The return link of cross-border e-commerce is undergoing an important change and becoming smoother.
In order to further promote cross-border e-commerce exports, the General Administration of Customs recently issued an announcement and decided to promote the cross-customs area return model for cross-border e-commerce retail export commodities in customs nationwide.
The cross-customs return of cross-border e-commerce retail export goods (customs supervision code: 9610) refers to the supervision mode in which cross-border e-commerce companies no longer have to return the goods to the original export customs when the goods are returned overseas. Instead, they can flexibly choose any customs port nationwide to handle the return and entry procedures.
In the view of Ouyang Rihui, deputy director of the China Internet Economic Research Institute at the Central University of Finance and Economics, the return model of cross-border e-commerce retail export goods across customs zones accurately responds to the two major pain points that have previously restricted the development of the industry.
He said, “On the one hand, it breaks the geographical restriction that ‘the original export port and the original return port must be consistent’, and on the other hand, it solves the dilemma of ‘difficult and expensive returns’ for small and medium-sized sellers.”
The release of policy dividends has formed intuitive feedback in front-line business scenarios.
A person in charge of a logistics company said frankly, “In the past, our biggest headache was that the physical link for returns was blocked. Before the New Deal, we had to leave at the port we exited from. Now with this new policy, the ‘wall’ of returns in the customs area has been knocked down, allowing cross-border logistics to truly come and go freely.”
According to
It is understood that the General Administration of Customs issued an announcement in November 2024, saying that starting from December 15 of that year, 20 customs directly under the jurisdiction of Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Fuzhou, Qingdao, Zhengzhou, Changsha, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Urumqi Customs will carry out a pilot model for cross-border e-commerce retail export returns across customs areas.
Data show that as of the end of February this year, a total of 381,300 cross-border e-commerce retail export returns across customs zones had been returned, with a value of 94 million yuan.
In fact, cross-border e-commerce returns have never been just a simple logistics issue. Behind it involves a series of complex issues such as overseas warehousing, tax accounting, commodity value loss and management costs. It is a systematic project that requires full-link collaboration.
The return model of cross-border e-commerce retail export goods across customs zones not only makes the return path shorter, lower cost, and more efficient, but also allows companies to significantly increase their control over the return process. This is also a growth space and development opportunity for corporate business.
A relevant person in charge of an e-commerce company in Dongguan City said, “Under the new model, we can make comprehensive calculations based on logistics costs, timeliness, and warehousing layout to see which is the most suitable return port, so that we can have the confidence to launch a ‘7-day no-reason return’ service.”
Ouyang Rihui pointed out that specifically, as the cost of returns decreases, e-commerce companies have the conditions to cover “no-reason returns” to more categories.
At the same time, it can also promote e-commerce companies to optimize after-sales commitments and explore more refined after-sales strategies.
In the long run, the facilitation of returns will also help e-commerce platforms establish value-added service systems such as “local repair” and “parts replacement”, moving from “retirement” to “after-sales closed loop”.
“Return facilitation is not only a measure to facilitate customs clearance, but also a key part of improving the overall competitiveness of my country’s cross-border e-commerce and optimizing the international consumer experience. This will build a reverse logistics ecosystem with lower cost, higher efficiency and better experience for the platform, sellers and consumers.” Ouyang Rihui said.
