Good questions make
better shipping plans.

Shortlist exhibitors and prepare product questions, quantities and sample requirements. Keep a meeting record with supplier details, quotations and the next action. Check current registration, invitations, badges and attendance arrangements on the official Canton Fair buyer platform.

An approved sample records a reference for agreed product features. Confirm the production specification, packaging, inspection criteria and how changes are approved in writing. Sample approval alone does not verify every unit in a later production batch.

Record the business identity and establish whether you are dealing with a manufacturer or trading company. Decide which documents, production capabilities and references need checking. A factory audit and a product inspection cover different questions; agree their scope separately.

Provide the product specification, reference samples or drawings, target quantities, packaging, intended market and required ready date. Identify any testing, labelling or certification questions for the relevant specialist to review before comparing supplier offers.

The sales rule allocates responsibilities between seller and buyer. Ask the forwarder to identify its own included services, assumptions and conditional charges. Keep that written scope consistent with the sales agreement and confirm any gaps before booking.

Record the named delivery place, the parties responsible for import formalities and import charges, and any unloading or receiving arrangements. Check the written sales terms together with the quoted freight service and its exclusions.

FOB, CFR and CIF are rules for sea and inland waterway transport. Review the actual handover and transport arrangement before selecting a rule. Consult the official ICC guidance rather than choosing a term solely because it appears on a supplier quotation.

They can differ. Review the delivery and risk provisions separately from the obligation to arrange and pay for transport. A freight-paid destination alone does not establish where risk transfers under every rule.

They describe the buyer and seller obligations, delivery and transfer of risk, and allocation of relevant costs. They do not replace the full sales contract. Identify the selected rule, named place or port and edition in the written agreement.

Treat the supplier’s code as a starting point for review. Provide the product’s materials, function, model and intended use to the appointed broker. The Harmonized System is shared at six digits, but destination tariffs may add further digits and requirements. Confirm the code applicable to the importing country before filing. If classification remains uncertain, ask the broker or customs authority about an advance ruling where available.