Do cross-border e-commerce know that returns are the biggest ”invisible killer”. Sold goods, profits have been in the pocket. As a result, the customer a ”don't want it”, the goods returned - you think it's just a matter of refund? Not so simple. Return logistics costs may be two or even three times the cost of the original shipment, and very often returned goods can not be sold twice, can only be thrown away. A SKU with a high return rate can eat up the entire store's profit.

Especially do 9610 mode (B2C direct mail parcel) sellers, return is a nightmare: goods from which port out of the port, must be returned to which port. You ship in Shenzhen, customers in the U.S. returns, the goods have to fly back to Shenzhen Customs, and then customs clearance, and then pick up the goods. When this batch of goods back to your hands, the yellow flowers are cold.

But now, this ”dead rules” finally changed - April 1, 2026 onwards, 9610 mode officially realize the national cross-customs return. Simply put: the return must no longer return to the original export port, you can choose the nearest port to return. This seems to be a ”small adjustment”, but the cost structure of cross-border e-commerce sellers have a huge impact.

Today an article to give you a thorough: 9610 cross-border return in the end how to operate? How much money can be saved? How to turn the return from a ”loss” into a ”re-circulating asset”?

01 9610 Intercustoms returns: what's really changed?

Let's figure out what 9610 is.

9610 full name ”cross-border trade e-commerce retail export”, is the Customs and Excise Department specifically for the B2C cross-border direct mail regulatory code. Simple to understand: you sell goods on Amazon, Sizzle, TikTok Shop, a parcel from China directly to the hands of overseas consumers, go is 9610 mode. The benefits of this model are: simple declaration, flexible operation, suitable for small and medium-sized sellers.

Problems with the old rules: returns must go back to the original port of entry

The previous rule was that goods exported under the 9610 mode must be re-entered through the original port of export when they are returned. Example: You declare your exports at Shenzhen Qianhai Customs and the goods are sent to the United States. U.S. consumers return the goods, which must be:

• Sent from the United States back to Shenzhen Qianhai Customs
• Re-import customs clearance at Shenzhen Customs
• You can't pick it up until it's cleared.

Here comes the problem: sent from the United States to Shenzhen, the high cost of freight; must return to the original port, can not be close to the back, poor flexibility; back to the goods will have to pay import duties and VAT again; the whole process may take 1-2 months, and so the product back, the season is over. Many sellers do the math and find that the cost of returning goods is more expensive than the goods themselves, simply choose ”do not want. Directly let the goods destroyed overseas or discounted. This is not in business, is burning money.

New rule: inter-customs returns

Starting from April 1, 2026, the General Administration of Customs officially implemented the 9610 model for inter-customs returns:

• Returns no longer have to go back to the original port of export
• You can choose your nearest port of entry to return the shipment.
• Commodities returned within 6 months of entry are exempt from import duties and VAT, and can be refunded the export duties levied.

What is this concept? Suppose you register your company in Shenzhen, but you also have a business team in Beijing. Goods sent to the United States after the customer returns, now you can choose to return the goods from the Beijing port of entry, near the goods, without having to toss back to Shenzhen. Stacked with the tax-free policy - returned goods do not have to pay import duties and VAT, equivalent to the cost of returning goods directFractures.The

02 Doing the math: how much can you really save?

Let's compare the cost of returns under the old rules and the new rules. Hypothetical scenario: a piece of clothing priced at $200 is shipped from Shenzhen to the U.S. and the consumer returns it.

Old rules (must go back to Shenzhen port)

The cost of returning the item is more expensive than the item itself! It's no wonder many sellers choose to just give up on returns.

New rules (inter-zone returns + duty-free)

Contrast:

Cost of ReturnsDown 40%-60%, coupled with the duty and VAT exemption, the return loss is reduced by more than 50%. For large and high-value goods, the savings are even more substantial.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask customer service (WeChat: qcygscszk, Mobile: 18676749275).

03 It's not just about saving money, it's about changing the ”economics” of returns.”

Previous Returns = Loss

Under the old rules, returns were a pure loss-making item: they cost a lot to return, sometimes more than the value of the goods; it was difficult to re-sell the returned goods (seasonality, damaged packaging, etc.); and many sellers simply chose to forgo returns.

Returns now = renegotiable assets

Under the new rules, the economic model of returns has completely changed: the cost of returns has dropped dramatically, and it is ”cost-effective” to return them; the returned goods can be resold on the shelves and shipped out for a second time; and returns have changed from a ”sunk cost” to a ”recoverable asset”. recoverable assets".

