Trade guides for importers and exporters
Practical, plain-English guides on international trade, from checking a supplier to working out landed cost.
Guides
- How to check an overseas supplier before you send moneyA practical checklist for verifying a foreign supplier: registration checks, shipment history, samples, inspection and safer payment terms.
- Incoterms 2020 explained for first-time importers and exportersWhat each Incoterms 2020 rule means, who pays which costs, where risk passes, and how to choose between FOB, CIF, FCA, EXW and DDP.
- How to read an import export data file, column by columnWhat each column in a shipment data file means, from shipment ID and HS code to unit price, plus quick ways to analyse it in Excel.
- How to work out landed cost before you importWork out the full cost of an imported product: freight, insurance, duty, taxes, clearance and local delivery, with a worked example.
- Payment terms in international trade, from safest to riskiestCash in advance, letters of credit, documentary collections and open account compared: who carries the risk, and when each one fits.
- How accurate is import export data? What to trust and what to checkWhere shipment data comes from, the common errors in it, and simple checks that keep you from drawing the wrong conclusions.
- How to contact importers you found in shipment dataTurn a list of importers into conversations: shortlist the right buyers, find the decision maker, and write a first message that gets replies.
- How to use unit prices from shipment data to negotiateCalculate unit prices from shipment records, remove the outliers, adjust for Incoterms, and go into a negotiation knowing the market range.
Reference
- How to find your HS codeWhat the digits mean and where to look one up.
- Bill of lading data, explainedHow carrier records differ from customs data.
- Find buyers and suppliers with shipment dataStep-by-step use of trade data for sales and sourcing.
- Countries coveredWhat data each major market releases.
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