Twelve confirmations before any spend.

Not every question has to be answered before you start — but these twelve will silently kill a budget if you guess. This page is the live checklist: tick each item when it's confirmed in writing by the named party. Your progress stays on this device; nothing is uploaded.

01Read the question and the why.

02Contact the Who confirms party — in writing if material.

03Weigh the Cost if wrong against your spend horizon.

04Tick confirmed once the answer is on paper, not in a phone call.

P0

Confirm before any money goes out.

6 items

OI-01 Confirm

Exact HS code + duty for each SKU

Wrong code = wrong duty at the border and possible seizure. Cannot budget without it.

Who confirms Customs broker

Cost if wrong Shipment held, unplanned duty, destroyed margin
OI-02 Confirm

Label requirements + Arabic sticker acceptance

Dubai Municipality can reject on label grounds. Stickers are sometimes acceptable, sometimes not, per claim.

Who confirms Dubai Municipality + customs broker

Cost if wrong Relabelling in-market or shipment rejection
OI-03 Confirm

Spain-side health certificate for olive oil

EU export side. EORI is known; a health certificate may also be needed per destination rules.

Who confirms Spanish food-export authority

Cost if wrong Export delay or re-exportation
OI-04 Confirm

Importer of record — phase 1

Determines who clears customs, who holds the Dubai Customs code, and who carries import liability.

Who confirms Founders + partner contract

Cost if wrong Split liability, stuck stock
OI-05 Confirm

Seller of record — phase 1

Determines who invoices, handles VAT, and owns the customer relationship on paper.

Who confirms Founders + partner contract

Cost if wrong Customer relationship lost to partner
OI-06 Confirm

Registration and listing ownership

Whoever is on ZAD / Montaji+ / marketplace accounts controls the practical ability to switch partners.

Who confirms Founders + partner contract + marketplace T&Cs

Cost if wrong Migration blocked later; 'pilot' becomes partner's asset

P1

Confirm before scaling past the pilot.

4 items

OI-07 Confirm

3PL food-storage legality

Some 3PLs don't have food-grade storage permits.

Who confirms 3PL provider + Dubai Municipality

Cost if wrong Goods rejected at release; 3PL has to be changed mid-pilot
OI-08 Confirm

Amazon / noon approval under chosen structure

Marketplace approval rules differ by category and seller type.

Who confirms Amazon.ae + noon seller support

Cost if wrong Channels unavailable after setup; strategy forced
OI-09 Confirm

Free-zone package fit for food activity

Zone catalogues sometimes allow e-commerce without allowing food.

Who confirms Free-zone sales + regulator in writing

Cost if wrong Entity formed but cannot legally trade the category
OI-10 Confirm

Bank + payment-gateway bankability

Stripe, Telr, Wio, APS each have different documentation and reserve requirements.

Who confirms Each provider

Cost if wrong Revenue can't land in UAE account

P2

Good to validate, but not blocking.

2 items

OI-11 Confirm

Mainland small-business relief eligibility

Can reduce corporate tax burden in phase 1 — but narrow rules.

Who confirms UAE tax adviser

Cost if wrong Missed election or incorrect election
OI-12 Confirm

Retailer slotting / promo-funding requests

Can silently destroy margin if not budgeted.

Who confirms Retailer commercial team

Cost if wrong Negative unit economics without realising

Pre-spend complete

All twelve confirmations ticked. You're clear to commit money against the plan as scoped. Revisit this list when the scope changes — new SKUs, new emirate, or scale beyond the pilot.