BEC高级全方位训练2

1、Unit One出口流程图进口流程图General Procedures of Export and Import TransactionI. TextFor most nations exports and imports are the most important international activities. Each country has to import the articles and commodities it does not itself produce, and it has to earn foreign exchanges to pay for them.

2、It does this by exporting its own manufactured articles and surplus raw materials. Thus the import and export trades are two sides of the same coin, and both can have beneficial effects on the homemarket. Imports create competition for home-produced goods; exporting gives a manufacturer a larger mar

3、ket for his products, so helping to reduce the unit cost. In each case the effect is to keep prices in the home and market down.But there maybe factors that compel governments to place restrictions on foreign trade. Imports may be controlled or subjected to a custom duty to protect a home industry,

4、or because the available foreign exchange had to bechanneled into buying more essential goods andexports, too, may re restricted, to conserve a particular raw material required by a developing home industry.These factors mean that importing and exporting are subject toa lotof formalities, such as cu

5、stoms entry and exchange control approval, from which the homeretail and wholesale trades are free. They also mean that the procedures of foreign trade is muchmore complicated than that of domestic trade, the latter involves specialized knowledge and highly trained personnel.This unit tries to prese

6、nt a general picture and a brief introduction to export and import trades for the purpose of clarifying their complicated procedures.2.1 Procedures of Export and Import TransactionAn export or import business is so complicated that it may take quite a long time to conclude a transaction. Varied and

7、complicated procedures have to be gone through in the course of export or import transaction. From the very beginning to the end of the transaction, the whole operation generally undergoes four stages: preparing for exporting or importing, business negotiation, implementing the contract, and settlem

8、ent of disputes(if any). Each stage covers somespecific steps. Since the export and import trades are two sides of the samecoin, and one country s export is another country s import, hence, we will take the proce dures of export transaction in the following diagram to illustrate the general procedur

9、es of export and import transaction. Before proceeding to the following units, wed better keep this general picture in mind.The most difficult part of exporting is taking the first step. Any exporter who wants to sell his products in a foreign country or countries must first conduct a lot of market

10、research. Market research is a process of conducting research into a specific market for a particular product.Export market research, in particular, is a study of a given market abroad to determine the needs of that market and the methods by which the products can be supplied. The exporter needs to

11、know which foreign companies are likely to use his products or might be interested in marketing and distributing the products in their country. He must think whether there is a potential for making a profit. He must examine the market structures and general economic conditions in those places. If th

12、e economy is in a recession, the demand for all products is usually decreased. So the exporter s products might not sell well at such times. Market research mainly covers:1) Research on the countries or regionsCountries or regions with different political and economic systems hold quite different at

13、titude toward foreign trade business. The exporter should investigate their political, financial and economic conditions; their policies, laws and regulations governing foreign trade, foreign exchange control. Customs tariffs and commercial practices; their foreign trade situation (the structure, qu

14、antity, volume of exporting and importing commodities, trading partners and trade restrictions,etc.)2) Research on the marketA research should also be conducted about the production, consumption, price and its trend, the major importing or exporting countries of a particular commodity in order to fi

15、x the right price of exporting commodities and properly handle other business terms.3) Research on the customerIn international trade, credit information is of greater importancethan in home trade. The exporter should know what kind of reputation the buyer or importer has, the approximate size of hi

16、s business, how he pays his accounts and information about his trade activities. Obviously, customers with sound reputation and good financial standing will facilitate the export trade. The exporter can obtain this information from various sources such as references given by the buyer, his bank, var

17、ious trade associationsand enquiry agencies. In this way, the potentialcustomers can be identified.In addition to conducting market research to collect information or data from external sources, the exporter can also take the initiative in marketing and promoting his products in the overseas market.

18、 The frequently adopted strategies are sales literature, point of sale advertising, packaging, sponsorship, showrooms, trade fair and exhibition, publicity, public relations,etc.2. Business negotiationIf a foreign company is interested in buying the exporter s products, negotiation should be organiz

19、ed. Business negotiation plays a very important role in the conclusion and implementation of a sale contract.It has a great bearing on the economic interest of the parties concerned. No matter what way the negotiations are held, in general, they consist of the following links: enquiry, offer, counte

20、r-offer, acceptance and conclusion of sales contract. Among which offer and acceptance are two indispensable links for reaching an agreement and concluding a contract.EnquiryAn enquiry is request for business information, such as price lists,catalogue, samples, and details about the goods or trade t

21、erms. It can be madeby either the importer or the exporter. Onreceiving the enquiry, it is a regular practice that the exporter should reply to it without delay.1) Offer and counter-offerAn offer is a proposal madeby sellers to buyers in order to enter into a contract. In other words, it refers to t

