Your first order, step by step
Most of the friction in a first import is not knowing what happens next. This is the whole sequence, with who does what.
| Step | What happens | Who | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Enquiry | You send lines, volumes, destination and Incoterm through the quotation form. | You | — |
| 2 · Quotation | We return a priced quotation naming the Incoterm, lead time and document set. | Us | 1–2 days |
| 3 · Samples | Optional. Free for listed lines, courier at your cost. | Both | 3–7 days |
| 4 · Proforma | You confirm; we issue a proforma invoice with banking details. | Us | 1 day |
| 5 · Deposit | 30% telegraphic transfer, or letter of credit opened for container volumes. | You | 1–3 days |
| 6 · Registration check | Canadian buyers: your CARM registration must be active and your broker delegated. | You | Do early |
| 7 · Production | Stock allocated, repacked and labelled; private label runs longer. | Us | 7–21 days |
| 8 · Booking | Space booked, container stuffed, packing list and lot codes issued. | Us | 2–5 days |
| 9 · Balance & documents | Balance settled; we release the bill of lading and full document set. | Both | On sailing |
| 10 · Transit | Ocean or air. We send the sailing schedule and any updates. | Carrier | 30–45 days |
| 11 · Clearance | Your broker clears against the documents; we answer any customs query. | You | 2–5 days |
| 12 · Arrival check | Inspect on arrival; notify any shortage or damage within 7 days with lot codes. | You | 7-day window |
Incoterms 2020
Every quotation we issue names one of these. A price without an Incoterm is not a price: it says nothing about who pays freight, who carries insurance, or where risk transfers.
| Code | Term | What it means for you |
|---|
Shipping modes
Documents issued with every shipment
Which of these apply depends on the commodity and destination. We confirm the document set on the quotation, so there are no surprises at the destination port.
| Document | Purpose |
|---|
Payment terms
| Terms | Notes |
|---|
Lead times
Indicative, from a confirmed order. Ocean transit is the largest variable and the one we control least — we quote the realistic figure, not the optimistic one.
| Stage | Typical | Notes |
|---|
Claims, shortages and damage
Inspect the consignment on arrival. Notify us within 7 days with photographs, the packing list and the affected lot codes. Verified shortages and damage are settled by credit note or replacement on the following shipment. Claims raised after the inspection window, or without lot codes, cannot be traced and cannot be settled.
Ports and routes
Origin consolidation and destination ports are confirmed per shipment against the routing that is actually sailing. Add your standard lanes once your freight forwarder arrangements are fixed — concrete lanes with indicative transit times read as real capability to an experienced buyer.