Expansion of business is a single but most important thing every small and medium-size company undertakes at one point or the other. Since the goal of every company, be it big or small is profit maximization and expanding the current limits of your business is the swift army knife of profit maximization.
One of the tested and trusted ways to expand your business is through international shipping. There are pockets of benefits associated with shipping internationally, but many companies are still apprehensive of doing this because of the costs and customs.
Yes, it is reasonable to be but with the following five tips mentioned below, you will find shipping internationally enticing and a golden opportunity of diversifying and making huge profits.
1. Consider where to ship your products
It is crucial you carefully consider which countries you want to ship the products to. Countries such as Canada and Mexico are great options for many businesses in America because of proximity.
However, there are salient things you still need to consider when deciding where you want to ship to, things like, are there trade agreements between the US and the country, if there are, great! It will help with the ease of moving goods with lower duty rates and easier customs clearance.
2. Always give a clear, specific, and detailed description of your shipment
Many businesses make the mistake of being brief on the commercial invoice. Don’t do this! Make sure you describe accurately every detail about the goods on the commercial invoice to avoid any delay.
Things like the number of units, where the goods were manufactured, the total value of the goods and some other information about the goods should be written out. Sometimes you may need to use the Harmonized System Code when clarifying the goods.
3. Provide Useful Information about the recipient
The rule of the thumb is before the commercial invoice is said to be completed, the information about the recipient must be provided too. This is crucial as the recipients may need to answer some questions from the officials on duties.
Is the recipient sharing in the cost of duties, insurance, or taxes? Are you responsible for all the fees during shipping? Questions like these need to be prepared for during shipping in addition to the cost of shipping itself.
4. Consider and define when the shipment should land
No doubt about the fact that, the faster the shipment reaches the destination, the higher the cost incurs. Streamline and define this based on how you want it.
5. Opt for a reputable provider
The hassles associated with first shipping can be so disturbing, but with many providers out there, your first shipment will be so rewarding and as easy as a walk in the park. Those providers are there to walk you through the journey of international shipments at a very reasonable cost.
Make that bold step today if you haven’t try international shipping before. To compete quite well in today’s business world, you have also got to do everything possible, including international shipping.
