Business

FOB vs CIF: What Are The Differences?

Soumava Goswami

Business December, 12 2023

FOB vs CIF: What are the differences between the two? – There are many differences between CIF and FOB. However, there is one principal difference. In FOB, the seller gives up responsibility for the goods once they are loaded onto the ship. However, in a CIF agreement, the seller has the responsibility for the goods until they reach the destination port. After that, the buyer assumes responsibility.

FOB vs CIF: A General Overview Of Shipping Agreements

According to Investopedia,

“Cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) and free on board (FOB) are international shipping agreements used in the transportation of goods between buyers and sellers. They are among the most common of the 11 international commerce terms (Incoterms), which were established by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in 1936.”

Although the definitions of FOB and CIF differ with countries, both contracts contain details on origin and destination information. These data help in determining the beginning and end of liabilities. Apart from that, these pieces of information also outline the responsibilities of both buyers and sellers based on scenarios.

What Is Free On Board (FOB)?

Under the free-on-board (FOB) agreement, the supplier of the product does not take responsibility for the goods after they go into the shipping vessel. Hence, the supplier pays only for the transport of the good to the port and onto the vessel. As a result, the seller of the product has limited responsibilities for the goods under the contract.

After the goods go into the ship, the buyer of the product takes on the responsibility of the goods. The buyer takes full responsibility once the voyage starts. This includes transport, insurance, and other added fees. The buyer also pays for the unloading of the goods.

What Is Cost, Insurance, And Freight (CIF)?

Sellers use this technique mostly during large deliveries, especially for oversized goods that they ship by sea. The seller of the good takes responsibility for the good until it is delivered to the buyer’s port. The buyer assumes full responsibility for the goods as soon as it reaches the destination port.

Hence, if there are extra costs after the good reaches the destination port, the buyer will need to take responsibility for the same. After the payment, the transport service transfers the documentation for the goods over to the buyer.

FOB vs CIF: Major Pros And Cons

According to an article on Alibaba.com,

“With a CIF agreement, the seller is liable for the goods during transit, and with a FOB, the buyer is liable for the goods during transit. […] Generally, FOB is considered a more cost-effective approach. This is because buyers can make more cost-effective decisions about the shipment, such as buying the minimum insurance policy or going with a lower-cost freight company since they are in control.”

The following are the major pros and cons of FOB and CIF that you must know:

Pros And Cons Of Free On Board (FOB)

Here are the major pros of FOB that you will benefit from:

The buyer of the product has more control over the delivery process.
It is possible for the buyer to make various cost-effective decisions in some cases.
The seller does not have to take responsibility for added costs.

Here are the major cons of FOB that you need to be aware of:

Since the buyer has more responsibilities, the individual will need to deal with added costs if necessary.
If the goods are damaged during transit, the seller is not responsible for that. This might send the buyer into an absurd situation.

Pros And Cons Of Cost, Insurance, And Freight (CIF)

Here are the major pros of CIF that you will benefit from:

The seller has more control over the goods delivered to the customer.
Also, the buyer of the product has little to no responsibility when it comes to the delivery of the product.
The buyer gets a more seamless experience with the CIF process. As a result, the delivery process is less stressful for the buyer.
As the buyer is getting more convenient with this process, it gives the seller a certain advantage over its competitors.

Here are the major cons of CIF that you need to be aware of:

The seller has to take full responsibility for the damage to goods in transit.
Buyers of the product have little to no control over the cost of the delivery process.
There can be additional costs for sellers. This raises the costs of the goods at the time of delivery.

FOB vs CIF: Which Is The Best One To Buy?

During international shipping, most companies opt for either Free on Board (FOB) or Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) agreements.

According to Investopedia,

“Inexperienced buyers typically prefer CIF, which places much of the shipping responsibility on the seller, including shipping costs, insurance, and freight to the destination port, while giving the buyer greater convenience. However, because the seller takes on more risk and responsibility, CIF often comes with a higher cost.”

Basically, in CIF, the seller of the product takes care of almost everything up to the final delivery at the destination port of the buyer.

