The Chinese Deal (Pt. III)

So, we have negotiated the prices, the delivery times, the quantities, the means of payment ... etc. etc.

Now, they are asking for samples!

Surely, that should have been done right at the beginning!

And they don't know the logistics of sending a parcel from a small town in provincial Africa!

First, I have to send money out there

Then my partner, using the money has to buy the samples

Then he has to package them up and post them.

This is in hand (I hope) but I don't know how long it will take 1kg of soapstone to get to the middle of China.

Still, if they finally honour their initial order, it will have been worth it.

The Chinese Deal (Pt. II)

I have concluded that the Chinese deal (See Scam ... ? below) is not a scam - until they prove otherwise, so I am going along with them.

But as we are not in a position to pay for notarisation - or anything else - I have sent them a new contract, based on theirs, but making sure that we are not liable for any expense outside of Kenya.

As a sweetener, we have decreased the advance payment (that they offered in the first place), set out a new payment package that favours the Chinese, and sent the contract off for their perusal. That was on 5th September, which of course was a Friday.

I received an email stating that the new, or revised, contract had been received and would be presented to the Board of Directors.

We are now waiting for a reply, five days later. I try to keep the attitude that no news is good news, but expenses are mounting up in Kenya and with the impending failure of the cyber café, I need this deal to go through, just to cover my commitments.

A worrying time. Still, we now have a structured business to sell the product globally, complete with website, and a vision of a way forward.

All we need is a few clients that want to buy our products at wholesale quantities.

Our website - take a look!

Scam ... ?

A couple of months ago, we were approached by the representative of a Chinese company that wanted to buy Kisii soapstone carvings. We sent a price list and a few photos as examples of the work and they promptly put in an order for 16,500 items.

So far, so good. The order was quickly followed by a contract, written in poor English, but which was just about understandable. I made a few minor adjustments as as to make sure there was no loopholes caused purely by the misuse of English. I have to emphasise that this contract was drawn up by the Chinese with no intervention on our part. In it, they state that they will pay 15% of the total as an advance payment - before we do anything!

We signed it ans sent it back, expecting to receive a signed copy from the Chinese.

This is where things started to go a bit pear-shaped.

Them: "The contract has to be signed by your legal representative".

Us: " OK, this is not a problem. We know a lawyer in Kisii."

Them: "No, the contract has to be notarised by our legal representative in China". WHAT?

Us: "Fine, get the form signed then."

Them: "You have to pay the fee."

Us [smelling a rat]: "How much?"

Ch: "$1780.00"

Us: "We can't. We don't have the money."

CH: "Come to China and discuss it, face to face."

So it goes on. I explain that we do not have the money to pay for the notarisation, nor a trip to China.

We are no closer to a resolution after several weeks of to-ing and fro-ing of emails and letters. I have contacted the Dept. of Commerce near to these potential clients, but i can make little sense of what they said.

If we win this contract (if indeed, it is not a scam), this will set up River Cottage Kenya, the orphanage and other community projects, as well as paying a fair price for the carvings. It would be a win-win situation for a little corner of Kenya.

If we win the contract ...