International Trade
Navigate customs, duties, and global supply chains.
40 articles
What Is Landed Cost?
Landed cost is the true total cost of an imported product including duties, freight, and insurance. Essential for accurate margin calculations.
What Is an HS Code?
HS codes are the international classification system for traded goods. Getting them wrong can mean paying the wrong duty rate — or a customs delay.
What Is Import Duty?
Import duty is a tax charged on goods brought into a country. Understanding how it's calculated is essential for any importer.
What Are Incoterms?
Incoterms define who pays for freight, insurance, and bears the risk at each stage of an international shipment. Essential knowledge for any importer or exporter.
What Is CIF Value?
CIF stands for Cost, Insurance, and Freight. It's the standard basis for calculating import duty in the UK and most of the world.
What Is Export Market Scoring?
Export market scoring ranks potential export markets by their attractiveness for your specific product. It turns gut feel into a data-driven expansion decision.
What Is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?
FTAs reduce or eliminate tariffs between countries. Understanding them can significantly cut your import costs.
What Is Import VAT and How Does It Work?
Import VAT is charged on goods entering the UK. Learn how it works, how to reclaim it, and the postponed VAT accounting option.
What Is Anti-Dumping Duty?
Anti-dumping duties protect domestic industries from imports priced below normal value. Learn when they apply and how to check.
What Is the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)?
CBAM is the EU's carbon tariff on imported goods. Learn which products are affected and what it means for UK exporters.
What Is Trade Finance?
Learn how trade finance instruments reduce risk and unlock liquidity for importers and exporters conducting cross-border transactions.
What Is a Letter of Credit?
Understand how letters of credit provide payment guarantees in international trade, reducing risk for both importers and exporters.
What Is Customs Bonding?
Discover how customs bonds guarantee compliance with import regulations and ensure payment of duties to customs authorities.
What Is a Bill of Lading?
Learn how the bill of lading serves as a receipt, contract of carriage, and document of title in international shipping.
What Is a Free Trade Zone?
Explore how free trade zones offer tax incentives, simplified customs, and duty exemptions to attract investment and boost exports.
What Is Rules of Origin?
Understand how rules of origin determine the national source of a product and affect tariff rates in international trade agreements.
What Is a Trade Deficit?
Learn what a trade deficit means, how it affects national economies, and why many African countries run persistent trade deficits.
What Is an Incoterm?
Discover how Incoterms define responsibilities for shipping, insurance, and customs between buyers and sellers in international trade.
What Is a Certificate of Origin?
Learn how certificates of origin verify where goods were produced and unlock preferential tariff rates under trade agreements.
What Is Duty Drawback?
Understand how duty drawback programmes refund import duties on goods that are subsequently exported or used in export production.
What Is a Freight Forwarder?
Learn how freight forwarders coordinate international shipments, handling logistics, documentation, and customs on behalf of importers and exporters.
What Is Customs Clearance?
Understand the customs clearance process, required documents, and how to avoid costly delays when importing or exporting goods.
What Is a Bonded Warehouse?
Discover how bonded warehouses allow importers to store goods without paying duties until the goods enter domestic commerce.
What Is an Export License?
Learn when export licences are required, how to apply for them, and which goods are subject to export controls.
What Is Trade Credit Insurance?
Discover how trade credit insurance protects businesses against buyer default, insolvency, and political risks in cross-border trade.
What Is a Pro Forma Invoice?
Understand the role of pro forma invoices in international trade as preliminary cost estimates before a sale is confirmed.
What Is a Commercial Invoice?
Learn why the commercial invoice is the most important document in international trade, used for customs, payment, and legal purposes.
What Is a Packing List?
Understand how packing lists detail the contents of shipments and why they are essential for customs clearance and cargo verification.
What Is Demurrage?
Learn how demurrage charges apply when cargo is not collected from ports or containers are not returned within the free time period.
What Is an Import Quota?
Understand how import quotas limit the quantity of goods entering a country to protect domestic industries and manage trade balances.
FOB vs CIF: What's the Difference?
Compare FOB and CIF shipping terms to understand who bears risk, cost, and responsibility at each stage of international trade.
Tariff vs Quota: What's the Difference?
Understand how tariffs and quotas function as trade barriers, their economic effects, and their impact on African trade policy.
Free Trade Area vs Customs Union: What's the Difference?
Compare free trade areas and customs unions to understand their structures, trade implications, and relevance to African economic integration.
Export vs Import Substitution: What's the Difference?
Compare export-led growth and import substitution industrialisation as development strategies, with examples from African economic history.
Bilateral vs Multilateral Trade: What's the Difference?
Compare bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, their negotiation dynamics, and their impact on African economies.
Formal vs Informal Trade in Africa: What's the Difference?
Explore the differences between formal and informal trade in Africa, and why informal cross-border commerce remains vital to African economies.
AfCFTA vs SADC: What's the Difference?
Compare the African Continental Free Trade Area and the Southern African Development Community to understand their roles in African economic integration.
M-Pesa vs Bank Transfer for Business: What's the Difference?
Compare M-Pesa mobile money and traditional bank transfers for business payments, exploring speed, cost, and accessibility across African markets.
USD Invoicing vs Local Currency: What's the Difference?
Compare invoicing in US dollars versus local currencies for African businesses, covering exchange rate risk, costs, and practical considerations.
SEZ vs Free Trade Zone: What's the Difference?
Compare Special Economic Zones and Free Trade Zones to understand their incentives, structures, and role in African industrial development.