On the other hand, the ones that have enough experience in international shipping tend to prefer FOB. This is because they have more control over the goods in this case. When the goods leave the ship, the responsibility for the goods goes to the buyers. The seller considers the goods as delivered once they clear the goods for export and load them onto the shipping vessel.

Apart from that, the FOB also offers flexibility over logistical details. These are to learn the needs of the buyer and to lower the costs since the seller cannot negotiate directly with shipping companies.

On a side note, the scale and expertise of the company also determine the choice between FOB and CIF.

Wrapping Up

FOB vs CIF: Hope this article was helpful enough to provide accurate information. You can see from the article that, in general, sellers choose FOB more than CIF. However, if it is a big item and you want to have more control as a seller, choose CIF. Consider sharing your ideas and opinions with us in the comments section below.

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Soumava Goswami

Inspired by The Social Network, Soumava loves to find ways to make small businesses successful – he spends most of his time analyzing case studies of successful small businesses. With 5+ years of experience in flourishing with a small MarTech company, he knows countless tricks that work in favor of small businesses. His keen interest in finance is what fuels his passion for giving the best advice for small business operations. He loves to invest his time familiarizing himself with the latest business trends and brainstorming ways to apply them. From handling customer feedback to making the right business decisions, you’ll find all the answers with him!

Balistrieri

April 27, 2024 at 8:15 am

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6 Tips For Doing The Car Shipping To Georgia Process Right

Have a brand new set of wheels that you need to bring to Georgia? That’s one of the many reasons why you may need car shipping services. Spending a few months in this state, relocating, or simply buying a new car will all require you to think about the method of transporting it that doesn’t involve you driving. While you may like driving in general, covering those rather long distances is never pleasant. Plus, that would eat away at your time and your budget, which is, of course, why you’re looking into that second option. In other words, you want to ship car to Georgia and not drive it, because that’s the much more convenient option. Shipping is easier and safer. No question about that. So as to be sure you’re getting the most out of the service, though, you’ll need to learn how to do the shipping process the right way. Do you have any ideas about what it is that has to be done when aiming at completing the whole procedure successfully? Sure, you won’t be driving, but you still have some responsibilities before the auto reaches the hands of the professionals. You’ll have some responsibilities even after that. That doesn’t take away from the convenience of the shipping option, though, don’t worry. It does, however, make it clear that you have to put some effort into doing this right as well, and if you’re not exactly certain what it is you should do, reading on will help you get a clearer idea about that. 1. Be Careful Who You Work With Number one thing you have to remember – it matters who you work with! It matters a lot. In fact, it’s the single most significant thing here, as the quality of the entire transportation service will, naturally, depend on the professionals that will be moving your car to Georgia. Being reckless about making this choice won’t do you any good, then. Here’s what you have to know before transportation: https://cubeduel.com/car-shipping-5-things-you-need-to-know-before/ What’s the opposite of being reckless? In my world, and probably in yours as well, it’s being careful. Selecting the firm you’ll be working with carefully, that is, after doing quite a lot of thorough research on different companies, is the way to go. Your car will thank you if you’re careful, and you will thank yourself as well, as this will result in getting the perfect transportation services. 2. Start Searching FOR THE Service IN Advance Searching for the service on time is another prerequisite to being happy with the quality you’ll get. Why? For several reasons. First off, when you search for the service on time, you’ll be able to get it on time, not worrying that your car will be late to the party, so to speak, that is, not worrying that it will arrive in Georgia later than expected. And then, when you make arrangements in advance, you won’t have to use the expedited solution, which costs more, meaning you’ll also save some money. Read Also: An Essential Guide To Setting Up Your Shipping Container Office 3. Don’t Wait For The Last Minute To Get Your Documents Prepared Waiting until the last minute to find these services is, as explained, not a good idea. However, if you do wind up doing this, you’ll still be able to have your auto-shipped, thanks to the expedited solution. Waiting for the last minute to get your documents ready, however, could cause some delays, and those would be your fault. The professionals that will be moving your vehicle to Georgia will need proof that you own the actual vehicle, and possibly some other documents as well, and it is your responsibility to get those prepared on time. 4. Don’t Leave Things That Could Be Damaged Inside The Vehicle A lot of people assume that there’s absolutely no reason for them to go through the inside area of their auto and think about what to do with the personal things that are in there. While your car will be locked during transport, some things you leave inside could get damaged. Therefore, proper preparation is a must and it, among other things, such as those listed here, included removing those items from the vehicle. 5. Communicate With The Pros Openly And Ask Your Questions Communicating with the professionals before and throughout the process is another significant thing. Asking your questions before making arrangements is important, so as to know what to expect. But, you can also ask questions during the procedure, so as to check for progress and get an estimate on the delivery time. 6. Remember To Do The Inspection Upon Arrival You’ll still have one more thing upon delivery, of course. Inspect the automobile. Why? It may have gotten damaged during transport, and that kind of damage is the responsibility of the company that has transported the car, meaning that inspecting and identifying the damage could result in you getting adequately compensated. Read Also: How To Start A Logistics Company? An Expert Guide

