Trade Compliance of Visual Merchandise Slips under the Radar

Blog originally posted on 07/11/2018 04:04 PM

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For most retailers, the focus on trade compliance is usually on store merchandise. Most overlook the fact that the compliance of visual merchandise (furniture, lighting, store décor, etc.) is just as important if they are imported from overseas and the company/brand acts as the importer-of-record to those goods.

Assigning the proper HS code, making use of tariff preferences, identifying risks of non-compliance or opportunities for duty savings… all that applies to the regular merchandise are just as applicable to the visuals.

To some extent, the compliance risk of visual merchandise could be more significant due to the higher value, potentially shorter lead time and scarcer quantities of those items (if you are rushing for a store opening!).

Lighting fixtures, wooden furniture, and the like could also be subject to licensing requirements or anti-dumping cases that are not applicable to general merchandise.

Ensuring the company’s brokers and logistics team understands the customs implications of the visual items is essential to managing overall trade compliance. 

Contact us if you would like to see how Tradewin's trade compliance services can help.

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Topics: Asia, North America, HS Classification

Blog originally posted on 07/11/2018 04:04 PM

Queena Lau - Director, Strategic Accounts Tradewin

Written by Queena Lau - Director, Strategic Accounts Tradewin

As Director of Strategic Accounts, Queena partners with multinational key customers to develop and implement holistic trade compliance programs and scalable solutions that span across multiple geographies. Queena provides expert guidance to optimize our key accounts’ global trade programs, mitigate risks, and ensure adherence to evolving regulations. Queena joined Tradewin in 2017 as General Manager of Hong Kong with oversight for Taiwan, assisting businesses to navigate customs and trade requirements in outbound markets. Queena advised customers in all areas of customs compliance and led a team of specialists managing regional trade operations programs. Prior to joining Tradewin, Queena was a Senior Manager in the Customs & Trade practice of a Big 4 consulting firm, with years of experience covering the Asia Pacific region out of Hong Kong and Shanghai. Over the years, Queena has been well known for her numerous customer and supplier workshops on Trade Compliance and was a co-author of the book Governance, Risk, and Compliance Management in China for German companies. Queena is a graduate of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, with majors in Business Economics and Finance.