Unexpected shipping costs can decimate your profit margin or make a project nonviable, so you need to avoid them whenever possible.  The story below explains what happened to one of our new customers recently.

We were asked by a new customer to arrange the clearance and delivery of some items they had bought from a supplier in China. They’d been assured by their supplier that they would let them know when the goods should be arriving. However on receipt of the relevant documentation at Isca Forwarding, it was clear that the goods had already arrived in the UK and had been unloaded. At this point the customer was accruing rent at just over £200 per day.  The vessel had arrived ten days prior meaning the customer already had a hefty bill.

When importing items from overseas, it is vital to get a good understanding of exactly what your supplier is going to do for you. It also makes sense to ensure that the people, who are going to responsible for clearing and delivering the items to you in the UK, are in the loop as early as possible in the process.We immediately arranged HM Custom’s clearance, and managed to get a vehicle into the docks to collect the shipment before further rent was accrued.  Whilst our prompt action stopped them from incurring any additional costs, there was nothing to be done to reduce the £2300 bill already incurred.

If you are looking to import from anywhere overseas download our Guide to Importing before you start, so that you know what to expect, and can plan accordingly. We are happy to be involved from the early stages, so if you need help and advice, just give us a call on 01392 369923.

It is also worth familiarising yourself with Incoterms 2010