19. An introduction to international sales and documentation

Abstract

This chapter identifies what amounts to an international sale, discusses the ways in which the nature of the law of international sales of goods differs from domestic sales, and explores how documents are used to deal with some of the legal risks associated with contracts involving international deliveries. It then looks at a typical international sale in outline, before focusing in detail on how the bill of lading, perhaps the most characteristic document used in international sales, operates. In a documentary sale, the mechanics of the completion of the sale is effected by delivery of documents both by the seller, with documents relating to the goods, and by the buyer, with documents representing payment.