Good questions make
better shipping plans.

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.

Compare the same cargo, readiness date, addresses and delivery point. Check collection, origin handling, consolidation, documentation, freight and destination work line by line. Ask which charges are conditional and how changes will be approved. A lower headline freight amount may describe a smaller scope.

It can connect agreed sourcing or supplier follow-up tasks with collection, warehouse preparation, freight and delivery. The brief should name the deliverable and approval owner at every stage. Product quality decisions, purchasing authority and transport arrangements remain distinct responsibilities unless a specific scope says otherwise.

Describe the returned products, their condition, quantities and the reason for return. Identify who owns the goods and who can approve the next step. Inspection, repair, consolidation or resale preparation can be discussed as separate tasks. Further handling should follow the owner’s agreed instructions.