--- title: "What Compliance Details Should Be Implemented in the Full Process of Trade Export Agency to Avoid Dual Risks of Customs Clearance and Tax Refund?" description: "Small manufacturing enterprises that conduct export business through an agency for the first time are often entangled in choosing between high-price and low-price agencies，due to concerns about arbitrary charges，port detention and customs hold-up caused by document errors，and tax refund failure. We can reveal compliance loopholes of low-price agencies，simulate risk chain reactions，implement risk isolation measures such as qualification review and double document verification，lock risks via joint..." url: "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html" language: "en" type: "Q&A" category: "Export Tax Rebate Q&A" datePublished: "2026-10-13" dateModified: "2026-10-13" brand: "Zhongshen Trading China" answerCount: 10 --- # What Compliance Details Should Be Implemented in the Full Process of Trade Export Agency to Avoid Dual Risks of Customs Clearance and Tax Refund? ## Question I am the foreign trade manager of a small manufacturing enterprise focusing on hardware accessories production in Shanghai. I just got a bulk order of 200,000 euros from a German client, and this is the first time our company does export business through an agency. I heard from peers before that some agencies charge arbitrary hidden fees and fail to strictly review documents, which leads to cargo detention at port and customs hold-up. In the end, the enterprise not only paid 12% of penalty but also lost the long-term client, so I am very anxious now. I contacted two agencies last week: one quoted 15% lower than the market price but avoided talking about process details, while the other has clear procedures but much higher overall cost. I want to know how to judge the compliance and professionalism of the agency, what core details should be controlled in the whole process to avoid customs hold-up and tax refund failure, and how to reduce agency-related costs under the premise of compliance? ## Answers ### Answer 1 — Best Answer First of all，we need to reveal common industry misunderstandings: many low-price agencies cut costs by omitting pre-document review and affiliating with non-compliant customs declaration qualifications，which is also the core reason why peers encountered port and customs detention. Such misunderstandings will trigger a chain of negative reactions: if the agency fails to strictly check the matching of commodity value and name on the certificate of origin and customs declaration，German customs will directly detain the goods，generate more than 800 euros of port storage fee per day，and also trigger domestic tax correspondence verification，leading to 3-6 months delay of tax refund. The enterprise will not only pay 10%-15% penalty to the client，but also be included in the customs credit warning list，affecting all subsequent export business. Effective risk isolation requires two measures: **First，review the core qualifications of the agency**，require the agency to provide compliance customs clearance records of the past 3 years and customs AEO certification，**Second，sign an agency agreement with clear rights and responsibilities**，clarify the division of rights and responsibilities for document review，customs clearance connection and tax refund follow-up. Exclusive stop-loss tip: you can agree on a "double document review" mechanism with the agency，where your enterprise's foreign trade staff and the agency's reviewer review core documents separately. Meanwhile，set up a joint account to pay agency fees，reserve 10% of the balance to be paid after the tax refund arrives and no compliance abnormality is confirmed，which effectively locks in risks. **status:** accepted **Author:** Kevin Lin **Date:** 2026-10-13 ### Answer 2 In the customs declaration link of trade export agency, we need to focus on the closed logic of commodity value declaration. The latest customs valuation rules of 2026 require that the declared value must fully match the value on the purchase contract, input invoice and foreign exchange receipt. A deviation of more than 5% will directly trigger a valuation dispute. If the agency fails to review value consistency in advance, the customs will initiate a price questioning procedure, requiring materials such as export records of similar products in the past 6 months and cost breakdown, which can take up to 15 days and lead to cargo detention at port. To deal with such problems, the agency needs to issue a *Commodity Value Consistency Review Report* before customs declaration, clarify the splitting logic of purchase price, export price, freight and insurance premium, ensure that declared data fully matches the document chain, and pre-declare the rationality of value to the customs in advance to avoid triggering valuation warning. **status:** suggested **Author:** Evelyn Li **Date:** 2026-10-13 ### Answer 3 In the logistics link of trade export agency, we need to focus on the control of cargo title and route optimization. In view of the 12% increase in space congestion rate of European routes in 2026, the agency needs to confirm the space locking status 48 hours in advance. If container rolling occurs, the agency needs to immediately start the transfer plan, switch