Subscription Information

Thank you for your interest in subscribing to GISTnet.

• Subscription Benefits—What do I get if I subscribe?
• GISTnet Access Levels vs. Information/Features
  • Chart of Access Levels
  • Guest Access
  • Subscriber Access
  • Learning Programs & Assessments
• Technical Requirements
• Subscription Procedure
• Subscription Rates

Subscription Benefits—What do I get if I subscribe?

1. Access to all of the Performance Support Library. By looking at the Table of Contents, you will get a good idea of the current scope of information, and additional materials are continually being added. There are currently over ten thousand explanatory documents, glossary definitions, exhibits, and indexed referrals relating to international trade and transportation, plus the GISTnet Country Guides and U.S. government regulations!
2. Discounted fees for GISTnet training courses. These web-based courses cover a variety of international trade, cargo transportation, freight forwarding and customs brokerage subjects. In addition to these discounts, which average 30%, organizational subscribers are charged by the lesson used (rather than for the entire course up-front), making GISTnet a true "pay as you learn" system.
3. Assistance from GISTnet "help desk" staff. We will endeavor to assist you with technical and operational information within our expertise which is not yet addressed within the GISTnet library, and, of course, with the use and navigation of GISTnet.
4. Use of GISTnet Library resources for internal company training and client support purposes. You may request permission to print and reproduce our library documents. So long as your request is specific as to documents, reasonable in scope, and not for commercial purposes which extend beyond your own company operations, and provided the documents belong to us (i.e., not a third party), we will generally grant such permissions. Please address your request to staff@gistnet.com.
5. A continually expanding knowledge resource. Your subscription revenue is the means by which we maintain and expand our content in order to continually increase the value of GISTnet subscriptions.

GISTnet Access Levels vs. Information/Features

Chart of Access Levels

* Indicates an additional usage fee applies.

Subscriber Access

• Performance Support Library—Access "just-in-time" information as needed to meet operational and customer service needs. Navigate using our multi-level Table of Contents (currently over 7000 headings), hyperlinks to glossary definitions, exhibit documents, CFR citations and web URLs, and Key Word Index to drill through all of our content by context. This currently includes:
  • All Subject-Matter Text, including in depth coverage of:
    • Intermodal cargo transportation, including basic concepts, capabilities and limitations of each transportation mode, carrier operations and regulation, multimodal through routing, contracts of carriage, cargo preparation, and cargo loading.
    • Dangerous goods shipping, with emphasis on forwarder responsibilities.
    • Cargo insurance coverages and claims procedures.
    • Export transactions, including delivery terms, payment terms, sales quotations, letters of credit, documentary draft collections, and destination country documentation.
    • U.S. export regulations and procedures.
    • Ocean/multimodal freight forwarding, including regulations; shipper-forwarder relationship issues and variations, indirect carriage (NVO operations), and generic forwarding procedures. (Note: While much of our current subject matter is applicable to all modes of transportation, separate in-depth coverage of airfreight and land border forwarding procedures will be added.)
  • Glossary—currently over 6000 terms defined/explained from a forwarder/customs broker perspective, and hyperlinked to all relevant text and CFR/Exhibit documents.
  • Exhibits—GISTnet provides a variety of reference documents (e.g., Carriage of Goods By Sea Act (COGSA), S·W·I·F·T Message Keys, trade articles and guides, and specimens of shipping documents and blank forms).
  • Code of Federal Regulations—GISTnet provides URL links to relevant CFR regulations, and hyperlinks to selected CFR documents.
  • Referrals—GISTnet maintains an on-line database of numerous other informational, operational and educational resources of potential interest to its subscribers. These include trade, professional, governmental and educational organizations and their libraries, publications, plus all kinds of Internet web sites offering useful information or services.
  • Country Guides—Our country-by-country information is written by and for shipping professionals. In addition to what is required, we provide a variety of how-to information on the preparation of shipping documents, plus a variety of contacts with additional shipment-specific information and assistance. Visit our sample pages for a preview of the information we provide.
• Help Desk—An email and telephone help desk service for subscriber questions/issues falling within our subject matter expertise.

Web-Courses, Learning Programs & Assessments

These services are available to subscribers at additional cost, based on usage; training via GISTnet is typically a small fraction of the cost of traditional training.

