When importing products, you can encounter various abbreviations such as CI, B/L, HS, or CN. The first two refer to documents and the latter to customs codes. An HS code can be found in the Harmonized System, and a CN code is based on it. What is the CN code, and how is it different from the HS code?
In the last couple of years, owners of both small and big businesses have been increasingly interested in importing products from China. Good value for money with those products encourages more and more people to earn a living this way, and success stories undoubtedly only motivate them to do so. Before anything, though, you should consider what is worth importing from China to make your business most profitable.
There are already over 800 million Internet users in China. The Chinese rely on their smartphones a lot in their daily lives, spend a lot of time on social media, and enjoy online shopping. As a result, more and more Internet celebrities from different spheres begin to appear, drawing in plenty of fans who rely on their opinions. No wonder Chinese influencers are starting to play an important role in advertising products from multiple brands. In 2018, the Chinese influencers’ net worth reached as much as USD 16 billion.
CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) is an independent, federal organization, protecting consumers from the risks associated with the use of various types of products. The agency has jurisdiction over a wide range of goods meant to be sold on the US market. Its measures contributed to a decrease in the rate of injuries and even deaths resulting from the use of consumer products. We present details related to the activities of the CPSC organization.
At the beginning of the pandemic, we informed you about many cases of scam sales of masks, gloves, and other PPE products, run by Chinese companies. Unfortunately, we have noticed that Chinese scams are becoming more frequent when it comes to different types of products as well. An increasing number of importers find themselves dealing with untrustworthy suppliers, which is why it is so important to stay alert and thoroughly verify your potential contractor before making a deal. How not to fall victim to scams in the Coronavirus era?
Following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, there has been a transitional period during which the terms of trade between the UK and the EU are determined. One of the discussion’s subjects is a CE mark that applies in the EU. As the United Kingdom is no longer part of the Community, the CE mark will be replaced by the UKCA mark.
Thanks to the commonness of online B2B services, trading with China is getting easier. However, it results in entrepreneurs thinking that it is enough to order goods via the internet without going through any additional formalities. Unfortunately, when importing from China, we can come across many pitfalls. Therefore, one should always remember about protection measures such as partner verification or a commercial contract. In case of any problems with a contractor or goods, the contract with a Chinese supplier will allow us to assert our rights.
Buying products from Chinese vendors via websites such as Alibaba always involves some risk. You do not contact the seller directly, and what is more, you can rely only on photos when it comes to the appearance of products. In order to lower the transaction risk, it is worthwhile to familiarize yourself with the Alibaba Trade Assurance service. It is the free-of-charge buyer protection offered by Alibaba.com. On its basis, buyers are entitled to refunds if shipments are delayed or the goods do not meet the specified requirements.
When importing goods from outside of the European Union, including China, you should check the customs tariffs. The TARIC system might be of great help in doing so. In this article, we explain step by step how to use the TARIC system and what information in addition to the duty rates can be found there.
TARIC, which is the Integrated Tariff of the European Communities, is a system operated by the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union. It integrates all the legal provisions of the European Union Member States that are related to customs tariffs for industrial and agricultural articles.
TARIC can be very helpful when you decide to import or export goods. Although the rates are constantly changing, you can easily find the current ones in the system.
One of the critical issues in the import process is recognizing whether the goods you want to import are subject to directives and what requirements they should meet. If respective documents confirming compliance with the specified standards are not attached, the goods are likely to be held up in customs. Consequently, the goods cannot be placed on the market. However, the products could also be detained if your contractor sent counterfeit certificates that supposedly confirm the product’s compliance with EU requirements. Check what to look for in CE and test reports.
