors now asks for a firm quotation on the price of a certain amount of goods.You go to the manufacturer and get a price quotation on the quantity of goods. It should be valid for a certain stated period. The manufacturer may agree to deliver the goods to the ship, handling the freight to that point, or you may need to make arrangements from the factory.You add on the commission you want to the price of the goods. Then you add on all the extra costs of getting the merchandise from the factory to the warehouse of the distributor.If you've made an agreement with a foreign import/ export company, their representatives may take over the shipping, paying you the price of the goods and your commission. That's the easiest, but your commission will have to be reasonably lower.If your sale is to a company that will distribute the goods wholesale or retail from its premises, you have to arrange all the transportation.TERMS OF SHIPPINGYou will become more familiar with the terms of shipping used in quoting prices and delivering goods as you gain experience. Your responsibilities vary with the terms of the agreements and orders. Check with your freight forwarder to be clear about your responsibilities.A bill of lading is a receipt for goods shipped. It is signed by the agent of a ship or common carrier and assures the buyer that the goods were unloaded in the same condition as they were accepted. These are the documents you'll need to produce for your banker to release the letter of credit.FOB means free on board. The seller delivers the goods to a certain destination with no additional charges. The seller insures and takes the responsibility until that point. The buyer takes the responsibility and pays the charges after that. For example, FOB New York means the seller's price quotation includes full responsibility and shipping to New York.FAS means free alongside. The seller delivers the goods to the ship that will carry the merchandise. The buyer pays to load onto the ship and takes responsibility from there. FAS New York, for example, means that the seller will deliver and store the goods until they are ready for loading onto the ship.C & F means cost and freight. The seller pays the freight charges. The buyer insures the merchandise and takes full responsibility after the destination.CIF means cost, insurance and freight. The seller is responsible for the value and condition of the goods, and pays both insurance and freight charges to a certain point. The buyer is responsible from there.THE FREIGHT FORWARDERA freight forwarder is a person who takes care of the important steps of shipping the merchandise. This person quotes shipping rates, provides routing information, and books cargo space.Freight forwarders prepare documentation, contract shipping insurance, route cargo with the lowest customs charges, and arrange storage. They are valuable to you as an import/export agent, and they are important in handling the steps from factory to final destination.They can be found by looking in the yellow pages or by personal referrals. Find someone who can do a good job for you. You'll need someone who you can work with, since this may become a long-term business relationshipYou'll need the help of a freight forwarder when you make up the total price quotation to the distributor. Not only do you include the manufacturer's price and your commission - usually added together, but you need to include dock and cartage fees, the forwarder's fees, ocean freight costs, marine insurance, duty charges, and any consular invoice fees, packing charges, or other hidden costs.Be especially careful when you prepare this quotation. It certainly isn't professional to come back to the distributor with a higher quote including fees you forgot. You might go over the price quotation with your freight forwarder to be sure nothing is overlooked.Usually the quotation is itemized into three main categories of cost of goods, which includes your commission; freight charges from destination to destination; and insurance fees.Give a date the quotation is valid to, which should be the same as the date given on your quotes. You may also include information about the products, including any new sales literature.A formal letter that accompanies the price quotation should push for the sale. You can inform the distributor of the shipping date as soon as the order is received and confirmed by a letter of credit. Send the letter and price quotation by registered mail to be certain of its delivery.THE LETTER OF CREDITA letter of credit eliminates financial risks for you, the manufacturer, and the distributor. When your distributor confirms the order, a letter of credit is drawn from that company's bank to a branch in the United States or to your bank.This letter of credit confirms that funds are available from the distributor to cover the same costs you quoted. An irrevocable letter of credit assures you the order will not be cancelled at any time. When that letter of credit is likewise confirmed by your bank to deliver the goods, the distributor is assured of delivery. Once the letter of credit is confirmed by the bank, the currency exchange is also confirmed, so you don't have to worry about the fluctuation in currency.Basically, the bank holds the money until all shipping documents are presented. The letter of credit states the terms and conditions to make it legal and negotiable into money, usually holding for proof of shipment of the goods. Your freight forwarder helps you attain all those documents. When you hand them to the banker, the letter of credit is turned into liquid assets for you to then pay the manufacturer and all other invoices from the transaction.Never work on promises. Not only do you take a gigantic risk, but you create bad risks for everyone you are involved with. A letter of credit is the only sure way to transfer these payments.DELIVERING THE GOODSThere are many combinations of people and methods that you can use to deliver the goods that were ordered. When you produced a price quotation for the goods, you had to go through all the steps the merchandise will follow. Now, before you proceed, check again.Do you have a confirmed order signed by the authorized representatives of the distributing company? Has your banker approved the letter of credit from the company?Compare the amount of the letter of credit to the amount quoted for the goods. Be sure they match exactly. Or, if the distributor chose a certain quantity of several offers, check the prices again and confirm the quantity.Confirm the quotation and sale with the manufacturer, and do the same with the freight forwarder and any marine insurance agents you are working with. Then follow through.In order to assure the quality of merchandise, some manufacturers prefer to handle freight to the loading docks, which makes it easier for you. If you handle overland shipping, follow through to be sure the merchandise is picked up and arrives safely at its destination.Be informed of the date the goods are loaded onto the ship. The factory should have them freighted in time to avoid costly dock storage charges.Since all conditions of the sale must be met to comply with the