Starting from April 1st, cross-border e-commerce returns will no longer take a detour, and products can be returned nationwide across customs zones

Beijing, March 14 (Xinhua) -- In order to further promote cross-border e-commerce exports, the General Administration of Customs recently issued a notice announcing that from April 1, 2026, the cross-border e-commerce retail export commodity return mode will be promoted in customs across the country.

Cross border e-commerce retail export goods (customs supervision code: 9610) cross customs return refers to the supervision mode in which cross-border e-commerce enterprises can flexibly choose any customs port nationwide to handle the return and import procedures for goods exported overseas, without requiring them to be returned to the original export customs.

It is reported that the General Administration of Customs issued a notice in November 2024, clarifying that starting from December 15th of that year, a pilot program for cross-border e-commerce retail export cross customs return supervision mode will be carried out in 20 directly affiliated customs in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Harbin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Urumqi, etc. After a year of pilot testing, we now have the conditions for nationwide promotion.

According to the announcement released this time, cross customs returns are only applicable to cross-border e-commerce retail export goods, namely the "9610 model". At the same time, cross-border e-commerce retail export return goods can be returned across customs zones, but returned goods are only allowed to be returned to customs supervision workplaces or venues where cross-border e-commerce retail export business is conducted.

In addition, the announcement also clarifies that enterprises engaged in cross-border e-commerce retail export cross customs return business should operate in a standardized manner and have independent operational functional areas. Relevant production operation system data should be open to customs or integrated with customs information systems.

Cross border e-commerce, as a new form of international trade, has developed rapidly in recent years and has become an important engine driving the growth of China's foreign trade. However, while cross-border e-commerce is rapidly developing, the issue of cross-border returns has always been a pain point and difficulty that troubles the industry's development.

The relevant person in charge of the General Administration of Customs stated that the introduction of the cross customs return policy aims to solve the industry pain points of "difficult return, high cost, and long cycle" in the traditional mode, provide more efficient and economical reverse logistics channels for enterprises, enhance consumer shopping experience, and strengthen international competitiveness of enterprises. In addition, combined with the tax preferential policies for cross-border e-commerce export return goods jointly released by the Ministry of Finance and three other departments in February this year, a policy synergy effect can be formed to jointly reduce costs and increase efficiency for cross-border e-commerce enterprises.