Aspiring e-commerce entrepreneurs must avoid being trapped in the regulatory maze

Such lists are never-ending.

These are just some examples of the thousands of country-specific restrictions that can make international shipping difficult.

So it is a good idea for aspiring e-commerce entrepreneurs to target specific countries first. For example, it can be a lot easier to ship to Singapore, say, than to ship to Russia.

Know what the shipping costs are, and factor in various business hours and national holidays into your expectations for delivery. "Time in transit" also does not account for time spent clearing regulatory hurdles at the border.

That is where a globally experienced service provider can help SMEs overcome international obstacles. From simplifying confusing processes, offering automatic customs clearance, collaboration with customs, or even strategic advice on expanding internationally, that help makes the movement of goods across borders more efficient, and less costly.

More than ever, time is money. Recent research for the global express industry shows that the high costs of keeping up with these requirements can actually hamper e-commerce, and even threaten the survival of SMEs.

So doing your homework now, and keeping up with restrictions in your preferred markets, will save a lot of pain and money in the future.

The author is president of the Asia-Pacific region for FedEx Corp.