Goods stuck at US customs – what you should do?

As an importer in the US have you ever faced a situation when your goods were stuck at the US customs? I am sure many of you had faced such a situation and then started looking for options to avoid delays and penalties.

If your shipment gets stuck at the US customs it can destroy your reputation among your customers and incur cost in terms of lost revenue. So, what is the best thing to do when your shipment is held at the US customs?

There are various reasons for goods getting stuck at the US customs. Primary reason can be of incorrect paperwork while other major reasons include importing prohibited goods.

For whatever reason your goods are held, these simple tips will help you get your goods cleared by the US customs without any hassles or issues.

Often importers do not know who to contact when their goods are stuck at the US customs or what to do in order to get their goods out as quickly as possible.

There are many options that you can try when goods are stuck at US customs

Below are some tips when your goods get stuck at the US customs that will help you find out what is going on with your shipment and help you get your goods on time:

• The first and the foremost thing you should do as a US importer is to contact the 3PL (Third Party Logistics) provider.

Contact the seller from whom you purchased the goods to find out what is happening with the shipment of the              goods and if they missed out any of the important documentation or paper work required to smoothly getting              the goods cleared by the US customs.

It’s easy for your seller to contact the shipper and get more information concerning your shipment of goods                  and  the problems you had faced. Always, remember to ask for the tracking code from your seller. A tracking                code is a unique code provided by the logistics/shipping companies that helps the importer track the moving of            goods from time-to-time while the goods are in transit.

• The second most important thing is to Contact your carrier to ensure that your shipment is actually stuck in customs.Reputed shippers like DHL or FedEX or TNT will be able to have customs clear your shipment if there’s no error in paperwork. Generally, the best way to contact a carrier is by phone.

Contacting the shipper on time will help you to identify if there is anything that you can do to speed up your                  clearance time in customs and make the process smoother. Always have your tracking number ready, as it will              help you shipper locate your package.

As a US importer you must always keep in mind that many times unscrupulous sellers from the drastically                    under declare the value of packages of DDP shipments, in order to lower their tax expenses (this can also occur            with DDU shipments). Under declaring the value of packages can sometimes lead to packages being                                confiscated  by the US customs and border protection and pose a significant inconvenience. Under declaration            of the value of goods is same as tax evasion so you must avoid it at all times.

• The third most important thing is to check if there are any unpaid taxes. Certain countries impose taxes on shipments based on their value, if these taxes are outstanding on your shipment it will be held until you pay the balance.

If you are using a standard express shipper or the postal service then they will pay the taxes for you, getting                   your goods cleared through the US customs and border protection. They charge you an administration fee for               all this.

If the value of your goods is over $2500 in the USA then you will require a customs clearance agent who will                 take care of all the necessary paperwork, communicate with the CBP, arrange for the taxes to be paid and for                 the shipment to be released from the US customs.

Sometimes, importers try to handle the customs clearance part themselves in order to avoid professional fee charged by the customs clearance agent in USA but customs clearance requires both knowledge about the customs procedures & regulations and experience to get the goods moving smoothly across borders and lack of knowledge may lead to incorrect paperwork ultimately leading to severe penalties and delays in shipment.

I always recommend the first time importers to consult with a licensed customs clearance agent in USA to avoid unnecessary delays and penalties.

Mr. Glenn L. Lobas is a Licensed Customs Broker in Maryland, US with over 30 years of experience and helps over 200 customers regularly to import from China to USA.

Call Now to get solve your customs clearance challenges quickly.

+1(443-912-3111) | globas@customsandtradelogistics.biz

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