Trade guides
Step-by-step explainers written for small businesses and first-time importers — each linked to the free tool that puts it into practice.
How to Import Products: A Step-by-Step Guide for Small Businesses
A practical 12-step guide to importing products for small businesses: checking rules, HS codes, landed cost, suppliers, payment, freight and customs.
7 min read → SourcingHow to Find and Verify Reliable Overseas Suppliers
Where to find overseas suppliers and how to verify them: licences, factory vs trader checks, audits, references, samples, video tours and third-party checks.
6 min read → Shipping termsIncoterms® 2020 Explained: EXW, FCA, FOB, CIF, DDP and the Rest
All 11 Incoterms® 2020 rules explained in plain English, with a summary table of risk transfer, freight and insurance, the 2020 changes and common mistakes.
6 min read → CustomsHS Codes Explained: How to Classify Your Product Correctly
Learn how HS codes are structured, how the General Interpretive Rules work, how to classify a product step by step and what misclassification can cost you.
6 min read → CostingLanded Cost Explained: The True Cost of Importing
What landed cost includes, how CIF and FOB customs valuation differ, a worked example with illustrative numbers and how to allocate costs and price your goods.
6 min read → LogisticsSea (FCL vs LCL), Air, Courier or Rail? How to Choose a Freight Mode
Compare sea FCL and LCL, air, courier and rail freight. Covers the FCL vs LCL breakeven, chargeable weight, container sizes, transit times and forwarders.
6 min read → CustomsCustoms Clearance: How It Works and How to Avoid Delays
How import customs clearance works step by step: documents, the customs broker's role, exams and holds, duty payment, de minimis, delays and record keeping.
6 min read → Trade financeInternational Payment Terms Explained: T/T, Letters of Credit, D/P, Escrow and Open Account
Compare T/T deposits, letters of credit, documentary collections, escrow and open account terms, and learn how to balance risk, cost and cash flow in trade.
7 min read → SourcingHow to Avoid Supplier Scams: 15 Red Flags and How to Check Them
Spot supplier scams before you pay. Learn 15 red flags, from bank-detail change fraud to fake factories, plus practical checks and steps to take if scammed.
7 min read → QualityQuality Inspection for Imports: From Pre-Production to Pre-Shipment
Plan import quality control step by step: pre-production, in-line and pre-shipment inspections, AQL sampling in plain English, golden samples and lab testing.
7 min read → DocumentationImport & Export Documents Checklist: Invoices, Packing Lists, Bills of Lading and More
A practical checklist of import and export documents: invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, air waybills, certificates of origin, permits and who issues each.
7 min read → EventsHow to Make Trade Shows Pay Off: A Playbook for Buyers and Exhibitors
Get real results from trade shows: choose the right events, plan meetings, capture samples and prices on the floor, follow up fast and budget as an exhibitor.
6 min read → SourcingHow to Write an RFQ That Gets Accurate Supplier Quotes
Write a request for quotation that suppliers can price accurately: essential fields, a ready-to-use RFQ template, and how to compare quotes like for like.
6 min read → BusinessHow to Start an Import-Export Business: A Practical Roadmap
Start an import-export business step by step: choose a model and niche, register, open banking, find suppliers and buyers, price for profit and plan your first 90 days.
6 min read →Have a question we haven't covered?
Ask a specialist about classification, compliance, payments or market entry.