This is a complete guide for importing animatronic dinosaur models. Learn about the details and methods to follow when importing large dinosaur or animal models from China.

China is rapidly establishing itself as a manufacturing superpower in entertainment equipments / models field, producing a significant portion of the animatronics worldwide. Therefore, for many companies in North America and Europe, importing from China has proven to be a profitable global procurement strategy.

As you know, life size animatronic dinosaur is an exhibit that can truly catch people’s attention and can bring in a large number of visitors to your theme park or scenic area. Today, we will specifically demonstrate how to import popular dinosaur exhibits from high-quality dinosaur manufacturer in China.

QUICK FACTS:

#1. Find best places or platforms to import animatronic dinosaurs
#2. Communicate with the manufacturers
#3. Visit dinosaur manufacturer production factory or company
#4. Consider the following before importing animatronic dinosaur
#5. Negotiate prices with the manufacturer
#6. Place an order with a reliant manufacturer
#7. Make a deposit
#8. The products are inspected once a week during the production process
#9. Final Payment
#10. Be ready to import animatronic dinosaur
#11. Track your goods while awaiting arrival
#12. How the products reach client’s destinations
#13. Deliver products from port to destination
#14. Inspect the products after receiving the goods
#15. Installation work (only for big animatronic dinosaur)

1. Find best places or platforms to import animatronic dinosaurs

The biggest problem you will face is which manufacturing company to import from. Finding a good manufacturer specializing in dinosaur-themed products can be a challenging task. Fortunately, you can find a wide variety of manufacturers by surfing the internet and platforms such as Google and Alibaba. In addition, you can also attend any related entertainment equipment trade shows at any time, such as IAAPA. At these shows, you can discover the model-making companies that you like.

Here are four main ways to find good manufacturers. And detailed the specific implementation steps for the search.

Use GOOGLE to look for dinosaur manufacturers

In any search scenario, the first place that people are most likely to visit is Google. Similarly, Google will also provide you with a series of the most relevant results for your search.

If you search for the phrase “Animatronic Dinosaur Maker“, you will obtain dozens of relevant results. And you can also find the dinosaur production companies that you like among these results.

Use ALIBABA to look for dinosaur manufacturers

Alibaba is the most renowned and largest platform for aggregating manufacturers in China. You can find almost all kinds of industrial products on it, and they offer excellent value for money.

Similarly, you can also find suitable animatronic dinosaur manufacturers on this platform. It can offer lifelike dinosaur models with mechanical structures inside. These models can roar and move. Professional manufacturers can also assist you in creating an outstanding Jurassic scene.

Search for dinosaur manufacturers at TRADE EXHIBITION

IAAPA and China Import and Export Fair are excellent channels for connecting suppliers and manufacturers and establishing reliable contacts. The significant advantage of attending the exhibition is that you can view the samples on the spot. This will help you avoid feeling disappointed when importing products that you have never seen before.

The exhibition has the potential to help you build a strong business network, as you will have the opportunity to communicate with sellers and buyers face-to-face. Unfortunately, exhibitions and trade fairs do not occur very often.

However, if you want to participate in exhibitions in other countries, you can make a travel budget. This will be worthwhile because you will acquire a great deal of knowledge that will enable you to take planned steps in the future.

Search for dinosaur manufacturers on SOCIAL PLATFORMS

Utilize the currently most popular social platforms, such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, FaceBook, ChatGBT, etc. It is also possible to find good dinosaur theme manufacturers.

On social media platforms, you can leave comments or messages for these manufacturers. Professional manufacturers will respond within 3 to 8 hours.

2. Communicate with the manufacturers

The business contact workflow to aid in your animatronics models import from CN

Once you find the suitable manufacturers online or offline, you need to establish a deep business relationship with them. You can have your first communication either by email or by phone.

Please put forward the issues that you are most concerned about or that you actually need to solve. Let the manufacturer provide solutions from a professional perspective. Once you get the satisfactory answer, then can consider making the payment for order.

What should be avoided when contacting the manufacturer?

The manufacturer receives a large amount of business information every day. The third party they wish to collaborate with will provide specific production requirements. During communication, it is hoped that those sending messages can try to avoid certain types of communication that may lead to misunderstandings, so as to provide better responses to customers.

• No demands for specific products: Some customers sent us emails but without any specific requirements. They just kept asking us about the product prices. This is unsatisfactory. We have produced thousands of our products already, and it’s impossible to mark the prices of all of them for customers.
• No informations for country and port: Some customers sent messages requesting prices such as CIF or DDU for the products, but they failed to provide the address information. In this case, we simply cannot calculate the transportation cost without having a specific address.
• Long emails: The email you send to the manufacturer should be concise and to the point. Manufacturer doesn’t have time to read lengthy emails. After they reply to your email directly, you can then move on to the details.

3. Visit dinosaur manufacturer production factory or company

If you want to have a deeper understanding of animatronic dinosaur production process, you have no other choice but to visit the factory in China. In this way, you will have a deeper understanding of the manufacturer and establish a more lasting business friendship.

Furthermore, you can also enter into exclusive partnerships with manufacturers to sell the models produced here to your own country.

