As with any aspect of your business and personal lives, it's important to keep vehicles and the related expenses separate. The type of vehicle arrangement that will be most financially favorable depends on your particular situation. Before you start using an automobile for your business, address these financial considerations first.

Many people use the word “distribution” as if it were a tactic when in fact it is a goal. Any bozo can say the word as if it’s a magic bullet; the test is the ability to achieve distribution. This article offers advice on how consumer-facing startups can achieve distribution, particularly through partnerships.

If your business mails products directly to customers, whether the order is taken online, over the phone, or via mail, you must follow the FTC's Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Trade Regulation Rule. Learn what it is and how to follow it here.

eBay has become one of the leading marketing resources and distribution channels for individuals and businesses. Noting the fast and diversified growth of the eBay marketplace, this article describes eBay's utility for entrepreneurs interested in getting started as an eBay seller.

Getting your products to your customers means choosing the right distributor. Learn about your options and discover ways to find the best distribution system for your company.

For businesses involved in international trade that have endured years of government emphasis on supply chain security, there may finally be a light at the end of the tunnel. The only problem--it could well be an oncoming train. Traders who have pushed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to do more on trade facilitation are getting their wish, but at the price of increased enforcement. The agency intends to improve trade facilitation, but enforcement could increase costs.

For many gastronomes, the farmers market is a ritual. After selecting perfectly ripe figs and peaches, they head over to the fishmonger's stand to check out the weekly catch and then stop to chat with the pastry chef from the local bakery. For food businesses, farmers markets could be the perfect place to find a following for your products.

When ordering inventory, two of the biggest issues are quality and cost. When all else is equal, choosing one supplier over another generally comes down to which supplier offers the best price break for the largest order. You've heard of JIT to use warehouse space better and to deliver goods to customers more efficiently. Can it work for your operation? How do you implement it?

A poorly managed inventory could put you out of business. Knowing what your customers want, building to order, and choosing an inventory management system to match your company's size allow you to balance your growing company's competing needs for cash.

When Cathy Harshman, CEO of Louie & Co. in Northbrook, Ill., began designing and manufacturing shoes, she wanted to put her best foot forward. That meant heading to Europe for production of her shoes. Persistence, embracing change boost Louie Shoe sales 70% annually.