Tips and Right Practices on How to Move Your Shipments From China to India During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Are you an eCommerce business owner from India looking to ship your products from China to your home country? Or are you an international business looking to expand your market to India? If you are one of these, and if your main concern is how to move your products from China to India, then this article is for you!
As a business owner, shipping your products from one country to another is certainly no easy task even though it sounds simple. This is especially true if you are just new in the business.
Specifically, shipping products from China to India is not easy. Here are two main reasons for that:
- We are currently facing a pandemic that slows down international travel, including shipments and commercial deliveries.
- The political tension between China and India.
Aside from these two main reasons, there are other hassles which are just part of any ordinary shipping processes: customs fees, possible delays, fluctuating delivery fees which can hurt your finances, long transit times (especially worsened because of COVID-19), and the hassle of paperwork and documents.
So, what are the best ways to ship your products from China to India despite the current situation? Here are some of the tips we have to help you ship your products accordingly – with less hassle on your part!
Tips and Right Practices on How to Move Your Shipments From China to India:
Tip #1: Check your order quantity before purchasing your products from a direct Chinese vendor
As much as possible, try to forecast or predict your order volume and check the current local wholesale market rate. In this way, you will know the potential cost before you proceed with the shipment. This will help you see how much you will need and not be surprised by any additional or unexpected costs (or if there are unexpected costs, you are likely to be prepared for it).
You may want to check out for good deals, too. Although this is not always the case, you may find a less expensive cost than your calculated cost for the exact same shipment.
Tip #2: Ship your products as commercial shipments
Ship your products under your IOR in a commercial mode so that you can use your IEC and GST for clearance. Aside from that, there are two more advantages when shipping your products as commercial shipments:
a. Clearance will be easier because you can use your KYC for clearance purposes.
b. You will pay your CBD pay duty based on the CTH code only.
Finally, once your shipments are cleared, you can move your products from your local facility. From there, you can use local courier services for last-mile delivery.
More Tips When Importing Products from China to India
When importing products from China to India, consider these tips too:
a. Don’t put too many items in the same AWB. If you do, the customs may block your shipment.
b. Send payments only through an approved bank or payment getaway. In this way, you’ll have a BRC or proof for accounting purposes.
c. Import products under your IEC. Many cargo agents do malpractices like consolidating shipments together. Don’t do this as this can cause you the trouble along the way.
d. Truthfully declare your goods. Truthfully declare your shipment’s quantity, value, specific items, and other information asked from you. Never lie or miss any information as it can get you into trouble.
e. Don’t import sensitive items right away. If you’re just starting out, it’s best to stay away from products like liquids, pure battery products, etc. These are sensitive items, and they may add hassle on your part if you try to import them. In addition, these products need extra documents such as BIS for custom clearance as required by the customs. Try to avoid targeting these items if you are just starting out.
Do Not Import Using the B2C Model
Last tip for this article: do not to import using the B2C or “business-to-customer” model. Although this sounds simple than importing as a commercial shipment, this is actually more confusing and complex compared to commercial shipments. You will be asked for a lot of documents such as passport, Adhar card, etc. – and add the fact that most consignees might even refuse to give these for security or privacy reasons.
Conclusion
Importing products from China to India can be hard especially because of the pandemic and the problems between the two countries. However, there are things you can do to lessen the hassle and potentially avoid any unnecessary problems.
Although this article is written to address the pandemic, this is very much applicable even on regular times. Best of all, these tips and practices are applicable for any entrepreneur as long as you intend to ship products from China to India!
If you need more help, Fulfillmen can help you with your shipping and importing needs. We specialize in shipping products from China to India! If you have any questions, you can contact our customer service representative who will gladly assist you with your inquiries.
Indian Shipping Channel
+86 752-2313067
