How Long Should You Expect Your Order To Sit In Customs

International shipping is not always as straightforward and simple affair. Just because you placed the order easily on the internet or by phone with a foreign company does not mean that it will always breeze through customs and land on your doorstep without a hang-up. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBD) has a number of policies and regulations that could result in your order sitting in customs for varying lengths of time. The best way to ensure that your order is processed and delivered as quickly as possible is to hire an outfit that specializes in order fulfillment, like Bonded Service, to make sure all the necessary paperwork is in order and to stay on top of tracking your order.

 

What could be holding up my order?

There are several reasons why an international order may be held by the CBD at the border. If the package does not have the right seller information or description of contents on it, it can be held until you clear up the problem. If the items ordered are not legal, subject to duties, or require extra paperwork the order can also sit in customs until the proper documents or processes are fulfilled. If the order is worth over $2,000 US, it can also be held at the border until you can arrange formal entry, especially if sent through mail. If sent by freight or courier service by a reputable company, a customs broker should have been used to make sure that all proper customs procedures were followed correctly.

When you use Bonded Service as your shipping and inventory management contractor, we take care of all the details of your overseas orders so you can rest in ease knowing your order will arrive on time and not get held up in customs.

 

What happens to my order when it is held up?

The CBD usually holds orders in customs for a maximum or 15 days before sending them to the general order warehouse. Storage fees at the general order warehouse are steep and add up quickly and you will not be able to retrieve your order until they are paid. Orders can be held in the warehouse for up to five years, but often they are auctioned off after a period of six months. Because Bonded Service offers contract warehousing services that is integrated with our shipping and inventory services, we can be trusted to not only retrieve your international orders from customs properly but store them for you until needed. Call our expert team at (404) 349-1466 today to find out more about how we can make all your shipping and storage needs hassle free.