christremain said:
Never done it - wouldn't know where to start. But.....
Does anyone know the import duty on bottled PPS (Premium Packaged Spirits) ie - Smirnoff Ice, Bacardi Breezer etc?
Also, does anyone know the hoops you would have to go through to imprort such products into the DR?
Obliged for any advice.
Chris
Unless the brand of liquor you want to import it's already being imported by another person or company then the procedure to obtain an import license is not out of this world yet it's something not for the faint of heart, DR has an stringent set of laws and parameters to facilitate the importing of spirits into the country, the first step you need to take it's to sign an exclusivity contract with the producer of the liquor in question unless you want to start the biz for someone else and sit by the sidelines later on as they take over your biz just like that, second you need to stablish an import/export company or like to be able to obtain an importer license and get a heck of a good lawyer while at it to navigate the maze they'll have you go about to find the end of the deal, I have a friend whom recently(Some 6 or 8 months) signed a lucrative exclusive deal with Georgi Vodka to import it to the DR, he doesn't have the actual infrastructure need it to support the logistics and handling of say a big order, instead he has chosen to make small deals here and there before he embarks in the actual import part of the biz, yet I find this approach too mild to reach any profitability in the near future, you have to be bold and daring and push your goods yourself, don't count on others to do it for you, the actual process of obtaining a liquor import license in the DR isn't that hard to achieve but it has it's pitfalls like many other things in the "Dominican Burocracy", get yourself a good business lawyer with a solid footing in the DR import/Export venue and you will be doing biz as soon as you can get a shipping container on the docks, plan with a good strategy and a backup on the side to spring into action should the menace of stale-mate surprise you while dealing with the DR customs, but be aware that your best bet it's to make a deal with a local spirits destiller and have them distribute your product within their market and share your revenues with them, it's far easier than trying to take on powerful unseen rivals in the DR.
