Skip to main content

Returning Inventory from Bonded Warehouses

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines the required documentation and process for you and your suppliers when returning inventor...

Updated this week

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines the required documentation and process for you and your suppliers when returning inventory from bonded warehouses. Compliance with this procedure ensures timely and accurate coordination with customs and logistics providers.

Required Documents

To initiate a bonded return, you and your supplier must prepare and submit the following:

  • Return Shipment Agreement (退运协议). (Please make a copy.) A signed agreement between you and your supplier regarding the return of inventory.

  • Return Registration Form (退运申请报告). (Please make a copy.) This form must accurately reflect the quantity of inventory to be returned.

    • Tip: To ensure accuracy, we recommend setting a sales cut-off date. Inventory counted after this date should remain unchanged and be used as the official quantity for the return registration.

  • Proof of VAT Remittance (补税证明). Your supplier is required to confirm that the VAT has been paid.

  • [If Applicable] Proof of VAT Rebate Non-Acceptance (未退税证明). If the VAT rebate has not been claimed, your supplier must provide proof of this instead of the VAT remittance document.

  • Product Quality Issues Report. This could either be from the supplier (in Chinese) or from you (in English). Please see the image below for reference/example:

    Quality issues report sample.jpg

Submission and processing

Once all necessary documents have been collected:

  • Submit the documents to Portless.

  • We will forward them to Globex for customs processing.

  • Estimated processing time: 3–5 business days

After processing

Once Globex completes the paperwork:

  • They will notify us that the inventory is cleared and ready for extraction.

  • At that point, provide a shipping address outside the bonded zone for delivery.

  • Note: Trucking services for this step will be charged separately.

Costs (in USD)

  • Return registration fee: $70 flat.

  • Un-shelving fee: 3/carton or 0.2/item

    • Charge by carton if the cartons are unopened

    • Charge by unit if the cartons are opened

  • Truck loading fee: $2/CBM

  • Pallet loading fee: $2/pallet

  • Pallet costs: $8.50/pallet

Did this answer your question?