If you dislike both the standard scoring of the Import goods and the simplified version where all import goods score 4 VP each, then you can try this variant:

At the end of the game, every player receives 5 VP for each unit of the import good the respective player has imported the least, 3 VP each for the import good that the respective player has imported the most and 4 VP each for the third import good. Please note that each player only looks at the amounts she/he imported individually. Thus, you do not track the amount of import goods on the export board.

Advantage: This scoring is less swingy than the standard scoring but offers a bit more depth than the simplified scoring.

Disadvantage: This scoring removes uncertainty which can also help players who are behind and it reduces the interaction.

The draw of new export contracts at the beginning of a round is pretty much the only random element in this game. If you dislike even the slightiest element of chance in strategy games then you might want to consider doing the following:

After having refilled the export board with contracts at the beginning of a round, draw three further export contracts from the the top of the draw pile and put them face-up next to the export board. Next round you will first use these face-up contracts to refill the export board. These three contracts are not available yet for the action “Take export contracts”. However, this allows you to look into the future and thus reduces the uncertainty. So let’s call these three contracts “future export contracts“

When you do receive the building bonus, you choose one of the future export contracts next to the player board and remove the remaining two from the game. Then, draw another three contracts from the draw pile and put them face-up next to the export board again.

Clan Buchanan, building bonus: You would draw three additional export contracts from the draw pile and put them face-up next to the three future export contracts. You can then choose 1-2 export contracts from the six future export contracts. If you also choose “Take export contracts” as your main action, you could choose to take 1-2 export contracts from either/or or both the export board and the six face-up future export contracts. The future export contracts that were not chosen would then be removed from the game and three new future export contracts would be drawn and put face-up next to the export board.

Advantage: Less uncertainty, more strategy

Disadvantage: Fiddlier, higher risk for analysis paralysis

If you wish the glory scoring were a bit more important, grant the player with most glory (not VP) at the end of the game, an additional 6 glory. In case of a tie, share points the same way as in the other scorings.

Advantage: more important round scorings, more interaction

Disadvantage: slightly more complex scoring at the end

You can leave out all or any number of the following elements:

• scoring tiles
• most export contracts scoring
• settlement scoring

The 1 coin bonus for passing the import good icons on the export track can also be left out, especially if you do not have any problem remembering to move the import goods tokens (unless you play the respective simplified variant, then you do not track import goods anyway).

While I am convinced that all clans grant a fair fighting chance to experienced players, some clans are certainly more newbie friendly than others.
If some in your playgroup are just learning the game or are less experienced with strategy games, you might want to consider to give the more straightforward clans to the less experienced players and the more challenging clans to the experienced players.

Newbie friendly clans: Cunningham, Fergusson, Campbell

More challenging clans: Buchanan, MacEwen, MacDonald

Advantage: more even chances for less experienced players and more challenging for experienced players

This variant makes Market prices start at variable values.
During setup, after placing the Price markers on the Market board,
roll the price dice for each type of Good. Based on the roll:
• +1 or –1, leave the Price marker on its usual spot
• +2 or +3, move the Price marker up one spot
• –2 or –3, move the Price marker down one spot

The following 2 scoring methods encourage competition by
allowing players to stay competitive in Export and Settlement
scoring even if one player has a significant lead.

Export Scoring

The player who fulfilled the most Export contracts gains 8 VP as
normal.
The second player gains 4 VP if they fulfilled exactly one Export
contract less, and 0 VP otherwise. In case of a tie, both players
gain 4 VP as normal.

Settlement Scoring

The player with the most connected Settlements gains 12 VP as
normal.
The second player gains 6 VP if they have 1 or 2 fewer
connected Settlements, and 0 VP otherwise. In case of a tie, both
players get 6 VP as normal.

These variants allows players to add competition for Milestone
scoring without adding the full complexity of the Train module.
As normal, place 4 Milestone tiles on the Train board during setup
and score them at the end of the game (see 5.4.5 Final Scoring).
In both of the following variants, Delivery bonus tiles, Trains and
Train stations are removed from the game.

Using Milestones without the Train module

• Each player places their 4 Milestone markers next to their
player board.
• Players may take an action to pay £5 to claim a Milestone.

Using Milestones with a simplified Train Module

• Each player places 1 of their Milestone markers next to the
Scoring tiles for rounds 1-4 each.
• Use the 3/4 player side of the Train map.
• Place 1 Demand tile next to each Milestone during setup and
place 4 Demand tiles face up on the Demand tile refill track.
• In order to claim a Milestone you need to deliver the Goods
depicted on the Demand tile next to it. You then gain £15,
take your Milestone marker next to the current round
Scoring tile (or an earlier Round) and place it on the claimed
Milestone.
• During the Preparation Phase (except for the first round),
replace all Demand tiles with tiles from the Demand tile refill
track and replenish the refill track as normal.