Guide

Why compliant-looking products still get stopped at customs

Most stops are document mismatches, not product failures. The five checks that cause the most delays.

Updated 2026-10-22

The documents do not match the shipment

The commercial invoice, packing list, and certificate name the product differently. Customs compares them line by line.

Use one product name across the invoice, the label, the test report, and the compliance certificate.

The label does not match the declaration

A label that lists a different manufacturer, importer, or model than the documents creates a hold even when the product itself is fine.

Photograph the production label and keep it with the shipment file.

The importer or representative is missing

Many markets require a local importer, responsible person, or authorised representative. A foreign seller shipping direct often misses this.

The requirement is not satisfied by a marketplace account. It needs a legal entity or a written mandate.

Registration is missing or unpaid

EPR, WEEE, packaging, and product registrations are checked at the border in some countries and by marketplaces in others.

Keep the registration number and proof of payment in the shipment file, not only in an email thread.

How to avoid the delay

Build one shipment file per product and market: product identity, label photo, test reports, declarations, registrations, and the importer or representative details.

Review it before the first shipment, then update it when anything changes.

FAQ

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