Visiting things you should do:

TAKE A PRODUCT DISPLAY SITE TOUR: The company’s official website usually showcases nearly 90% of products, and most of them are attractive to customers. When you visit the factory, first check the production area of the products you are interested in. If you have time, also observe all the product production lines.

Important porducts as

• Animatronic Dinosaur
• Dinosaur Costume
• Animatronic Animal
• Dinosaur Fossil Replica
• Dinosaur Landscape Decorations
• Dinosaur Ride
• Dinosaur Parade Car

Here is our products display>

VISIT PRODUCTION LINE: A production line is a row of equipments, machines or workers in a factory environment, demonstrating all the steps that a product undergoes from its initial stage to the final stage. By visiting a manufacturing company, you can observe the production lines of various animatronics, model and theme decoration products.

4. Consider the following before importing animatronic dinosaur

Materials: Qaulity animatronic dinosaur is made of weatherproof silicone + certificated motors + Chinese standard steel + high-density sponge. The product can work at indoor or outdoor long time.

Size: Inform size and quantity, and offer specific containers & delivery cost by us. Be reasonable to make your exhibits overall arrangement.

Structure / Construction: Well-knit metal or steel frames + advanced motors installations + mechanical structures, that is your needed animatronics models

Color: Lifelike skin colors is the most requirements. Cartoon, anime…other skin colors can be made based on the requirements from customers.

Weight: Know their weights and be reasonable to make your labor usage arrangement.

5. Negotiate prices with the manufacturer

Negotiating the price with the manufacturer is a particularly important matter. One principle to keep in mind is that the larger the quantity you purchase, the more discounts you will get. If you purchase just one or two products, there is usually no price discount.

First. Inform the manufacturer of product details you wish to purchase (such as quantity, size and specific functions, etc.). This will leave a deep impression and make them reluctant to lose you. Then, the negotiation pricing is easy to carry out.

Second. If this order is merely a trial for your future plans, you should also inform the manufacturer. This will ensure that the manufacturer takes your requirements seriously and also gives them a strong motivation to strive for future cooperation.

Negotiations with the manufacturer do not mean that you’ll get dinosaur theme products at a low cost. It means you’ll get the products at the best price. Understanding the manufacturers’ input costs, including labor costs, material costs, and mark-ups, will help you assess whether their pricing is sensible.

Furthermore, being a good customer can make the negotiation process between you and the manufacturer much smoother. Frequently placing a large number of sample orders without any actual purchase basis, and with an unclear communication method, will reduce your chances of success in important negotiations. As a customer, when making a purchase, do not be too eager to seek out the cheapest option.

Remember that you and the manufacturer strive to maximize ndvidual profit gains. If you cannot make a personal visit to the company, thus not negotiating with the manufacturers, face to face, hire a representative in China to help you. If you cannot hire a representative, making calls and exchanging emails with the manufacturer will work just fine.

Please remember that both you and the manufacturer are committed to maximizing personal profits. If you are unable to physically visit the company and cannot have face-to-face negotiations with the manufacturer, then you can hire a representative in China to assist you, or try to make the email communication as effective as possible.

6. Place an order with a reliant manufacturer

When a manufacturer provides you with professional answers in all aspects and clarifies any doubts about the products, you can generally determine that it is a trustworthy manufacturer. Then you can start considering the matter of placing an order.

Sample order or bulk order

When the sample order arrives, you can inspect to determine whether you will purchase more in the future. The risk of the sample order is relatively low because if you don’t like the product after seeing it, you can avoid huge losses. After all, the sample order won’t cost too much. Executing sample order is particularly beneficial for customers who have not conducted on-site inspections.

The items that should be included when discussing sample orders (EMAIL COMMUNICATION):

• A clear statement indicates that your side has requested a sample order.
• Which products you want to sample?
• Suppose you wish to customize the sample order. Clearly and precisely state the specific requirements.
• The quantity of samples you wish to order.
• Your delivery address.

If you have conducted a on-site visit, then creating a bulk order would be the best option, as you have sufficient knowledge to take on such risks.

7. Make a deposit

After placing the order, the next step is to make a deposit. In most cases, you need to pay 50% of the total amount first before the factory will start the production process.

You will obtain the bank account information from the manufacturer.

It would be even better to make an advance payment after conducting the on-site inspection. You can negotiate with the manufacturer and come up with a personalized payment arrangement.

The manufacturing process of your product begins the moment you make your first payment.

8. The products are inspected once a week during the production process

Professional manufacturer will provide customers with progress reports on the products every week. Especially for the first collaboration, this process cannot be omitted. This ensures that the product is executed exactly according to the client’s requirements and effectively avoids the excessive expression of individual production staff.

What should be included in the production progress report:

• The production process. Welding the steel frame + Installing the motors + Wrapping with foam + Shaping + Texturing + Placing silicone skin + Painting skin color.
• Inform about the approximate completion time.
• The situation regarding the implementation of production requirements.

If you are unable to inspect the products on-site, you can also ask the manufacturer to send you pictures or videos to ensure that all operations are proceeding normally.

