Raymond Yang

A term inserted onto a transport document, such as a bill of lading regarding the condition of the goods. This is usually a negative comment, reflecting actual or possible damage to goods or packaging, so a “claused bill of lading” can have negative implications for a seller and buyer. A claused bill of lading may also be referred to as a “foul” bill, while a “clean” bill of lading, containing no adverse clauses is considered as desirable, and is usually required for letters of credit.

Customs Duty is usually based on the customs value of goods and is usually calculated according to the value – 'ad valorem' in Latin. Most goods are taxed in this way, although sometimes different criteria are used such as weight, dimensions, quantity, or some other criteria. For instance, flour is taxed by weight and clocks are taxed by quantity.

The company that provided your current supplier’s declaration no longer exists. Why this is the case (e.g. company split) does not matter. But it is a fact that you cannot hold anyone liable if worst comes to worst. Consequently, a new supplier’s declaration should be requested.

Therefore, before searching for buyers define the product you are offering. Do market research. For example, browsing distributor websites is a good way of increasing your knowledge of the markets.

The next step is to target the right buyers. There are different ways to search for buyers; browse on the internet, go visit trade fairs and talk with buyers to find out what is important to them. When you attend trade expos, you have the opportunity to showcase your products and services, meet with potential buyers and connect with trade partners.

Online sales. Various internet websites allow you to post your products or services online, so that prospective buyers can come to you, instead of you searching for them. You may register with Export Portal – a reliable B2B platform that will connect you with thousand of buyers from all over the world.

An alternative distribution channel you could use is buying agents. Agents can work individually or as part of purchasing companies. Visit the websites of European and national sector associations. Moreover, associations have an extensive network and, as such, can be a good source to find potential buyers. Start with visiting websites of the associations that cover your product / market at the international and European level.

Use online advertising. It is important that buyers looking for new offers can find you online. You can start with building your own website or create your own store on a marketplace such as Export Portal and list all your products to get even more potential buyers.

Make use of databases and matchmaking services. You can make use of company databases to create a list of potential customers to target. For example, via the chambers of commerce of a specific country. If you need help with finding potential buyers, there are matchmaking service organizations. They will link you to relevant potential buyers and prevent an overload of irrelevant addresses.

A bill of lading is issued by a carrier (in the case of seafreight – referred to as Ocean Carrier). An ocean carrier is someone who has undertaken to provide the transportation of goods from point A to point B using the waterways as the primary mode but also combining rail and road services. A Bill of Lading, is an important transport document that has 3 basic purposes or roles: Evidence of Contract of Carriage, Receipt of Goods and Document of Title to the goods. A House Bill of Lading (HBL) is a bill of lading issued by an NVOCC operator or a Freight Forwarder to their customers.. An NVOCC is similar to an Ocean Carrier except that they don’t operate the vessels used for the transportation.