Five Documentation Mistakes That Cost New Exporters Money

In four decades of trade, I have seen more deals damaged by paperwork than by price. Here are the five mistakes I correct most often.

One: mismatched values across documents. Your commercial invoice, packing list and shipping bill must tell the same story. Customs systems cross-check automatically now.

Two: the wrong Incoterm for your capability. Agreeing to DDP when you have no agent in the destination country is a promise you cannot keep.

Three: vague product descriptions. 'Garments' gets flagged. '100% cotton knitted men's t-shirts, HS 6109.10' clears.

Four: ignoring the letter of credit fine print. A single discrepancy gives the bank the right to refuse payment. Read every clause twice.

Five: no document SOP. If your documentation lives in one person's head, your business is one resignation away from chaos. Write it down — or let me help you build the SOP.