22、rading terms put forward by offerers to offerees, on which the offerers are willing to conclude business with the offerers. There are two kinds of offers; one is the firm offer, the other, non-firm offer. A reply to an offer which purports to be an acceptance but contains additions, limitations or o

23、ther modifications is a rejection of the offer and constitutes a counter offer.2) AcceptanceAcceptance is a statement made by or other conduct of the offerees indicating unconditional assent to an offer. A contract is concluded once the offer is accepted.3) Conclusion of sales contractAs soon as an

24、offer is accepted, a written sales contract or sales confirmation is usually required to be signed between the buyer and the seller to confirm the sale and stipulate their rights and obligations respectively. A sales contract or sales confirmation contains some general terms and conditions as well a

25、s the specific terms that vary with the commodity. But such terms as the names of seller and buyer, the description of the goods, quality and specification, quantity, packing, unit price, amount, payment, date of delivery, shipping, insurance, inspection, claim and arbitration are indispensable. The

26、 sales contract or sales confirmation is normally made out in two originals, one for buyer and the other for his seller.3. Implementation of ContractUnder CIF contract with terms of payment by L/C, the implementation of export contract usually goes through the steps of goods preparation, inspection

27、application, reminding of L/C, examination and modification of L/C, chartering and booking space shipping, shipment, insurance, documents preparation for bank negotiation and the settlement of claims, etc.1) Preparing goods for shipmentAfter a contract is made, it is the main task for the exporter t

28、o prepare the goods for shipment and check them against the terms stipulated in the contract. The quality, specification, quantity, marking and the packing should be in line with the contract or the L/C, the date for the preparation should agree with the shipping schedule.2) I nspection applicationI

29、f required by the stipulations of the states or contract, the exporter should obtain a certificate of inspection from the institutions concerned where the goods are inspected. Usually, the commodity will be released only after the issuance of the inspection certificate by the inspection organization

30、.3) Reminding, examining and modifying L/CIn international trade, a bankers letter of credit is commonly usedfor the payment of purchase price. In the course of the performance of contract, one of the necessary steps for the seller is to urge the buyer to establish L/C. According to the contract, th

31、e buyer should establish the L/C on time, but sometimes he may delay for various reasons. For the safe collection of payment, the seller has to urge the buyer to expedite the opening of L/C. Upon receipt of a letter of credit, the seller must examine it very carefully to make sure that all terms and

32、 conditions are stipulated in accordance with the contract. If any discrepancies exist, the seller should contact the buyer immediately for necessary amendmentsso as to guarantee the smooth execution of the contract.4) Chartering and booking shipping spaceAfter receiving the relevant L/C , the expor

33、ter should contact the ship s agents or the shipping company for the chartering and the booking of shipping space and prepare for the shipment in accordance with the importer s shipping instruction. Chartering isrequired forgoods of large quantity which needs full shipload; and for goods in small qu

34、antities, space booking would be enough.5) Customs formalitiesBefore the goods are loaded, certain procedures in customs formalities have to be completed. As required, completed forms giving particulars of the goods exported together with the copy of the contract of sale, invoice, packing list, weig

35、ht memo, commodity inspection certificate and other relevant documents, have to be lodged with the Customs. After the goods are on board, the shipping company or the ship s agent will issue a bill of lading which is a receipt evidencing the loading of the goods on board the ship.6) I nsuranceThe exp

36、ort trade is subject to many risk. For example, ships may sink or consignments may be damaged in transit, exchange rates may alter, buyers default or government suddenly impose an embargo, etc. It is customary to insure goods sold for export against the perils of the journey. The cover paid for will

37、 vary according to the type of goods and the circumstances. If the exporter has bought insurance for the goods, he will be reimbursed for the losses.7) Documents preparation for bank negotiationAfter the shipment, all kinds of documents required by the L/C shall be prepared by the exporter and the i

38、mporter and presented, within the validity of the L/C to the bank for negotiation. As to the shipping documents, they include commercial invoice, billof lading, insurancepolicy, packing list, weight memo, certificate of inspection, and, in somecases, consular invoice, certificate origin, etc. Docume

39、nts should be correct, complete, concise and clean. Only after the documents are checked to be fully in conformity with the L/C, the opening bank makes the payment. Payment shall be disregarded by the bank for any discrepancies in the documents.4. Settlement of disputesSometimes complaints or claim

40、inevitably arise in spite of the careful performance of a contract by the exporter and importer. They are likely to be caused by various reasons such as more or less quantity delivered, wrong goods delivered, poor packing, inferior quality, discrepancy between the samples and the goods which actuall

41、y arrived, delay in shipment, etc. In accordance with specific conditions, complaints and claims may be made to the exporter, importer, insurance company or shipping company. Once disputes arise, it is advised that arbitration is better than litigation, and conciliation is better than arbitration.2.

