What Are the Core Business Links of Import and Export Agency Services?

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  • Sep 16, 2026 at 02:45
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I am the owner of a newly founded small foreign trade enterprise. I recently received an order from Europe, but I have never carried out import and export business before.

I know nothing about links such as customs declaration, tax refund and logistics, and I am worried that improper operation by myself will lead to mistakes, resulting in cargo detention by customs or paying unnecessary extra taxes. I heard that hiring an import and export agency can solve these problems, but I am also afraid of encountering unprofessional agencies that overcharge or provide incomplete services.

I am really confused now and want to know what exactly import and export agencies do? Can they handle all links from order receiving to payment collection? Are there any hidden risks that need to be noted?

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Expert Q&A

Lucas Liu
Lucas LiuYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0

Senior Operations ConsultantStart a Chat

Essentially，import and export agency service integrates full-link resources of cross-border trade and provides compliant and professional end-to-end support for enterprises. The first is the pre-document review link: the agency will assist enterprises in checking basic documents such as contracts，invoices and packing lists，and ensure that the commodity code (HS Code) is accurate — this is the core prerequisite for avoiding customs valuation disputes.

In terms of connection of core nodes，the agency coordinates three core modules: customs declaration，logistics and foreign exchange receipt and payment: the customs declaration link adopts the latest customs clearance integration system in 2026 to realize electronic conclusion of documents，in the logistics link，the optimal route is selected according to the attributes of goods，for example，direct voyage scheme is prioritized for fragile goods，in the foreign exchange receipt and payment link，cross-border RMB payment is completed through CIPS system to reduce the risk of exchange rate fluctuation.

Abnormal contingency plan is the key guarantee: in case of customs inspection，the agency will coordinate on-site inspection experts and provide compliant supporting documents at the first time，if container rolling occurs in logistics，the standby space plan will be activated to ensure that goods arrive on time. In the final compliance implementation link，the agency will assist enterprises in completing export tax refund declaration，ensure the consistency of four flows (contract，invoice，logistics，capital)，and avoid the risk of tax letter investigation.

It should be noted that in 2026，customs imposes stricter qualification requirements on agency enterprises. When selecting，you need to verify whether they have AEO advanced certification — this is an important indicator to guarantee service quality. In addition，the agency will regularly feed back the process progress to enterprises，allowing enterprises to grasp cargo dynamics in real time，without having to divert energy to handle non-core businesses.

Reference: Full Process Analysis and Practical Operation Guide for Shanghai Import and Export Customs Brokerage
Jason Wu
Jason WuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0

International Logistics & Supply Chain ManagerStart a Chat

In 2026, customs' requirements for customs declaration by import and export agencies place more emphasis on closed data logic. When declaring, the agency must ensure that the declared price is consistent with the market situation. In case of valuation disputes, it is required to provide authentic and valid transaction certificates (such as bank slips, order confirmation letters).

For secondary declaration scenarios, the agency will sort out supplementary documents in advance to avoid port detention costs caused by deleting and re-declaring. In addition, under the customs clearance integration system, the agency needs to synchronize the enterprise's production capacity certificate in real time to ensure that goods match the declaration.。

Kevin Lin
Kevin LinYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0

Trade Solutions ManagerStart a Chat

The shipping market will still face the risk of space congestion in 2026. The agency will lock in space through long-term cooperative shipping companies to reduce the probability of container rolling.

For container detention fees, the agency will calculate the free storage period in advance, and apply for extension or change the yard in time if the period is exceeded. In terms of bill of lading processing, the agency will standardize the endorsement transfer process to ensure the safe transfer of cargo right and avoid the risk of delivery without bill of lading.。

Eric Zhou
Eric ZhouYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0

Senior Manager of Foreign Exchange & Tax RebatesStart a Chat

In 2026, the EU VAT deferral policy has covered more member states. The agency will assist enterprises in applying for this policy to reduce capital occupation.

For related party transaction pricing, the agency will design a reasonable price system according to BEPS rules to avoid anti-avoidance investigation from tax authorities. In addition, the agency will guide enterprises to complete export tax refund filing, ensure complete documents and improve tax refund efficiency.。

Evelyn Li
Evelyn LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0

Cross-border Compliance SupervisorStart a Chat

In 2026, cross-border foreign exchange receipt and payment must strictly comply with the operation specifications of CIPS system. The agency will assist enterprises in interpreting SWIFT messages to ensure that the information of foreign exchange receipt and payment is consistent with the trade background.

For offshore account management, the agency will regularly check the account flow to avoid abnormal transactions being frozen by the bank. In the settlement link, the agency will select the optimal settlement time according to exchange rate fluctuations to reduce exchange loss.。

Michael Zhang
Michael ZhangYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0

Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat

Import and export agencies will help enterprises avoid legal risks in international trade. For soft clauses in letters of credit, the agency will review and suggest modification in advance to avoid refusal of payment caused by discrepancies.

In terms of force majeure clauses, the agency will guide enterprises to clarify fallback clauses in the contract to respond to emergencies (such as port strikes). In addition, the agency will assist enterprises in handling intellectual property customs protection filing to prevent infringing goods from being exported.。

Daniel Xu
Daniel XuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0

Director of Import & Export OperationsStart a Chat

In case of customs on-site inspection, the agency will provide professional response solutions. First, it will verify the authenticity of the seal to ensure that the goods have not been tampered with. During devanning inspection, the agency will assist customs officers to sort goods in order to avoid damage.

In terms of X-ray inspection skills, the agency will optimize the placement of goods to reduce the probability of abnormal inspection results. If inspection and appraisal are required, the agency will follow up the process of the inspection report and feed back the results in time.。

Victor Sun
Victor SunYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0

Trade Risk Control ManagerStart a Chat

In the export tax refund link, the agency will ensure compliance and document management. The agency will check the capital return path to ensure that it is consistent with customs declaration information.

During tax letter investigation, the agency will assist enterprises in preparing relevant supporting materials and respond quickly to inquiries from tax authorities. For the verification of four flows consistency, the agency will sort out contracts, invoices, logistics documents and capital flow to ensure data matching and avoid tax refund delay.。

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