Retail imports have been on the rise as the industry braces for the busiest time of the year. The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) latest projections call for a 3.6 to 4 percent increase in holiday sales for 2017 over the same period in 2016. That makes for a total of $678.75 billion to $682 billion,…
When 20’ and 40’ full containers make up 90% of all goods shipped around the world, a common question arises with newer shippers: “What if I don’t have enough freight to fill a full container?” In this case, LCL (Less-than-Container-Load) may be right for you. Don’t judge a shipper by their carton count LCL offers…
Hey there, fellow turkey enthusiasts, Global Training Center would like to wish you a Happy Tariff-giving! With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time to talk turkey…tariffs, that is! In this video, we’ll be exploring the exciting world of tariff classifications for all your favorite Thanksgiving items. From cranberry sauce to pumpkin pie, we’ll uncover…
There’s almost no getting around filing Electronic Export Information for exports from the United States. Sure, there are a few exclusions, and most shipments to Canada get a pass, but an EEI is required for the vast majority of transactions. Whenever an EEI is filed, it must state whether the export is “routed” or not….
Logistics managers have long valued Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ) because they’re secure areas under U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) supervision generally considered outside CBP territory upon activation. Located in or near CBP ports of entry, they’re the United States’ version of what are known internationally as free-trade zones. Currently, there are 276 authorized FTZs across the United States….
Expanding your business beyond the borders and the perceived safety of your own country may be a frightening prospect full of uncertainties, but in today’s global marketplace, it often is the only option available to stay competitive. The nature of cross-border business is such that a lot can be lost in (miss)translation. Parties to international…
Since the last NAFTA Insights, there have been comments via social media about the potential for US withdrawal from the Agreement and scrutiny of dispute resolution mechanisms, labor standards and local content rules. With Eurasia Group providing the latest developments from Round 2 of the NAFTA renegotiations, this edition considers whether the US President can…
In the second part of this three-part series, I described some specific pitfalls related to cross-border selling and some lessons learned. In this final part, I’ll take a look at a key trend that is impacting the marketplace: the use of automation to manage complexity. As noted in Part 1 of this series, cross-border selling is becoming easier…
A customer walks into their local grocer looking for their favorite kombucha brand, only to find that it’s out of stock. Frustrated, this patron considers her options: choose another brand, choose another store, choose to postpone the purchase or choose not to buy the drink at all. None of these scenarios are favorable to the…
Global commerce, market competition, and reduced costs among other factors, have explained U.S. manufacturing companies moving to Mexico. With its own budget plan, each company has to constantly modify and adjust to changes in the world economy. When it comes to competition, CEOs have to think strategically when creating their own product and delivering it….
This article is informational and describes requirements if ever found in an unpleasant situation, such as misplacement or loss of the most important document in the shipping industry. As the title suggests, the procedures and requirements surrounding a lost Bill of Lading are both very complex and detailed. Contracts of Carriage are commonly issued in…
Build it, and they will comeLast month we announced our new Alexa Skill (app) on the Amazon store. We hope you have had the opportunity to install this free feature for your Amazon Echo and have had time to use it. Along with the launch, we thought we would have some fun and give away…
