International Marketing Practices

itemizing quantity, description, type of packaging, number of packages, weight, package marks, and dimensions [38, 178, 179].

Certificate of origin. A certificate of origin formally reports where goods are produced or harvested and typically includes a signed letter originating from the address of the manufacturer [23]. Importers may require firms to complete a certificate of origin to comply with U.S. Free Trade Agreements, often decreasing duty rates or allowing for preferential treatment [19, 179]. A certificate of origin can be validated by a third party (like the Chamber of Commerce), stated on the commercial invoice, or composed by the firm itself, for example, stating “We hereby certify that the goods reflected in [Invoice Number] [dated] were produced and manufactured in the United States of America on [date] ” [38, 39, 178]. Inspection certificate. An inspection certificate might be requested by a customer to prove that what a firm is shipping is correct and of good quality, helping to secure against fraud or error [23, 38]. An inspection is often carried out by an independent firm, but as the exporting firm, you should ask that the buyer suggest a trusted agency and cover any costs incurred [38, 39]. It should also be noted that documentation must be precisely detailed, because even slight discrepancies can lead to seizure or delay [179]. As a small to medium sized forest products firm, you will also encounter and should plan for additional documentation, namely the phytosanitary certificate detailed below. Phytosanitary certificate. Phytosanitary certificates are issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to confirm a shipment is free of pests and potentially harmful organisms upon import from or export to foreign countries [38, 180]. Phytosanitary certificates are required for fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts, flour, rice, grains, lumber, plants, and plant materials, including wood [178]. Phytosanitary requirements for wood packaging are detailed further in Chapter 2. Insurance certificate. An insurance certificate serves as proof of the valuation and type of insurance purchased for a given shipment [23, 38]. Generally, an insurance certificate assures the consignee that insurance will cover loss or damage to goods in transit [39, 178, 179]. For ocean shipments, roughly 110% of the invoice total must be covered, which can often be sought out from freight forwarders [178, 179]. Documentation in Transit Shipper’s letter of instruction . A shipper’s letter of instruction is issued by the exporter to provide a forwarding agent with detailed directions for air or ocean shipment, export control, reporting information, and authorization for electronic export information filing [178, 181].

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