Import what an import-focused forwarder handles, how to choose one, and how to verify the company behind a quote.
Platton Insights: working guides for US importers
Platton Insights collects our US import guides in one place, written by the team that runs the shipments, not a content mill. Each knowledge hub below covers one part of the import: what it costs, how it works, and where it goes wrong. Start with the hub closest to the problem on your desk.
Knowledge hubs
Freight Forwarding what a forwarder does, Incoterms, landed cost, and how to buy freight well.
Customs the clearance process, HTS classification, tariffs, bonds, and the penalties that catch importers.
Ocean Freight CBM math, FCL vs LCL, container types, demurrage, and transit times.
Air Freight when cargo flies, chargeable weight, and the cost of speed.
Trucking and Drayage port pickup, inland delivery, and the fees on the road leg.
Documents and Incoterms bills of lading, commercial invoices, and the paperwork customs runs on.
Industry compliance and logistics by product vertical, from electronics to food.
Platton Insights
Latest articles
62 published guides
Customs
Tariff refunds: what importers can claim back and by when
IEEPA tariff refunds after the Supreme Court ruling: which entries qualify, how the CAPE claim works, the deadlines that cannot be moved, and what to do now.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Documentation & Incoterms
Bill of lading form: the template and what goes in every box
A bill of lading form walked through box by box, with a copyable template, the freight class and hazmat fields, and who fills in and signs each part.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
FCA Incoterm: what Free Carrier means and when to buy on it
What the FCA Incoterm obligates the seller and buyer to do, where risk transfers, why the ICC points container cargo to FCA over FOB, and when to buy on it.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Import
Importing from India: what the US buys, what it costs and what the paperwork looks like
What the US imports from India, the duty and tariff layers in 2026, the origin paperwork Indian shipments need, and how the sourcing call plays out.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Import
Container stuck at port: why it happens and how to get it out
Why containers get stuck at US ports: the five causes, what each day at the terminal costs, and the steps that get a box released and delivered.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Import
DDP shipping explained: what Delivered Duty Paid transfers, and what it does not
DDP shipping explained for US importers: what Delivered Duty Paid includes, DDP vs DAP and FOB, what the price hides, and the two customs risks to check.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Import
First-time importer guide: how to start importing into the US
How to start importing into the US: the decisions before your first order, a budget table, supplier terms, timelines, and the mistakes to avoid.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Import
How to import goods into the US in 9 steps
The 9 steps to import goods into the US: EIN and bond setup, HTS classification, ISF, entry, fees, and delivery, with the deadlines that decide costs.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Import
Case study: 1,000 shipments, zero emails, one billion-dollar Amazon aggregator
How Razor Group, an Amazon aggregator with 200+ brands, automated imports with Platton: 1,000 shipments in two quarters, zero emails, $300 saved per shipment.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Import
Case study: how a US truck parts importer cut import logistics costs by 23%
How PartStop, a Tacoma truck parts distributor buying EXW from Asia, cut import logistics costs 23% by replacing a five-vendor chain with one Platton team.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
How to choose a freight forwarder for importing into the US
How to choose a freight forwarder for importing into the US: six checks, the questions importers should ask, and the red flags to walk away from.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Import
What is an import freight forwarder?
What an import freight forwarder does for US importers: ISF, customs entry, drayage, real costs, and when you actually need one.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Industry
Importing apparel: clothing HTS codes, duty rates and labeling rules
HS codes for clothing, the duty rates behind them, the three labels every garment needs, and what CBP checks on textile entries into the US.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Industry
Importing electronics: FCC rules, SDoC vs certification, and duties
What US importers of electronics need before booking: FCC certification vs SDoC, the US responsible party, testing costs, and duties on Chapter 85 goods.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Industry
Importing food and beverage: FDA registration, prior notice and FSMA
FDA facility registration, prior notice windows, FSVP, import alerts, and what actually happens when a food shipment reaches a US port.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
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