Customs
Clear goods quickly. Use the data for strategy.
What is Trade Advisory?
Flexport Trade Advisory is a service designed to help businesses navigate international trade regulations, optimize imports/exports, and identify cost-saving opportunities.
Our licensed customs experts and trade specialists advise on classification, compliance, duty minimization, and strategic supply chain planning.
Who should use Trade Advisory services?
Any importer, exporter, or business involved in cross-border shipments can benefit, especially if you ship goods into multiple markets, face high tariff costs, want to reduce compliance risk, or are onboarding new suppliers and products.
Our Trade Advisory process
Assessment and data review
Reviews documentation and tariff classifications.
Strategy development
A customized trade compliance strategy covering duty optimization, FTA qualification, and risk-mitigation measures.
Implementation and integration
Recommended changes are implemented across your customs workflows.
Ongoing monitoring and optimization
Continuous regulatory updates, compliance tracking, and periodic audits.
Your trade data reviewed by AI, optimized by experts
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Flexport developed an AI-powered Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) analysis tool to reveal savings opportunities and compliance risks by using the last five years of your ACE data. Our experts use that insight to develop a plan forward.
How do you save money with an ACE analysis?
Your Flexport Customs Trade Advisor leads an in-depth Compliance Assessment, using your unique ACE Analysis to drive detailed consultations. The outcome? A clear action plan to limit risk and capture potential savings.
How can you lower your duties and tariffs?
Duty minimization is possible, but it takes expertise to get right. Flexport Customs Trade Advisors can guide you through origin and tariff engineering, organize drawback, and help you capitalize on first sale rules.
What customs programs should you use?
Our team can help you with your Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) programs, customs valuation, first-sale programs, post-summary corrections, and other programs to strengthen your business.
How Flexport streamlines your Trade Advisory
Trade advisory
Guidance on duty minimization and compliance strengthening, binding rulings, trainings and workshops, tariff engineering, country-of-origin and Free Trade Agreement review, prior disclosures, and more.
Global classification
Global HTS classifications, duty rates, Section 301 tariffs, and FTA, PGA, and ADD/CVD flags.
Customs bonds
Competitive rates on customs bonds offered through Flexport. We help you apply for the right activity code, bond type, and bond amount, and coordinate with a surety agent and CBP on your behalf.
Post-summary corrections and more
Assistance with Post Summary Corrections, protests, and reconciliation filings with CBP, correcting declaration errors such as HTS, value, country of origin, and Section 301 exclusions.
Frequently asked questions
What is Flexport Trade Advisory?
Flexport Trade Advisory is a service designed to help businesses navigate international trade regulations, optimize imports/exports, and identify cost-saving opportunities. Our licensed customs experts and trade specialists advise on classification, compliance, duty minimization, and strategic supply chain planning.
Do I need to be a Flexport freight customer to use Trade Advisory?
No. Trade Advisory can be engaged as a standalone service, although many clients choose to integrate it with Flexport’s freight forwarding and customs brokerage for end-to-end visibility.
What specific services are included?
Typical services include:
- HS code classification and verification
- Duty minimization and savings strategies
- Compliance audits and risk analysis
- Free trade agreement eligibility reviews
- Customs ruling requests and regulatory updates
- Product-specific import/export advisory
How can Trade Advisory save me money?
By ensuring your products are correctly classified, using free trade agreements, and optimizing country-of-origin declarations, many clients discover ways to legally lower duties, taxes, and fees (sometimes retroactively)
Will this help with new regulations like Section 301 tariffs or forced labor compliance?
Yes, our team actively tracks trade policy changes and can help you understand and comply with evolving US and global regulations, including tariffs, sanctions, and labor-related import rules.
Learn more about our products and services
Trade advisory news and updates
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Executive Order 14411 and Foreign Importers: What Your Customs Broker Will Now Ask You
Executive Order 14411 requires foreign importers of record to be CTPAT-validated or file through a CTPAT-validated customs broker. Here's the vetting to expect and how to prepare.
Live Updates: Trump Administration Tariffs, Trade Policy Changes, and Impacts on Global Supply Chains
Flexport's running log of Trump administration tariff actions and trade policy shifts, and what each new measure means for importers and their supply chains. Updated as changes land.