Visa Sponsorship – Everything You Need To Know About It In 2021

Do you want to get the Visa sponsorship in the USA? If yes, you need to maintain certain sets of documents that guarantee your working status and job profile, showing that you are a US citizen. As per the country’s norms, if you want to re-locate in the US, you must find a job and an employer. Proper documentation here plays a vital role if you want to get the Visa on time. After that, you need to hire a non-resident employee for a particular job profile in your company. Your employer must be aware of the fact that you not a legal permanent resident of the USA. On your behalf, your employer has to take the guarantee that you will be a legal resident of the USA to the US Visa department. After that, you will be eligible for visa sponsorship USA. Who Can Sponsor You The Visa? Ideally, in most cases, your employer can provide you the Visa Sponsorship only when you are working on the job offer in the name of a US company. In other words, the employer will sponsor the visa and will submit all the essential documents in your name. Only on specific grounds will they make the sponsorship in your name. If an American Company hires you for a specific job position and declares that you must stay in the US to perform your job responsibilities there. The moment you get that offer letter from the US company to work there, then you will get the opportunity to get the Visa Sponsorship from your end. You also need to submit the required documents to the department of labor. Your employer’s total participation is required if you want to get the Visa despite being a foreign national in the USA. You need to consider these facts if you want to get sponsorship in the USA. Ensure that you have followed all the norms carefully so that your application must not go for rejection. Visa sponsorship USA is the most efficient mode of doing business. Non-Immigrant Sponsorship The non-immigrant sponsorship is used temporarily where individuals cannot become US citizens. This sponsorship is valid for those people who are moving temporarily to the country. They are not permanent residents of the US. It also means that non-immigrant Visa Holders are not eligible for green cards. This Visa sponsorship USA will not be valid later for the qualification of US Citizenship. You need to travel for a short period from the USA. It will be the ideal Visa Sponsorship for you. You need to have the Employee Authorization Document if you want to work in the US. There are several non-immigrant Visas for that it will require the following documents from the employer to get the sponsorship. Some of the essential factors in this regard are as follows in a better manner. H-1B Visa. H-2B Visa. H- 2A Visa. O1A- Visa. L1- Visa. O1B Visa. O2 Visa. These are the different types of non-immigrant visas that you must consider from your end to develop your case for getting the sponsorship. All these factors you must consider from your end to get the sponsorship of the Visa on time. How Can You Get The Immigrant Sponsorship? You can get the immigrant sponsorship for the immigrant Visa and the green card. For the immigrants who hold the Visa sponsorship, they do not require any separate employment authorization. This Visa will enable you to live in the United States and become a country’s legal permanent resident. Some of the standard and most popular immigrant Visas that you can derive from the immigrant sponsorship are as follows:- EB-1,2,3,4 visas are some of its popular visas that you must consider from your end. You cannot ignore these Visa categories as they can prove to be very handy for you at times. Different Steps You Must Follow To Get The Sponsorship Letter You must consider several essential steps for getting the sponsorship letter for your business. Therefore, let’s explore the process to get a better understanding of these facts. The justification and the documentation must be accurate in this regard. Let’s explore the steps to get the right idea of these facts to get a better idea about the services:- The initial step you must consider here is that your employee must get the US employer’s offer. If you are a non-immigrant, you need to produce a proper labor certification for the labor department. You need to submit the petition to the USCIS along with all the documents. With the submission of all the documents, your documents will be processed by the Visa department, and it will take months to provide you the Visa Sponsorship. If the application is approved and the report is positive, both the employee and the employer must be informed. If your application is rejected, then both the employer and the employee will be informed immediately. You must consider these facts from your end while you are developing your business. All the above factors are crucial for developing your chances to get the concerned authorities’ visa sponsorship. The visa rejection chances may be due to the employee qualification and inadequate documentation from the employees’ counterpart. You must consider every aspect from your end to get the visa on time and effectively. If you want to get the sponsorship on time, then these facts are crucial. Final Words Hence, if you plan to get the Visa Sponsorship, then the above things you must consider from your end. It will help you to get the Visa on an immediate basis. Ensure that you have correctly followed the norms. It will help you get the sponsorship on time, and you can maintain the norms in the correct order. Ensure that you have followed all the factors properly. The more you can think pro-actively, the better you can achieve your business goals in a better manner. Ensure that you have not made any mistakes from your end to develop your business correctly. The more you can think positively, the better you can effectively achieve your goals. More Resources: How To Make Money Fast – 5 Strategy To Follow In 2021 Top 5 Successful Serial Entrepreneur Of All Time – 2021 Updates 5 Most Powerful Marketing Strategy That Will Change Your Business In 2021

