; Some companies have import and export rights, but no foreign customers; The business unit has no import and export qualification or import license for a certain product; The entrusting unit does not have enough funds and bank credit lines, and wants to solve the financing problem through the agency of foreign trade companies; The entrusting unit lacks foreign trade management talents and does not understand international trade practices and rules; Because the direct business volume is small, foreign trade agency companies think that the risk of agency business is small, and they want to carry out agency business through the advantages of foreign trade talents and funds.
We can draw the conclusion that import and export agents have the following risk characteristics.
First, the agency of import and export business is different from other agency business, because the import and export agency involves foreign businessmen, and the agency company must sign import and export contracts with foreign businessmen. If there is a dispute during the performance of the contract, the import and export agent must bear all the responsibilities first.
Generally speaking, foreign trade agencies only charge 1% to 5% agency fees, but they have to bear all responsibilities and obligations to foreign businessmen, transportation companies, customs and foreign exchange administration. Whether the import agent can receive the payment from the customer or not, as long as the foreign merchant delivers the goods, the agent must pay. If domestic customers encounter financial difficulties, or even close down or go bankrupt, the agency will suffer heavy losses.
Second, the import agent is actually a kind of financing for the entrusting party. At present, most domestic import agents receive 10% to 20% deposit first, and import agents open letters of credit. This practice is actually a kind of financing for importers to customers. If the customer's credit is not good, or there are financial problems during the operation, the import agent will bear the risk of not receiving the payment.
Third, the import and export agent actually has to bear the obligations and risks with customers and foreign customers, so the risks of the import and export agent are twofold. In addition, we have to bear the supervision responsibilities of customs, banks, foreign exchange administration and tax bureau.
The fourth is about the ownership of imported goods. Generally speaking, it is difficult for import agents to exercise the ownership of goods. Case 1 fully illustrates this point.