What this means. You can be more comfortable doing the following:

• Extended return commitment period:Previously, we did not dare to commit to 30 days of no reason to return, now the cost is manageable, you can give consumers a longer return window, to enhance the purchase conversion rate
• Expanding the range of categories:Clothing, shoes and hats and other high-return rate categories that you didn't dare to touch before, but now that the cost of returns has come down, you can try to
• Reduce losses on overseas warehouse returns:If the goods are still in transit and are returned, they can be returned directly to China without having to accumulate in overseas warehouses.

04 A practical guide to returns: how does it work?

Step 1: Confirm that your item is eligible for return shipment

Three prerequisites for duty-free refunds:

• Must be commodities exported through the 9610 model
• Returns within 6 months from date of export
• Merchandise must be identical to the original exported merchandise (no swapping)

Step 2: Select a port of return

You have a choice under the new rules:

• Original port of export (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, etc.)
• Any port with cross-border e-commerce retail export return function

It is recommended to choose the nearest port to your warehouse or office to reduce domestic logistics costs.

Step 3: Prepare materials for return shipment

Materials to be prepared include:

• Original export declaration or export manifest
• List of returned goods (name, quantity, value)
• Description of the reason for the return
• Cross-border e-commerce retail export return declaration form
• Original export sales order information

Step 4: Submission of return declaration

Through the international trade ”single window” platform to submit the return declaration, the customs examination and approval can be arranged for the return of entry.

Step 5: Pickup and storage

Upon entry of the returned merchandise, customs release procedures are completed, the goods are picked up and put into storage, and quality control is conducted to decide whether to re-sell them on the shelves.

caveat

• Returned merchandise must be in good condition and may not be eligible for the tax exemption if it is severely damaged.
• Keep records of each return for subsequent tax verification
• When returning merchandise for secondary sale, just follow the normal export process.

05 Scope of application: not just 9610

The General Administration of Customs' new return policy covers four cross-border e-commerce export modes:

Regardless of the model you use, returns are exempt from the ”three taxes” (customs duty, VAT, and consumption tax).

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask customer service (WeChat: qcygscszk, Mobile: 18676749275).

06 What can Enterprise Finance do for you?

Returning goods may seem simple, but the actual operation involves a number of links such as customs declaration, tax processing and logistics coordination. If something goes wrong in one link, the return will be delayed, or the customs duty will be levied and the duty-free status will be lost.

Enterprise Finance's Returns Compliance Service:

• Return process design:According to your business model, design the optimal return route, choose the nearest port, and maximize the savings of logistics costs.
• Preparation of materials for return shipment:Help you to prepare complete return declaration materials to ensure one-time through the Customs audit
• Tax treatment:Ensure that returned merchandise correctly enjoys the duty-free policy and avoids being wrongly charged import duty
• Bookkeeping:Accounting adjustments (revenue elimination, cost reversal, etc.) involved in returned goods to help you comply with the accounts
• Secondary Sales Program:Evaluate the quality of returned merchandise and develop a plan for restocking shelves or selling at a discounted price

07 What should you do now?

The 9610 inter-customs return policy has been in effect since April 1 and is available now.

Step 1: Inventory your returns data

Tally the return rate, return cost, and distribution of returned merchandise categories over the past 6 months. See how much returns are really costing you.

Step 2: Optimize the return process

Redesign your return path in conjunction with the new regulations. Choose the port closest to you and establish a standardized process for reporting returns.

Step 3: Update the return policy

Consider extending the return window or optimizing the return commitment at the front end of the store to turn policy dividends into consumer experience enhancements.

Step 4: Establish a return quality control system

Returned goods are not 100% able to be re-sold. Establish a quick quality control process to distinguish between ”re-saleable” and ”non-re-saleable” items.

Step 5: Working with specialized agencies

Returning goods involves many aspects of customs, tax, and logistics, so it is recommended to work with a professional organization to ensure that there are no mistakes at every step of the process.

Returns are never a ”failure”, they are part of e-commerce operations.

Returns used to be a ”burn”, now they are a ”controlled cost”.
Returns used to be a ”nightmare”, but now they can be turned into a ”re-circulating asset”.

The key is: do you know how to use this new policy.

If you still have questions about the operation of 9610 inter-customs return, or need to design the optimal return program, prepare the return declaration materials, you can drop me!

(WeChat: qcygscszk, Mobile: 18676749275)

Enterprise Finance helps you minimize the cost of returns ▼▼▼