This Procrastinators Guide to Holiday Importing was written by our executive team and marketing really thanks Saul Smith, Shipwire Chief Logistics Officer, for really giving us some great real-world data to help guide merchants.

If you are thinking about importing inventory, whether it be toys, electronics or apparel for Holiday sales in 2008 it is time to review your product sources, put in orders and start figuring out the most cost effective method of getting your inventory to the right warehouse.

You’re probably saying, wait…its March…You have to be kidding me. Sorry to burst your bubble. If you import, getting over the ‘08 holiday bah-humbugs early is critical!

One of the dirty little secrets of logistics is that there is a glut of space available during the first 6 months of the year and more merchandise than space the second six months of the year. It doesn’t matter if your shipping by boat, train, plane, truck or your having Tom Tuttle from Tacoma Washington hand deliver it for you. The closer you get to September and October the more expensive rates get and the harder it is to meet your delivery time lines. Read more