www.elesclothing.co.uk
and
www.elesplusclothing.co.uk get
phone calls all the time from our wholesale customers asking how to ship our
ladies plus size and women's Uk
wholesale clothing abroad.
Here is an article I have found I hope it helps. Although I do need to add
nothing beats expertise and a simple google search for shippers will save you
much time and aggravation.
Thanks for your business
www.elesclothing.co.uk
Things you must know about international shipping
In this article:
Laws and policies of the recipient country
International shipping rates
Selecting a shipping service
Understanding the duties and customs structure
Documentation requirements
Shipping restrictions
Packing requirements
Risks involved and their management
Conclusion
With every passing day, technology brings the world closer. Now, a product
manufactured in a specific region is delivered to another part of the world
within a few days. This movement of goods from the point of origination to the
point of delivery makes the subject matter of knowing everything about
International Shipping.
There are many complexities involved in shipping goods from the UK to other
countries. You have to consider laws and regulations, duty rates, limitations
on import and export and many other matters. Besides that, you must also have
resources, tools, a global network and most of all technical knowhow of international
shipping process. Moving goods through air and land is quite expensive
especially when the goods are in bulk, which is why a large number of
businesses prefer international shipment through sea route.
Being well prepared is the key to ensure successful overseas shipping. This
article promises to give with all that you need to know about international
shipping. And for that, you got to know the answers of the two most basic
questions while exporting from the UK i.e.
What do you want to ship? (Number of items, intended use, types of material)
Where do you want to ship? (Point of destination)
Now let’s have a look at certain things which you must know about international
shipping.
Laws and policies of the recipient country
The laws and regulations of each country differ from another to a noticeable
extent. You must have detailed knowledge of the domestic business regulations
of the UK,
which apply to your business, as well as that of the recipient country. Knowing
the bylaws, system and policies of the recipient’s country give insights on:
Tax structure
Limitations on imports
Unless you know that the cargo you are going to ship would be allowed to pass
through the countries custom laws, you cannot properly begin shipping your
goods internationally. If you ship goods worldwide, it would be hard for you to
keep a track of import and shipping laws of every country. A wise strategy
could be to maintain the record and copies of shipping rules and policies of
different countries you deal with and read the documents of that specific
country where you intend to ship the goods.
International shipping rates
Shipping rates vary with weight, size and location of the cargo. You first need
to pack the cargo and then weigh it to determine the value of insurance
required for safe delivery. Compare the international shipping rates of the
world’s leading shipping companies such as FedEx, UPS, DHL and USPS.
To compare their international shipping rates, use the calculators available on
respective websites of the credible shipping companies. You will be asked to
enter specific information regarding the cargo, like destination, weight in
pounds and ounces and shape of products to get an estimated shipping rate. Even
if you don’t want to avail the services of a specific cargo company, you will
still get a fair idea of the international shipping rates and it will help you
bargain with other companies.
Selecting a shipping service
Not all shipping companies ship to all parts of the world and not all companies
offer all types of shipping options. There are many shipping methods which
companies use for international shipping, like live loading method, dropping
off, warehouse and terminal loading. You should first determine the method
which suits your needs and then pick the company which offers that of your
choice.
Moreover, you must also find out if the company you chose ships directly to the
desired destination or you would have to pay extra freight or hire the services
of another company. A reputable shipping company, which offers quick and hassle
free shipping along with order tracking and confirmation information services
at rates within your budget is the one you should opt for.
While choosing the shipping company, low cost is an important factor but one
should never compromise on the timely and safe delivery. Pay additional amounts
if you have to, but always hire an experienced company to ensure that you meet
your commitments. You can start searching the freight company by contacting the
embassy or nearest consulate of the country where you have to ship the goods;
they can provide you with the list of licensed international shipping
companies, which legally operate in that country.
