To arrange the shipment, you must provide a short description of the goods in the attachment. The description of each item must not exceed 50 characters. Only letters and digits are allowed.
How to write a short product description
The following must be specified:
- What this product is
- What it is used for
- Specify the material if it is plywood (plywood), leather/artificial leather (artificial leather), cotton/nylon (cotton/nylon), jewelry, plastic.
Examples:
- hanger for the wall
- cotton dress for baby
- coffee table from plywood for living room
- men’s bracelet with clasp
- personalized belt from artificial leather for man
- handmade beaded earrings for girl
- empty tarot card storage box
Please note the following important recommendations, adherence to which will help avoid delays of parcels at customs and/or their return to Ukraine:
- We do not recommend specifying the condition of the product (new, used, worn).
- Be sure to check that your item for shipment is not on the the list of prohibited goods. If you are shipping a prohibited item and state this in the description – 100% of the parcel will not leave Ukraine.
- If you are sending sunglasses or a watch abroad, forms are most likely required to be filled out. And additional requests from customs prolong the delivery time. It is also forbidden to sell new branded sunglasses – for them certificates from the manufacturer are required. If the watch and sunglasses cost no more than 400 dollars, you can indicate that this is vintage.
- Wooden goods and/or plywood. If delivery is via FedEx Express or through FedEx, when creating the shipment and choosing the material “plywood” a TSCA form will be automatically generated that must be filled out.
- If you sell boxes for something, gadget cases, glasses cases, etc., indicate in the description that they are empty inside (they do not contain glasses, a laptop, a smartphone, etc.). Use the words: “no content”, “empty”.
- Discs and cassettes may also require a form. If you trade such goods, but this item does not work, it is better not to indicate in the description either the cassette or the disc.
- Note: simply specifying a general category of the product in the description is not enough (for example: “clothing”, “toy”, etc.). It is important to explain what the product is and for what purpose. Additionally, you should specify the material if your product is plywood (plywood), leather/artificial leather (artificial leather), cotton/nylon (cotton/nylon), jewelry, plastic.
- If you sell items with logos or inscriptions, their content does not need to be indicated in the description to avoid confusion. For example, if you sell caps with the word “Porsche”, in the description it is enough to put “cap.” If “Porsche” is specified, brokers will need to figure out whether car parts or engine components are contained in the shipment.
- If you sell paintings, they require an appraisal.
- If you are sending a print on canvas, clearly state this in the description: “print on canvas”. For such shipments, no appraisal is required.
- Please do not write the word “icon” in the description for items you have made yourself. For example, such a wooden item can simply be described as “wall decor”.
You can draft the description in Ukrainian and translate it using Google Translate into English to provide the English description. Please ensure that the English description is unambiguous to avoid misunderstandings with customs.
Please note! All descriptions of handmade goods (especially souvenirs, interior items, jewelry) should start with the word “Handmade” in the short description. For example: handmade phone stand, handmade slippers, handmade necklace, handmade vase.
What happens in case of an incorrect designation of the shipment contents?
If the shipment contents are described incorrectly, Western Bid’s customs brokers will delay the shipment due to detected violations in the goods documentation.
In the case of a minor violation (for example: incorrect quantity specification or an incorrectly translated English name), the parcel is delayed until the sender provides a new set of documents.
In cases where the product description is deliberately written to ship a prohibited item under the guise of a permitted one (for example, listing “glasses” instead of “optical rifle scope”), or the description is distorted to avoid examination (for example, listing “painting” instead of “icon”), such goods are confiscated by the customs authorities with possible subsequent administrative or criminal charges, or by Western Bid staff, and the proceeds from any sale of such goods will go to compensate Western Bid for damages resulting from the improper use of the forwarding service.
Proper short product description
- Up to 50 characters, letters and digits only — a basic technical requirement for each product description.
- Specify the product type, material, and purpose; avoid general terms and ambiguity
- Write the description in English, clear for customs, to avoid delays and parcel returns
What must be specified in the short description
| Description element | Example wording | Why this is needed |
|---|---|---|
| What this product is | Handmade ceramic mug | Helps customs immediately understand the product category. |
| Material | Silver ring, Cotton t-shirt | Determines customs duties and possible restrictions. |
| Purpose / type | Wall decor poster | Clarifies how the product is used to avoid ambiguity. |
| Language and format | In English, up to 50 characters, letters and digits only | Meets the requirements of customs and the Western Bid system. |
Product description notes
- Do not use special characters, emojis, quotation marks, percent signs, the ‘№’ symbol, and other symbols, except letters and numbers.
- Do not use broad or vague formulations such as ‘goods’, ‘stuff’, ‘souvenirs’ without specifying the material and intended use.
- Do not mix several different types of products in a single description field — each product should be described separately
Check your descriptions before shipping
Create a concise but unambiguous English description for each product to avoid additional inquiries from customs and shipment returns.
What should the short product description be for international shipping?
The short description should explain what this product is and what it is used for. The description for each product should not exceed 50 characters. It is preferable to write in English, using only letters and digits.
Why isn't it enough to simply write 'clothing', 'a toy' or 'an accessory'?
The general category does not provide the customs with enough information. In the description, you need to specifically indicate exactly what is in the package and what this product is intended for. For example, it is better to write “cotton dress for baby”, and not just “clothes”.
When should the product material be specified?
The material must be specified if the product is made from plywood, wood, leather or artificial leather, cotton, nylon, plastic, or falls under the jewelry category. For example: “coffee table from plywood” or “personalized belt from artificial leather”.
What will happen if the attachment description is specified incorrectly?
If the description is incorrect, the shipment may be detained by Western Bid’s customs brokers until the documents are clarified. If, however, the description is deliberately distorted in order to ship a prohibited item under the guise of a permitted one, the goods may be confiscated by the customs authorities or Western Bid.