Understanding International Shipping with Pearl Ausch, Ep #3

Does international shipping intimidate you? Are you ready to start the process but feel clueless? If so – you’ve come to the right place! On this episode of Maximizing Ecommerce, you’ll hear from subject matter expert, Pearl Ausch. Pearl is the Chief Operating Officer at First Choice Shipping, and she is an expert in Amazon Global Expansion Logistics.

In her conversation with Kevin, Pearl explains the services that First Choice offers, what it takes to get started with international shipping, common mistakes to avoid, and much more. This is an episode that you’ll want to bookmark as a helpful resource!

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Outline of This Episode

[0:44] Kevin introduces his guest, Pearl Ausch.
[2:10] Pearl talks about First Choice and the services they offer.
[5:00] What happens when your product shipment crosses a border?
[8:45] Pearl explains what you have to do when shipping to a country like Canada.
[11:15] Why it’s better to be as specific and detailed as possible with your shipments.
[14:50] What is a customs broker?
[16:50] Kevin recaps what to expect when shipping over the border to Canada.
[20:30] Common mistakes sellers make when sending shipments across the border.
[22:45] Why FBA is better than Merchant Fulfilled.
[25:25] A final thought from Pearl.
[27:00] How to connect with Pearl.

What happens at the border

To understand how international shipping works, it is helpful to look at a specific scenario. In her conversation with Kevin, Pearl focuses on what it looks like to get your product into Canada. In addition to your shipping label, when you ship internationally, you also need to include a commercial invoice.

A commercial invoice is a document that clearly states what you are shipping, what the value of your goods are, where it’s shipping from, where it’s shipping to, and the payment terms. To get a full picture of how the commercial invoice works why you need to provide the most accurate information possible – listen to this episode featuring Pearl’s practical insights!

Make sure to be specific!

Have you ever heard of a “Harmonize code” or a “Tariff code?” These are codes that identify which category your product belongs. You might think that you can place products like children’s clothing under the umbrella category of “Clothing” but – according to Pearl – this is a situation where accuracy and specificity will only help.

If you fail to be specific in this situation – the customs agents will place your product in the most expensive category, and you could incur more costs than necessary. The truth is, you could be leaving money on the table by mislabeling and miscategorizing your products! Don’t let that happen to your business – learn more about international shipping by tuning into this episode of Maximizing Ecommerce!

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A common mistake to avoid

When you consider international shipping for your ecommerce business it is vital to take as many steps necessary to avoid common mistakes. Thankfully, Pearl Ausch was kind enough to share her expert perspective on this crucial topic.

According to Pearl, a common mistake that many new international sellers make is placing the list price of an item they plan to sell via Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA). You only need to place the listed price when you are selling via Fulfilled by Merchant (MBF). Don’t worry if you find this aspect confusing. Grab pen and paper as Pearl and Kevin carefully walk through this complex topic – you’ll be glad you did!

How First Choice can help

If you really want to take a lot of the hassle and frustration out of international shipping – your best bet would be to connect with Pearl Ausch and the folks at First Choice Shipping. First Choice specializes in providing every possible service needed to help Amazon sellers expand to Amazon’s international markets.

Their custom portal simplifies the process of creating shipments going to Amazon’s international FBA centers and their dedicated team takes the most stressful part of the selling process and makes it easy. To make your expansion into international shipping even easier – Pearl and her team are offering the underwriter registration for FREE to listeners of Maximizing Ecommerce. What are you waiting for? Take Pearl up on her offer and get started today!

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