What does a shipping agent do?

Now many worldwide purchase friends expand their business, they select the Chinese market to source good quality products . after they finish place order with factories or trade company. normal they trade term with supply via below term: EXW, FOB, CIF. let’s see base on these terms, who will take charge of the shipping charges

first, we check what’s the different incoterms, who will arrange international transport service.

so if the terms are CIF and DAP, the seller will cooperate with the logistics agent to arrange transport service. if FOB or EXW term, the buyer will need sourcing one shipping agent to arrange logistics service.

What is a freight forwarder /shipping agent do?

1. if your term is EXW, freight forwarder arranges to pick up from seller factory.
2. one picked, then send to seaport or airport, then start with china custom clearance. custom clearance needs documents including invoice and packing list, customs declaration. some products need commodity inspection，below are Commonly required products for commodity inspection. if the wood package, customs will need fumigate.
   1. 1, clothing category
      1. Woven clothing generally requires commodity inspection, except for baby clothing and sports suits.
   2. 1) Knitted garments with wool or rabbit hair content exceeding 50% need to be inspected. Generally, inspection is not required.
   3. 1, shoes
      • 1) Common shoes, such as PU shoes, PVC shoes, plastic shoes, cloth shoes, leather shoes, artificial leather shoes, slippers, etc. all require commodity inspection.
      • 2) Skates, roller skates, baby shoes, medical shoes do not require commodity inspection.
   4. 1, lights
   • 1) Bulbs, lamp tubes, lamp holders, chandeliers, wall lamps, ceiling lamps, table lamps, floor lamps, etc. all require commodity inspection.
   • 2) Stage lights, street lights, spotlights, night lights, decoration lights, and lights without lighting function do not require commodity inspection.

3. after customs clearance released, cargo can arrange for flight or ship. start transport to nearest seaport or airport of consignee address.

4. when arrival seaport or airport, start to arrange import customs clearance. normally need document is packing list, invoice, some products need CO (certificate of origin), some product need form A and so on. In different countries’ different products request are different.

5. after finish destination custom clearance, then custom can arrange to pick up cargo by local logistics company or self car. they pick up with a bill of lading （B/L)if sea shipping, if air cargo, then pick up with airway bill (AWB)

if FOB term , seller will send cargo to air port or seaport, and arrange custom clearance process in china. so buyer will arrange sea freight/air freight ,destination customs clearance and pick up to home.

so shipping agent can do is pick up , custom clearance , documents, arrange fumigate .

Besides this, we supply additional services, such as support buyers to visit the factory, take photos and videos, once pick cargo, inspect base customer requests; count quantity, and tack pictures. check weight and volume. if send to amazon warehouse, we can support to stick SKU label and amazon label. we can do everything to make sure the product will arrive right address success.

some customers said as convenience，we normally ask the seller to arrange a shipping agent .but we advise you use your own shipping agent.