SmartCoin: Information, Eligibility Criteria, Interest Rates, Review & More

SmartCoin is a great platform for you if you are looking for instant personal loans. SmartCoin comes with an app with the help of which it will get easier for you to get loans easily, within only a matter of minutes. There are various instant personal loans apps like PaySense, India Lends, Money View, and others, but what makes SmartCoin different from them? In this article, we will discuss the SmartCoin app and how you can get loans from the SmartCoin platform. Apart from that, you will also get to know about the types of loans that SmartCoin offers. Furthermore, you will know about the major features of the SmartCoin app as well. In addition to that, you will also get to look at some of the major reviews regarding the SmartCoin app. SmartCoin Financials - What Is SmartCoin? SmartCoin is a platform that connects loan borrowers with lenders that, include Banks and non-banking financial institutions. With SmartCoin, every loan application is sanctioned and approved by the reserve Bank of India. Apart from that, every bank or NBFC that offers loans through the SmartCoin app is also registered under the RBI. SmartCoin is based in India and focuses mostly on microloans to provide loan offerings to people in the lower and middle-class demographics. The loans are mostly targeted toward self-employed individuals and salaried professionals. The best part about the SmartCoin loan app is that you will get loans in no time, and you will just have to clear some necessary basic verifications to avail yourself of a loan. All the loans offered by SmartCoin are available fully online. Apart from that, you will not need to keep something as collateral to get loans for yourself. The process of getting the loan is also safe, and you can do it with your smartphone within a matter of minutes. Furthermore, the rate of interest is also low since these loan options are created by keeping in mind the needs and necessities of people that fall under young and low-income groups. Benefits You Will Get Through SmartCoin Personal Loans SmartCoin is one of the best platforms to get loans from if you are looking for instant personal loans of short value. If you avail of loans from SmartCoin, you are sure to get benefitted from the app in many ways. The following are some of the major advantages of the SmartCoin app that you will benefit from if you want to avail of loans: You will get instant loans through your smartphone anywhere and anytime. The loan application process is fast and easy, and it takes barely a few minutes to finish the application. You can get loans for a variety of reasons – medical emergencies, property, education, business, travel, wedding, etc. With just a few verification processes, the approval is also fast. Once the lender verifies your credentials, and CIBIL score, you will get loans instantly. You will not have to keep collateral for the loans that you borrow from SmartCoin. Even if you do not have a credit score, you will still get loans. However, this depends on the lender whom you are choosing for the loans. Download The SmartCoin App – How To Do