If you deal in cross-border exchanges, hiring a professional customs broker can streamline your shipping operations significantly. Navigating foreign customs clearance is undoubtedly something you can handle yourself, but if you regularly ship to other nations, the process can be complicated, costly, and frustrating.
The shipping of products overseas can be easier if you only ship to a handful of countries, but even in that case, foreign custom departments can change procedures without notice. Some other issues you can encounter include improper document filing, delayed tariff payments, and incorrect packaging. These typically lead to fines and delays, which can be avoided entirely by taking the right steps and staying up-to-date.
However, taking these steps can be tedious, taking time away from managing your daily business. A customs clearing agent gives you the necessary advice to keep your international shipping efficient and as affordable as possible.
No Documentation Guesswork
International transportation, including logistics, cargo shipping, and other foreign transit, requires that you file paperwork in advance of your shipment’s delivery.
Documentations involved may include a certificate of origin, duty payments, commercial invoice, and bill of lading. These are necessary to ensure your goods are processed smoothly upon arrival. Without them, or if they’re filed improperly, shipments can be subject to additional warehousing, and distribution can be delayed or halted, accompanied by costly local fees or fines.
Custom brokerage service professionals are well-versed in this area. At Asiana USA, we can provide valuable advice on what documents you need to file, in which destinations, and when they need to be processed. The result is that your goods can immediately continue on their journey to their final stop.
Accurate Shipment Pricing
When a shipment arrives at a foreign port, it needs classification according to that nation’s standards. A licensed custom broker can advise you on classifying your goods at specific ports, making sure you’re paying the lowest duties possible. Pharmaceuticals, food items, beauty care products, and natural commodities are examples of items that may need particular classification guidance.
The added benefit of hiring a licensed broker is the ability to estimate your shipping cost and avoid unnecessary expenses accurately. If your goods are unexpectedly reclassified at a port of entry, higher duties can alter the expected price. Custom brokers can predict this and give you the best course of action, keeping your costs low.
Stay Updated on Essential Procedures
Customs clearance processes in foreign countries are always changing. Because of international politics and other factors, tariffs and license requirements continuously fluctuate. Staying up-to-date on these changes can require regular research and monitoring, which can be excessively time-consuming and impractical.
A qualified customs clearance agent can help you stay updated hassle-free. With an extensive knowledge of changing processes from country to country, customs professionals remain knowledgeable about the changes that affect duties and taxes, and other aspects that can help you correctly estimate your shipping cost and time frame.
Final Thoughts
If you like the idea of handling import and export customs processing on your own, keep in mind that there are many facets of the process that can be difficult to monitor. Even if you understand the basics, there are diverse sets of constantly-changing rules and regulations. It can be challenging to focus on customs processing and your business at the same time.
Our international customs duty experts at Asiana USA understand all aspects of keeping your shipment process smooth, even as it crosses national borders. Contact us at (855) 500-1808 to request a quote for services, or simply to learn more about how we can ease your international shipping operations.
