International shipping is a crucial part of everybody’s life, even though we might not notice it. That tropical fruit you are buying at your local grocery store? It’s probably brought to you by some form of shipping to Bahrain. For a business this important, it’s mandatory to know how to notice red flag indicators in international shipping. Red flags always mean trouble, and it often goes unnoticed. For that reason, it’s important to know how to identify and notice them. In this article, we will show you which are the red flags and how to avoid them.
How is a red flag defined?
The Export Administration Regulations (EAR) defines red flags as “any abnormal circumstances in a transaction that show that they may destine the export for an inappropriate end-use, end-user or destination.” If you feel like something is wrong, or you have the slightest bit of doubt, don’t ignore it. Also, don’t ignore the fact that you can make it easier for yourself if you use the services of some removal companies. Chances are that you have noticed some red flag indicators in international shipping, and you should trust your gut.
What are red flag indicators in international shipping?
Every situation, export process, shipper, and customer is unique, and so are the red flags for every single of those things. But there are several ways to identify red flags the right way during international shipping Kuwait.
The most common red flags indicators
- The address of a customer is like one on the list of denied persons from the Commerce Department
- The customer refuses to give information about the end-use of a certain product
- A buyer orders items that are not used in his line of business
- An item that was ordered is not in line with the technical level of development of the country it is being shipped to
- A customer wants to pay with cash for a very expensive item that people would pay with finances
- There is a little or nonexisting business background
- A buyer doesn’t know much about the product, but still insists to buy it
- The customer doesn’t accept installation, training, and maintenance services for the product they ask to buy
- The product’s final destination is not a place, but a freight forwarding company
- The selected shipping route is unusual for the selected product and destination
- The packing method is not corresponding to the shipment method and destination
- The buyer doesn’t want to clarify whether the product is for export, re-export, or domestic use
Important to remember when talking about red flag indicators in international shipping
Please remember that this list of red flag indicators in international shipping is not all-inclusive. You should not blindly rely on it since you should only use it as a guide to identifying the red flags specific to certain sea freight companies in Kuwait. Every situation is unique, and while this list might help, you will probably need to do a bit of research and thinking before making the final conclusion.