International Shipping Facilities

[Sunspot144]

Maybe one of you have worked there / know someone who has. I'm looking for any info into what sort of testing equipment international customs facilities might have for determining authenticity of products. Cheers.

[phaz0rz]

In my experience, none whatsoever.

Hope this helps!

[yankee]

Zero...... I doubt they even have a policy for this.
I can ask one of my partners over seas that used them before they switched to my fulfillment center.

It can get VERY expensive.

[Sunspot144]

So hypothetical example say you're importing granite from China. Customs wants to know about granite. But they have no way to know if the granite is granite? (Say granite is rare / hard to source / not commonly recognized)

[yankee]

That is correct.

[Sunspot144]

Okay just to clarify fulfillment centers ship overseas (there to US) and operate privately/separately from customs? I guess hypothetical item would require import docs but there aren't parts of the building dedicated to determining authenticity?

[yankee]

Originally Posted by Sunspot144

Fulfillment centers ship overseas (there to US) and operate privately from customs?

Not accurate.

ALL Items coming in and our have to go through customs.

You are talking about a Forwarder, that is a totally different thing altogether.

So, My items sometimes come this way. My FORWARDER fills a container with a variety of peoples goods. Lets say I have 21 cartons, someone else has 53 cartons, someone else has 10, 3 etc... Until the container is full. They it gets sent to California and goes to Port. At Port it gets duty fees, customs, etc... Then goes Freight to a warehouse. That warehouse then divides up all the cartons and ships UPS ground to your door.

[yankee]

Shippers are never required to determine authentic. That is not their area of expertise.

[agent006140]

Even US customs do not always know,but I know they do call on experts like ivory,precious metal,esoteric items.
But how you declare on your customs form matter,if you can also look up the code for that category,one good example is jade ,jadeite used in jewelry or nephrite jade as carvings like incense burner,urns,animals .
if you just say jade,customs could tax you as jewelry,but if you say stone carvings,then it is less $$.
antiques and handmade artwork has no customs duty,handpainted porcelain work which I have imported will be duty free.

[agent006140]

once there is this jewelry retailer who goes to Thailand every year to buy sterling silver jewelry and come back with a suitcase loaded with such.
He under declared his merchandise,US customs called jewelry expert and tested they are not sterling silver 925,some not even silver at all,but silver tone with no silver content.

[agent006140]

Originally Posted by Sunspot144

Okay just to clarify fulfillment centers ship overseas (there to US) and operate privately/separately from customs? I guess hypothetical item would require import docs but there aren't parts of the building dedicated to determining authenticity?

no,there is no special partition or building to examine the content of the shipments,firs they go by your declaration on your customs form,then they could open and examine it,they also have dogs sniffing around,I see plenty in San Fran airport ,they are constantly petted and praised by the customs officer who take them around and given treats!
but if they find somthing worth pursuing,they could take the person and his belongings to a room so not to hold up the line .
Unless they have been tipped off !!!!!!!!

[Arde]

quality control agent

[agent006140]

if you bought say jadeite jade jewelry and you are not sure if your vendor shipped you polymer jade or Indian jade or Malaysian jade,you can use a banker to hold your payment until some expert examine the content ,if he is satisfied,he would allow the payment to be released to your vendor.
It is like escrow,except the physical inspection is performed on site ,not sure where it would be.
But this would not be the responsibility of the customs office