Guides for people who import things.
No jargon and nothing to sign up for. How to find the factory that makes your product, how your duty bill is worked out, and when a middleman is worth paying.
EXW, FOB, DDP: the three words that decide who pays for what
A quote is not a price until you know which Incoterm it is on. The same goods can read 30% cheaper and cost you more. Here is where the money actually hides.
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What you actually need before your first import
An EORI number, an HS code and a decision about who is the importer of record. Most of the paperwork people worry about is somebody else’s job.
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How to check a supplier is really a factory before you pay a deposit
Most suppliers presenting themselves as manufacturers are trading companies. Seven checks you can run yourself, in an afternoon, before any money moves.
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What a container of car parts actually costs to land
The factory invoice is roughly two thirds of it. Here is the full list of what sits between a quotation and your warehouse door, including the lines people forget.
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How to find the factory that actually makes a product
Most products you buy from a supplier were made by somebody else. Here is how to find out who, using information that is already public.
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How import duty is calculated, and why a middleman makes you pay it twice
Duty is charged on the price you paid. So if you paid a middleman's markup, you pay duty on the markup as well. Here is exactly how the sum works.
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Trading company or factory direct? What the middleman really costs
Buying direct is cheaper. It is also more work and more risk. The honest answer is that it depends on what you are buying and how often.
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