Previous Articles by John GoodrichA Case of HaruMpF and MumPF
7/13/2009 - by John Goodrich I am a new importer. When doing my research I was assured my product was duty free. My Customhouse Broker also told me he would only charge $120 for the entry. I just received my first invoice from my broker. In addition to the $120 entry fee I see there is a charge for $315 for something called “MPF” and another fee of $187.50 for something called “HMF.” Are these sucker charges? Is my broker taking advantage of me? My broker says these are supplemental fees charged by the government. How can something be duty free yet have additional fees of $502.50 tacked on?
The Case of the Mexican Verification Visit
6/1/2009 - by John Goodrich John "Philip Marlowe" Goodrich is a slightly shopworn private compliance consultant who braves late nights, a stumbling economy and society's general disregard of trade compliance regulations. In his latest adventure, Goodrich takes on the case of the Mysterious Mexican Verification Visit.
Import Ocean Freight Rates: Rethinking the Status Quo
4/20/2009 - by John Goodrich The World Trade Organization (WTO) estimates that global trade will be lower by about 9% in 2009. That is bad news for us all, especially those of us who depend on trade for our incomes. There is a glimmer of light inside this gloomy number for those of you responsible for negotiating your inbound ocean rates. Ocean freight rates are plummeting! Instead of being a game of chicken, this year's ocean contracting season feels much more like a limbo dance contest with carriers competing creatively on price to maintain market share.
Count Your Pennies!
03/16/2009 - by John Goodrich Metaphorically speaking, where do you keep the spare change from your import program? Are you overlooking obvious savings? I don’t need to tell you times are tough and that finding every penny of opportunity counts. Perhaps you do not have a bowl full of money sitting in plain sight. Perhaps you will have to work a little harder and check between the sofa cushions or under the car seat to find your savings.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T Your Import Manager!
2/9/2009 - by John Goodrich Import managers routinely go about the business of ensuring goods are classified, valuations are checked, country of origin is double checked, and paperwork is properly filed and stored away. Much of what an import manager does is smooth over the problems caused by others inside and outside of the company. They do so with little support and with little respect.
Letter of Credit Usage Sees Resurgence: How Are Your LC Skills?
1/5/2009 - by John Goodrich After a long, slow decline in use and popularity, the lowly letter of credit (LC) is experiencing a resurgence as a preferred method of payment in international trade. The reason? It’s the economy, of course.
Read the Notes! Classification of Parts—Installment 2
11/17/2008 - by John Goodrich In the first installment of this article we discussed parts of general use as defined by the HTS. We learned that these so-called “parts” are specifically provided for elsewhere in the tariff. Given a choice between a parts classification or a specific classification such as a screw, nut or bolt, the notes instruct us to use the specific classification.
Read the Notes! Classification of Parts—Installment 1
10/13/2008 - by John Goodrich We all know intuitively what a part is. But it comes as a surprise to some that the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) uses the word “part” with a much narrower and precise definition. What we call a part in industry is rarely what the HTS code refers to as a “part” or “parts thereof.”
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