Product Launch / Import Feasibility Checklist

Commercial, sourcing, finance, and operations teams · Before committing to a product import, private-label launch, or B2B sourcing opportunity

Risk warnings

Do not approve an import or launch just because the supplier price looks attractive; confirm margin, cash, compliance, logistics, channel fit, and downside exposure together.

Define the target customer, channel, use case, pack format, service level, and acceptance criteria before treating the product as a real opportunity.
Set the target sell price, required gross margin, channel deductions, and competitor price reality so the buying ceiling is clear before supplier negotiation.
Check the supplier quote for Incoterm, named place, currency, MOQ, payment terms, production lead time, validity date, and what is excluded.
Confirm samples, customer approval, artwork or private-label approval, and product quality evidence before relying on forecast demand.

Build landed cost from product value, freight, insurance, duty, import tax treatment, customs brokerage, warehouse handling, rework, and local delivery assumptions.
Stress-test freight mode, route, container or pallet fit, port delay, storage, demurrage, detention, and delivery constraints before quoting a launch margin.
Model working capital for deposit, balance payment, duty and tax cash timing, inventory hold, customer payment terms, cash conversion cycle, FX exposure, and payment-risk controls.
Test MOQ, sell-through rate, storage capacity, expiry or shelf-life window, slow-moving stock exposure, markdown path, and disposal cost where relevant.

Validate regulatory route, labeling, certificates, licenses, customs classification, duty and tax treatment, and broker pre-check before PO approval.
Compare operational complexity against expected upside, including compliance workload, inspection, repacking, temperature control, customer onboarding, and exception handling.
Document the go, no-go, or hold decision with the assumptions that must remain true: sell price, landed cost, MOQ, lead time, approval evidence, and cash exposure.
Escalate before commitment if margin depends on optimistic freight, unclear Incoterms, missing approvals, unverified compliance, tight shelf life, excessive MOQ, weak sell-through, or unresolved payment and FX risk.