QUESTION: My company currently creates assays for the analysis of foods, beverages and chemicals. We are expanding into analyzing the composition of drugs which are regulated by the FDA. Our customers will send us tiny (2ml) amounts of a drug sample for our R&D team to create an assay which will help the customer understand […]
QUESTION: I cannot find the “telex (Interim Update to Customs Directive 3500-07), dated February 11, 1987” Does anyone have it? Also – when it is referred to in rulings they quote… These guidelines provide as follows for marking of wearing apparel: a) The inside of the garment must be indelibly stamped with […]
QUESTION: Does anyone have a policy for exporting samples that they are willing to share? Looking for something specific to valuation. ==================== To value our samples, we use the following hierarchy: 1. The actual sales price of the material2. The actual cost of the material3. The sales price of a highly similar material4. The cost of a […]
Question: How are others in the membership handling imports of apparel samples? Is anyone using the 9811.00.60 provision? What are the advantages and disadvantages? We are trying to determine the best option between using the 9811 provision versus doing a regular entry. ========== Answers: Hi I would recommend the member look into ATA Carnet […]
Question: This question relates to employees traveling and purchasing “inspiration” samples overseas. If they are properly mutilating those samples, but hand carrying them home in luggage, do we need a broker to meet them at the airport to enter their samples? I have heard different things, and Customs officials at the airports have given employees […]
Question: My company ordered samples of fabric from a foreign supplier. The commercial invoice provided the value of the fabric and the entry was made on that value. During a routine audit my team compared the entered/commercial invoice value to what we actually paid the supplier. We paid $500 more than the amount […]
Question: I would like to know of any “horror” stories from other members involved in sending samples of products around the world? Specifically, have any members had their company send samples with random, low values and it’s been discovered by the Customs authorities and caused a lot of heart ache for the compliance team or […]
Question: Hi Membership I have two question for you regarding how best to determine the value of samples that only pass the quality attributes established by the importer and declaring the assist associated with the samples. Question 1: How should the value be determined for imported samples where the price will only be paid if […]
Question: For those in the membership, how do you dispose of your samples? We import mutilated and non-mutilated footwear samples under HTS 9811.00.60 duty free. Some rulings indicated samples imported under HTS 9811.00.60 can be destroyed, be exported, and be donated to charitable organizations. When we are finished with the samples, we hand them over […]
Question: My company makes a custom product that includes fabric. We are often required to send multiple fabric samples to customers in other countries for their approval and we struggle with importing the samples back into the US. As everyone knows, most fabric is not made in the US so we can’t use HTS 9801 […]
Question: How does the membership handle shipping samples to prospective new customers? If they are shipped DDP, there is liability in the importing country that we would not want to take on. If we ship under other terms, the prospective new customer would have to pay duties and taxes, which is also not desirable. Most […]
Question: We found that our supplier shipped on a pallet that was not heat treated and bugs were discovered caught inside the shrink wrap and in the shipping pouch. We now need to send the dead bugs back to the US for testing. Where should I begin with the regulations for importing dead bugs from […]