42、1.2 General procedures of import transactionSo far we have studied the general procedures of export transaction and dealt with different stages and steps, from the point of view of exporter. Having been familiar with theprocess of the export business, we find itmuch easier to understand how an impor

43、ter handles his import business. After all, the export and import trades are two sides of the same coin. When handling an import trade, the trade conditions and terms you are striving for are sometimes just the opposite to those you do in an export trade. The terms of delivery remain the samemeaning

44、 regardless of whether you work as an importer or an exporter. A bill of lading is a bill of lading no matter who uses it for some practical purposes. The knowledge we have acquired from the previous sections is also applicable to import procedures. With the fundamental knowledge of export procedure

45、s we can grasp the essential points of import procedures easily and manageimport trade well and smoothly.The General procedures of import transaction can be summarized as follows:1) to conduct market investigation2) to formulate import plan for a certain commodity3) to send inquiries to the prospect

46、ive sellers overseas4) to compare and analyze the offers or quotations received5) to make counter-offers and decide on which offer is most beneficial6) to sign a purchase contract7) to apply to a bank for opening a letter of credit8) to book shipping space or charter a carrying vessel for taking ove

47、r the cargoes, if the contract is in terms of FOB9) to effect insurance with the insurance companyupon receipt of shipping advice10) to apply for inspection if necessary11) to attend to customs formalities to clear the goods through the Customs12) to entrust forwarding agents with all the transport

48、arrangements from the port to the end users warehouse13) to settle disputes(in any)2.2 Organization involved in export and import transactionAll or most of the following organizations are involved in an export and import transaction:1) the exporters2) the shipping agents at the port or airport of lo

49、ading3) the railway (in some cases)in the exporters country4) the road hauler (in some cases) in the exporters country5) the port authority6) the shipping company (for sea freight)7) the airline (for air freight)8) the insurance company or brokers9) the exporter s bank10) the importer s bank11) the

50、railways (in some cases) in the importer country12) the road hauler ( in some case) in the importer country13) the shipping agent at the port or airport of discharge14) the importers2.3 Specialists involved in export and import transactionsMany specialists may be involved in export and import transa

51、ction, including:1) A shipping agent and /or foreign forwarder (forwarding agent) will take responsibility for the documentation and arrange for the goods to be shipped by air, sea, rail or rail. Theses services may be carried outby the supplier s own export department, if they have the expertise.2)

52、 Airlines, shipping lines, railway companies or haulage contractorswill actual transport the goods.3) Both the importer s and exporter s banks will be involved in arranging payments if a letterof credit or bill ofexchange is used.4) Customs and Excise officers mayneed to examine the goods, check imp

53、ort or export licences and charge duty and /or VAT.5) A chamber of Commerce may need to issue a certificate of origin, ifthis is required by the importers country.6) An insurance company insures goods in transit.7) A lawyer if a special contract has to be drawn up.2.4. Documents needed in Export and

54、 Import TransactionAn import/export transaction usually requires a lot of complicated documents because it is difficult to makemanydifferent arrangements when one firm is dealing with another on the other side of the world. The number and type of documents needed depend on the specific requirements

55、of the exporter and importer. Generally, the documents needed include:1) . Bill of Lading2) . Commercial Invoice3) . Proforma Invoice4) . Consular Invoice5) . Packing List6) . Weight Memo7) . Certificate of Inspection8) . Certificate of Origin9) . Insurance Policy (Certificate)10) . Sales Contract11

56、) . Sales ConfirmationMany of these documents can be replaced with computerized procedures. Standard “ aligned ” export document is often used, where the required information is entered on a“master ” document and then photocopied toproduce all the requiried documents.2.5 Channels of Export and Impor

57、ter TransactionManyimport or export deals are arranged through an exporter s agent or distributor abroad in this case the importer buyers from a company importing goods in his own country. Alternatively, the deal may be arranged through an importers buying agents or buying house acting for the impor

58、ter, or through an export house based in the exporter s country. In these cases the exporter sells directly to a companyin his owncountry, the latter will then export the goods.2.6 Trade termsPrices for exports may be quoted in the buyer s currency, the seller s currency or in a third“hand” currency (e.g. US dollars,sterling or Swiss Francs). In foreign trade, prices are quoted by using “Incoterms ” which are a