Chinese Binoculars
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1. Inquiry and quotation
1.1 Initial contact*
1.2   Inquiry*
1.3 Customized branding
 
2. Freight/quantity optimization*
 
3. Homework at your end
3.1 Set up an import business
3.2 Conduct market research
 
4. How to make payments*
4.1 T/T payment in advance
4.2 Letter of credit
4.3 D/P (document against payment)
 
5. Turn-around time
5.1 Production time
5.2 Shipping time
 
6. Freight forwarder and customs broker
6.1 What does a freight forwarder do?
6.2 What does a customs broker do?
 
7. Samples ordering policy
 
8. Import documentation and general customs clearance procedure tips
8.1 Documentation*
8.2 General customs clearance tips*
 
10.Launch your business online
 

9. How to deal with defective binoculars

Nobody says you'll never receive such a shipment: binoculars or telescopes you order are damaged externally, out of collimation, or some packs even get lost.

9.1 Factory Warranty
9.2 If it's not our fault, who is "guilty"?
9.3 Plan A
9.4 Plan B

9.1 Factory Warranty

If it's our fault - the sub-standard binoculars with internal quality problem due to the negligence of our quality assurance people, or to the defective design, we will compensate you in two ways:

1) for small inexpensive shipment, just count how many pieces are defective ones, and send a sample to us. Then, we will air-freight the new replacements to you based on your report of number of defective ones;

2) for the binoculars and telescopes that have higher value, please send the faulty ones back to us, we'll either fix it here in the factory or send you the new replacements.

In each case, we'll pay all the freight cost

9.2 If it's not our fault, who is "guilty"?

But, in most cases, no matter the protection measures we take, the binoculars and telescopes are still be damaged due to the careless handling during the transportation: ramming, striking, banging, prodding, jabbing, poking, thrusting, etc., or even stealing - several packs just get lost.

More often than not, your first reaction is to send an email to us to report all the damages and say how "ouch" you are. We perfectly understand how you feel for we "Ooouch" even more.

Firstly, our customers will ask us what we should do with them. Well, if it's not our fault, then you are supposed to file a damage claim for any loss, damage and delay. But, the question is: who, the carrier, the freight forwarder, or the insurance company, is responsible for what?

Most likely, the carrier will usually refuse to take the damage claim and tell you it's a "China affair", and you should contact with our freight forwarder. Our freight forwarder will firstly hesitate, then tell you that you should settle the claim with insurance company. Here comes the most frustrating part. The insurance company will instruct you to have an authorized agency, at your own cost, to inspect the damages, take the photos and write a report. Then, they tell you that you should file a damage claim against the carrier immediately.

And the gratuitously long, ridiculous run-around on damage claim just begins. Despite being repeatedly told by the carrier, or the freight forwarder, or the insurance company that the matter would soon be settled, you will repeatedly be asked to comply with ever new and silly requests for superfluous information, which, you find, for a while, you have done, only to receive still more egregious excuses for why the claim has not yet been paid, and ever more delaying requests for this or that additional documentation.

Then, you may ask yourself or us, is it worthy of it? What are we going to DO? Though we do "ouch" too, we have plan A and plan B.

9.3. Plan A

If the value of the binoculars or telescopes loss or damages is less than USD 2,000$, we will have an authorized agent to inspect the damages, the cost will be 50/50 split between you and us. Based on the damage inspection report, as stated in our factory warranty, we will either send you the new replacements or repaired ones, and pay all the freight cost.

Then, with the damage inspection report, we have our own ways to settle the damage claim. We may get compensated, we may not get compensated.

Our mentality is: to make money in a long term, we must have long-term business relationship with you, our customers. You make money, we make money. You lose money and get out of business, we lose money that we should make in the long-term future.

9.4. Plan B

We have to, however, "fight a battle" against whoever is responsible if the value of the binoculars or telescopes loss or damages is more than USD 2,000$, especially for the sea bulk cargo, we usually insure the binoculars and telescopes against all the risks of physical damages and loss. Following the steps below, we will work together to file a damage claim:

1) You, or we, or both notify the insurance company immediately.
2) Have the damage inspection report made by the inspector sent for by the carrier, or by the agent sent for by the insurance company.
3) File a damage claim against the insurance company and the carrier.
4) We will need to prepare together the supporting documentation as follows:

a) The original bill of lading
b) The paid freight bill
c) Proof of the value of the commodities lost or damaged
d) Inspection reports, if made
e) Copies of request for inspection
f) Notification of loss
g) Waiver of inspection by carrier
h) Special documents when appropriate, such as

Photographs
Temperature reports
Impact records
Condemnation certificates
Dumping certificates
Laboratory analysis
Quality control reports
Package certifications
Loading diagrams
Weight certificates
Affidavits
Carrier's passing reports
Loading and unloading tallies

5) While the damage claim runs around, we will have special offer for you to have the binoculars and telescopes to keep the business going. Be aware of that it could take three months to several years.
6) At last, the damage claim could be settled or we just lose patience, are left no further recourse but to take legal action - which we have never experienced in our 6-year exporting.

And in our 6-year exporting experience, we come across only one case that should proceed to plan B, and it took 10 months to finally settle the damage claim. 

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Kunming Optical Instruments Co., Ltd.
Add:Rm. 603, Bldg. No.2, Bai Ma Gao Ceng,
No. 285, Dan Xia Rd.,
Kunming, Yunnan, China. Zip Code: 650118
Tel: +86-871-5411184 Fax: +86-871-5411040 Email: sales@binocularschina.com
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