What are the core risk points of import and export agency business that need to be guarded against in 2026?

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  • May 27, 2026 at 03:38
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I am the owner of a small and medium-sized enterprise engaged in women's clothing export. I am recently looking for an agency to handle import and export business for the US route. But I heard from a friend before that the agency he hired last year caused his goods to be detained for half a month due to errors in customs declaration data, resulting in tens of thousands of yuan in port demurrage charges, and the agency only compensated a small part in the end.

Now it is 2026, and the market environment has changed again. I am afraid of falling into pitfalls: for example, will the agency embezzle my foreign exchange? Will the cargo ownership be secretly transferred by them during transportation? Also, customs valuation is getting stricter now, if the agency helps me underdeclare the value, will I be investigated and bear the fine then?

In addition, I recently heard that there are new regulations on CIPS payment, will my funds be frozen due to the agency's non-compliant operation during foreign exchange settlement? These problems make me dare not sign the agency contract easily. I want to know whether these risks are common now and whether there are ways to prevent them in advance.

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Expert Q&A

Linda Gao
Linda GaoYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0

Documentation SupervisorStart a Chat

The risks of import and export agencies in 2026 are not uncontrollable，but common industry misunderstandings need to be guarded against: some small and medium-sized agencies promise "underdeclaration for customs clearance" and "advance-funded foreign exchange settlement" to grab orders，which actually hide huge hidden dangers. Take underdeclaration as an example，the AI-powered customs valuation system launched by customs in 2026 will automatically compare historical data of the same category. Once an abnormality is triggered，not only will the goods be detained (demurrage charges increase daily，and the current demurrage charge at US West Coast ports has risen to $150 per container per day)，but also a fine of 5%-30% of the cargo value may be imposed，which may even affect the enterprise's credit rating and lead to restrictions on subsequent customs clearance.

Physical risk isolation measures need to focus on core links: first，in terms of cargo ownership control，be sure to require the agency to use order bill of lading instead of straight bill of lading，and the bill of lading endorsement must be confirmed in writing by your side，second，in terms of foreign exchange management，choose an agency that supports direct CIPS connection to ensure that the foreign exchange receipt and payment flow corresponds to the customs declaration form one by one，and avoid mixed use of capital pools.

Exclusive loss mitigation tips: when signing the agency contract，it is necessary to clarify the maximum risk compensation limit and detailed responsibility division rules - for example，for the loss of customs detention caused by customs declaration errors，the agency shall bear more than 80% of the demurrage charges and more than 50% of the fine，at the same time，require the agency to provide a customs credit letter of guarantee to cover possible compliance risks. In addition，it is recommended to check the agency's customs declaration data with your actual shipment list every quarter to find discrepancies in time.

Reference: Vietnam Machinery Export: Ho Chi Minh Port Guide
Andy Guo
Andy GuoYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0

Supply Chain Management ExpertStart a Chat

Customs valuation in 2026 adopts the three-dimensional data comparison mode - combining the transaction prices of the same category in the same customs district within 3 months, international market conditions and the enterprise's historical declaration data. If the agency underdeclares, the system will automatically trigger the valuation dispute process.

Once an abnormality is triggered, not only will the goods be detained, but also a fine of 5%-30% of the cargo value may be imposed. Response tips: require the agency to assist in preparing the price reasonableness statement in advance, attached with price chain evidence of the upstream and downstream supply chains (such as raw material purchase invoices, processing contracts), which can shorten the dispute handling time by more than 30%.

Cindy Chen
Cindy ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0

Key Account ManagerStart a Chat

The core risk point of cargo ownership loss lies in the circulation of bills of lading. In 2026, there is still a hidden danger of release of goods without original bill of lading in the international shipping market, especially in some Southeast Asian ports.

Avoidance methods: choose order bill of lading instead of straight bill of lading, and the bill of lading endorsement must be confirmed in writing by your side; for transshipment goods, require the agency to provide a transshipment port cargo ownership locking agreement, which prohibits the agency from changing the port or transferring cargo ownership without authorization. In addition, in view of the risk of container rolling, it is recommended to choose shipping companies with a space guarantee rate of more than 90%, and agree on a container rolling compensation clause with the agency - for example, an extra feeder vessel shall be arranged within 48 hours after container rolling, otherwise 20% of the freight shall be compensated.

