I decided to do drop shipping in order not to store a bunch of inventory. Most of the reasonably priced suppliers are based in China and a few in the USA. Which they all stated they have warehouses in USA but no inventory stored in said warehouses. Most of the product is shipped from China. Some products they supply comes from other countries of origin that are not listed when syncing to your website. So as a drop shipper, why do we have to find HS codes for importing goods? Shouldn’t that code be provided by supplier in order to ensure correct shipping and customs clearance? Why can’t the HS code be added to the product page just like a SKU? If I lose money for incorrect HS coding then the supplier looses money also. On top of that we both loose the consumers loyalty.
Topic summary
A dropshipper is grappling with HS (Harmonized System) code requirements for products shipped primarily from China, despite suppliers claiming to have US warehouses with no actual inventory stored domestically.
Core Issue:
- Questions why dropshippers must determine HS codes themselves rather than receiving them from suppliers
- Argues suppliers should provide accurate codes to ensure proper customs clearance and avoid financial losses for both parties
Key Concerns:
- Products often originate from unlisted countries beyond what’s shown during website syncing
- Incorrect HS coding creates financial risk and damages customer trust
- Suggests HS codes should be integrated into product pages like SKU numbers
Recent Development:
After researching US Customs and Border Protection guidelines, the poster notes:
- Authorities are becoming stricter about country-of-origin declarations
- Manufacturing location (e.g., China) may differ from where raw materials originated
- Generic HS codes may not apply universally across all products
The discussion remains open, with the poster seeking clarity on responsibility allocation and practical solutions for accurate product classification.
Hello Elizzy,
Thank you for offering to help with the HS code situation, I greatly appreciate it. I have been doing much reading on the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol website. It seems that they are going to be super strict about country of Origin. I read that the item maybe made in China but it’s not necessarily where the material originated. The generic codes may not work on all product.