SmartCoin Login? The following are the ways through which you will be able to download the SmartCoin app on your smartphone: Step 1: Open Play Store on your Android smartphone. Step 2: On the search bar, type “SmartCoin.” Tap on the “SmartCoin - Personal Loan App” option. You can also download the app by clicking on the link: https://smartcoin.co.in/# Step 3: Tap the install button, and then let the download and installation process take place. Step 4: Once the Google SmartCoin app is installed on your smartphone, you can start the app and then do a SmartCoin loans login to get access to the variety of loan options. Features Of SmartCoin Loans - SmartCoin Funding The following are the major features that you will need to know about SmartCoin if you want to avail of loans from this platform: Details As Per SmartCoin WebsiteLoan Amount₹1000 to ₹25,000Interest Rate- Minimum APR 20% p.a.- Maximum APR 36% p.a.Loan TenureThree months to four months – (91 days to 120 days)Loan Processing FeesNot ApplicableDetails As Per SmartCoin AppLoan Amount₹4000 to ₹1,00,000Interest Rate0% p.a. to 30% p.a. based on the type of loan riskLoan TenureTwo months to six months (62 days to 180 days)Loan Processing Fees- Low -Risk Customers: 0%-2.5% of the principal- High-Risk Customers: 4%-7% of the principalEligibility- Must be an Indian Resident- Profession: Self-employed individuals, Salaried professionals, Support executives, and Business Owners- Minimum Income: ₹13,000 p.m.SmartCoin Customer Care Number/ SmartCoin complaints+91-9148 380504SmartCoin Emailhelp@smartcoin.co.in SmartCoin App Review – Top User/ Borrower Reviews Here are some of the SmartCoin reviews from users or borrowers of loans: “I HAVE BEEN USING SMART COIN APP FOR LAST 2 YEARS NOW TAKEN LOAN SEVERAL TIMES PEOPLE WHO ARE DISLIKING THE APP MUST HAVE BAD CIBIL SCORE DUE TO WHICH THEIR LOANS ARE NOT GETTING APPROVED.” BY :- VEENA RAUTELA “AS I APPLIED FOR LOAN ON 11TH JULY AND TODAY IS 23RD JULY ALMOST 15 DAYS HAS BEEN GONE, MY LOAN IS APPROVED READY TO RECEIVE ME BUT STILL AMOUNT IS NOT CREDIT IN MY ACCOUNT AND I CALLED SO MANY TIMES TO CUSTOMER CARE ALSO THEY SAID BECAUSE OF TECHNICAL ISSUES YOU HAVE TO FACING THIS PROBLEM AND IT WILL BE RESOLVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BUT WHEN WILL YOU RESOLVE ALREADY 15 DAYS HAS BEEN COMPLETED.” BY :- KIRTI CHAUHAN “E-MANDATE ISSUE & REPAYING THE AMOUNT BEFORE OR ON TIME THEN ALSO THE LIMIT NEVER GET INCREASED. JUST DISGUSTING.” BY :- NILAY MUKHERJE Summing Up Hope this article was helpful for you in giving you a better idea of the SmartCoin app platform. If you are looking for instant loans, there are hardly any platforms that can be considered better than SmartCoin. However, the rate of interest at SmartCoin is slightly higher than some of the most popular loan apps in India. What do you like the most about the SmartCoin platform? Share your experiences with us in the comments section below. Have A Look :- How To Improve Energy Efficiency In Your Data Centre Money Tap Loan App: Information, Eligibility Criteria, Interest Rates, Review & More Virtual Data Rooms: What They Are And Their Critical Importance For Businesses

