Cross-border e-commerce business has developed rapidly in recent years, and more and more sellers have begun to get involved in the cross-border e-commerce field. When conducting cross-border e-commerce business, sellers need to face two import modes: direct purchase import and bonded import. This article will compare these two import modes and provide a reference for sellers.
1. The concept of direct purchase import and bonded import.
Direct purchase import refers to the direct import of goods to overseas warehouses or the country where the customer is located. Sellers need to pay import taxes and consumption taxes to the customs and comply with relevant laws and regulations. Direct purchase import is mainly applicable to high-end goods, such as luxury goods, health products, maternal and child products, etc.
Bonded import refers to the import of goods to domestic bonded warehouses first, and then shipped overseas according to customer needs. Sellers only need to pay tariffs and value-added tax on goods, but do not need to pay consumption tax and freight. Bonded import is mainly applicable to some conventional categories of goods, such as daily necessities, clothing, shoes and hats, etc.
2. Comparison between direct purchase import and bonded import.
(1) The storage location of goods is different.
Direct import requires the goods to be imported directly to overseas warehouses or the country where the customer is located, while bonded import means first importing to domestic bonded warehouses and then shipping overseas according to customer needs. Therefore, there are differences in the storage location of goods.
(2) Different tax payment methods.
Direct import requires the payment of import tax and consumption tax to the customs, while bonded import only requires the payment of commodity tariffs and value-added tax. The tax payment method for direct import is relatively cumbersome, and sellers are required to understand and comply with the relevant laws and regulations of the destination country.
(3) Different logistics time and cost.
Bonded imported goods are first imported to domestic bonded warehouses, and then shipped overseas according to customer needs after the seller receives the order. Therefore, the logistics time and cost of bonded import are relatively short. Direct import requires the goods to be imported to overseas warehouses first and then shipped according to customer needs, which has higher logistics time and cost.
(4) Different applicable objects.
Direct import is suitable for high-end goods, such as luxury goods, health products, maternal and infant products, etc., because these goods are sold at higher prices overseas. Bonded import is suitable for some conventional goods, such as daily necessities, clothing, shoes and hats, etc., because these goods are sold at relatively low prices overseas.
3. How to choose direct import or bonded import?
When choosing direct import or bonded import, sellers need to consider the following factors:
(1) Product type.
Different product types are suitable for different import modes. High-end luxury goods, health products, maternal and infant products, etc. are suitable for direct import; while daily necessities, clothing, shoes and hats, etc. are suitable for bonded import.
(2) Market demand.
Sellers should choose the import mode according to market demand. If the target market has high requirements for quality and brand, then choose direct import to ensure product quality and brand image; if the target market is more sensitive to price, then choose bonded import.
(3) Capital cost.
Direct imports require payment of import taxes and consumption taxes in advance, while bonded imports only require payment of customs duties and value-added tax. Therefore, in terms of capital costs, bonded imports are more flexible and convenient.
(4) Logistics costs.
The logistics costs of direct imports are relatively high because the goods need to be imported to overseas warehouses or the customer’s country first, and then shipped according to customer needs. The logistics costs of bonded imports are relatively low because the goods are stored in domestic bonded warehouses and sellers only need to ship according to customer needs.
(5) Customs risks.
Direct imports need to comply with the relevant laws and regulations of the destination country. If customs problems arise, it may cause great losses. Bonded imports are protected by domestic bonded warehouses, avoiding the risk of facing customs directly.
In summary, the choice of direct import or bonded import requires comprehensive consideration of factors such as product type, market demand, capital cost, logistics cost and customs risk. Sellers can choose the most suitable import model according to their actual situation to achieve better import benefits.