terms of the letter of credit, you need all the signed documents. Have your freight forwarder or other contacts get authorized bills of lading for the merchandise each step of the way - from destination to destination.Once you have all the signed documents, present them to your banker. If all the terms are met, the funds will be released. Since your commission is part of the quoted price of the merchandise, you'll usually collect your fees from the manufacturer.When it is totally complete, you collect your money - and make a sizeable profit for simply making connections. Consider the commissions when you have dozens of orders coming and going.IMPORTINGTake a look at the household items and equipment you have in your home. Made in West Germany; made in Japan; made in Korea. You may have clothing from India, shoes from Brazil, a leather wallet from Italy. Your car may be an import; your stereo equipment may be manufactured elsewhere. There are hundreds and hundreds of items manufactured all over the world, now being used by the American consumer.The market is huge. And there are many American firms looking for foreign-made merchandise to distribute. Some items are less expensive; some are better made; some are imported because they are made in a country now fashionable with the designers.What can you tap into? Maybe you have contacts in the United States, distributors looking for certain goods. And you've already made contacts in the foreign countries that produce these goods. Follow through and get yourself an exclusive distribution agreement with those manufacturers.Importing requires the same diligence and follow-up as exporting does. You'll need a signed contract with the manufacturer to be the sole agent distributing to North America - or the world, depending.You'll also need to obtain firm price quotes from the manufacturer in the quantities your distributor requests. These quotes should be converted into the appropriate dollar figures representing the currency exchange.Investigate the reputation of the manufacturer and the reliability of the goods. If you import something like electronic components, check into the other distribution market the manufacturer has to assure the quality of merchandise.Your commission will come through from the foreign manufacturer. Have your bank investigate the solvency of that company and the reputation of living up to agreements. Since it's on foreign territory you'd have more trouble in any legal suits, even in light of the many international laws.Prepare the price quotation. It is easiest if you request terms of delivery to the port of that country. Your freight forwarder can help you move the merchandise from that port, overseas, and through domestic customs.Follow through with all the details of shipment. Be sure to include any insurance, dock fees, storage rates, and shipping overland. Overlook nothing so your price quotation to the American distributor is accurate.Itemize the quotation and give it to the American distributor. Upon receipt of an authorized order, double check prices and follow through on delivery.The letter of credit will go from the American distributor to the bank of the manufacturer. All terms and agreements regarding prices, freight and insurance will be defined. The manufacturer's representative will confirm receipt of the letter of credit, which will release the goods for shipment.Have your freight forwarder follow up on the shipment of goods. They may have to be freighted from the factory to the docks. Arrangements for shipping need to be carried out. Customs duties and unloading need to be followed through from the American port. Then, the goods may need to be freighted overland to the final destination.As soon as the goods have arrived at the proper assigned destination, papers have to be documented and presented to the bank that holds the letter of credit. Then, all carriers and agents need to be paid, and you collect your commission.PROMOTIONAfter you have completed a few sales transactions to establish yourself, you'll need to promote your import/ export business to get more clients. The first transactions give you the experience to learn the ropes of the business, and to establish contacts and agents both here and abroad.Join organizations of commerce and foreign trade associations to develop more contacts and extend your territory. Talk to everybody you contact about importing and exporting, learning from their mistakes and successes.Advertise in the print media for distributors and for goods. Manufacturers don't know how to make the contacts for foreign distribution. Show them your credentials and pick them up on exclusive contracts. With a little experience, you can market almost anything anywhere.EXPANDING THE BUSINESSThe profit of the import/export business is in the quantity of the goods traded. The higher the cost of the merchandise, the higher the profit from your percentage. Since you need to go through all the steps for each transaction, having more sales on a continual basis simply adds to profit.Send constant mailings to your original list of contacts and follow-up leads. You might develop a sales approach. As you develop more clients, you can convince the bigger companies of your reputation.Contact as many manufacturers and distributors as you can on both sides of the ocean. And solidify these contacts. You may be able to work out an arrangement with someone to work in a certain country for a commission. Or, you might want to take a business trip there to personally meet with the various companies.Get in-depth information on the products now selling. Why are certain products successful? Maybe you can get into the same market with a more competitive product. Investigate ways to sell more. Do the products need to be better made? Do they sell better at a reduced price? Know what sells and where to get it.MAKING IT WORKThe import/export business is a high profit enterprise. Because of the low overhead, most of the money you make on commission is yours. But building a truly profitable business requires dedication and a good knowledge of the business.You need numerous contacts who know you, respect you, and can recommend your work. You need to have good agents both here and abroad to help you follow through on the delivery of the goods. You need a good working relationship with your own bank and possibly the others that letters of credit come into as branch transfers from foreign offices.Don't be hasty for orders. Investigate the manufacturers and distributors to be sure the products and sales methods are reputable. Check out the particulars of shipping and manufacturing from the foreign country. Each culture works in a specific manner. Get to know how to work with those people.The import/export business is not for everyone. But it is a personal operation that you can run yourself - you don't have to answer to anybody. The rewards of negotiating in a foreign country are excitement, a touch of the exotic, and the great profit potentials. When you make the proper contacts and follow through completely with reputable manufacturers, reliable shipping companies, and responsible distributors, you have it made.