Guides

Shipping Guides for Small Importers and Exporters

Simple explanations, examples and checklists to help small businesses prepare shipments with more confidence.

What Is a Commercial Invoice in Shipping?

Learn what a commercial invoice is, when it is commonly used, key fields, examples and mistakes to avoid in shipping paperwork.

Compare packing lists and commercial invoices, see when both may be required, and learn how small businesses can prepare each document.

Learn the CBM formula for cartons, worked examples in centimeters and practical reminders for palletized cargo.

Understand gross weight, volumetric weight, chargeable weight and freight divisors with a worked air freight example.

Prepare a useful freight quote request with commodity, route, package, CBM, weight, ready date and service details.

Learn common export documents including invoice, packing list, transport document, certificate of origin, permits and insurance.

A plain-English explanation of HS codes, why classification matters and why ShipReady does not provide final HS code decisions.

Compare air freight and sea freight by speed, cost, cargo volume, urgency and common small-business use cases.