What a buyer's agent actually does
India has no shortage of suppliers. It has a shortage of certainty — that the grade quoted is the grade loaded, that the quantity is complete, that the certificates will satisfy your customs authority. Our job is to remove that uncertainty for a buyer who is not standing in the warehouse.
The steps
1 · Requirement
You send the product, grade or specification, quantity, packing preference and destination port.
2 · Vendor search
We approach suppliers who genuinely handle that product, and compare grade against price rather than price alone.
3 · Quotation
You receive a quote on your chosen Incoterm, with the lead time and the season stated plainly.
4 · Sample & approval
Where the grade matters, a sample is sent for your approval before the bulk order is committed.
5 · Procurement & QC
Goods are purchased, packed to specification and inspected before despatch.
6 · Documentation & shipment
Export paperwork is prepared and shared for checking, freight is booked, and the container is loaded.
Export documentation
Which documents apply depends on the product and the destination. For a typical food or chemical shipment out of India these are the ones that come up:
| Document | When it applies |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Every shipment |
| Packing list | Every shipment |
| Bill of lading / airway bill | Every shipment, by mode |
| Certificate of origin | Most destinations; preferential forms where a trade agreement applies |
| Phytosanitary certificate | Plant and plant-derived products |
| Veterinary / health certificate | Eggs and animal-derived products |
| Fumigation certificate | Where the destination or packing requires it |
| Certificate of analysis | Chemicals, and food where a lab result is agreed |
| Insurance certificate | CIF and CIP shipments |
Import requirements differ by country and change. Tell us the destination early and we will confirm what your side will need before the goods move, not after.
Shipping
- Full container load (FCL)
- Less than container load (LCL)
- Reefer for temperature-controlled goods
- Air freight for urgent or perishable cargo
- Mixed loads consolidated from several vendors
- Quoted EXW, FOB, CFR or CIF
Payment
Terms are agreed per order and per buyer relationship — typically an advance against proforma invoice, or a letter of credit for larger shipments. We will set out the terms in writing with the quotation so there is nothing to interpret later.
Put us to work on something specific
Name the product and the destination. We will come back with a vendor, a price and a date.