How we research and check our figures

Importers make real payments based on what they read. So every number on Trade Route Guide follows the same five rules.

1. Primary sources first

Fees, limits and rules come from the provider's own pricing page, the regulator, the customs authority or the official registry: for example the Hong Kong Companies Registry, the IRS, HMRC, ZATCA, CBP or Bank Al-Maghrib. Comparison sites and news articles are only used when no official page exists, and we say so in the text.

2. Every figure is dated

Each guide shows "Figures last checked" with a date (DD/MM/YYYY), and every source in the Sources list carries the date we opened it. Fees change often: if a price is older than 6 months, we re-check it before updating the guide.

3. Three labels, never mixed

• Verified: read on the official page on the date shown.
• Indicative: from a reliable secondary source, or a range that changes by case. Always labelled "indicative" with its source.
• Example: worked examples use clearly labelled assumptions (freight, order size). They show the method, not a quote.

4. No invented experience

We do not write fake reviews, fake case studies or "we tested" claims. Illustrations of companies or importers are marked as fictional. Where a guide includes first-hand notes from importing, they appear in a separate "On the ground" box.

5. Corrections

If you find an outdated fee or a mistake, write to [email protected]. We check it against the source and update the guide, with the new check date.

Commercial independence

Some links earn a commission. It never changes a ranking or a verdict, and we say clearly when a provider does not fit a situation (for example, a service that is not open to companies in your country). See our affiliate disclosure.

Last updated 30/10/2026