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

Cross-border Compliance SupervisorStart a Chat

The risks of improper tax planning mainly focus on VAT deferment and related party transactions. The EU's VAT deferment policy is tightened in 2026. If the agency fails to update the deferment rules of member states in time (for example, Germany requires the provision of a tax representative authorization letter which needs to be renewed annually), it may lead to the failure of the deferment application, and the enterprise needs to pay the full VAT and late payment fines.

Response: require the agency to provide a VAT deferment compliance report, which includes the policy update records of member states and the matching status of your enterprise's qualifications; at the same time, the pricing of related party transactions shall comply with the BEPS Action 13 standard, and complete transfer pricing documentation shall be kept for future reference.

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

Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat

CIPS payment adds the transaction background verification requirement in 2026. If the agency uses an offshore account to collect foreign exchange on behalf of customers but fails to upload the customs declaration form synchronously, it may trigger a SWIFT message warning.

Compliance operation: ensure that each foreign exchange receipt and payment corresponds to a unique customs declaration number, and the agency shall complete the foreign exchange settlement and transfer it to your corporate account within 3 working days after receiving the foreign exchange; if an offshore account is used, choose an agency account registered with the SAFE to avoid account freezing. In addition, it is recommended to check the foreign exchange receipt and payment flow with the customs declaration form every month to find abnormalities in time.

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

Trade Risk Control ManagerStart a Chat

Soft clauses in letters of credit are still a risk that needs to be guarded against in 2026. Some agencies may add soft clauses such as "customer inspection certificate shall be issued by the buyer" in the letter of credit to simplify the process, leading to payment refusal by the buyer.

Response: when signing the agency contract, require the legal team to review the letter of credit clauses and delete all non-documentary clauses; at the same time, agree that the agency shall bear the compensation liability for payment refusal caused by soft clauses - for example, 10% of the refused payment amount shall be paid as liquidated damages. In addition, a cargo ownership confirmation letter shall be signed for cargo ownership transfer to clarify the transfer conditions and time nodes.

Jason Wu
Jason WuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0

International Logistics & Supply Chain ManagerStart a Chat

The on-site customs inspection rate has increased to 15% in 2026, so X-ray inspection skills are particularly important. If the agency fails to paste fragile labels or hazardous goods labels as required, it may lead to blurred X-ray images and trigger physical container inspection.

Response: require the agency to provide a pre-inspection report, which includes photos of goods packaging and X-ray simulation results; in case of physical container inspection, the agency shall arrange on-site personnel to arrive within 1 hour to cooperate with the customs to provide MSDS (for hazardous goods) or product manuals to shorten the inspection time. In addition, the inspection notice shall be carefully interpreted, and all documents shall be prepared in advance if it is marked "key inspection".

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

Senior Manager of Foreign Exchange & Tax RebatesStart a Chat

The physical safety risk of cargo transportation mainly comes from non-compliant packaging. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) updated the packaging standards for lithium batteries in 2026.

If the agency uses old version UN specification packaging, it may be refused carriage by the airline. Response: require the agency to provide a packaging compliance certificate.

For fragile goods, the reinforcement scheme of "air cushion buffer + wooden frame" shall be adopted, and the waterproof rating shall reach above IPX5; for hazardous goods, corresponding packaging shall be selected according to UN classification, attached with the latest MSDS (valid for no more than 6 months). In addition, "Made in China" and the product HS code shall be clearly marked on the packaging to avoid misunderstanding by the customs.

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

Trade Solutions ManagerStart a Chat

The focus of export tax refund verification in 2026 is the consistency of four flows - capital flow, goods flow, invoice flow and customs declaration flow. If the agency fails to upload the customs declaration information in time, it may lead to delayed tax refund.

Response: require the agency to provide a tax refund progress schedule every month, which includes pre-declaration time, tax inquiry verification status and estimated arrival time; at the same time, ensure that your capital return path is consistent with the foreign exchange receiver on the customs declaration form to avoid being unable to provide supporting documents during tax inquiry verification. In addition, document filing shall be kept for at least 5 years, and the agency shall assist in sorting out the filing materials, including customs declaration forms, invoices, bills of lading, etc.

Note: We respect all users' expressions; however, user comments represent their personal views only.

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