9. Final Payment

Once this order is completed (the customer confirmed all the production processes and approved its quality), you can pay the remaining balance to enable the manufacturer to proceed with the subsequent transportation works.

Usually, the final payment is 50%. (50% in advance to begin manufacturing works)

10. Be ready to import animatronic dinosaur

When it comes to import matters, you have two options to handle them. The first is to acquire sufficient knowledge to understand transportation and import matters. The second is to we could transport your products to the port or destination you informed. You can choose any one of them according to your own needs.

Shipment modes as follow:

• Sea Delivery

Main and suggested delivery. Cheap cost and large batch sending is available.

• Air Delivery

Second recommended delivery. Fast arrival (7 days or so) but expensive price.

• Train Delivery

Convenience from CN to Southeast Asia, Middle Asia, Middle East & Europe.

The shipping time varies from 15 to 60 days, depending on the distance between your port and the Chinese coast. By air freight, it usually takes about 7 days to arrive. Be suitable for customers who have a tight schedule. The reason is that the cost is higher. The railway could spend 7-14 days to the stations you are in.

Here are incoterms:

Understanding these incoterms enables you to easily purchase goods from any part of China as an importer. You can also find out from which Chinese location the goods are exported, and this will be the most efficient for you.

The incoterms includes:

• Delivery options
• Transportation costs
• Export and import costs
• Insurance costs

What is Exworks – EXW?

The term Ex Works (EXW) refers to an incoterms rule used in international trade, where the seller is responsible for making the goods available at their premises or another named place. Under EXW, the buyer assumes all responsibilities for transportation, including costs and risks, from the seller’s location to the final destination. This means the seller’s obligations are minimal, as they only need to prepare the goods for pickup.

Advantages as follow:

Buying products on Exworks is cheaper than buying products on FOB. FOB includes local costs they’ll incur.

What is Free On Board – FOB?

The buyer is responsible for arranging the vessel to receive and transport the goods. The seller should load the goods onto the vessel designated by the buyer and promptly notify the buyer within the stipulated port of shipment and the specified period as per the contract. Once the goods have passed over the ship’s side during loading, the risk they bear is transferred from the seller to the buyer.

Advantages as follow:

As long as your products are still in the exporter’s country, you don’t have to worry about a thing. Not even the necessary documentation.

A common drawback of FOB is that your supplier might refuse to incur local costs, forcing you to incur additional charges.

What is Cost, Insurance and Freight – CIF?

CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) is an international shipping agreement. It is one of the 11 incoterms rules set by the International Chamber of Commerce. Under CIF terms, the seller pays for the cost, insurance, and freight of the goods transported to the buyer’s destination port. It is used for waterbound transportation, such as sea freight or transportation via inland waterways.

Advantages as follow:

The seller is responsible for the transportation and insurance of goods. The buyer does not need to handle the procedures for chartering a ship, booking the cargo space and obtaining insurance by themselves. The seller can control the transportation and insurance arrangements, which helps to integrate resources and reduce costs.

Most are carried out using these three modes (EXW, FOB, CIF). Here is more incoterms knowledge as overview.

11. Track your goods while awaiting arrival

International goods need some time before they arrive at the designated destination. The goods will take 15 to 60 days to be delivered from China to other destinations. More details here.

When the goods arrive at the port within five days or less, the consignee will receive a notification from the shipping authority.

The consignee will notify the port authorities, who will then inform you or your customs broker.

12. How the products reach client’s destinations

Once the products arrive in your country, some necessary steps need to be carried out.

(1). You will pay customs because most goods from China have duties associated with them.

(2). After you have paid the customs duties, you will also need to fill out a customs declaration form. Then, your product will be released from the customs warehouse.

(3). Employ a truck to transport your products to the destination appointed.

If you don’t want to handle the above process yourself, you can hire a broker to handle everything for you.

13. Deliver products from port to exhibition site

First, you need to hire truck to transport your products to the exhibition site appointed. When your goods arrive at the designated location, pay the driver the due remuneration.

A regular logistics company can handle the transportation for you. You can also contact a logistics company at the port to handle it.

Generally, use land transportation; Cheaper is rail delivery.

14. Inspect the products after receiving the goods

After receiving the goods, please do two things.

First, check the animatronic dinosaur immediately to ensure its completeness. Check if there are any damages on the skin, or if any part has deformed.

Second, plug in the power to check if there are any problems with the operation.

The first matter involves the driver’s transportation. If there is second matter else, please contact us immediately.

15. Installation work (only for big animatronic dinosaur)

After transporting the 10 meters long or longer animatronic dinosaurs to the exhibition site, installation work will have to be carried out. The client requires to organize personnel and tools to implement installation.

Recommend 2 options for your installation:

(1). We offer professional installation guidance by images or videos. All that the customers need to do is to follow the steps provided in the guidance one by one. Sample installation case here.

(2). We can also dispatch our professional installation team to the exhibition site to complete the assembly according to your requirements. This is a paid service.

Conclusion

After you have read the above 15 points, you will become an expert in importing animatronic dinosaur models. You can import high-quality and affordable dinosaur exhibits from China, and avoid local or other countries high price products.

Such benefits are not limited to dinosaur exhibits alone, also covers other imported goods from China.