Getting into a State!

At a recent conference I was reminded how new-comers and even experienced global shippers can be blinded by assumptions that they don’t even realise they are making.

In this case it became clear that some people believed that a Country has only one set of laws no matter which port or airport you choose to #import to or #export from.    Whilst this is true in some countries it is certainly not true in others.  Take the USA for instance – there is Federal law and then there is State legislation.   Taxes differ between States which can wreck your costings.   Some goods can be imported into New York but are forbidden in Los Angeles – you will come to understand this as they are confiscated and destroyed at your expense!!!   It is not just the USA that has these differences – do you know if this applies to the countries you work with…..????

Don’t forget your intangibles!

Sounds like something you shouldn’t forget to take on holiday with you doesn’t it?

But no this is a very serious issue for exporters.

As a general idea think of intangibles as things you can’t touch.  Not because they are dangerous like nuclear waste but because they do not have a physical form for example an electronic file of software.   

Such things are still products and may still need export licences when ‘sent’ abroad by electronic means.

Perhaps they should be renamed the untouchables!

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Bejewelled

During my piano lessons this morning (yes I teach piano as well as import / export) it occurred to me to wonder how many of my shipping friends would appreciate the challenge of providing a tariff classification for a functional grand piano that is also a million dollar work of art and contains a player system and electronics.

Take a look at this link to see what I mean ..New York Serenade piano

www.morley-consulting.co.uk