Is the process of import customs declaration too complicated? These 5 pitfalls trip up 90% of the enterprises.

Mr. Zhang recently ordered a batch of medical devices from overseas, but was required to provide 5 different-format qualification documents during the customs declaration process; Ms. Li's cosmetics were detained for two weeks due to inconsistent declared value, incurring thousands of yuan in storage fees every day... The hidden thresholds in trade imports are often hidden in this "black box" of customs declaration.

According to the data of the General Administration of Customs in 2023, the average review time limit of national import customs declarations has been compressed to 0.8 hours, but the rejection rate of enterprises' self-declaration is still as high as 37%. Customs experts from Zhongshitong pointed out:

• The commodity codes are adjusted by about 8% every year, and choosing the wrong HS CODE will lead to tax rate deviations.
• There are 72 special cases in the rules of origin of agreements such as RCEP.
• Electromechanical products need to meet the requirements of 3C certification and energy efficiency labels simultaneously.

1. Compliance Cost Reduction
Through pre-classification services, the tariff of an auto parts importer was reduced from 12% to 6%; by taking advantage of the preferential treatment of free trade agreements, Zhongshitong saved 28% of the cost for red wine import customers.

2. Risk Management and Control
When the customs raises doubts, professional agencies can:

• Issue compliance statements within 48 hours.
• Coordinate with third-party testing institutions to supplement certificates.
• Initiate price negotiation procedures.

3. Time Limit Guarantee
During the peak season of cross-border e-commerce, the "advance declaration" mode of professional agencies can compress the customs clearance time to 2 hours, which is 15 times faster than the traditional mode.

• Check the A-class qualification of the customs declaration service capability level certificate.
• Confirm whether there is an exclusive port service team.
• Verify that there is no record of major customs declaration errors in the past two years.
• Request to provide successful cases in typical industries.
• Compare the response SOP for abnormal customs clearance situations.

The latest AI customs declaration system launched by Zhongshitong can:

• Automatically identify 50 types of sensitive product name keywords.
• Intelligently match the requirements of 285 regulatory documents.
• Real-time track the customs clearance status of 18 ports.

When the global supply chain is full of uncertainties, truly professional customs declaration services are like electronic nautical charts in navigation, which can avoid hidden reefs and catch the favorable current. Did you also encounter unexpected challenges in your most recent import customs declaration? Welcome to share your experiences, and we will randomly select three readers to provide free customs affairs health checks.