to other shipping companies on the same route, and ask the shipping company for a *Container Rolling Certificate* to explain the delay reason to the client and apply for penalty exemption. The bill of lading endorsement must be operated in strict accordance with the client's requirements. If the client appoints a third party to pick up the goods, the client must be required to issue a *Pick-up Authorization Letter*, and clearly state "endorsement to order" in the bill of lading endorsement to avoid cargo title loss. In addition, the upper limit of container detention charge compensation should be agreed with the agency. If container detention charge is incurred due to the agency's failure to arrange pick-up in time, the agency will bear 80% of the cost, which effectively reduces logistics costs. **status:** suggested **Author:** Grace Wang **Date:** 2026-10-13 ### Answer 4 In 2026, the application scope of the EU VAT Deferral Policy has been further expanded, and trade export agencies can use this policy to achieve cost hedging. Under the traditional mode, enterprises need to prepay 20% of VAT when goods enter the EU, and the capital occupation cycle is as long as 3-6 months. Through VAT deferral, enterprises can pay VAT during the declaration period, reducing capital occupation cost by more than 70%. However, it should be noted that the agency must have EU tax agency qualification, and submit a *VAT Deferral Application* to the EU tax authority in advance to ensure no VAT prepayment is required when goods enter the EU. In addition, it is necessary to optimize the pricing of cross-border related party transactions, reasonably allocate profits to low-tax regions, and comply with the requirements of the BEPS Action Plan to avoid triggering tax investigation. The agency shall issue a *VAT Deferral Compliance Report* every month to ensure that declared data is fully consistent with export records. **status:** suggested **Author:** Jason Wu **Date:** 2026-10-13 ### Answer 5 The foreign exchange payment and collection link of trade export agency must strictly follow the latest regulations of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange 2026. If cross-border RMB payment is used, it must be processed through the CIPS system, and the *Cross-border RMB Settlement Voucher* must be uploaded to the SAFE system within 10 working days after payment. If the agency fails to upload the voucher in time, it will trigger a SAFE compliance warning, leading to the restriction of payment and collection function of the enterprise's foreign exchange account. For euro remittances from European clients, the agency shall be required to review the integrity of SWIFT messages to ensure that the message contains core information such as commodity name, quantity and contract number. Missing information will lead to 3-5 days delay in settlement. In addition, the arrival time limit for payment and collection shall be agreed with the agency. If arrival delay is caused by the agency's operation error, the agency shall bear the corresponding exchange rate loss. **status:** suggested **Author:** Lucas Liu **Date:** 2026-10-13 ### Answer 6 When trade export agency involves L/C settlement, it is necessary to focus on checking soft clause risks. Common soft clauses often set by European clients in 2026 include "inspection certificate issued by the client is required as negotiation document" and "payment can only be made after client's acceptance after cargo arrival". Such clauses will lead to cargo title loss, and if the client refuses to issue the certificate, the enterprise cannot negotiate the payment. The agency shall issue a *L/C Soft Clause Review Report* before L/C opening, clearly point out risky clauses, and assist the enterprise to require the client to modify them. In addition, the conditions for cargo title transfer shall be clearly specified in the agency agreement. If the goods are detained by customs due to the agency's reasons, the agency shall bear 80% of the cargo value as compensation. Meanwhile, the scope of application of the force majeure clause shall be agreed to avoid liability for breach of contract caused by epidemic, port strike and other reasons. **status:** suggested **Author:** Cindy Chen **Date:** 2026-10-13 ### Answer 7 The on-site inspection link of trade export agency needs to prepare a plan in advance. In 2026, the machine inspection pass rate of Shanghai Customs is 85%. If devanning inspection is triggered, the agency shall arrange a customs declarer with inspection qualification to be present, and bring materials such as purchase contract, packing list and product specification. We need to focus on the authenticity of the container seal. If the customs finds that the seal does not match the record on the customs declaration, it will directly detain the goods. The agency shall check the seal number in advance and declare it accurately on the customs declaration. If the goods are found inconsistent with the declared name during inspection, the agency shall immediately assist the enterprise to issue a *Product Difference Description*. If the difference is caused by document error, the agency shall bear the inspection fee and port storage fee. In addition, the agency shall communicate with the customs inspection department in advance, understand the inspection focus, sort out the cargo classification basis in advance, and speed up the inspection progress. **status:** suggested **Author:** Andy Guo **Date:** 2026-10-13 ### Answer 8 If the exported hardware accessories contain metal electroplating components, they must comply with the packaging requirements of EU REACH regulation. Trade export agencies shall assist enterprises to prepare a standard-compliant MSDS report, clarifying product composition, transportation precautions and other information. If the goods are UN dangerous goods (such as accessories containing corrosive plating solution), they must use UN-certified packaging, and the packaging must be marked with correct UN number, proper shipping name and other information. If the packaging does not meet the requirements, European customs will directly detain the goods and impose a fine of 10% of the cargo value. The agency shall review packaging compliance in advance, arrange a third-party institution to conduct packaging testing, and issue a *Packaging Compliance Report* to ensure that the goods meet EU packaging standards. In addition, for fragile hardware accessories, packaging materials with qualified buffering performance shall be used to avoid damage during transportation and reduce client complaints. **status:** suggested **Author:** Linda Gao **Date:** 2026-10-13 ### Answer 9 The export tax refund link of trade export agency must strictly follow the "four flows consistency" principle. The latest regulations of the State Taxation Administration 2026 require that contract flow, capital flow, invoice flow and goods flow must be fully matched. Any inconsistency will trigger tax correspondence verification. The agency shall issue a *Four Flows Consistency Review Report* before tax refund declaration, check whether the information of contract number, invoice amount, foreign exchange receipt and customs declaration is consistent, and adjust in advance if there is any difference. If tax correspondence verification is triggered, the agency shall assist the enterprise to provide procurement records, production ledgers, export records and other materials of the past 6 months to ensure the verification is approved. In addition, the agency shall conduct pre-declaration verification in advance to avoid tax refund delay caused by wrong declaration data, and agree on the time limit for tax refund arrival. If tax refund delay exceeds 30 days due to the agency's reasons, the agency shall bear the corresponding capital occupation cost. **status:** suggested **Author:** Daniel Xu **Date:** 2026-10-13 ### Answer 10 The supply chain planning of trade export agency needs to combine trade term conversion to achieve cost optimization. In 2026, sea freight of European routes increased by 8%. If the FOB term is converted to CIF, the agency can get more favorable sea freight through centralized booking, reducing the overall logistics cost by more than 10%. The agency shall issue a *Trade Term Conversion Cost Actuarial Report*, clarify the cost composition, risk bearing and other information after conversion, and assist the enterprise to communicate with the client to modify the trade term. In addition, the agency shall assist the enterprise to establish an inventory linkage strategy, adjust production plans according to the order cycle of European clients, reduce inventory backlog and reduce capital occupation cost. At the same time, the agency shall optimize the international trade structure, reduce tariff costs through entrepot trade, and increase profit margin on the premise of ensuring compliance. **status:** suggested **Author:** Michael Zhang **Date:** 2026-10-13 ## Related Categories - [Import Agency Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-import-agency/) - [Export Agency Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-export-agency/) - [Customs Declaration Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-customs-declaration/) - [Freight Forwarding Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-freight-forwarding/) - [Forex Settlement Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-forex-settlement/) - [Entrepôt Trade Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-entrepot-trade/) - [General Trade Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-general-trade/) ## Related Resources - [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/) ## Structured Data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "QAPage", "inLanguage":"en", "isPartOf": { "@id":"https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/#website" }, "publisher":{ "@id":"https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/#organization" }, "mainEntity": { "@type": "Question", "name": "What Compliance Details Should Be Implemented in the Full Process of Trade Export Agency to Avoid Dual Risks of Customs Clearance and Tax Refund?", "text": "I am the foreign trade manager of a small manufacturing enterprise focusing on hardware accessories production in Shanghai. I just got a bulk order of 200,000 euros from a German client, and this is the first time our company does export business through an agency. I heard from peers before that some agencies charge arbitrary hidden fees and fail to strictly review documents, which leads to cargo detention