Common Mistakes Importers and Exporters Make in the Philippines

Preventable import and export problems often start with a document mismatch, an incomplete budget, or an unassigned handoff. The seven examples below are illustrative scenarios, not accounts of actual Upturn shipments. Each pairs a mistake with its consequence and a check your team can perform before shipping.

Mistake 1: Incomplete Customs Documentation and Weak Declarations

Use the invoice review worksheet to compare the supplier invoice with the packing list and transport records, then assign each correction to an owner.

Example: An import invoice lists 100 units while the packing list lists 120, or the product is described only as “parts.”

Possible consequence: The discrepancy can trigger clarification and delay document processing.

Preventive check: Reconcile quantities, units, product specifications and consignee details across the invoice, packing list and transport document before departure.

Mistake 2: Underestimating Customs Duties and Taxes

Example: A buyer budgets for the supplier invoice and ocean freight but leaves out import taxes, terminal charges and final delivery.

Possible consequence: The shipment may arrive before finance has approved sufficient funds.

Preventive check: Build a landed-cost worksheet, obtain shipment-specific estimates and assign a payment approver before booking.

Mistake 3: Choosing the Wrong Logistics Setup for the Shipment

Example: An exporter promises delivery for a buyer’s launch date but chooses a sailing using transit time alone, without allowing for origin cutoff or destination clearance.

Possible consequence: The shipment can miss the commercial deadline even if the quoted ocean transit is achieved.

Preventive check: Work backward from the delivery deadline, confirm cutoffs and responsibilities with both forwarders, and allow for clearance and delivery.

Mistake 4: Treating Customs Brokerage as a Basic Filing Service

Example: A business engages its broker only after regulated cargo has departed and then discovers a missing permit.

Possible consequence: There may be no time to obtain the required approval before arrival, exposing the importer to delay and additional costs.

Preventive check: Send the product specifications and draft documents for review before purchase or dispatch, and confirm the permit deadline with the issuing agency.

Mistake 5: Waiting Too Long to Prepare for Customs Releasing

Example: Customs release is issued, but nobody has booked a truck or confirmed warehouse receiving hours.

Possible consequence: Cargo remains at the terminal while pickup and delivery are arranged.

Preventive check: Assign a release-to-delivery owner, confirm terminal requirements, reserve transport and check the receiving appointment before release.

Mistake 6: Poor Coordination Between Freight and Compliance Teams

Example: An exporter changes carton counts after the invoice and booking details have already been shared with the forwarder and buyer.

Possible consequence: Different versions of the shipment record reach origin and destination teams, leading to corrections and possible clearance queries.

Preventive check: Keep one approved document set, record revisions, and obtain confirmation that the carrier, broker and destination buyer received the final version.

Mistake 7: Ignoring the Export Side of Compliance Risk

Example: An exporter ships without asking the destination buyer to confirm its import permits, labeling requirements or any origin evidence needed for a tariff claim.

Possible consequence: The buyer may face clearance problems or lose an expected tariff preference.

Preventive check: Have the buyer or destination broker confirm product-specific entry requirements before dispatch; agree who obtains each document and who reviews it.

Use a Pre-Shipment Review

Assign an owner for documents, permits, payment, transport, and destination coordination. Review the final shipment file together before dispatch. Our beginner’s pre-shipment checklist provides a practical starting point for imports. For brokerage support, request a quote.

Sources and Review Date

Last source review: September 17, 2026. The references below support the regulatory and tariff information discussed in this article. Shipment-specific requirements depend on the applicable agency, carrier, terminal, and booking terms.

BOC importation guidelines

Philippine Tariff Finder