Library
International Trade Resources
Short educational notes for businesses that are preparing an enquiry or comparing a trading partner. These pages explain common considerations. They are not Meridian services, and they are not a substitute for the official sources linked from each note.
Published 2026-10-28
Reviewed 2026-10-28What Buyers Should Include in an International Product Sourcing Request
What to include in an international sourcing request so it can be reviewed. The request itself is not an order.
Published 2026-10-28
Reviewed 2026-10-28Export Documentation: A General Introduction for Businesses
A plain-language introduction to documents businesses often meet in cross-border trade, and to the authorities that actually set the rules.
Published 2026-10-28
Reviewed 2026-10-28How to Evaluate an Overseas Supplier
Questions a buyer can use to judge whether an overseas supplier is a credible commercial counterparty, without pretending that a checklist replaces an audit.
Published 2026-10-28
Reviewed 2026-10-28Important Questions to Ask Before Placing a Bulk Order
Commercial, specification, and responsibility questions to settle before a bulk purchase is treated as agreed.
Published 2026-10-28
Reviewed 2026-10-28Understanding Product Specifications in International Trade
Why a product name is not a specification, and how buyers and suppliers can describe goods so a quotation answers the right question.
Published 2026-10-28
Reviewed 2026-10-28What Importers Should Consider When Comparing Supplier Quotations
How to compare international quotations on the same brief, including price basis, documents, and what the numbers leave out.
Published 2026-10-28
Reviewed 2026-10-28How Businesses Can Evaluate New International Trading Partners
A sober way to look at a new trading company, including what a website can and cannot tell you.
Official sources
These links leave this website. They are starting points published by the named organizations, not endorsements and not a complete list.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection — TradeU.S. Customs and Border Protection
- International Trade AdministrationU.S. Department of Commerce
- Automated Export System and foreign trade statisticsU.S. Census Bureau
- Bureau of Industry and SecurityU.S. Department of Commerce
- Sanctions programs and country informationOffice of Foreign Assets Control
- Harmonized Tariff ScheduleU.S. International Trade Commission
- Food import informationU.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Animal and plant import and exportUSDA APHIS
- Incoterms® rulesInternational Chamber of Commerce
- Business guidance on consumer product safetyU.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission