Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing exporting to the USA

I recently sent a full upgrade kit - chain drive - bevel box mounts - Centa upgrade and heavy duty clutch plate, to a customer in the USA. The parcel was delayed at customs in the UK because there was insufficient description of the goods on the commercial invoice. We supplied more description and it was still stuck - we supplied individual prices and it was still stuck - we supplied a commodity code and so now they are sending the parcel back to us! The delay may cost my customer considerable consequential expense so I have sent another set, air express, in the hopes that it finds a more sympathetic customs channel and goes straight through.

It transpires that a kit needs to be described by its individual parts and have a commodity code for every item be it a nut, bolt, washer or whatever. The commodity codes were laid out after WW1 and are so long and complex with cross references to exceptions which are damned nigh impossible to find, that the process will take longer than the value of the goods can support. Quite apart from the expense of sending twice - there will be no refund of charges on the returned parcel - this is becoming untenable.

Anyone here got any experience in such matters which might help? All suggestions gratefully received.

Thanks for reading, Phil

Is the problem with HMRC or the US version? Maybe both!
Will your shipping agent be able to sort it? I found them pretty good on the few occasions I needed to sort one off stuff. The only snags I encountered was getting some stuff out of BA Freight in Heathrow. Jobsworths! We did regularly buy in equipment and spares from mainly EU countries but it was pretty straight forward. Part number/description/value but no breakdown to individual bolts! When exporting tobacco products ( cigars) was straightforward but paperwork MUST be accurate for weight based on numbers of cigars at an agreed declared duty weight spec.

Not sure if it still applies but keep the order under $800 and it was a simpler process, delivery costs more but it used to get there.

Phil,

I used to export motorcycle parts to the USA using a range of commodity code, mostly 84799070 associated with "machine parts", without difficulty.
Allocation of HS codes is something of a game, as is the description used. The first line of the invoice is key, all invoices are machine read and it seems some words attract attention, whilst others do not.
I'm glad I'm retired...

It does seem that since BREXIT HMRC has become pedantic in the extreme, I've no idea why. A couple of my consulting clients are thinking of pulling out of distribution from the UK and moving to Ireland because of the delays and difficulties.
Write to your MP and evidence your frustration.

I suspect that part of the reason for HMRC being pedantic is that since centralisation of offices, and shedding experienced staff, now you have operators with limited knowledge and experience, and no discretion. It was heading rapidly in that direction when I retired three years ago.

From mid 70’s to 2000 we exported regularly to USA plus 35 other countries worldwide.

The words “Trade Deal/tariffs” were never ever mentioned to me wherever the destination - from New Zealand to Finland and Russia to Hawaii.

I wonder why trade flows are now so interrupted by pen-pushers?

Cheers

I have had problems here in the US receiving items from the UK when the word "kit" is used in the description, have also had deliveries broken up into separate packages, costs more in shipping but gets round some of the variances of customs.

I concur with DaveW about the changes in HMRC. We had to deal with them in the cigar factory!
Experience replaced by younger graduate intake!
A nightmare.

And a great selling point for ERP systems like SAP. All our customs tariffs were programmed into it by our German IT & regulatory team (motto of "SAP works just change your entire business process").

These highly flexible folk would ask the Stuttgart customs office to comment on any areas of "discussion" internally. So an ink always called imitation gold became brown. Sadly after that we sold not a lot it seemed the customers didn't get it.

The best was export into Russia. All ink suppliers added 0.01% if TiO2 to a clear varnish to make it a pigmented ink. A perfectly legal thing to do based upon the regs and giving a zero duty rating. Our team in Germany said no it is a varnish upping the duty to 25% from memory.

Happy days. I'm glad I am out of it as tariff codes are a nightmare.

Thanks for your help everybody. It seems the thing to try is only sending one kit per parcel and not using the work Kit. This would keep the value down as well but the shipping cost will rise - sorry guys.

Thanks again,
Phil