"US Sales only" - ?

Every item declared and imported to another country is identified by the HTS code and COO (Country of Origin). Most of us don't use the field, but a customs broker somewhere makes a determination based on the info we provide. It's interesting how different brokers and countries vary in how much attention they do or don't pay to this.

Interesting that there's no field to say if it is a chronograph or not...

I think it's different for postal shipments than for courier shipments, at least when to comes to watches.

When you ship via courier, unless you designate a customs broker, or the recipient does, the courier will act as your customs broker.

To facilitate the fastest delivery possible, couriers want as much information as possible to expedite the clearing of your shipment. They also don't want complaints from someone about the duties being charged, so they have a very high stake in getting this information correct. They then present this to US customs, who clears the shipment quickly so the courier can meet their delivery standards.

I ship FedEx 2-day to the US, and it's rare that the package is not there the day after I send it. It won't leave here until early in the evening, and is often cleared and in my customer's hands before noon the following day. Of course I send it with all the correct information, which includes more than what others have talked about here. Because I'm returning an item from repairs/.service, I have to provide additional paperwork over and above what has been mentioned so far. So on top of commercial invoices and the watch work sheet, I include a copy of my invoice, plus a breakdown of the values of each part of the watch before and after service, and finally a repaired watch declaration form.

In contrast the USPS either doesn't bother with collecting duties, or they are not too bothered with the time it takes to clear customs. There is no customs broker, so if the parcel goes off to US customs and needs to be classified, they will open it to do that, make their determination, and apply duties accordingly. From what I gather from people who get watches in the US through the mail, for the most part it doesn't get any attention at all from US customs.

Cheers, Al

Digging into the HTS codes today, I found no differentiation in any codes based solely on whether or not it has a stop-watch function. Maybe it was there in the past and was changed...?

For anyone bored and wants to know the Chapter and major heading types, the US version can be found here (excerpts below)
https://hts.usitc.gov/view/Chapter 91?release=2020HTSARev19


Chapter 91 covers "CLOCKS AND WATCHES AND PARTS THEROF"

Heading 9101 covers "Wrist watches, pocket watches and other watches, including stop watches, with case of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal"

Heading 9102 covers similar, but for "other than those of heading 9101" (so non-precious metal)

Heading 9103 covers "Clocks with watch movements..."

Heading 9104 covers "Instrument panel clocks..."

Heading 9105 covers "Other clocks..." (ie: alarm clocks)

Heading 9106 covers "Time of day recording apparatus..."

Heading 9107 covers "Time switches with clock or watch movement..."

Heading 9108 covers "Watch movements, complete and assembled:" (broken down by winding type, # of jewels, size, value -- never whether with or without stop watch function)

Heading 9109 covers "Clock movements, complete and assembled"

Heading 9110 covers "Complete watch or clock movements, unassembled or partly assembled..."

Heading 9111 covers "Watch cases and parts thereof"

Heading 9112 covers "Clock cases..."

Heading 9113 covers "Watch straps, watch bands and watch bracelets, and parts thereof"

Heading 9114 covers "Other clock or watch parts"

HI Janice & Fred

I have to ask ( fyi I have not read the entire thread yet , sorry if you answered this already).
How is shipping worldwide not much more then 10- 12$ more ?

Please explain what USPS services you use when you ship overseas...when i have used USPS it was more then 10-12 ...

thanks
bill

Hi

So not priority , registered mail w Ins?
Tracking ?
What services are you using at the usps ?
Thanks
Bill