10 Ways Technology Can Improve Your Supply Chain (and Personal) Productivity
I’d be hard pressed to deny that technology consumes my life today. At this very moment, I am writing this blog while streaming music using Pandora and monitoring my email on the same device that houses all of my documents, pictures, and embarrassing videos. Cisco, one of the world’s largest technology firms, estimates that the […]
Continue Reading »Why Every Importer of Tile and Stone Cannot Afford to Miss the “Crystal Ball Look at Future Transportation Issues” Session at Coverings 2014
Every winter as you prepare your budgets for the upcoming year, I imagine each of you Logistics Managers standing in front of a mirror and saying, “mirror, mirror on the wall, what are my ocean freights going to be next Fall?” While the image may be slightly comical, the thought highlights a very real problem. […]
Continue Reading »How the Chinese New Year Affects your Logistics, No Matter What your Zodiac Sign Is
It snuck up on you, didn’t it? Much like the dreaded summer bathing suit season – the one you keep saying you’ll start that diet for next week – that time of the year has arrived. Maybe it was the gestational holiday season when you gained 15 pounds from fruit cake alone, or the collective sigh […]
Continue Reading »Do Exporters Have to Keep Records, Too? A Guide to the Ins and Outs of Export Recordkeeping
I sincerely hope this does not shock anyone but recordkeeping is not only for importers! Exporters must maintain records as proof of compliance with U.S. government regulations for a minimum of 5 years. If Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Census, or any other U.S. Government Agency that […]
Continue Reading »9 Reasons Why CIF Shipping Is Too Good to Be True!
What is CIF shipping? Cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) or CIF shipping is an international trade term that represents a contract where the seller will cover the goods’ transport to the port of origin, main carriage, and minimum insurance. Easy-peasy, right? I understand that the temptation to buy on a Cost, Insurance & Freight (CIF) […]
Continue Reading »Importer Security Filing: 7 ISF Best Practices You Shouldn’t Ignore
The Importer Security Filing (ISF) began in January 2009 with a one-year introductory phase-in period. Full enforcement began in January 2010, but Customs and Border Protection (CBP) maintained a flexible and measured enforcement stance. Penalty guidelines were published in July 2009, but Customs held off doing anything until July 2013 when they announced they would […]
Continue Reading »7 Reasons Your Container Drayage Costs will Rise in 2014
Worried about how container drayage costs will impact your supply chain next year? You’re not alone. Here are seven reasons the chassis and driver shortage will impact your operations in 2014: Most major ocean carriers have either largely pulled out of the chassis business or intend to do so in 2014. Multi-carrier steamship pools are […]
Continue Reading »A Wine Enthusiast’s Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide to Importing Wine
As a lover of all wines good and as a budding hobbyist and neophyte collector of Italian (Piedmont, Tuscany, and Umbria regions), French (Rhone region), Spanish (Murcia and Rioja regions), and Washington State (Columbia Valley) varietals, I can’t seem to get enough of the culture, industry personalities, and business mechanics of my new found passion. […]
Continue Reading »Are Your Competitors Paying Duty? The Truth Behind Trade Data Confidentiality
“My competitors don’t pay duty.” Boy, if I had a dollar for every time I have heard this over my career, I would not need to worry about my kids’ college tuitions. How does an importer know for sure that the competition is not paying duty? Customs entry information is strictly confidential and not even […]
Continue Reading »Examining the Issue: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Customs Inspection
As the ETA of your freight approaches, your palms start to sweat, you begin to pace your office, hit the refresh button on the tracking website, and start calling your professional Customs broker every hour on the hour. The underlying fears…will your freight be snagged for examination?! Cue dramatic music. Importers have come to know […]
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