Manage the risks of importing

Importing can be an effective way of finding low-cost supplies, reducing your costs and making your business more competitive. It might even allow you to branch out into a whole new product line, selling something that isn't generally available in the UK.

But at the same time, importing is more complex than buying from a UK supplier. And when things go wrong, sorting them out can be more difficult and expensive.

This guide explains how to manage country risk for imports, assess the reliability of overseas suppliers and avoid payment problems with imports.