at port and customs hold-up. In the end, the enterprise not only paid 12% of penalty but also lost the long-term client, so I am very anxious now. I contacted two agencies last week: one quoted 15% lower than the market price but avoided talking about process details, while the other has clear procedures but much higher overall cost. I want to know how to judge the compliance and professionalism of the agency, what core details should be controlled in the whole process to avoid customs hold-up and tax refund failure, and how to reduce agency-related costs under the premise of compliance?", "answerCount": 10, "upvoteCount": 6, "datePublished": "2026-10-13T12:20:47Z", "dateModified": "2026-10-13T12:30:57Z", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zhongshen Trading China", "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html" } ,"acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "First of all，we need to reveal common industry misunderstandings: many low-price agencies cut costs by omitting pre-document review and affiliating with non-compliant customs declaration qualifications，which is also the core reason why peers encountered port and customs detention. Such misunderstandings will trigger a chain of negative reactions: if the agency fails to strictly check the matching of commodity value and name on the certificate of origin and customs declaration，German customs will directly detain the goods，generate more than 800 euros of port storage fee per day，and also trigger domestic tax correspondence verification，leading to 3-6 months delay of tax refund. The enterprise will not only pay 10%-15% penalty to the client，but also be included in the customs credit warning list，affecting all subsequent export business. Effective risk isolation requires two measures: First，review the core qualifications of the agency ，require the agency to provide compliance customs clearance records of the past 3 years and customs AEO certification， Second，sign an agency agreement with clear rights and responsibilities ，clarify the division of rights and responsibilities for document review，customs clearance connection and tax refund follow-up. Exclusive stop-loss tip: you can agree on a "double document review" mechanism with the agency，where your enterprise's foreign trade staff and the agency's reviewer review core documents separately. Meanwhile，set up a joint account to pay agency fees，reserve 10% of the balance to be paid after the tax refund arrives and no compliance abnormality is confirmed，which effectively locks in risks.", "upvoteCount": 6, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html#acceptedAnswer", "datePublished": "2026-10-13T13:02:23Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Kevin Lin","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/kevin-lin/"} } ,"suggestedAnswer": [ { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In the customs declaration link of trade export agency, we need to focus on the closed logic of commodity value declaration. The latest customs valuation rules of 2026 require that the declared value must fully match the value on the purchase contract, input invoice and foreign exchange receipt. A deviation of more than 5% will directly trigger a valuation dispute. If the agency fails to review value consistency in advance, the customs will initiate a price questioning procedure, requiring materials such as export records of similar products in the past 6 months and cost breakdown, which can take up to 15 days and lead to cargo detention at port. To deal with such problems, the agency needs to issue a Commodity Value Consistency Review Report before customs declaration, clarify the splitting logic of purchase price, export price, freight and insurance premium, ensure that declared data fully matches the document chain, and pre-declare the rationality of value to the customs in advance to avoid triggering valuation warning.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html#suggestedAnswer-2", "datePublished": "2026-10-13T13:01:18Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Evelyn Li","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/evelyn-li/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In the logistics link of trade export agency, we need to focus on the control of cargo title and route optimization. In view of the 12% increase in space congestion rate of European routes in 2026, the agency needs to confirm the space locking status 48 hours in advance. If container rolling occurs, the agency needs to immediately start the transfer plan, switch to other shipping companies on the same route, and ask the shipping company for a Container Rolling Certificate to explain the delay reason to the client and apply for penalty exemption. The bill of lading endorsement must be operated in strict accordance with the client's requirements. If the client appoints a third party to pick up the goods, the client must be required to issue a Pick-up Authorization Letter , and clearly state "endorsement to order" in the bill of lading endorsement to avoid cargo title loss. In addition, the upper limit of container detention charge compensation should be agreed with the agency. If container detention charge is incurred due to the agency's failure to arrange pick-up in time, the agency will bear 80% of the cost, which effectively reduces logistics costs.