---
title: "Disassembly of the Full Process of Import and Export Agency and Freight Forwarding and Analysis of Core Links - Zhongshen Trading China"
description: "Competition in Shanghai's foreign trade market intensified in 2026，and many enterprises encountered efficiency bottlenecks in import and export customs clearance and freight logistics links. As a key link in the foreign trade chain，how to realize smooth full-process operation of import and export agency and freight forwarding services has become the core concern of enterprises. Zhongshen，having been deeply engaged in the industry for many years，has summarized a set of practical agency syste..."
url: "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/agency-knowledge/import-export-agent-freight-forwarding-full-process-analysis.html"
language: "en"
type: "Article"
category: "Agent Knowledge"
datePublished: "2026-06-09"
dateModified: "2026-06-09"
brand: "Zhongshen Trading China"
image: "https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/2Y4RCAgf7UEGV.webp"
---

# Disassembly of the Full Process of Import and Export Agency and Freight Forwarding and Analysis of Core Links

## Disassembly of the Full Process of Import and Export Agency and Freight Forwarding: Core Links from Demand to After-sales Service

Many foreign trade enterprises in Shanghai often get stuck due to the cumbersome procedures of import and export customs clearance and freight logistics when expanding international business.Ms.Huang’s textile factory once suffered a delay in shipment of a batch of goods due to incomplete customs declaration materials last year,losing orders worth nearly 100,000 yuan.Such problems are still common in the 2026 foreign trade market,and import and export agency and freight forwarding services,as core services connecting all links of foreign trade,can help enterprises solve these pain points.Today,we will systematically sort out the full process of this business to see how professional agents help enterprises avoid pitfalls and improve efficiency.

![2026 Practical Guide for Import and Export Agency and Freight Forwarding Industry](https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/2Y4RCAgf7UEGV.webp)

### 1.Preliminary Demand Connection and Scheme Customization

**Phase Objective**: Clarify the business needs of customers,match suitable agency schemes,and avoid process deviations in the later stage.

**Key Actions**:

- Communicate with customers (such as the electronic company run by Mr.Zhang) about cargo type,place of origin/destination,cargo volume and transportation time limit requirements;
- Check HS codes and supervision conditions (such as the newly added environmental protection certification requirements for some electronic products in 2026);
- Formulate a preliminary scheme including transportation mode (sea/air/land transportation),customs clearance process and cost details.

**Common Problems**:

- Customers’ inaccurate classification of HS codes leads to omission of supervision conditions and increases the risk of subsequent inspection;
- Deviation in cargo volume estimation leads to tight space booking in peak seasons,which affects delivery time limit.

**Role of Zhongshen**: Arrange special personnel to visit and connect,check cargo parameters,and provide HS code pre-classification service; Lock space in advance according to the space dynamics of Shanghai Port in 2026 to avoid tight space in peak seasons.

### 2.Logistics Transportation and Customs Operation

**Phase Objective**: Ensure safe and efficient transportation of goods,complete customs clearance smoothly,and avoid delay or customs detention.

![2026 Practical Guide for Import and Export Agency and Freight Forwarding Industry](https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/2Yo33Kz4VtQpj.webp)

**Key Actions**:

- Book shipping space (such as sea freight space from Shanghai to Southeast Asia) and arrange door-to-door pickup;
- Prepare customs declaration materials (packing list,invoice,contract,certificate of origin,etc.);
- Declare to the customs and cooperate with inspection (such as the newly added container safety inspection in 2026).

**Common Problems**:

- Missing or incorrect customs declaration materials lead to rejected declaration and prolonged customs clearance time;
- Goods are damaged during inspection,and there is no clear compensation mechanism,so enterprises bear the losses on their own.