How To Boost Warehouse Productivity

A productive warehouse is an income-generating warehouse that allows businesses to save valuable resources, such as time and money. The business moves faster, revenues are higher, and the costs are spread across different activities, resulting in happier customers. Considering how essential warehouse productivity is, we’ve compiled six actionable techniques to help you boost yours. Use the information below as your reference or guide to ensure that your warehouse and its employees perform at their best. 6 Tips About How To Boost Warehouse Productivity 1. Prioritize Employee Comfort Warehouse work can be stressful, which is why it’s important to focus on the comfort of your employees. It’ll be challenging for them to complete orders if they’re uncomfortable at work. Invest in workplace ergonomics to ensure employees produce better quality work and improve their overall well-being. To achieve that goal, have employees store items strategically, let them use machine assistance (such as bubble wrap dispensers, self-leveling lift tables, and tilted pick trays), and improve employee training. Providing sufficient air conditioning units and a soft floor to reduce foot pains and giving them access to a kitchen and rest area also helps. Play music during working hours as studies show that this can improve productivity. 2. Offer An Incentive Program Your employees play a vital role when it comes to running a productive warehouse. If you’re not currently offering any incentive program to them, it’s high time that you do. You can choose from different incentive programs for your warehouse employees: you can offer paid time off, financial bonuses, or tickets and vacations. Highlighting your best employees on your company’s social media profiles or websites also helps boost their morale. Whatever incentive program you decide to settle on, aim to make it visual. If the program runs every month, prepare a chart, indicating the target line and actual line of work to give employees a reminder on how they can get rewards at the end. 3. Implement A Feedback Mechanism The shopfloor workforce are the first people to identify issues that impact the efficiency of the warehouse. Whether they raise the concern or not depends on how connected or engaged they feel with the warehouse management functions. Without any mechanisms for sharing feedback in place, your employees will likely hold back and won’t communicate about any work-related issues. Preventing this issue is easy — sometimes, all it needs is a manager to foster team communication or an open-door policy. This approach will encourage employees to communicate openly about their concerns. You can also implement something more formal, like a weekly sit-down between the managers and their teams. Regardless of the system you decide to put in place, you need to encourage feedback from employees to identify issues and improve your warehouse productivity. Read Also: Profitable Business Ideas To Start In UAE 4. Optimize All Available Space Running out of warehouse space can cause bigger problems, such as unpreparedness for seasonal demands, unsatisfactory order management, and frustrated customers. Storage is critical for the success of your warehouse, so make sure to optimize all available space. Instead of expanding the footprint of your warehouse, use vertical space. Adding taller storage units and investing in the right equipment to store and pick materials also help maximize the square footage of your warehouse. Additionally, consider using different types of shelving. Using the same shelving for different items wastes space and makes it easy to misplace or even damage items. Using standardized bins also keeps shelves orderly and neat, making it easier for employees to find items. 5. Embrace Enabling Technology Technology has significantly improved businesses, including warehouse operations. Today, you can invest in different apps and software to make the lives of your warehouse employees easier. One of the most common technologies you can use is a Warehouse Management System or WMS. This system suggests the best methods and routes for put-away, as well as providing automated pick lists that can be sent to devices to reduce wasted paper and minimize mistakes. As a result, your warehouse will be greener and neater. Using Radio Frequency Identification or RFID readers also reduces picking errors and improves the overall efficiency of warehouse transactions. In fact, research shows that using RFID can increase warehouse inventory accuracy by up to 27% in just 13 weeks. 6. Standardize Workflows Every process for moving items within the warehouse — from the moment they enter to the time they go out — should follow an established workflow. Without one, employees will choose to work using a method that’s only efficient for them but not efficient for the business. Automated workflows are a must as it guarantees employees follow the same standards when working. It also enables you to assess employee performance against the benchmark set for a specific segment of the workflow. In this way, bottlenecks can be identified and resolved ASAP. Use The Right Strategies Ensure a productive warehouse by implementing all of these strategies consistently. As long as done correctly, these strategies can cause your warehouse productivity rates to soar. Additional: How To Start A Dropshipping Business In 2021 – A Beginners Guide Boxed Packaged Goods: The Right Guide To Uplift Your Business How To Start A Concession Stand Business? – A Complete Guide How To Run A Fast Food Restaurant Business At A Shoestring Budget?

FOB vs CIF: What Are The Differences?