Platinum® Freight offers some important tips to improve your importing systems over the busy holiday period. With Christmas and New year in Australia, followed by Chinese New Year throughout January, importers need to act urgently to ensure they don’t fall prey to delays and storage fee blowouts.
The New Year period is a headache to many small importers who, with the Christmas break in Australia followed by the Chinese New Year abroad, can expect often significant delays on imported goods.
Australia’s leading independent customs brokerage, Platinum® Freight Management offers advice for the small business importer to help keep stock on time and under budget this new year period.
1. Work to longer lead times
The Chinese New Year traditionally marks a peak in Chinese trade as manufacturers work to clear their orders prior to extended holidays. If you are importing Chinese manufactured goods, you can expect delays in shipping due to the high volume of containers leaving the ports. Bring forward your orders to avoid lengthy delays that will let down your customers and eat into your budget.
2. Do quality checks on manufacturing
With factories experiencing peak demand between now and February, it is more important than ever to do factory checks to ensure high quality of goods being manufactured and, that in the rush to deliver, no corners are cut in packaging for shipping or in fumigation that meets strict DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) standards.
3. Pre-clear cargo before it leaves its country of manufacture
Pre-clearing of cargo allows the importer to streamline the clearance of stock through Customs by having paperwork filed with Australian Customs prior to the shipment landing. This can be time-consuming and costly to the unprepared, but will ensure
a smooth customs process during a busy, stressful period in Australian Customs, and will avoid hefty storage fees into the thousands if there are any delays or issues with Customs when the goods arrive.
If a supplier has quoted for goods and shipping to Australia, this does not necessarily include port or terminal charges in Australia.
4. Know the costs and budget for them
- Be aware of all areas that can attract fees and charges, and reduce them where you can via careful planning and negotiation. These include:
- Overseas customs clearance
- Freight to Australia (air or sea depending on your timeline)
- Insurance
- Australian Customs clearance
- Import duty
- Import GST
- DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) requirements including fumigation
- Airline terminal fees or sea freight port fees
- Delivery to your premises.
Platinum® Freight Management handles the entire importing process, from goods leaving the international manufacturer to arriving at the Australian premises, including customs clearance, for Australian clients ranging from individuals to large importing businesses.
Using extensive experience and training in international and Australian Customs Law, as well as capitalizing on preferential rates of duty according to Free Trade Agreements and other international agreements, Platinum® Freight ensures fees and taxes are the lowest possible to Australian importers.
In addition, the company offers additional services to preferred clients including audits on backdated shipments in order to claim reimbursements on duties and taxes, and personal manufacturer visits on behalf of its clients.
For more information about what to be aware of when importing over the busy New Year period, or for a free quote, phone 1300 882 877.