Trade Problem Solver for Exporters & Importers

Free export and import problem solver for practical trade decisions

International trade becomes difficult when a business has to make a decision quickly. An exporter may receive an attractive overseas inquiry but not know whether the buyer is genuine, whether the requested credit period is safe, or whether the export price leaves enough margin. An importer may find suppliers but struggle to compare their quotations, product quality, MOQ, delivery terms and overall landed cost.

The Today Adviser Trade Problem Solver is designed to make the first business decision easier. Describe the issue in simple language, and the tool identifies the likely trade priority: buyer verification, payment risk, export price, freight, documents, supplier sourcing, market selection or first-shipment readiness. It then gives a practical sequence of actions rather than a generic article-style response.

Why buyer verification and payment safety matter

An inquiry, company website, email address or large purchase quantity does not automatically prove that a buyer is genuine. Before reserving inventory, sharing sensitive documents, offering credit or shipping goods, exporters should collect the buyer’s legal name, registration information, business address, authorized signatory, product specifications, destination details, payment preference and relevant trade references. Important transaction details should be documented in writing.

Long credit periods and open-account payment arrangements can increase commercial exposure, particularly for a new buyer. The correct payment structure depends on the relationship, order value, buyer country, transaction history and available risk protection. This tool cannot guarantee payment or determine whether a buyer is safe, but it can help identify what needs to be checked before an exporter commits.

Export price, documents and freight planning

Export pricing is more than the factory cost of a product. A proper commercial calculation can include product cost, packing, labeling, inland transport, port charges, freight, insurance, banking charges, finance cost, foreign-exchange movement and expected profit. A quote should clearly state currency, quantity, Incoterm, delivery point, validity period, lead time and payment terms.

Document and compliance requirements also vary by product, destination country, buyer requirement, payment mode and shipping term. Common commercial documents may include a quotation, proforma invoice, commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, transport document, inspection record and insurance certificate. Product-specific certificates, labels, testing and registrations should be confirmed for the exact product and destination.

Use the result to take the next action

The best trade tool does not stop at advice. After identifying the issue, you should be able to prepare a better reply, calculate the commercial impact, create a document checklist, compare options, find buyers, discover suppliers or publish a structured requirement. Today Adviser connects practical trade guidance to marketplace discovery so users can move from a question to a real business action.