Understanding the duties and customs structure
While determining the value of the shipping charges, consider what taxes,
duties, custom charges and port handling fee apply to your product. Payment of
these charges is an arrangement between the importer and exporter. When goods
are shipped in bulk to other businesses, buyers mostly receive the delivery
from the ports and have to pay the duties and taxes. But if delivered at the
doorstep, these charges are included in the total shipping cost. The structure
of these charges varies from country to country and also depends on the
contents of cargo.
Duties and taxes are imposed by the government to promote their country’s local
industry. These duties must be paid before the delivery. The amount is
determined by the custom duties officers according to the trade agreements,
product values, and HS Codes (Harmonized System Codes). It is important for you
to understand the fee and duty charges structure of the recipient country as it
allows you to fix the products price accordingly.
Documentation requirements
International shipping does not mean that you select the shipping carrier and
consider all of your work done. It requires proper documentation of various
steps of the shipping process. Different countries have different requirements
for documentation depending upon their respective laws and regulations. Mostly
the following documents are required and you should be vigilant and careful in
preparing the following.
Bill of lading
Bill of export
Power of attorney
Packing lists
Certified invoices
Certificate of inception
Shipping orders
Short shipment forms
Certificate of inception
Dock and warehouse receipts
Insurance certificate
Airway bills
Mate receipts
This list does not end here as these are only the basic documents. There can be
other documents depending on the type of products and the point of destination.
Documentation must be authentic and genuine because even a slight discrepancy
can result in non payment and seizure of goods.
Shipping restrictions
Not every country allows entry to every item from foreign countries. Illegal
and weapons are a common example. It’s your responsibility to know what can or
cannot be shipped to what country as ignorance is no excuse. For instance,
weapons, drugs, obscene material, meat, dairy products, and radio transmitters
are not allowed to be imported in the UK.
Before shipping any apparently objectionable item to another country, make sure
you study the rules, polices, laws and regulations of the recipient country
before deciding to book the freight.
Packing requirements
During international shipping, a cargo is loaded and unloaded many times so
it’s extremely important to pay due consideration to its packaging. Cargo
should be loaded in strong containers, properly sealed and closed with the help
of shipping tape. All empty spaces should be filled up and weight should be
distributed evenly within the container.
Packing fillers should be moisture resistant and fixed in the containers
according to the volume of the cargo. Life of the product is an important
factor and containers should be picked accordingly. Light weight yet durable
packing materials should be used since shipping fee is charged on the basis of
weight and volume.
After packing, cartons should be labelled according to the shipping
regulations, which are meant for identification. Markings such as: handling
marks, port of entry, ingredients, country of origin, weight marking, number of
packages, sizes, cautionary markings like “Use No Hooks” and labels of
hazardous materials should be marked clearly to avoid any type of confusion.
Risks involved and their management
The most important thing in international shipping is to identify what type of
goods you are transport and what are the potential risks involved in its
transportation. Some are controllable risks which can be avoided through proper
packaging by using bubble wraps and seal packaging. But management of some
risks like weather conditions, rough handling, theft, wear and tear and loss by
fire are not under your control.
For these risks, insurance companies are there with a promise to indemnify the
loss in transit against fixed financial amounts. However, the buyer is
responsible to pay the amount charged by insurance companies, but if he does
not bother about covering the damage done to the cargo, it can convert into a
major financial loss.
For international shipping, marine insurance is another safety tool. The
arrangements for marine insurance can be made by the buyers or the seller, as
per the contract. Though it adds to the cost yet the amount paid for transfer
of the goods is worth the investment.
Conclusion
I hope the information given in this guide will benefit and provide you with a
better understanding of how International shipping works. Though the subject of
international shipping is somehow quite vast and complex as you have to take
care of many formalities and abide by the rules and regulations imposed by the
laws of the UK along with the particular countries you are shipping to, yet
with little research and effort, you can make the most of it.
With the local markets becoming more saturated, exploring international markets
has become a common trend. Do a little research and study the points mentioned
in this article and hopefully you would be in a position to ship your products
globally.