Stepping into international trade is an essential next step for many businesses. It gives you a wider audience to market your product to and helps support your goals for expansion over the years. While deciding to make this step may be the easy part, putting the right structure into place to minimise the risk of delays and maintain good customer service can be challenging. At Radius Warehouse and Logistic Services, we have over 25 years of experience in worldwide cargo movements. So, to help you start shipping internationally, here are our 3 top tips.
- Build a Structured Shipping Strategy
All significant decisions for your business should be part of a wider strategy. Before you set out on international shipment, it pays to consider your shipping strategy. This will help you understand the best ways to keep costs down, create the best experience for your international customers and optimise order fulfilment.
- Consider things like:
- The demand for your product internationally.
- Packaging requirements and availability.
- Suppliers and contacts to make the process streamlined.
- Your available budget and margins.
- Size & weight of your product.
- Any specific requirements.
- Consider Packaging to Minimise Damage.
Shipping international requires additional considerations into the packaging to minimise damage. Especially true if your goods have to pass through many hands before reaching their end destination, you’ll want to find packaging suppliers who can supply sturdy and reliable solutions. Double-walled or reinforced paper boxes should be used at the bare minimum. For larger items, you may want to invest in pallets or crates to help accommodate the added weight and edge protectors to further protect fragile goods. The right suppliers will be able to offer suggestions, depending on the product and its size and weight.
- Abide by Country-Specific Laws and Regulations
There are many ways to delay an international shipment from not supplying the correct paperwork to not taking into account the destination country’s laws and regulations. Some countries have restrictions on the goods that can be shipped to them. For example, Costa Rica has sanctions in place for Mexican avocados while restrictions exist for the import of firearms to certain countries. Understanding these will help you prevent delays and minimise the risk of fines as a result.
At Radius Warehouse and Logistic Services, we have been supporting individuals and businesses with international trade since 1996. For more advice on how to make this process as straightforward and trouble-free as possible, request a quote or get in contact with a member of our experienced team here today.