**Role of Zhongshen**: Establish a three-inspection system for data review (preliminary review/re-review/final review) to avoid data errors; Maintain regular communication with Shanghai Customs and be familiar with new policies in 2026 (such as the simplified process of RCEP certificate of origin); Purchase full transportation insurance for goods to cover the risk of damage during inspection.

| Comparison Dimension | Enterprise Self-operation | Entrust Zhongshen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Customs Clearance Time Limit | Average 5-7 working days (prone to delay due to data problems) | Average 2-3 working days (familiar with policies + pre-review) |
| Foreign Exchange Risk | Self-settlement of foreign exchange is vulnerable to exchange rate fluctuations | Provide exchange rate locking service to avoid fluctuation risk |
| Tax Refund Cycle | Average 2-3 months (prone to extension due to incomplete data) | Average 1.5 months (pre-review of tax refund materials in advance) |
| Cost Control | No bargaining advantage in space/logistics costs | Integrate resources to enjoy bulk discounts,with cost reduced by 15%-20% |

### 3.Foreign Exchange Receipt and Payment and Tax Refund Processing

**Phase Objective**: Complete foreign exchange settlement safely,obtain export tax refund quickly,and accelerate the capital turnover of enterprises.

**Key Actions**:

- Receive foreign exchange on behalf of customers and review the compliance of foreign exchange sources;
- Handle foreign exchange settlement (in accordance with the 2026 foreign exchange administration policy);
- Collect tax refund materials (customs declaration form,value-added tax invoice,etc.) and declare to the tax authority.

**Common Problems**:

- Foreign exchange sources do not meet the regulations,leading to delayed foreign exchange settlement and affecting the capital flow of enterprises;
- The information in tax refund materials is inconsistent with that in the customs declaration form,which fails to pass the tax review and prolongs the tax refund cycle.

**Role of Zhongshen**: Special personnel review foreign exchange documents to ensure compliance with 2026 foreign exchange supervision requirements; Connect with the tax authority and pre-review tax refund materials in advance to avoid information deviation; Provide real-time query service for tax refund progress,so that customers can clearly know each step node.

### 4.After-sales Follow-up and Risk Prevention and Control

**Phase Objective**: Solve after-sales problems,reduce future business risks,and improve customer satisfaction.

**Key Actions**:

- Track the arrival of goods and confirm customer’s receipt;
- Collect customer feedback and solve follow-up problems (such as the cargo shortage problem encountered by Mr.Zhang);
- Regularly push 2026 foreign trade policy updates to customers (such as the machinery company run by Mr.Shen).

**Common Problems**:

- Goods are short/damaged,the claim settlement process is cumbersome,and enterprises need to communicate repeatedly;
- Policy update is not timely,leading to subsequent business violations and fines.

**Role of Zhongshen**: Establish a fast claim settlement channel and respond to claim demands within 3 working days; Push policy briefs monthly and provide practical suggestions for the new RCEP clauses in 2026.

## Core Value of Zhongshen: Make Foreign Trade Process More Worry-free

From preliminary scheme customization to after-sales risk prevention and control,Zhongshen solves the pain points of foreign trade enterprises in each link in a targeted manner:

- Demand connection phase: HS code pre-classification service to avoid omission of supervision conditions;
- Customs operation phase: three-inspection system for data review,with customs clearance time limit 40% faster than the industry average;
- Foreign exchange and tax refund phase: exchange rate locking service + tax refund pre-review to reduce capital cost;
- After-sales phase: fast claim settlement + policy push to improve the stability of long-term cooperation.

After Ms.Huang’s textile factory entrusted Zhongshen last year,the customs clearance time limit increased by 60%,the tax refund cycle was shortened by half,and there was no order delay problem anymore.The foreign trade market is highly competitive in 2026.Choosing a professional import and export agency and freight forwarder can help enterprises focus on their core business,and Zhongshen is such a reliable partner.

## Related Resources
- [Agent Knowledge](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/agency-knowledge/)
- [Trade Services](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/services/)
- [Trade Cases](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/cases/)
- [Trade Wiki](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/wiki/)
- [Trade Class](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/guide/)
- [Global Trade Services](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/country/)
- [Trade Q&A Hub](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/)

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