• Training Courses—GISTnet, together with our Content Partners, offers an increasing variety of anytime, anywhere training in international trade, cargo transportation, freight forwarding and customs brokerage. Please see the GISTnet Course Catalog for a current course list. These courses can also be modified to make them company-specific by adding coverage of internal policies and procedures.
• Individual Learning Programs—Use the text, exhibit, illustration and reference resources of the GISTnet Library to create short study modules, and sequence them into courses created to meet the knowledge needs of a particular job position or the growth path of a particular individual. It is as simple as naming the learner-to-be, then clicking on text headings from our table of contents, specifying the length of the assessment and passing score. The GISTnet system will then create the program for the learner to follow, report results to whomever is designated, and create/maintain the learning record. The learner proceeds through the program at his/her own pace, and takes practice assessments (assessments-for-learning) until he feels ready to take an assessment-for-record. This self-paced, "no-fault" approach facilitates greater acceptance of the program, and allows career personnel to "fill in the gaps" in their knowledge without embarrassment. Company policy and procedure content may be integrated into such learning programs once this material has been converted into structured HTML, and assessment questions written. GISTnet staff can provide varying levels of support in creating and operating learning programs.
• Qualification and Selection Assessments—Use the assessment feature of the GISTnet Learning Programs to screen experienced job applicants, or individuals seeking advancement, based on their knowledge and skill.
• Staff Qualification Records—The GISTnet system automatically creates and maintains a learning/qualification record for personnel who have embarked on a GISTnet learning program. This record can be used in roll-up reports covering all employees involved in learning programs, with such reports downloaded in a format which can be easily opened in a spreadsheet or database, and thereby integrated into other company personnel records.

Technical Requirements

"How do I access GISTnet?"

GISTnet operates primarily via the Internet (World Wide Web). To gain access you need Internet access and a web browser. Email is our preferred means of administrative communication with our subscribers.

"How much help will I receive from GISTnet once I begin my subscription?"

Our focus is on supporting you with trade and transportation information and know-how, and we will be as responsive as possible with these issues. For technical support with Internet access or browser issues, you should contact your ISP or systems administrator.

Subscription Procedure

"How do I subscribe?"

First, determine the type of subscription which best suits your situation. Typically, companies engaged in international trade and transportation subscribe, and then enable their employees to use GISTnet. If you are arranging a subscription on behalf of your company or organization, check the company subscription options. If you are a working professional, and will be subscribing as an individual, you are probably a candidate for a professional subscription. If you're a student currently enrolled in at least two college courses, you likely qualify for the discounted student subscription. Finally, if you are enrolled in a college or other course for which the curriculum calls for GISTnet materials, check the courseware list for your specific course. Once you decide on the type of subscription, the next step is completing the on-line registration form for that type of subscription. You will find the links to these forms at the end of each subscription description, below.

"What if I don't quite fit in one of your subscription categories, or have special needs?"

Please email us at staff@gistnet.com, or call us at 310-376-3888. We will be happy to consider a customized arrangement.

"How do I pay for a subscription?"

Subscriptions are payable on an prepaid annual basis. Payment may be made by company or personal check, payable to GISTnet, Inc. We currently accept credit cards through PayPal. Upon requesting a subscription, we will promptly issue an invoice by mail, and will also fax it to you upon request (please use the remarks field on the subscription request form).

"What if I wish to cancel my subscription before it expires?"

You may cancel your subscription to GISTnet at any time, and we will refund pro-rata the unused portion of your subscription upon written request—just send us an email. The only exception to this policy would be in cases in which a negotiated subscription agreement called for a minimum subscription period, or in the case of college courseware which is supplied on the basis of course units.

"How are subscriptions renewed?"

Subscriptions are automatically renewed upon receipt of payment for the next annual period. We will send you a notice of expiration and renewal invoice via email approximately 60 days prior to expiration.

"What do I do if my email address or other subscriber information changes?"

It is important that we at GISTnet have your current email address, as this is our primary means of communicating with you. Please keep us informed by updating your user information form.

"What do I do if I forget my username and/or password?"

If you forget your username and/or password, but the email address you entered when you registered or last updated your user record is still valid, use the "Lookup Lost Password" link on our main page, enter your email address, and our system will send your username and password to you.

Subscription Rates

We offer individual subscriptions and company/organizational subscriptions. The company subscription fee is scaled on the number of users who would benefit from access, based on job assignment. Our goal is to make GISTnet widely and conveniently available to all who may have even occasional benefit from our information. Our company subscription fee is therefore based on a discounted sliding scale. The more users, the lower cost per user. We also offer discounts to subscribers who are willing to make longer term commitments.

The actual subscription fee is computed on the total number of employees, less those categories of employees who would never have reason to use GISTnet (i.e., individuals engaged solely in accounting functions, cargo handling, receptionists, etc.).

To subscribe, please register (if you have not already done so), and then complete the online Subscription Request/Inquiry form, or contact us: staff@gistnet.com or 310-376-3888.