Must-read for Newcomers in Foreign Trade: 5 Critical Points in the Export Process

Mr. Zhang stared at the first overseas inquiry on the computer screen, his fingers hovering over the keyboard without landing for a long time - where should this business start from? Like Ms. Li, many practitioners who have just entered the foreign trade field have been stuck on this question. Today, we will use the practical experience of a 15-year industry veteran to break down the key steps in the process of doing foreign trade exports and lead you to avoid those "hidden pitfalls" that textbooks won't mention.

Study the process after receiving an order? It's like driving on the road without a driver's license. There are three core actions that need to be completed in the startup stage:

• Product Compliance Certification: The certification cycles of EU CE, US FDA, etc. may be as long as three months.
• Confirmation of Trade Terms: The actual costs of FOB and CIF can differ by 20% in freight.
• Opening of Foreign Exchange Accounts: Multi-currency accounts can avoid more than 60% of exchange losses.

The senior consultants of Zhongshitong found that the survival rate of foreign trade enterprises that actively develop customers is 47% higher. Effective channels include:

• Reverse Tracking of Customs Data (Real Purchasers within Three Months)
• Precise Reach on LinkedIn (It is recommended to add no more than 30 people per week)
• Pre-registration List of Industry Exhibitions (The 48 hours after the exhibition is the golden period for contact)

Special Attention: The background investigation of new customers must verify the Enterprise Registration Certificate and the Bank Credit Report. A certain enterprise in Zhejiang once lost 800,000 yuan in payment for goods due to ignoring this point.

When receiving the PO (Purchase Order), the real test begins:

• Proforma Invoice should indicate the HS code to avoid customs clearance delays.
• Production Tracking Sheet needs to include three quality inspection nodes (raw materials/semi-finished products/final products).
• Inspection Report must be the version confirmed and signed by the buyer.

The industry data in 2023 shows that 53% of disputes originate from inconsistent inspection standards. It is recommended to clearly define the sampling method and AQL standard in the contract.

The cut-off time for LCL (Less than Container Load) shipping may be five days earlier than the sailing date. These key nodes must be mastered:

• Reservation of shipping space needs to be done 7 - 10 days in advance (15 days in peak season).
• The validity period of the fumigation certificate is only 21 days.
• An error of more than 3 characters in AMS/ENS declaration will result in a fine.

An exporter in Qingdao once had a whole container returned due to wrong marking information, resulting in a loss of up to 120,000 yuan.

When seeing the arrival notice of the bank account, don't forget:

• 30% deposit + 70% payment upon receipt of the copy of the bill of lading is the safest.
• For letters of credit, confirm whether there are "soft clauses".
• The settlement documents need to be saved for five years for future reference.

Now you might as well take out a pen and paper: list the complete process of your most recent foreign trade business and mark the three most uncertain links. Welcome to share your foreign trade customs clearance stories in the comment section. We will randomly select three readers to present the electronic version of the 2020 Edition of the Comparison Manual of International Trade Terms. Remember, the difference between professional players and amateur players often lies in the mastery of these process details.