Hotel furniture from Türkiye travels by road or by sea container, depending on the destination. The Incoterms rule in the contract decides who pays for each part of the journey, who carries the risk of loss or damage, and who handles customs. A realistic lead time includes shop drawings, mock-up approval, production, transit, customs clearance and installation, and several of these stages depend on decisions by the buyer.

Incoterms in plain words

Incoterms are rules published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). They apply only when the contract names them, with a place and the edition, for example “DAP [site address] Incoterms 2020”. They do not set the price, they do not decide when ownership passes, and they do not cover installation.

  • EXW (Ex Works): the seller makes the goods available at its premises. The buyer arranges and pays for loading, export clearance, transport, insurance and import. The buyer carries the risk from the factory, and must be able to complete export formalities in Türkiye.
  • FOB (Free On Board): the seller clears the goods for export and loads them on the vessel that the buyer nominates at the named port in Türkiye. Risk passes when the goods are on board. FOB is for sea and inland waterway transport only. For containers handed to the carrier at a terminal, FCA is usually the better rule.
  • CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight): the seller pays sea freight to the named destination port and buys minimum insurance cover. Risk still passes to the buyer when the goods are on board in Türkiye. The buyer handles import clearance and the costs after arrival.
  • DAP (Delivered at Place): the seller arranges transport to the named place, for example the hotel site or a local warehouse, and carries the risk until the goods arrive ready for unloading. The buyer unloads, clears the goods for import and pays duties and taxes.
  • DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): as DAP, but the seller also clears the goods for import and pays duties and taxes. This is the maximum obligation for the seller. It may not be possible where local rules require a local importer.

Name the place exactly, and write down who unloads, who carries items to the rooms and who installs.

The parts of a lead time

  1. Shop drawings and approvals: the manufacturer prepares production drawings; the designer and client review and approve them. A delay here moves every later date.
  2. Samples and mock-up: finish samples are approved, then the mock-up room is built and signed off. Bulk production normally starts after sign-off.
  3. Materials: some fabrics, stone and hardware have their own lead times, especially fabric supplied by the client.
  4. Production and quality checks, including inspection before shipment.
  5. Packing and loading.
  6. Transit: this depends on the route, the mode, vessel schedules, transhipment and seasonal congestion.
  7. Customs clearance: export in Türkiye and import at destination. Inspections can add time.
  8. Delivery and installation: floor by floor, followed by snagging and handover.

Ask your manufacturer for a programme that shows each stage and the decisions it depends on.

Packing and protection

  • Wooden pallets and crates for international transport must meet ISPM 15: treated and marked with the approved mark.
  • Protect corners and edges, wrap upholstery to keep it clean and dry, and use crates for stone, glass and mirrors.
  • On long sea journeys, condensation can form inside containers. Ask how timber and upholstery are protected against moisture.
  • Label each package with the item code, the room or floor and the quantity, so that it matches the packing list.
  • Agree who removes the packaging from site.

Delivery sequencing

Hotels are rarely furnished all at once. Plan shipments to match site readiness: load trailers or containers by floor or phase, so that the first items unloaded are the first items needed. Confirm storage on site, unloading times and lift bookings. A local warehouse can help when the site is not ready, but it adds handling and cost.

Inspection on arrival

  • Count the packages against the packing list before you sign the delivery note.
  • Write any visible damage or shortage on the delivery documents, and take photos.
  • Keep damaged goods and their packaging until the claim is assessed.
  • Notify the carrier, the seller and the insurer in writing without delay. Time limits in transport contracts and conventions can be short, sometimes a few days for damage that is not visible at delivery.
  • Unpack and inspect items in a protected area before installation.

Duties and documents

Import duty and taxes depend on the destination, the product classification (HS code), origin rules and trade agreements, and they change. Do not rely on a rate from an earlier project or a website. Confirm it with a licensed customs broker in the destination country before you agree the Incoterms rule and the price. For shipments to the EU, Türkiye and the EU have a customs union for industrial goods, and goods normally travel with an A.TR movement certificate. Your broker will confirm which documents apply.