Help with filling out commercial invoice when selling to the US?

[rainmanc0llectibles]

Hello. A buyer from the US has recently bought my item I've listed. Everything seemed to be pretty straight forward to me, except for the part where I had to fill out the commercial invoice (1 original signed + 2 copies in a clear pouch). I have a few questions hopefully more experienced sellers can help me with in regards to filling out a commercial invoice.

- After entering in all of the appropriate information on the customs declaration page on shippo, then printing the commercial invoice, what other areas do I have to fill out on the commercial invoice with a pen other than my signature? Do I print the commercial invoice out, sign it, get 2 copies and put it in a clear pouch without filling in any of the blank areas by pen? Is there anything else on the commercial invoice that I must fill out by pen? I've included an image of the commercial invoice after it is printed out.

Thank you.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@rainmanc0llectibles 

On the commercial invoice  all that required is the item description, which is filled in automatically, Total weight of items sold before packaging, number of units and packaging format at bottom(each, set, pkg...) total dollar value (cad), hs code(9503.00 Plastic toy- for example) which you can access at canadapost under tools and the country of origin of the item sold. If you open the additional page, at your discretion you can choose what happens if the customer refuses...Return or destroy. (Really depends on value). And any special information notes about the item. Handle with care for example.  It never hurts to include 2 copies of the documentation. Opinions vary. My standard has always been 2. You only need to sign the  Shipping label and customs invoice in blue pen. Staple (1) shipping Label to (1) invoice. Cut off side section of shipping label if you do not want your buyer to see actual shipping costs. It's an electronic transmission so everything should be filled in before printing. Hope that clarifies.

-Lotz

PS. If you were shipping by courier it would be 3 copies along with a packing slip with each set. Signed.

[pjcdn2005]

in over 12 years of selling to the US I’ve never included or filled out a commercial invoice and have never been asked for one,  I’ve always filled out the customs info on the label but nothing more than that and as far as I know that’s what the majority of eBay sellers do.  

[rainmanc0llectibles]

Thanks a lot for all the help, you helped me with a previous question I had posted as well as I recognize your name. The hs code you provided for plastic toys (9503.00) will also be extremely useful for me!

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Not a problem. Happy to assist!!  🙂 Unfortunately customs paperwork is a necessary evil but only takes moments to complete once you get the hand of it. Filled out properly it decreases the odds of your package being delayed.

-Lotz

PS. If you were trying to do a lookup on the canadapost site this weekend there was a note that some services may be down off and on.

[i_remember_that]

Yep same here.. not sure how necessary these invoices are..

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@i_remember_that 

The Basics:

There are several reasons a shipment may be subject to secondary inspection* or denied clearance**:

• Assessment of duty/tax*
• Regulated items that require further inspection from agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission, Food and Drug Administration, etc.*
• Dangerous or hazardous goods**
• Prohibited or restricted items**

Tip

To avoid complications at customs, it’s important to provide accurate, detailed, and descriptive information regarding the contents of any package you send to an international customer. For example, simply writing ‘shirt’ on a customs form is inadequate – it’s far better to write something along the lines of ‘men’s shirt, size XL, 100% cotton.’ In most cases, the more detailed your description, the faster your package will be cleared.

-Lotz

https://www.canadapost.ca/blogs/business/shipping/international-shipping-made-simple-a-straightforwa...

[i_remember_that]

I guess I never had any issues not including duplicate commercial invoices with my label because as stated on the Canada Post site:
"'Canada Post helps make the customs process easier by including all necessary declaration forms in our shipping labels. This ensures each package you send is accompanied by the appropriate documents.''

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@i_remember_that 

What they are stating is they provide the forms in a simple way to fill out to make the customs process easier. They do not fill the forms for you because only you know what's in the package. Once you've printed you attach to the package. At the canadapost website it explains how many copies are required based on each particular service. I include an extra copy for my own piece of mind just in case the shipment gets separated from the documents during customs clearing.

"It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure all customs documentation and item content are complete, accurate and legible. Failure to provide any of the information required may result in the item being returned to sender at the customer's expense, or could result in delays, non-delivery and voids any delivery guarantees. Fines and /or customs seizure in the international destination may apply."

-Lotz

[i_remember_that]

Yep I get that.. I have been filling out the invoice information, I just haven't found the need to provide separate duplicate copies. Such a waste of time/effort/paper when the necessary info is found on one label and it's been working.

[reallynicestamps]

I don't think the HS codes are worth bookmarking, since most sellers have a relatively limited number of categories we sell in.

But I have found it worthwhile to list the ten HS codes I use most often in the back of my daybook.

[recped]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

in over 12 years of selling to the US I’ve never included or filled out a commercial invoice and have never been asked for one,  I’ve always filled out the customs info on the label but nothing more than that and as far as I know that’s what the majority of eBay sellers do.  

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If you are shipping via UPS or FedEx you need the paperwork, for postal shipments to the US below US$800 you don't.