PURCHASING / NEGOTIATING

Whether you have contacted factories in China yourself, or we have sourced products for you in house the purchasing process of goods from Chinese factories is all handled by the SWANSHELL CHINA Shanghai office. Before we make payments to factories we first need to verify their credentials. Once we have established this and signed all relevant contracts with the factory we then make a 30% deposit to the factory/factories for the goods. The balance is then paid once goods have passed our quality control checks and have been delivered to our warehouse ready for export.  As we are also able to pay for goods in Chinese Yuan we can in some cases obtain a better purchasing price.

IMPORT & EXPORT
When purchasing goods through SWANSHELL CHINA the entire export and import process is handled by us. Our Import/Export services make it possible for business or individuals that have no knowledge or experience of import/export to successfully import goods from China hassle free.  If you are in Australia these procedures are handled by SWANSHELL CHINA PTY LTD. ?For all other countries we will appoint an agent to you who will arrange the importing and delivery of your products.

For EXPORT from Australia please contact our experts at Swanshell Pty Ltd for a marketing plan or advice.

SOURCING
SWANSHELL CHINA an extensive data base and has direct access to 20,000 factories all over China. ?We deal directly with the factories – not through agents.? We also have Chinese employees who are experienced in sourcing and work with us to support your requirements.

QUALITY CONTROL
As any experienced importer of Chinese goods would most probably know to well, one of the most common problems for any business or individual importing goods from China is the quality of the products. ?All goods exported by SWANSHELL CHINA will go through a  Quality Control inspection before they are exported.? We have different levels of quality control depending on our member’s requirements and the products involved.? Our basic Quality Control check is cross referenced with the sales contract with the factory and our members. This ensures that basic points are covered, quantities, colours, power supply. We also test a percentage of products to detect any faulty goods or pick up any obvious defects.? SWANSHELL CHINA also works with a range of organizations across China who are able to carry out advanced mechanical and chemical, inspections. ?Although most QC is done in house we also work with several inspection companies depending on the products and expertise required.

MONTHLY EXPORTS
Once per month we run an exports to Australia which are made up of smaller orders from our members. This means we can export smaller quantities of goods for our members in a way that gives them the same cost advantage as companies that import their own container loads. This is a very unique service and one that offers smaller companies and individuals the chance to compete, if not beat the big players on price!

DOOR TO DOOR LOGISTICS
We can export FCL (full container load) and LCL less than container load to any major port in the world using China Shipping and other major shipping lines. ?We arrange the entire process from exporting your goods from China to delivering to your door.
Often when business or especially individuals import good into their country they often find that they are hit with a nasty surprise when they goods arrive in the form of a large bill from a freight agent. Yes there are essential costs, VAT and Duty etc. But all the other charges freight, paperwork, document handling, port charges, customs clearance and transport are often charged much higher than they should be. ?At SWANSHELL CHINA we look after our members interests not just with exporting but the entire import process right up to getting your goods to your door. ?You will find all the fees are the cheapest possible rates due to the volume we bring in and we are very transparent about these charges from the outset.? We are also able to provide a total landed & door to door quote before you go ahead with placing your order.

INSURANCE
Unfortunately containers do sometimes fall off the boat during transit or in rough seas.? Movement inside the container can cause goods to be damaged. ?When importing goods with SWANSHELL CHINA your goods will be insured by us during transit against damage and loss. ?All the prices of products we quote include insurance cost (CIF) we recognize that your order is an investment and as such we do not believe that this should not be covered against loss or damage.

TAX / DUTY / CUSTOMS CLEARANCE
One of the things that puts many people off importing is the minefield of customs clearance, tax, duty, commodity codes etc. ?At SWANSHELL CHINA we arrange for your goods to be cleared through customs and handle all paperwork on your behalf, we take care of all tax and duty and handle the whole lot in the most cost effective way. ?In short, SWANSHELL CHINA takes care of all of this for you. ?We will explain and educate you how it all works as we believe that in order to build the best trading relationships an appreciation of how each others business works goes a long way. ?If you are an experienced importer and wish to handle your own imports, naturally this is fine with us.

OEM BRANDING
If you’re looking to get something more specific manufactured in China we will find and arrange a reputable factory to produce your goods. ?Whether you want your goods branding with your logo on, products produced from your sample or generic goods adapted to your requirements we will arrange and oversee the production of these goods.

Shipping
Swanshell China normally quotes goods as “CIF” and sometimes “FOB”.? We can quote in most currencies but normally in AUD, USD or Rmb.? We use standard international terms of sale.

