Notes
A small number of reviewed articles, each answering a question we have been asked more than once. Dated, attributed, and revised when the facts change.
October 16, 2026 · 10 min read
Demurrage is the only charge on an import that is a function of time rather than value. Why tiered rates make the loss accelerate, how the per-unit damage depends entirely on unit count, and how to price the exposure before the vessel arrives.
Read the noteOctober 11, 2026 · 10 min read
Compare FOB vs CIF shipping costs, insurance and risk transfer. Work through a quote example and check which terms fit your next import shipment before you buy.
Read the noteOctober 11, 2026 · 10 min read
Understand DDP shipping, included costs and importer risks. Compare DDP with DAP, FOB and CIF, then check duty, tax evidence and delivery fees before buying.
Read the noteOctober 2, 2026 · 10 min read
A clearing invoice mixes government charges you can verify against published rates with fees that are pure negotiation. How to tell the four categories apart, what receipts to insist on, and how to check the total against your estimate.
Read the noteOctober 2, 2026 · 10 min read
Customs converts your invoice at an official published rate, not the rate your bank gave you. Why the two differ, which one belongs in which part of your costing, and how to price when the rate can move before you clear.
Read the noteSeptember 9, 2026 · 9 min read
Spreadsheets are excellent at arithmetic and poor at rules. Where a landed cost model quietly fails, what the audit research shows, and how to decide which tool you need.
Read the noteSeptember 18, 2026 · 9 min read
How to turn a shipment total into a landed cost per unit, then into a break-even and target selling price. Formulas, a worked container example, and the mistakes that flatter margin.
Read the noteSeptember 9, 2026 · 8 min read
Why the supplier invoice is only a starting point: how WTO customs valuation sets the duty base, and how landed cost answers a different question. Worked example.
Read the noteFebruary 11, 2026 · 6 min read
The five costs importers most often leave out of a landed cost estimate, and how to catch them before you commit to a price.
Read the noteJanuary 28, 2026 · 5 min read
The first six digits are international. The duty rate is not. A practical guide to using HS codes without kidding yourself.
Read the noteFebruary 4, 2026 · 5 min read
CIF, duty, ECOWAS Trade Levy, excise, then 13% GST — plus inspection and cargo tracking. Getting the sequence wrong changes the answer.
Read the noteThe notes above answer single questions. For the full method, see the import landed cost guides, or start with what separates CIF from landed cost.
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