GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 24, 2026

Import Sourcing Optimization

Quick Answer

Last updated: 24 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://www.inboundlogistics.com/articles/import-sourcing-optimization/

Category

Incoterms 2020 Simulator: Who bears costs & risk?

Reading time

1 min

Words

113

Mentioned in

–

Definition & Explanation

Import Sourcing Optimization is the strategic process of selecting supplier countries, vendor partners, and shipping routes to simultaneously reduce procurement costs, ensure delivery reliability, and maintain regulatory compliance. Purchasing and logistics teams assess suppliers not only on price but also on tariff exposure, rules of origin, transit times, and country-specific import risk profiles. Customs-aware supplier selection can significantly affect landed costs—preferential tariff rates under free trade agreements or anti-dumping duties on specific origins are prime examples. The process also covers warehouse location decisions near key ports of entry and inventory buffer strategies for volatile supply markets. Unlike general procurement, it treats customs and trade compliance as mandatory evaluation criteria rather than secondary considerations.

Next steps

Tools that match this term

Calculate customs valueWork out import duties and customs valueOpen Calculate transit timeEstimate duration per transport modeOpen Find HS codeDetermine the tariff number for customsOpen Compare IncotermsClarify duties, cost and riskOpen

Related Terms

You might also be interested in these terms

e-dec Import Deactivation

The e-dec import deactivation refers to the planned end of electronic import customs declarations via the legacy e-dec Import syst…

Learn more

Import

Sourcing goods from abroad – whether for resale, further processing, or own use – relies on the import procedure as the fundamenta…

Learn more

import tax

At the point of customs clearance, import tax liability arises: the term covers all charges levied on goods imported from third co…

Learn more

Incoterms Import Responsibility

Unlike mere cost allocation, import responsibility under Incoterms determines which party handles the entire import process in the…

Learn more

Import Customs Clearance Process

A shipment reaches the customs frontier and the import customs clearance process begins immediately: the importer or appointed cus…

Learn more

Import process

Once a purchase order is placed with an overseas supplier, the import process begins—covering every step from export clearance at …

Learn more

⚖️ ICC Incoterms 2020

Incoterms 2020 Simulator: Who bears costs & risk?

Analyze all 11 Incoterms 2020: cost matrix, risk timeline, insurance gap detector and customs responsibility – free, no login required.

Incoterms Simulator →

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Weekly: Top news, industry facts and insights from the world of logistics – free.

Import Sourcing Optimization

Next steps

Related Terms

e-dec Import Deactivation

Import

import tax

Incoterms Import Responsibility

Import Customs Clearance Process

Import process

Incoterms 2020 Simulator: Who bears costs & risk?

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Community Questions & Answers