To ship successfully, it is essential to provide accurate and clear information on all of your shipping documents, especially when describing the goods being shipped. A clear and accurate description gives customs authorities the information required for smooth clearance and helps avoid any unnecessary delays.
What is the item description?
It’s a detailed description of the goods you’re shipping - and it’s mandatory to be stated in the commercial invoice. You should also include it in other additional documents required by the authorities if any.
A clear description gives customs authorities the information they need to access taxes and duties. It’s also necessary to check if your goods are allowed to enter the country.
What details do I need to provide?
Ask yourself these questions when describing the item you're shipping:
What is the item?
What is it made of?
What is it used for?
The description should be specific, not vague. If the package contains branded items, include the brand and model number along with the description, e.g.: "UrShipper Men's Shirt of 65% Cotton and 35% Polyester", and don’t just rely on your company product name/code for your item description.
Include the item classification, type, materials, specifications, and/or its intended use.
Avoid one-word description, jargon, or abbreviations that could lead to misunderstandings.
What is a good and bad example?
Vague/Bad Description: Nut
Clear/Good Description: Hexagonal Bicycle Nut of Aluminium
Other examples of unacceptable and acceptable item descriptions:
Unacceptable | Acceptable |
|---|---|
Clothes | - Women's Knitted Summer Dress of Cotton |
Shoes | - Pair of Men's Handmade Leather Shoes |
Jewelry | - Fashion Ring of Brass |
Artwork | - Oil Painting on Canvas with Wooden Frame - Decoration Ornament of Concrete Sculpture |
Why is it important?
Be noted that the customs at the destination country want to know what exactly every item in your shipment is, along with the quantity and the declared value of each item - to decide whether the item is allowed to be imported into the country or not, or to assess import duty/tax if applicable.
Providing proper item descriptions, especially back with proper HS Codes will help to avoid your shipment getting stuck at customs.
What happens if I write a vague item description?
Shipments with vague item descriptions of their contents can be held, delayed, or rejected by customs authorities. That’s because they want detailed information on each goods entering their country. An accurate, complete, and clear item description is the best way to ensure your package doesn’t get stuck in customs.
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