Are you crying over the high taxes on imported furniture? This guide can save you tens of thousands

Mr. Zhang recently ordered a set of genuine leather sofas from Italy. After arrival, they were detained by the customs, and he had to pay nearly 10,000 yuan in additional taxes. Ms. Li's long - awaited Nordic solid - wood dining table had to be destroyed on the spot because the wooden packaging had not been fumigated. As the popularity of imported furniture rises, the customs declaration process has become a disaster area where many consumers "fall". Today, we will break down the complete customs clearance guide for imported furniture to help you avoid those "invisible traps" worth tens of thousands of yuan.

Unlike ordinary commodities, the furniture category needs to cross three barriers when declaring customs:

• Material Review: Endangered materials such as mahogany and ivory require a CITES certificate; otherwise, there is a risk of confiscation.
• Quarantine Requirements: Solid - wood furniture must be fumigated, and the packaging cannot use raw - wood brackets.
• Tax Calculation: The combined tariff and value - added tax are approximately 20% - 30%, and some categories also involve consumption tax.

Zhongshitong Customs Declaration Experts remind: "Confirming the HS code in advance is the key to saving money." For example, for the same genuine leather sofa, the tax rates classified under 9401.61 and 9401.71 may differ by 5%.

By reasonably planning the import plan, you can save up to 40% of the cost:

• Choose free - trade - zone warehousing: Use the "tariff deferral" policy for batch customs clearance.
• Declare split values: If a single piece of furniture exceeds $1000, it needs to be declared as goods. Shipping in separate boxes can follow the postal channel.
• Pay attention to free - trade agreements: Solid - wood furniture imported from ASEAN countries can enjoy 0 - tariff preferential treatment.

Last year, a customer used the "sample declaration" strategy to reduce the tariff on a set of Italian lamps worth 80,000 yuan from 24% to 3%, but this method requires a complete pro - forma invoice as support.

Regardless of the import method chosen, these documents are indispensable:

• Certificate of origin (especially when enjoying tariff preferences)
• Fumigation certificate (necessary for solid - wood materials)
• Packing list / Commercial invoice (details such as material and size need to be indicated)
• Product photos (the customs may require assembly - state diagrams)

There was once a buyer whose invoice only stated "a set of sofas", and the customs doubled the price. However, the declaration with detailed markings such as "2.4 - meter - long top - grain cowhide sofa" passed smoothly.

These details often determine success or failure:

• Transport packaging: Use plywood brackets instead of solid wood to avoid quarantine failures.
• Logistics tracking: Be sure to keep the full - process logistics vouchers, and the information should be consistent with the bill of lading during declaration.
• Moisture - proof treatment: For furniture shipped by sea, vacuum packaging is recommended. Mildew caused by moisture is not within the scope of compensation.

During last year's typhoon season, a batch of Danish furniture worth 300,000 yuan was completely damaged due to water ingress in the container, but the buyer who had insured "all - risks of marine transportation" finally received full compensation.

After reading this guide, have you found room for optimizing your previous import plan? Feel free to share your cross - border procurement experience in the comment section, or send a private message to obtain a personalized customs declaration assessment form. In the next issue, we will reveal how to compress the cost of imported furniture to 60% of the traditional mode through the "cross - border e - commerce" channel.