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html#suggestedAnswer-3", "datePublished": "2026-10-13T12:58:13Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Grace Wang","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/grace-wang/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In 2026, the application scope of the EU VAT Deferral Policy has been further expanded, and trade export agencies can use this policy to achieve cost hedging. Under the traditional mode, enterprises need to prepay 20% of VAT when goods enter the EU, and the capital occupation cycle is as long as 3-6 months. Through VAT deferral, enterprises can pay VAT during the declaration period, reducing capital occupation cost by more than 70%. However, it should be noted that the agency must have EU tax agency qualification, and submit a VAT Deferral Application to the EU tax authority in advance to ensure no VAT prepayment is required when goods enter the EU. In addition, it is necessary to optimize the pricing of cross-border related party transactions, reasonably allocate profits to low-tax regions, and comply with the requirements of the BEPS Action Plan to avoid triggering tax investigation. The agency shall issue a VAT Deferral Compliance Report every month to ensure that declared data is fully consistent with export records.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html#suggestedAnswer-4", "datePublished": "2026-10-13T12:56:56Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Jason Wu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/jason-wu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The foreign exchange payment and collection link of trade export agency must strictly follow the latest regulations of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange 2026. If cross-border RMB payment is used, it must be processed through the CIPS system, and the Cross-border RMB Settlement Voucher must be uploaded to the SAFE system within 10 working days after payment. If the agency fails to upload the voucher in time, it will trigger a SAFE compliance warning, leading to the restriction of payment and collection function of the enterprise's foreign exchange account. For euro remittances from European clients, the agency shall be required to review the integrity of SWIFT messages to ensure that the message contains core information such as commodity name, quantity and contract number. Missing information will lead to 3-5 days delay in settlement. In addition, the arrival time limit for payment and collection shall be agreed with the agency. If arrival delay is caused by the agency's operation error, the agency shall bear the corresponding exchange rate loss.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html#suggestedAnswer-5", "datePublished": "2026-10-13T12:53:53Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Lucas Liu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/lucas-liu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "When trade export agency involves L/C settlement, it is necessary to focus on checking soft clause risks. Common soft clauses often set by European clients in 2026 include "inspection certificate issued by the client is required as negotiation document" and "payment can only be made after client's acceptance after cargo arrival". Such clauses will lead to cargo title loss, and if the client refuses to issue the certificate, the enterprise cannot negotiate the payment. The agency shall issue a L/C Soft Clause Review Report before L/C opening, clearly point out risky clauses, and assist the enterprise to require the client to modify them. In addition, the conditions for cargo title transfer shall be clearly specified in the agency agreement. If the goods are detained by customs due to the agency's reasons, the agency shall bear 80% of the cargo value as compensation. Meanwhile, the scope of application of the force majeure clause shall be agreed to avoid liability for breach of contract caused by epidemic, port strike and other reasons.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html#suggestedAnswer-6", "datePublished": "2026-10-13T12:51:48Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Cindy Chen","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/cindy-chen/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The on-site inspection link of trade export agency needs to prepare a plan in advance. In 2026, the machine inspection pass rate of Shanghai Customs is 85%. If devanning inspection is triggered, the agency shall arrange a customs declarer with inspection qualification to be present, and bring materials such as purchase contract, packing list and product specification. We need to focus on the authenticity of the container seal. If the customs finds that the seal does not match the record on the customs declaration, it will directly detain the goods. The agency shall check the seal number in advance and declare it accurately on the customs declaration. If the goods are found inconsistent with the declared name during inspection, the agency shall immediately assist the enterprise to issue a Product Difference Description . If the difference is caused by document error, the agency shall bear the inspection fee and port storage fee. In addition, the agency shall communicate with the customs inspection department in advance, understand the inspection focus, sort out the cargo classification basis in advance, and speed up the inspection progress.