Many of Hawaii’s nine million annual visitors fall in love with the Aloha State. If you’ve experienced the magic of the Hawaiian islands as a tourist, you might find yourself sitting at the airport with a heavy heart, planning your return—not just to visit, but to make Hawaii your home. And as part of that plan, you might dream of starting your own business in the islands.    Many Hawaii residents share this entrepreneurial spirit. In fact, around 800 small businesses get started in Hawaii every year. A WalletHub study of the best small towns to start a business ranked Hilo, Hawaii, and Kahului, Maui right around the...

If you're buying and selling goods, you've likely come in contact with the international commercial terms, also known as the Incoterms® rules. This set of rules, established by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) helps buyers and sellers quickly, clearly and easily establish who's responsible for which costs in their transactions.  The ICC recently published an updated set of rules—Incoterms 2020—which offers six key changes to the Incoterms 2010 rules. These rules went into effect as of January 1, 2020. To help you stay current, we'll run you through what's new in Incoterms 2020 so you can continue to negotiate with buyers or sellers like a pro.  But before we dive...

Since 2008, imports from China to the United States are up a staggering 59.7%. In fact, the country has become the U.S.’s largest goods trading partner, with imports of electrical machinery, furniture and bedding, toys and sports equipment and plastics leading the charge. We’ve certainly seen a rise in new companies getting into this market. While many take advantage of the Amazon platform to sell these imported goods, we’ve also seen several companies establish their own websites.   If you’re new to importing goods from China—or you’d like to get in on this nearly $560 billion-dollar market—there are a couple of common mistakes you’ll want to avoid. We’ll show you the six we see most often. By...

Last Updated: 9/15/2024  If you've ever looked at a bill of lading (BOL), you'll see three parties named on the document: the shipper, the carrier, and the consignee.   If you're new to the logistics world, these terms may be unfamiliar—or confusing. In order to make it simple for you to 1) understand your bill of lading and 2) give your freight forwarder the information they need to effectively move your shipment, we'll walk you these three main parties on your bill of lading.   BOL Meaning in Logistics: Three Key Parties Explained A bill of lading (BOL) is a legal document issued by a carrier that outlines the details of a shipment, including the type of goods, quantity, and destination....

Pallets can make it much easier to handle and transport your goods traveling via air freight, as is the case with goods shipping via ocean freight. Additionally, freight that's placed on a pallet can be moved without touching the actual goods themselves, reducing the possibility of damage.   That being said, incorrectly prepping your palletized freight puts it at high risk during transit. In order to decrease the possibility of damage to your goods, we've put together a list of the most common mistakes we see in palletized air freight. We'll also share our solutions to help you correct these mistakes. By reviewing this list, you'll set the stage for ensuring that your shipment reaches its destination in perfect condition—and on time.  Mistake #1: Overpacking Your Shipment  When you're preparing your air freight shipments,...

During the holidays, merchants expect to do nearly 20-30% of their annual revenue, so it’s no wonder that things are getting busy! During the final weeks of the year, transit times for shipments increase as trucks, trains and steamships are packed to capacity. Each year, the holiday supply chain stretches to meet increased demand. And everyone from shippers to carriers to retailers and manufacturers hopes to make their customers happy—and keep revenue flowing.  To help you stay in the spirit during the holiday season, we’ve put together a list of 11 surprising facts that you might not have realized about holiday logistics. Enjoy—with our wishes for a smooth and successful holiday season!  Fact #1: 35 million Christmas trees are harvested each year in the United States.  That’s about one Christmas tree for...