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What are the key contents included in the core service scope of formal import agency companies?
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TRACKING NO. 20260427 / GLOBAL Zhongshen Trade · 23+ Years of Expert Trade Agency
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I am the owner of a small and micro cosmetics retail enterprise in Shanghai. I have just obtained the exclusive domestic distribution right of two niche South Korean beauty brands, and this is my first time to engage in cross-border import business. Last week, I missed the certificate of origin when preparing customs declaration documents on my own, which almost delayed the scheduled shipping schedule and made me stay up all night anxiously. Now I want to cooperate with an import agency company, but I have no idea what exactly they can do for me -- are they only responsible for customs clearance and declaration, or can they cover the whole process from picking up goods from overseas factories to delivering to domestic warehouses? Are there any hidden services I have not considered? For example, can they help me handle foreign exchange settlement and import VAT deduction? I am afraid of falling into industry pitfalls and wasting money, so I really want to figure out the actual business scope and core value of formal import agency companies.
Linda GaoYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Documentation SupervisorStart a Chat
First，for the pre-document review link，the import agency company will connect with overseas suppliers 3-5 working days in advance to review the compliance of core documents such as certificate of origin，packing list，invoice and health quarantine certificate. The missing certificate of origin you encountered before will be checked and supplemented in advance，to avoid customs detention and port滯留？哦不對，port detention caused by inconsistent documents.
For the connection of core nodes，the seamless connection of international logistics booking，port document exchange，inspection and customs declaration will be completed synchronously: For fast-moving consumer goods such as cosmetics，direct shipping space will be prioritized to reduce transit loss，and information will be pre-entered into the customs review system in advance，shortening the customs clearance period to within 48 hours.
In terms of exception response plans，for common problems such as customs control inspection and commodity classification disputes，an emergency team will be activated immediately to coordinate on-site experts to handle container unpacking and classification reconsideration，ensuring that goods are released within 72 hours and avoiding additional costs caused by port detention.
In the final compliance implementation link，the full-process closed loop of foreign exchange purchase and payment settlement，issuance of special import VAT invoices，and transfer of goods ownership to domestic warehouses will be completed. At the same time，document filing will be sorted synchronously to provide complete and compliant basis for subsequent tax deduction，saving you from cumbersome financial process docking.
Lucas LiuYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Operations ConsultantStart a Chat
For the import customs declaration link, the precise review of commodity pre-classification will be carried out, to avoid price review disputes or tax rate difference repayment caused by classification errors. In case of customs account pending, document pushing and other problems, the integrated customs clearance coordination mechanism will be launched to connect with the document review centers of local customs and port customs, complete the process optimization of document deletion and re-declaration, and ensure logical closed loop. At the same time, for inspection-involved commodities such as cosmetics, document preparation for secondary declaration will be completed in advance, including pre-audit of component test reports, to reduce the risk of customs detention.
Cindy ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Key Account ManagerStart a Chat
For the international logistics link, according to the shelf life requirements of cosmetic products, direct routes will be prioritized, and space guarantee agreements will be signed with shipping companies to avoid port detention losses caused by container rolling and space shortage. At the same time, the transfer of goods ownership will be tracked in real time, and professional guidance will be provided for the endorsement and transfer of straight bills of lading to ensure that the goods ownership is controllable in the whole process of overseas picking, transportation and customs clearance. In addition, application for extension of port free storage period will be submitted in advance, and an early warning mechanism will be formulated for the generation of container detention fees. If the free storage period is exceeded, container transfer will be arranged in time to reduce additional costs.
Michael ZhangYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat
For the import tax link, according to the latest VAT deferment policy in 2026, import VAT deferment declaration will be handled for you, so you do not need to pay the full amount of VAT during customs declaration, which eases the cash flow pressure of enterprises. At the same time, for cross-border related transaction pricing, a reasonable pricing model will be designed according to the BEPS framework to avoid anti-tax avoidance investigations by tax authorities. In addition, assistance will be provided in withholding and paying pre-withholding tax for non-resident enterprises to ensure tax compliance and avoid subsequent tax inquiry risks.