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html#suggestedAnswer-7", "datePublished": "2026-10-13T12:34:48Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Andy Guo","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/andy-guo/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "If the exported hardware accessories contain metal electroplating components, they must comply with the packaging requirements of EU REACH regulation. Trade export agencies shall assist enterprises to prepare a standard-compliant MSDS report, clarifying product composition, transportation precautions and other information. If the goods are UN dangerous goods (such as accessories containing corrosive plating solution), they must use UN-certified packaging, and the packaging must be marked with correct UN number, proper shipping name and other information. If the packaging does not meet the requirements, European customs will directly detain the goods and impose a fine of 10% of the cargo value. The agency shall review packaging compliance in advance, arrange a third-party institution to conduct packaging testing, and issue a Packaging Compliance Report to ensure that the goods meet EU packaging standards. In addition, for fragile hardware accessories, packaging materials with qualified buffering performance shall be used to avoid damage during transportation and reduce client complaints.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html#suggestedAnswer-8", "datePublished": "2026-10-13T12:33:35Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Linda Gao","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/linda-gao/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The export tax refund link of trade export agency must strictly follow the "four flows consistency" principle. The latest regulations of the State Taxation Administration 2026 require that contract flow, capital flow, invoice flow and goods flow must be fully matched. Any inconsistency will trigger tax correspondence verification. The agency shall issue a Four Flows Consistency Review Report before tax refund declaration, check whether the information of contract number, invoice amount, foreign exchange receipt and customs declaration is consistent, and adjust in advance if there is any difference. If tax correspondence verification is triggered, the agency shall assist the enterprise to provide procurement records, production ledgers, export records and other materials of the past 6 months to ensure the verification is approved. In addition, the agency shall conduct pre-declaration verification in advance to avoid tax refund delay caused by wrong declaration data, and agree on the time limit for tax refund arrival. If tax refund delay exceeds 30 days due to the agency's reasons, the agency shall bear the corresponding capital occupation cost.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html#suggestedAnswer-9", "datePublished": "2026-10-13T12:33:13Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Daniel Xu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/daniel-xu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The supply chain planning of trade export agency needs to combine trade term conversion to achieve cost optimization. In 2026, sea freight of European routes increased by 8%. If the FOB term is converted to CIF, the agency can get more favorable sea freight through centralized booking, reducing the overall logistics cost by more than 10%. The agency shall issue a Trade Term Conversion Cost Actuarial Report , clarify the cost composition, risk bearing and other information after conversion, and assist the enterprise to communicate with the client to modify the trade term. In addition, the agency shall assist the enterprise to establish an inventory linkage strategy, adjust production plans according to the order cycle of European clients, reduce inventory backlog and reduce capital occupation cost. At the same time, the agency shall optimize the international trade structure, reduce tariff costs through entrepot trade, and increase profit margin on the premise of ensuring compliance.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/trade-export-agent-compliance-details-customs-clearance-tax-refund-risk-avoidance.html#suggestedAnswer-10", "datePublished": "2026-10-13T12:30:57Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Michael Zhang","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/michael-zhang/"} } ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ {"@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/"},{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Q&A", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/"},{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Export Tax Rebate Q&A", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-export-tax-rebate/"} ,{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What Compliance Details Should Be Implemented in the Full Process of Trade Export Agency to Avoid Dual Risks of Customs Clearance and Tax Refund?"} ] } ] ```