If you are a company wanting to increase sales, one of your first thoughts will probably be to investigate the export market. There is a lot of help available in the UK for potential exporters; the government obviously wants to encourage export trade, and has an informative website uktradeinvest.gov, giving plenty of background information on all the countries of the world. This site will also put you in touch with a consultant who can advise your company specifically.

It is not so easy to find advice about how to get your product to your overseas customers, once you have found them and they have placed an order. This is when you need to use the services of a shipping company.

Although the economy of the UK has been dependent on international trade for hundreds of years, there is somehow a lack of knowledge about how the goods actually move around the world, and what companies perform this important function. It is easy enough to find a reputable shipping company by logging onto the website of the British International Freight Association, (bifa.org) but most forwarding companies tend to specialise in certain geographic areas or certain types of goods, so it may be more helpful to use the Internet to search for your specific shipping need.

Many first-time shippers don't realise that 'who pays the freight calls the tune' - in other words, whoever pays the freight charges decides which shipping company provides the service. In the UK, companies have often traditionally sold their products 'ex Works' - which means that their customer pays the freight charges, and decides which freight company to use.

But if you have put a lot of money and effort into finding an export market for your product, why would you want to lose control of it as soon as it leaves your premises? Surely it is better to feel confident that you have chosen the right shipping and forwarding company to do the job and that you have negotiated a fair price with them.

In conclusion, it's really better to think about your shipping needs simultaneously with sourcing your export markets - that way a professional forwarder can advise you on the best and most economical way to transport your goods, and you can include the freight cost in your quotation to the customer