E-COMMERCE & GLOBAL TRADE
When you buy a $20 T-shirt online, how many digital interactions might occur before it even ships?
Over 20 digital interactions across 5–7 countries.
When choosing a product to export, which key product characteristic makes international shipping cheaper, easier and more profitable for beginners?
Choosing products that are lightweight, durable, and don't easily expire.
Which document shows proof of ownership (during transport) and is required to release the cargo at the port?
Bill of Lading / Air Waybill.
A Korean cosmetics exporter receives a request from a new buyer who wants to pay 30–90 days after receiving the goods. Which payment method is this buyer requesting?
Open Account.
A buyer wants your product but refuses a video call and avoids sharing certifications. What’s the smart next move?
Walk away — lack of transparency signals risk.
Which e-commerce model lets brands like Gentle Monster sell directly to customers without intermediaries?
D2C (Direct-to-Consumer).
What Korean government system gives your company its “passport” to participate in international trade?
Import/Export Code issued through UNI-PASS.
What is the duty calculation method used by most countries when the tariff is written as a percentage?
Ad valorem tariff (percentage of value).
Which payment method gives the exporter zero risk of non-payment because the buyer pays before production or shipment?
Advanced payment.
You receive three quotes for the same item.
i) One has low MOQ but higher unit cost,
ii) One has strong documentation, and
iii) One replies fastest.
Which supplier is most promising long-term?
The one with strong documentation and professionalism — reliability beats cheap MOQ.
Coupang’s biggest competitive advantage was not low price — it was removing what everyday customer problem?
Delivery friction — slow, unreliable, confusing delivery/returns (solved through Rocket Delivery)
Why do entrepreneurs often attend events like KOTRA fairs, COEX expos, or trade weeks?
To build networks with suppliers, buyers, freight forwarders, and brokers — sometimes more valuable than funding.
If a country allows a low tariff on the first shipment quantity but a higher tariff after a limit is reached, what tariff type is this?
Tariff-Rate Quota (TRQ) / Tariff quotas: “Cheap at first, expensive later.”
When a company’s costs are in one currency but payment arrives in a different currency that weakens suddenly, what risk does the exporter face?
Currency risk.
You’re planning your first export deal. What document set helps a buyer quickly judge whether you're a real business?
A clear company profile, registration certificate, and product catalogue.
Daraz transformed Nepal’s market by introducing what key payment & delivery combination?
Mobile-based shopping with Cash-on-Delivery (COD).
A Seoul tech start-up exported AI drone parts and was fined 80M won. What mistake did they make?
They didn’t realize the drone cameras were dual-use and required a special export license.
In customs valuation, what does CIF stand for, and why does it matter?
Cost + Insurance + Freight (total cost at the port of importing country) — the value used to calculate import duties.
A bank will only pay an exporter if all submitted documents are correct under UCP 600 rules. Which payment method works this way?
Letter of Credit (L/C).
What single action increases a beginner exporter’s chance of getting real buyers at a trade show?
Approach buyers first and take a photo with them after a short discussion (not just their card, but take that too!), so you can send the photo in your follow-up email and stay memorable.
What major structural advantage allowed Coupang to deliver within 24 hours to nearly all of Korea?
Localized fulfillment centers within 10 km of 70% of the population + in-house couriers.
A first-time exporter chooses a product because they “personally love it,” but later discovers almost no international demand. What key step from the startup process did they skip?
Market validation using real data (checking whether the product has actual global demand).
A shipment is held at customs because officers cannot classify the product correctly. They request the one document that identifies the product’s official classification code. Which document do they need?
The HS Code declaration.
Which method requires the buyer to pay through their bank before receiving the documents needed to claim the goods?
Documents Against Payment (D/P)
Describe the difference between an SKU, a UPC, and an HS Code.
SKU: Internal inventory code used by the seller (inventory, variants).
UPC: Retail barcode used for scanning in stores (selling to consumers).
HS Code: International customs classification for tariffs and clearance (import/export classification).