General

With the continuous development of the foreign trade industry, foreign trade practitioners are increasingly paying attention to the use of customs data, as these data can help enterprises understand the international market, optimize transportation logistics, reduce risks, optimize procurement plans, and other aspects, thereby gaining market trends and development opportunities. Below is a detailed introduction to customs data.

1、 What is customs data? What information does it contain?

What is customs data? Customs data refers to the data information collected, organized, counted, and released by national customs authorities regarding import and export goods and their transportation, price, quality, origin, and other aspects. These data usually reflect information on a country or region's import and export trade situation, trade structure, trade partners, and other aspects.

Customs data typically includes the following content:

Customs data can help enterprises and research institutions analyze market conditions, grasp market trends, formulate import and export trade strategies, and has important commercial and research value.

Import and export trade volume and value of goods: Reflects the total import and export trade volume and total value of goods of a country or region.

Trading partners: reflect the main trading partners and trade transactions of a country or region.

Commodity classification: According to internationally recognized commodity codes and tariff rules, import and export goods are classified, reflecting the import and export situation of different commodities.

Transportation mode: reflects the transportation mode of import and export goods, including various transportation modes such as sea, air, road, railway, etc.

Price and Tariff: Reflects the price and tariff level of imported and exported goods.

Quality and origin: Reflects information such as the quality and origin of imported and exported goods.

Regulatory measures: reflect the regulatory measures and policies of customs on import and export trade, such as control over specific commodities and tariff preferences.

2、 Source and characteristics of customs data

Data source: The main source of Chinese customs data is the General Administration of Customs of China, which is the main agency responsible for managing and supervising import and export trade by the Chinese government. The General Administration of Customs collects and collates import and export trade data through the Electronic data interchange system, and conducts classification, statistics and analysis.

The characteristics of Chinese customs data include: Chinese customs data is an important source of data for understanding China's import and export trade situation, with comprehensive, timely, detailed, trustworthy, and customizable characteristics. It has important value for enterprises and research institutions to formulate import and export trade strategies, market analysis, and other aspects.

Comprehensiveness: Customs data covers China's import and export trade activities, including the types of goods, trading partners, transportation methods, prices, and other aspects.

Timeliness: The release of customs data is usually more timely than other relevant data, which can help enterprises and research institutions understand market dynamics faster.

Details: Customs data provides very detailed import and export trade information, which can help enterprises and research institutions better understand market details.

High credibility: As customs data is directly collected and organized by the General Administration of Customs, it has high credibility and authority.

Customizability: Enterprises and research institutions can customize specific customs data reports according to their own needs to meet their specific research and business needs.

3、 Application scenarios of customs data

Although less than 40 countries have opened customs data, the application scenarios of customs data are very broad, including but not limited to the following aspects:

Trade analysis and prediction: Customs data can be used to analyze and predict international trade trends, including information on the import and export quantity, value, source, and destination of goods. This is very useful for both businesses and governments, as it can be used to formulate strategies, optimize trade processes, and make decisions.

Trade regulation and security: Customs data can be used to regulate international trade, including monitoring and cracking down on illegal trade, tariff evasion, smuggling, and other activities. It can also be used to ensure trade security, such as detecting and preventing the import and export of dangerous goods.

Economic research and policy formulation: Customs data can be used to study and formulate trade policies, including the impact of international trade, market access, trade relations, and other aspects. At the same time, it can also be used for research and formulation of macroeconomic policies, such as tariff policies, trade balance, and other aspects.

Supply chain management and logistics optimization: Customs data can be used to analyze and optimize supply chain and logistics management, including information such as the import and export situation of goods, transportation methods, and transportation time. This is very useful for enterprises, as it can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and optimize processes.

Industrial research and investment decision-making: Customs data can be used for research and investment decision-making, including understanding the industrial structure, market size, trade advantages, and other information of various countries and regions. This is very useful for businesses and investors, as it can be used to formulate investment strategies and decisions.

4、 Which companies need to use customs data

Many companies need to use customs data to conduct business and develop strategies, especially those related to cross-border trade. Here are some companies that need to use customs data:

Import and Export Trading Companies: Import and export trading companies mainly engage in cross-border trade business and need to use customs data to understand trade policies, tariff rates, restrictions on imported goods, and other information between countries, in order to better conduct trade and develop procurement plans.

Logistics companies: Logistics companies need to use customs data to understand the quantity, variety, transportation method, transportation route, and other information of imported and exported goods, in order to develop the optimal logistics plan and ensure that the goods pass through the customs clearance process smoothly.

Cross border e-commerce companies: Cross border e-commerce companies mainly engage in cross-border e-commerce business and need to use customs data to understand the variety, quantity, tariff rate, customs clearance time and other information of imported and exported goods, in order to better carry out commodity procurement and logistics distribution.

Customs agency company: Customs agency companies mainly provide services such as customs declaration, clearance, and tax refund agency. They need to use customs data to understand relevant information about import and export goods, and provide professional customs agency services.

5、 The Importance of Customs Data for Foreign Trade Enterprises

Customs data is very important for foreign trade enterprises and cross-border e-commerce, for the following reasons:

Understanding the import and export market: Customs data can help enterprises understand the dynamics and trends of the import and export market, including information on the import and export volume, value, tariff rates, customs supervision, and so on. This information is very important for market research and business expansion of enterprises

Help enterprises understand market demand and supply, and develop more effective sales and procurement strategies.

Improving logistics efficiency: Customs data can enable enterprises to understand the quantity, variety, transportation method, transportation route, and other information of import and export goods, in order to develop the optimal logistics plan. By understanding customs data, enterprises can avoid logistics congestion and risks, improve logistics efficiency and accuracy.

Managing customs risks: Customs data can enable enterprises to understand trade policies, tariff rates, restrictions on imported goods, and other information between countries, in order to better conduct trade and develop procurement plans. Enterprises can understand customs regulatory risks and regulatory restrictions based on customs data, reducing risks and losses.

Optimizing procurement decisions: Customs data can enable enterprises to understand the tariff rates and quantities of imported raw materials, in order to formulate production and procurement plans, and ensure the smooth import of raw materials. Enterprises can use customs data to understand the import environment and trade policies of raw materials, and make more effective procurement decisions.

Strengthening trade consulting services: Customs data can enable the trade consulting industry to better provide trade policy consultation and market analysis services to customers, helping them understand the supply and demand situation and trade environment of the international market. By understanding customs data, enterprises can better understand the demand and supply of the international market, and provide customers with more accurate and effective consulting services.

In summary, customs data is very important for foreign trade and cross-border e-commerce enterprises, as it can help them understand the market, optimize logistics, manage risks, optimize procurement decisions, and strengthen trade consulting services.