When it comes to international trade, navigating customs procedures is essential. One crucial aspect of this process is accurately describing the goods being shipped. The description of goods plays a vital role in ensuring proper commodity classification, determining applicable duties and taxes, and identifying potential import restrictions. However, improper or inadequate product descriptions can lead to customs holds and delays.
Here’s what you need to know about product descriptions and how you can describe your product without raising customs and security flags.
The Role of Product Descriptions in Customs Clearance
Customs brokers and agencies rely on the description of goods to ensure accurate Harmonized System (HS) classification and collection of duties and taxes. Moreover, these descriptions assist in screening shipments for security risks and flagging packages for closer inspection. A well-crafted product description eliminates subjectivity and enables customs agencies to understand three key things: the nature of the product, its composition, and its intended use.
Common Product Description Issues and Examples
When the carrier, customs broker, or government agency holds a shipment because of a product description, it is often because of one of the following reasons:
- Vague or Generic Descriptions: Descriptions like “parts,” “goods,” “clothes,” or “articles” provide insufficient information about the specific contents of a package. Customs authorities require more clarity to identify the type of goods being imported – “parts” could mean car parts, computer parts, toy parts, or dozens of other parts. For example, “parts” could refer to car parts, toy parts, machine parts, computer parts, or many other product types. Customs needs enough detail to understand what kind of part is being shipped. Instead of: “Parts” Use something more specific, such as: “Plastic replacement parts for children’s toy car.”
- Unacceptable Characters: Some descriptions may include numbers, random symbols, or SKU codes that do not convey any meaningful information. These characters can confuse customs authorities and lead to unnecessary holds or inspections. Instead of: “SKU 4829-BLK” Use: “Black leather women’s wallet.” Internal product codes can still be used elsewhere in your systems, but they should not replace the customs-facing product description.
- Insufficient Details: Inadequate product descriptions lack the necessary level of detail for accurate classification. For instance, describing a product as a “men’s t-shirt” without specifying the fabric composition (cotton or manmade fibers) or additional features like whether it is knitted, hemmed, or embroidered can hinder proper classification. Instead of: “Men’s t-shirt” Use: “Men’s knitted cotton t-shirt” For many products, useful details may include material, function, gender or age group, whether the item is knitted or woven, and whether it has special features such as embroidery, batteries, liquids, or electronic components.
- Marketing Descriptions: Many merchants use marketing names as product descriptions. These names may contain terms that customs officials mistake for health or security risks. For example, a lipstick called Plum Red Wine may be seen as fresh produce or an alcoholic beverage, both of which are highly restricted and regulated. Instead of using only the marketing name: “Plum Red Wine,” Use a clear customs description: “Red cosmetic lipstick.” You can still use marketing names on your storefront, but your customs description should focus on what the product actually is.
- Extraneous Descriptions: Adding unnecessary information like product numbers, size details, discount information, or irrelevant text can increase the likelihood of customs scrutiny. Such extraneous details divert attention from the essential information required for clearance. Instead of: “Holiday sale item, size M, style 44829, best-selling soft tee.” Use: “Women’s knitted polyester t-shirt.” The goal is not to make the description longer. The goal is to make it clearer.
To better understand how classification works and why it matters, read our HS Code Classification Guide.
How Passport Can Help
Passport’s team of licensed customs brokers and international trade experts can help ensure that your products are classified correctly. By reviewing your product’s details, we can recommend an appropriate description that gives customs brokers and government agencies enough detail to clear the shipment without raising any flags. To see how Passport is making this process faster and more scalable, read more about how Passport is using AI to transform global compliance and HS code classification.
Feel free to contact our team to set up an exploratory call, ask any questions you may have, and learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a customs product description?
A customs product description is the description used on shipping and customs documents to explain what is inside a package. It should clearly identify the product, what it is made of, and what it is used for. For example, instead of writing “clothes,” a stronger description would be “women’s woven cotton dress.”
Why do product descriptions matter for international shipping?
Customs brokers and government agencies use product descriptions to help classify goods, determine duties and taxes, and identify whether any import restrictions apply. If the description is vague or incomplete, the shipment may be delayed while customs asks for more information.
What makes a product description customs-friendly?
A customs-friendly product description is specific, clear, and factual. It usually includes the product type, material or composition, and intended use.
A good formula is: Product + material + use or key detail
For example:“Plastic phone case for iPhone” “Men’s knitted cotton t-shirt” “Moisturizing face cream for cosmetic use”
What product descriptions should I avoid?
Avoid vague terms like “goods,” “parts,” “items,” “accessories,” “clothes,” or “merchandise.” These descriptions do not give customs enough information to understand what is being imported.
You should also avoid using only SKU numbers, product codes, discount language, or marketing names.
Can I use my product’s marketing name?
Marketing names are best kept on your website, not on customs documents. A name like “Plum Red Wine” may make sense as a lipstick shade, but customs may misread words like “plum” or “wine” as regulated goods. Instead, use a clear product description such as: “Red cosmetic lipstick.”
How much detail should I include?
Include enough detail for customs to understand the product, but avoid adding unnecessary information. The goal is clarity, not length.
For apparel, include details like gender or age group, fabric composition, and whether the item is knitted or woven. For electronics, include the product type and function. For cosmetics, clarify that the product is for cosmetic use.
Can a bad product description cause a customs hold?
Yes. A vague, incomplete, or misleading product description can cause a shipment to be held for review. Customs may need additional information before the goods can be classified, assessed for duties and taxes, or cleared for delivery.
Are SKUs or product codes enough for customs?
No. SKUs, item numbers, and internal product codes are useful for your business, but they do not explain what the product is. Customs needs a plain-language description of the goods.
Instead of: “SKU 4829-BLK” Use: “Black leather women’s wallet.”
Do I need a different description for each product?
Yes, each product should have its own accurate description. Similar products may need different descriptions if they have different materials, uses, or features.
For example, a cotton t-shirt and a polyester t-shirt may require different descriptions because the material can affect classification and duties.
How can Passport help with product descriptions?
Passport’s licensed customs brokers and international trade experts can review your product details and recommend customs-friendly descriptions. These descriptions can help support accurate classification and smoother customs clearance.
To get started, reach out to global.trade@passportglobal.com.
