Working-capital focus
Trading & Importing
Source, land, price and finance products starting from what a unit really costs on your shelf.
- Modules
- 7
- Lessons
- 14
- Level
- Intermediate
Who it is for
- You plan to import goods to sell wholesale, retail or online.
Not the right course if
- Freight forwarders or customs brokers.
What you will have at the end
- Landed cost per unit
- Margin by product and channel
- Inventory funding plan
- Reorder points
Why this course
The factory price is not the cost. Freight, clearance and duty can add a large share on top, and a price list built on the invoice can sell the container at a loss.
Illustrative example
1,000 units at $2.00 from the factory
Before a unit reaches the shelf it costs far more than the invoice says, and every price has to start from that number.
- Goods value
- US$2,000.00
- Freight, clearance and delivery
- US$1,300.00
- Duty at an illustrative 5%
- US$100.00
- Landed cost per unit
- US$3.40
- Uplift over the factory price
- 70.0%
- Import VAT paid, reclaimable
- US$374.00
- Cash tied up until it sells
- US$3,400.00
Curriculum
Planned outline
1Product and classificationThe HS code decides the duty and the regulator.
- Finding the HS code
Classifying a product, and why a wrong code costs money at the border.
- Controlled goods and prior licences
Which products need a prior licence, and how to confirm it before ordering.
- Finding the HS code
2Supplier sourcingComparing suppliers on landed cost, minimum order and reliability.
- Comparing suppliers properly
Landed cost, not unit price. Minimum order quantities and payment terms.
- Samples, checks and trust
Reducing the risk of a first order with a supplier you have not met.
- Comparing suppliers properly
3Landed costEvery cost between the factory gate and your shelf.
- Building a landed cost
Freight, insurance, clearance, duty and inland delivery, spread across the units.
- Import VAT: cost or not?
Why reclaimable VAT stays out of your unit cost, and when it does not.
- Building a landed cost
4Pricing by channelWholesale, retail and online margins from the same landed cost.
- Wholesale and retail prices
Leaving room for the retailer’s margin as well as your own.
- Margin by product
Which products carry the business, and which only look busy.
- Wholesale and retail prices
5Inventory fundingHow much cash a shipment ties up, and for how long.
- Cash tied up in stock
Paying before shipping, selling after landing — and financing the gap.
- How fast stock turns
Why slow-moving stock is more expensive than it looks.
- Cash tied up in stock
6The import processDocuments, clearance and the order they come in.
- Documents and clearance
The paperwork a shipment needs, confirmed with Customs for your product.
- Importers and VAT registration
Why a qualifying importer may have to register regardless of turnover.
- Documents and clearance
7Reorder and stock controlWhen to order so you never run out mid-lead-time.
- The reorder point
Lead time, daily sales and safety stock.
- Counting and reconciling stock
Regular counts, and what a difference between the count and the books means.
- The reorder point
Setup questions this course will cover
- Commercial RegisterMinistry of Justice — Commercial Register · The filing and document checklist depend on the form — individual trader, S.A.R.L. or S.A.L. — and are made with the register for your place of business.Commercial RegisterOfficially verified
- VAT positionMinistry of Finance · Standard rate 11%. Registration is mandatory above LBP 5 billion of taxable turnover across one to four consecutive prior quarters, and voluntary above LBP 1 billion. Returns and payment are quarterly, due within 20 days of quarter-end.Law 64/2017; Law 324/2024Officially verified
- Import licencesMinistry of Economy and Trade · Prior import licences apply to goods placed under specific controls — there is no single licence for all goods. Which applies depends on the product, so route each one by its HS code and relevant regulator before ordering.MOET — tradeActivity dependent
- Customs entry documentsLebanese Customs · The Customs site was unavailable during research, so no current universal document pack could be verified. Obtain written confirmation from Customs or MOET for your product before the order is placed.Pending authority confirmation
Questions
Is this legal, tax or financial advice?
No. The courses teach you to prepare your own figures and documents. Anything specific to Lebanon names its source and how firmly it was verified, and where a lawyer or accountant is needed the lesson says so.
Is the certificate accredited?
No. The certificate of completion records that you finished the course and its capstone. It is not a diploma, a licence or an accredited qualification.
Where is my work stored?
In your account, so it follows you across devices. You can export it, take a snapshot, or delete it at any time from your workspace.