Going Global: Navigating the Pitfalls and Opportunities of Crossborder Selling

Going Global: Navigating the Pitfalls and Opportunities of Crossborder Selling

In the first of this three-part series,‭ ‬I introduced the challenges of cross-border selling.‭ ‬In Part‭ ‬2,‭ ‬I’ll dive into some specific pitfalls and lessons learned. Pitfall‭ ‬1:‭ ‬Total landed costsA colleague living in India purchased some of his favorite products from a professional-looking site.‭ ‬He did not realize the business was US-based because it…

3 Reasons Why the Auto Industry Should Utilize Free Trade Agreements

3 Reasons Why the Auto Industry Should Utilize Free Trade Agreements

There’s been a lot of news and speculation lately around Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) as the new U.S. administration works to review and renegotiate its agreements with countries around the world and Britain figures out the Brexit implications for its own trade deals. While government and corporate leaders engage in a public discourse about the particulars for various…

NAFTA: USTR Summary of Objectives

NAFTA: USTR Summary of Objectives

In case you missed it; here is a summary of the NAFTA modernization process: The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) modernization process advanced on July 17, 2017, with the release by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) of the NAFTA negotiating objectives summary. Specifically, Section 150(a)(1)(D) of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade…

Beware Export Controls On Software, Encryption, Technology

Beware Export Controls On Software, Encryption, Technology

Executives routinely travel abroad with company-issued or personal laptops, tablets, and handheld devices. It is common to carry product information, presentations, and other information on these devices. For example, a sales executive may have a proposal that includes detailed product specifications as well as information on pricing and delivery. The device itself may contain software…

Customs Broker Exam goes electronic and a lot more expensive

Customs Broker Exam goes electronic and a lot more expensive

The customs broker exam will from now on be administered and taken electronically. Yes, no more bubbling in scantron sheets with No. 2 pencils! On June 30, 2017, CBP issued a Federal Register Notice revising its regulations. In addition to automating the exam, CBP also moved the biannual date of the exam to the fourth Wednesday in April…

New U.S. Policy on Cuba

New U.S. Policy on Cuba

We’ve been patiently waiting for this announcement since President Trump took office on Friday, January 20, 2017. Some have speculated on whether President Trump’s stance on Cuba would further diplomatic relations following the steps of former President Barack Obama, while the majority have opined that Trump’s next steps could reverse some of the changes made…

Merchandise Processing Fee: Hidden Information You Need to Know

Merchandise Processing Fee: Hidden Information You Need to Know

Whether you’re a foreign company importing your products to the United States, or you’re an American company importing foreign goods as part of your business, you’ll need to account for the merchandise processing fee (MPF). While the terms of payment are relatively straightforward, there are many considerations that determine how much an importer ultimately pays….

Enhanced Enforcement of Antidumping and Countervailing Duties, New Petitions

Enhanced Enforcement of Antidumping and Countervailing Duties, New Petitions

1. Executive Orders President Trump issued two Executive Orders on March 31, 2017, signaling the new administration’s opposition to unfair trade practices. The first Executive Order (See Original Document Here) directs the Department of Commerce (“DOC”) and the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) to conduct a broad review of differential tariffs, non-tariff barriers, injurious dumping, injurious…

Crossborder Selling: What Small & Mid-Size Businesses Need to Know

Crossborder Selling: What Small & Mid-Size Businesses Need to Know

Crossborder selling has become easy enough that small and medium-sized businesses from every corner of the economy want to take advantage of the global marketplace. According to research recently published by DHL Express, cross-border online retail is predicted to grow at twice the rate of domestic e-commerce until 2020. But for small and medium-sized businesses with…

Purchasing Trends Of Small-And-Medium Sized Importers

Purchasing Trends Of Small-And-Medium Sized Importers

UPS announced the results of its 2017 UPS Business Monitor™ Export Index Latin America (BMEI) report. The study focuses on the purchasing behaviors of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), a segment representing more than 90% of companies in Latin America¹. It reveals insights about importers that will help exporters sell and supply products to this growing…