Cross-border trade can seem complex. Especially when it comes to sourcing personal protective equipment (PPE). The rules and regulations frequently change and vary by country. If you’re sourcing PPE, It’s important to understand the ever-changing import and export regulations. Josh Price, Director of Operations for North America B2B at Alibaba.com, discusses the steps you can take to safely and seamlessly source PPE on Alibaba.com:

Understanding Incoterms

Incoterms are a globally recognized set of standards used worldwide in international and domestic contracts for the delivery of goods, published by the International Chamber of Commerce. Simply put, incoterms define:

• Cost: who pays for each part of the delivery?
• Responsibility: who handles the operations for each part of the delivery?
• Risk: when does risk of cargo loss or damage transfer from the supplier to the buyer?
• Instructions: what information do forwarders, brokers, or other parties involved in the shipment need to know?

Make sure these terms are discussed with your supplier and confirmed before the contract of sale is negotiated. If you don’t issues may arise with the deal and you’ll encounter unnecessary complications.

Consult with a licensed customs broker

Every country has their own set of requirements for exporting and importing products, and these requirements change frequently. Consult with a licensed customs broker before importing any medical devices or PPE.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for regulating imports of PPE in the US, to the extent that such PPE is intended for medical use. For example, disposable masks that don’t make any medical claims will likely not be regulated by the FDA, but surgical masks that are used for medical purposes will be strictly regulated. Goods regulated by the FDA require formal entry for importation. This means you will need to have an account set up with a customs broker and documentation prepared prior to the shipping. The customs broke will review your documentation, such as the importer of record, prior to being submitted to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

This may sound daunting, but there is an alternative to taking care of every detail yourself. Alibaba.com Select is an end-to-end PPE sourcing service powered by Alibaba.com — one of the largest B2B ecommerce platforms in the world. Alibaba.com provides this service by tapping into its superior supply chain networks that provide reliable delivery services, payment and order protection, inspection, and more. You tell the team what you need, and they go to work ensuring the goods you need get to you exactly as described, fully inspected, meeting the quality standards you expect, and within your budget. You can learn more about Alibaba.com Select here.

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