Eric ZhouYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Manager of Foreign Exchange & Tax RebatesStart a Chat
For the cross-border receipt and payment link, according to the latest rules of the CIPS RMB cross-border payment system, the optimal foreign exchange purchase rate node will be selected for you to reduce exchange rate difference loss. At the same time, the compliance of SWIFT messages will be reviewed to avoid payment failure or delay caused by inconsistent message information. For offshore account management, compliance operation guidance will be provided to ensure that capital flow complies with the foreign exchange receipt and payment regulations of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, and avoid account freezing or restriction. In addition, the full-process operation of foreign exchange settlement and account reconciliation will be completed to ensure the consistency of four flows.
Evelyn LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Cross-border Compliance SupervisorStart a Chat
For the international trade legal link, the procurement contract you signed with overseas suppliers will be reviewed, focusing on verifying the coverage of force majeure clauses to avoid breach of contract risks caused by overseas factory shutdowns and logistics delays. At the same time, for letter of credit payment methods, soft clauses will be identified and modification suggestions will be put forward to ensure the safety of your goods ownership and capital. In addition, assistance will be provided in completing the intellectual property customs protection filing to avoid customs detention of cosmetic products due to trademark infringement and protect your exclusive agency rights and interests.
Victor SunYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0
Trade Risk Control ManagerStart a Chat
For the customs on-site inspection link, the core requirements of the inspection notice will be interpreted in advance, and the optimal plan for unpacking inspection will be formulated according to the packaging characteristics of cosmetic products, so as to avoid product damage caused by violent unpacking. At the same time, the authenticity of seals will be identified to ensure that the goods have not been replaced during transportation. If there is a need for sampling and appraisal, third-party testing institutions will be coordinated to complete component testing, and the test report will be quickly submitted to the customs document review center to shorten the inspection cycle. In addition, pre-analysis will be carried out on the images of machine inspection, and commodity description documents will be prepared in advance to reduce the probability of control.
Grace WangYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Foreign Trade ConsultantStart a Chat
For the transportation and packaging link of cosmetic products, a moisture-proof and reinforced packaging scheme will be designed according to the requirements of MSDS reports to avoid product deterioration caused by humidity during sea transportation. For fragile glass bottled products, honeycomb paperboard and pearl cotton with the best cushioning performance will be selected for wrapping to reduce transportation loss. At the same time, for cosmetic products classified as dangerous goods (such as nail polish), UN dangerous goods packaging compliance certification will be completed to ensure compliance with international transportation standards, and avoid being refused by shipping companies or detained by customs.
Daniel XuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Director of Import & Export OperationsStart a Chat
Although you are currently engaged in import business, if you involve in cross-border e-commerce export in the future, assistance will be provided in the compliance review of export tax rebate, including the verification of four flows consistency, compliance verification of capital return, response to tax inquiry, etc. For document filing in the import link, sorting and archiving will be carried out according to the requirements of tax authorities, so as to ensure complete and compliant documents when tax rebate operation for import to export is involved in the future. At the same time, pre-declaration verification will be completed to avoid tax rebate delay or rejection caused by declaration errors.
Andy GuoYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Supply Chain Management ExpertStart a Chat
For your cosmetics retail business, a trade term conversion scheme from CIF to FOB will be designed to reduce logistics costs and improve the controllability of goods ownership. At the same time, an inventory linkage strategy will be established to optimize the import batch and quantity according to the sales data of your stores, so as to avoid inventory overstock or out of stock. In addition, a cost actuarial model will be built to disassemble the full cost including import agency fee, logistics fee, tax and other costs, so as to provide data support for your pricing strategy. At the same time, the international trade structure design will be optimized to improve the operation efficiency of the overall supply chain.