Terms of Sale

The point at which sellers have fulfilled their obligations so the goods in a legal sense could be said to have been delivered to the buyer. They are shorthand expressions that set out the rights and obligations of each party when it comes to transporting the goods. Following, are the thirteen terms of sale in international trade as Terms of Sale reflected in the recent amendment to the International chamber of Commerce Terms of Trade (INCOTERMS), effective July 1990: exw, fca, fas, fob, cfr, cif, cpt, cip, daf, des, deq, ddu and ddp.
- EXW (Ex Works) (...Named Place): A Term of Sale which means that the seller fulfills the obligation to deliver when he or she has made the goods available at his/her premises (i.e., works, factory, warehouse, etc.) to the buyer. In particular, the seller is not responsible for loading the goods in the vehicle provided by the buyer or for clearing the goods for export, unless otherwise agreed. The buyer bears all costs and risks involved in taking the goods from the seller's premises to the desired destination. This term thus represents the minimum obligation for the seller.
- FCA (Free Carrier) (... Named Place): A Term of Sale which means the seller fulfills their obligation when he or she has handed over the goods, cleared for export, into the charge of the carrier named by the buyer at the named place or point. If no precise point is indicated by the buyer, the seller may choose, within the place or range stipulated, where the carrier should take the goods into their charge.
- FAS (Free Alongside Ship) (...Named Port of Shipment): A Term of Sale which means the seller fulfills his obligation to deliver when the goods have been placed alongside the vessel on the quay or in lighters at the named port of shipment.This means that the buyer has to bear all costs and risks of loss of or damage to the goods from that moment.
- FOB (Free On Board) (...Named Port of Shipment): An International Term of Sale that means the seller fulfills his or her obligation to deliver when the goods have passed over the ship's rail at the named port of shipment. This means that the buyer has to bear all costs and risks to loss of or damage to the goods from that point. The FOB term requires the seller to clear the goods for export.
- CFR (Cost and Freight) (...Named Port of Destination): A Term of Sale where the seller pays the costs and freight necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination, Terms of Sale but the risk of loss of or damage to the goods, as (continued) well as any additional costs due to events occurring after the time the goods have been delivered on board the vessel, is transferred from the seller to the buyer when the goods pass the ship's rail in the port of shipment. The CFR term requires the seller to clear the goods for export.
- CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) (...Named Place of Destination): A Term of Sale where the seller has the same obligations as under the CFR but also has to procure marine insurance against the buyer's risk of loss or damage to the goods during the carriage. The seller contracts for insurance and pays the insurance premium. The CIF term requires the seller to clear the goods for export.
- CPT (Carriage Paid To) (...Named Place of Destination): A Term of Sale which means the seller pays the freight for the carriage of the goods to the named destination. The risk of loss of or damage to the goods, as well as any additional costs due to events occurring after the time the goods have been delivered to the carrier, is transferred from the seller to the buyer when the goods have been delivered into the custody of the carrier. If subsequent carriers are used for the carriage to the agreed upon destination, the risk passes when the goods have been delivered to the first carrier. The CPT term requires the seller to clear the goods for export.
- CIP (Carriage and Insurance Paid To) (...Named Place of Destination): A Term of Sale which means the seller has the same obligations as under CPT, but with the addition that the seller has to procure cargo insurance against the buyer's risk of loss of or damage to the goods during the carriage. The seller contracts for insurance and pays the insurance premium. The buyer should note that under the CIP term the seller is required to obtain insurance only on minimum coverage. The CIP term requires the seller to clear the goods for export.
- DAF (Delivered At Frontier) (...Named Place): A Term of Sale which means the sellers fulfill their obligation to deliver when the goods have been made available, cleared for export, at the named point and placed at the frontier, but before the customs Terms of Sale border of the adjoining country. (continued)
- DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid) (...Named Port of Destination): A Term of Sale where the seller fulfills his obligation to deliver when the goods have been made available at the named place in the country of importation. The seller has to bear the costs and risks involved in bringing the goods thereto (excluding duties, taxes and other official charges payable upon importation) as well as the costs and risks of carrying out customs formalities. The buyer has to pay any additional costs and to bear any risks caused by failure to clear the goods for in time.
- DDP (Delivered Duty paid) (...Named Port of Destination): "Delivered Duty Paid" means that the seller fulfills his obligation to deliver when the goods have been made available at the named place in the country of importation. The seller has to bear the risks and costs, including duties, taxes and other charges of delivering the goods thereto, clear for importation. While the EXW term represents the minimum obligation for the seller, DDP represents the maximum.
- DES (Delivered Ex Ship) (...Named Port of Destination): A Term of Sale where the seller fulfills his/her obligation to deliver when the goods have been made available to the buyer on board the ship, uncleared for import at the named port of destination. The seller has to bear all the costs and risks involved in bringing the goods to the named port destination.
- DEQ (Delivered Ex Quay, [Duty Paid]) (...Named Port of Destination): A Term of Sale which means the DDU term has been fulfilled when the goods have been available to the buyer on the quay (wharf) at the named port of destination, cleared for importation. The seller has to bear all risks and costs including duties, taxes and other charges of delivering the goods thereto.