Eastern Plays — Sourcing and shipping from Asia, for the people buying from it
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- Vietnam Minimum Wage 2027: What It Means for Your Offshore Team Budget
Vietnam plans a 7.8% minimum wage rise from January 1, 2027. Here are the proposed rates, who they really affect, and how to budget for your team and your suppliers' price requests. - IEEPA Tariff Refunds in 2026: How to File Through CBP's CAPE Tool
CAPE Phase 3 opened October 6. Here is who can claim IEEPA tariff refunds, which entries qualify, how ACH payment works and the refund scams CBP is warning about. - FCC Plans to Drop China Test Labs by 2028: A QC Plan for Electronics Importers
The FCC votes October 29 on ending recognition of test labs in mainland China. Here is what the draft says, which grants stay valid, and how to build the lab question into your QC program. - China Ship Fees Return November 2026? What Importers Should Check
The pause on US port fees for Chinese-owned and Chinese-built ships ends November 9. Here is who pays, what it could cost per container, and which contract clauses to read now. - Canton Fair 2026: How to Tell a Real Factory From a Trading Company
The 140th Canton Fair runs through November 4. Here is how to check whether a booth is a factory or a trader, when a trader is fine, and what to verify before paying a deposit. - UFLPA Entity List 2026: How to Check Your China Suppliers
DHS just added 43 companies to the UFLPA Entity List. Here is how to find out whether any of them sit behind your factory, and what to ask before your next deposit. - How to Pay a Sourcing Agent or QC Inspector in Asia From the US
Paying people on the ground in China or Vietnam is mostly simple, but a few steps protect you on tax, sanctions and conflicts of interest. Here is the setup I use. - How to Find Your HTS Code and When to Ask CBP for a Binding Ruling
Your HTS code sets your duty rate, your extra tariffs and half the paperwork on an entry. Here is how to classify a product properly and when a free CBP ruling is worth the wait. - CPSC eFiling Is Live: The Test Data You Need From Your Factory
Since July 8, 2026, importers of regulated consumer products must file certificate data at entry. Most of that data starts at the factory, so here is what to collect and when. - Detention and Demurrage Invoices: How to Check and Dispute Them
Federal rules say a detention or demurrage invoice missing key details does not have to be paid. Here is what a valid invoice must show, what a 2025 court ruling changed, and how to push back.