Types of Foreign Trade Transactions: (i) Direct Business: The importer may send his order for the supply of goods directly to a foreign producer. (ii) Consignment Business: In consignment manufacturer sends goods to foreign agents with instructions to sell goods at the best available price which are as follows: 
(iii) Indenting Firms: There are firms of importing and exporting agents at every important port town known as ‘Indenting firm’ to perform the trade on behalf of certain customer.
(iv) Merchant shippers: Merchant shippers are the businessmen who buy goods on their own account and sell those in the foreign countries on profit.
Forwarding and Clearing Agents in Foreign Trade:
- Forwarding Agents: An agent who undertakes to perform all the duties connected with the exporting of goods to the foreign countries at a port on behalf of the manufacturer is called “Forwarding Agents.”
- Clearing Agent: It is an agent who under takes to perform all the functions at an importing port to facilitate delivery of goods to the importer.
Certificate of Origin: Certificate of origin is a document which states the name of the country in which the goods are produced.
Consular invoice: ‘Consular invoice’ is a document issued and prepared by the exporter. In order to enable the custom authorities of the importing country to assess import duty according to the value of goods without opening packets it is prepared and used.
Middlemen in Foreign Trade: Similar to home trade there is a large number of middlemen or trader in foreign trade also. In foreign trade, middlemen occupy a very important place, because of the complex and intricate procedures involved in the reins.