Analysis of Core Steps to Establish an Import and Export Agency Company in 2026

I.Preliminary Preparation: Clarify Positioning and Qualification Foundation

In 2026,the total volume of Shanghai’s foreign trade import and export exceeded 4.5 trillion yuan,among which the import and export volume completed by SMEs through the agency model accounted for more than 30%.As a key node connecting foreign trade enterprises and the international market,import and export agency companies need to integrate core links such as customs declaration,logistics and tax refund to solve compliance and efficiency problems for customers.Many practitioners intend to enter this field,but the establishment process involves multi-department approval and resource connection,and it is easy to fall into pitfalls due to detail omissions.Combining more than 20 years of industry experience of Zhongshen,this article systematically sorts out the core steps of establishing an import and export agency company.

1.Market Positioning and Business Focus

Competition in the import and export agency market intensifies in 2026.General Manager Ma suggests that start-up companies avoid the "large and all-inclusive" strategy and focus on segmented fields.For example,focus on export agency of clothing and electronic products for local SMEs in Shanghai,or focus on import customs clearance services for the Southeast Asian market.The key is to leverage your own resources - if you have logistics cooperation resources,you can focus on the international transport link; if you have tax experience,you can strengthen tax refund services.

Common pitfall: Some starters expand business blindly,leading to scattered resources.For example,the agency company established by Ms.Lu last year operated in 10 industries at the same time,and finally only 3 industries achieved profitability.

2.Qualification Application: Core Precondition for Compliant Operation

Supervisor Xu mentioned that import and export agency companies need three core qualifications in 2026: import and export operation right,customs declaration agency qualification and foreign exchange settlement qualification.Among them,the import and export operation right requires submitting materials to Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce,the customs declaration agency qualification requires filing with the General Administration of Customs of China,and the foreign exchange settlement qualification requires opening a current foreign exchange account at a bank.

Key actions: ① When registering the company,clearly specify that the business scope includes "Goods Import and Export" and "Customs Declaration and Inspection Agency"; ② Arrange 2 employees to participate in customs declarer training and obtain the qualification certificate; ③ Submit the agency agreement to the bank for filing and open a special account for foreign exchange receipt and payment.

Common pitfall: Some starters ignore the qualification requirements for customs declarers,resulting in inability to complete customs declaration independently,and can only outsource it to a third party,increasing the cost by about 15%.

II.Resource Integration: Building Core Service Capabilities

1.Team Building: Core Positions Matching Business Needs

Manager Peng said that 5-7 core team members are recommended at the start-up stage: 1 business supervisor (customer docking),2 customs declarers (in charge of customs clearance),1 logistics specialist (freight forwarder docking),1 finance officer (in charge of foreign exchange and tax refund),1 administrative officer (qualification maintenance).Among them,customs declarers need to have more than 3 years of customs declaration experience at Shanghai Customs,and finance officers need to be familiar with the latest export tax refund policies in 2026 (such as the optimization of tax refund declaration process on the electronic tax bureau).

Common pitfall: To save costs,some starters let finance officers concurrently serve as customs declarers,resulting in a 20% error rate in customs declaration form filling,which affects customers’ tax refund progress.

2.Hardware and Software Configuration

Supervisor Xu mentioned that three core types of tools are required in 2026: ① Customs declaration system: It needs to be connected to the "Single Window" system of the General Administration of Customs.The system upgraded by Zhongshen last year can realize automatic verification of customs declaration forms,reducing the error rate to 1%; ② Logistics management system: Connect with more than 5 international freight forwarders to query shipping space and freight rate in real time; ③ Financial system: Support real-time foreign exchange arrival reminder and tax refund progress tracking.

Common pitfall: Some starters use free customs declaration systems,which cannot connect with the latest customs data,resulting in an 8% customs declaration delay rate.

III.Business Development: Full Process from Customer Acquisition to Service

1.Customer Acquisition Channels: Accurately Docking Target Customers

General Manager Ma suggests that start-up companies focus on two types of channels: ① Offline: Participate in industry exhibitions held by Shanghai Foreign Trade Association (such as the supporting events of China International Import Expo held in March every year),to connect with local SMEs; ② Online: Settle in 1688 foreign trade channel and release "one-stop agency service" packages.Zhongshen added 32 new customers through this model last year,80% of which are SMEs.

Common pitfall: Some starters acquire customers through cold visits,and the conversion rate is only 2%,far lower than the industry average of 5%.

2.Service Process: Standardization Improves Efficiency

Manager Peng summarized the standard service process of import and export agency in 2026,and the optimization measures of Zhongshen for each link are as follows:

Common pitfall: Some starters do not standardize the process,resulting in customers needing to submit materials multiple times,with a customer churn rate of 15%.

IV.Risk Prevention and Control: Avoid Common Pitfalls in Start-up Period

Manager Gu mentioned that three types of risks need to be focused on in 2026:

• Compliance risk: Some customers provide false customs declaration materials,so it is necessary to clearly stipulate "customer liability clause" in the agreement.Zhongshen requires authenticity verification after customers submit materials;
• Capital risk: Foreign exchange receipt and payment must go through a dedicated account to avoid mixing with the company’s basic account.Zhongshen’s financial system can automatically distinguish account funds;
• Market risk: If the export policy of a certain industry is adjusted (such as the EU’s upgraded environmental protection requirements for electronic products in 2026),the service process needs to be updated in advance.Zhongshen releases industry policy brief every month.

Establishing an import and export agency company requires balancing qualification,resources and risk prevention and control.Under the market competition in 2026,it is difficult to survive only relying on single-link services.Zhongshen has been deeply engaged in the industry for more than 20 years,and can provide whole-process support from qualification application to business development,helping start-up companies avoid more than 80% of common pitfalls.If you intend to enter this field,you can contact our professional team for a customized solution.