- Step 1: Place a freight request via the Hive App and provide the following information:
- Origin Address & Supplier Contact Details
- Destination Address or Delivery Fulfillment Center
- Mode of Transport: Air or Sea
- Freight Type: LCL (Less than Container Load) or FCL (Full Container Load)
- Incoterm*
- Cargo Ready Date (CRD)**
- Cargo detail: Number of Pallets/Boxes, Dimensions & Weight
- HS Code(s) and Number of HS Code(s)
- Insurance: Yes/No
- Value of Goods
- Dangerous/Hazardous Goods: Provide Dangerous Goods Certificate
- Special Requests
*Incoterm: The most commonly used incoterms by our brands are EXW and FOB.
**Cargo Ready Date (CRD): Please note that the Cargo Ready Date does not equal the collection/ departure date.
- Step 2: Our freight team will request a quote for the shipment with our forwarder and will aim to provide you with an offer within 24-72 hours depending on the complexity of the request. The status of your quote request in the Hive App will be marked as available.
- Step 3: You are required to accept or reject the offer respecting the expiry date of the offer. If you reject the offer the status of the request in the Hive App will be marked as quote declined. If you accept the offer you will move to the next step.
- Step 4: Our freight team will place the booking with our forwarder and will send you a booking confirmation email*. In this email, we will share with you the freight shipment number to create the Restocking shipment and request the Customs Tariff Codes for the import of your shipment.
- Please note that the booking confirmation email only places the booking with our forwarder. This does not mean the booking has been confirmed with the shipping/airline carrier. This may take a further days/ weeks to arrange, depending on carrier capacity and the current market situation at the time of booking.
- Please note that the booking confirmation email only places the booking with our forwarder. This does not mean the booking has been confirmed with the shipping/airline carrier. This may take a further days/ weeks to arrange, depending on carrier capacity and the current market situation at the time of booking.
- Step 5: If this is your first overseas shipment with Hive, you will be asked to complete and sign a Power of Attorney. This permits our forwarder to clear the goods on your behalf.
- Step 6: Our freight team will then establish a communication channel with your supplier to confirm the cargo ready date, as well as gather the Commercial Invoice and Packing List.
- Please note that the Commercial Invoice, Packing List, and Customs Tariff Codes with a detailed description of the goods need to be submitted to our forwarder at least 2 weeks prior to the shipment arrival at the port sea) and once goods have been collected (air).
- The details on the Bill of Lading must match the details on the Commercial Invoice. If there are any discrepancies on the Commercial Invoice, our freight team will ask your supplier to amend it accordingly.
- If an Original Bill of Lading was requested by your supplier, the forwarder requires the original copy of the Bill of Lading to proceed with the import customs clearance. The original Bill of Lading must be signed and stamped by you on every page and sent to the address provided by Hive. Without this document, our forwarder cannot proceed, which may result in demurrage and detention charges or storage fees. It is possible to request a telex release to avoid running into such cases and to speed up the process.
- Step 7: Once the shipment has been collected at the origin (EXW) or departed at the origin port (FOB), our freight team will update the status of the freight shipment in the Hive App to “On the Way” and provide the shipping timeline/schedule.
- Step 8: The shipping timeline in the Hive App will be updated if there are any changes to the planned schedule.
- Step 9: Should our forwarder have any questions or require any further documentation for the import customs clearance process, you will be made aware and contacted by our freight team.
- Step 10: Once the shipment has been successfully delivered to the final destination, our freight team will mark the freight shipment in the Hive App as “Arrived” and send you a delivery confirmation email and survey link.
- Step 11: Our freight will then create two separate invoices for your overseas shipment:
- a freight invoice that includes the known freight charges that were offered to you (i.e. transportation and administrative costs), and
- a customs invoice in which the (import sales tax & customs duties) amount is shown.
- We charge an “Advanced Commission” on the customs invoice. This is calculated at 2,5% of the customs invoice.
- Our freight team cannot support you in providing an estimation of the import sales tax & customs duties that will occur as a result of the import customs clearance. This calculation is done by the customs authorities and depends on many factors such as country of origin, the customs tariff codes, the value of the goods, etc. Please consult your tax advisor for further clarification or information.