Samples often decide whether you win the order. A sample stuck in customs — or arriving with a duty bill for the buyer — makes a poor first impression.
Five rules for samples
- Describe precisely: "Wooden dining chair sample, rubberwood, 1 pc" — not "sample".
- Declare a realistic value: samples are not automatically free of duty; under-valuation is a violation.
- Decide who pays duties: prepay (DDP) so your buyer is not billed on delivery.
- Check restricted items: food, cosmetics, batteries, wood with bark, plant materials.
- Mark origin: "Made in Vietnam" on the sample.
Duty-free options
Some samples marked or mutilated to make them unsaleable can qualify for duty-free treatment under specific US provisions. Ask your broker before relying on this.
Related: air freight & express · origin marking.