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With the unprecedented boom in global trade, many sellers are experiencing great success in the U.S. market. However, cross-border merchants are also feeling the "warm welcome" from customs authorities, as inspection rates for e-commerce shipments have skyrocketed.
Many sellers panic when facing customs inspections, worrying about delays and increased costs. In reality, inspections are relatively rare occurrences, typically triggered by factors like "sensitive product descriptions," "classification discrepancies," "under-declared values," or "problematic BOND records." Understanding inspection procedures will help you handle them with confidence when they occur.
For normal goods undergoing U.S. customs inspection:
• Customs typically won't disclose inspection details
• Status will simply show "inspection complete" or "pending"
• The U.S. generally conducts container-level inspections
• If one shipment in a container gets inspected, the entire container will be held
• Release occurs only after the inspected shipment clears
While this may affect other shipments in the same container, compliant goods usually clear quickly. However, problematic items (counterfeits, infringing goods, textiles, battery-powered products, or safety-sensitive items) face higher inspection rates and longer delays.
The U.S. employs four primary inspection methods covering over 95% of cases:
• Most fundamental inspection
• Requires submission of clearance documents (customs manifest, clearance paperwork)
• Typically completes within 24 hours if documents are in order
• Non-intrusive inspection (NII)
• Containers pass through port X-ray machines
• Customs officers review scan images
• Usually completes within 48 hours
• Conducted when X-ray scans raise questions
• Customs opens container doors for visual check
• Doesn't involve full unpacking
• Takes 3-5 business days for compliant shipments
• Most rigorous inspection method
• Entire container moved to inspection site
• Contents fully unpacked and examined item-by-item
• Conducted by SCE (Customs-authorized private company)
• Takes 5-10 business days for compliant shipments
• Potentially indefinite delays for problematic goods
As international trade flourishes, increased customs inspections have become inevitable. Compliant clearance practices ensure sustainable business operations, and professional clearance teams can keep your business running smoothly.
Founded in 1973 in San Francisco, SSA Global is a comprehensive supply chain management group serving global e-commerce sellers. Our services include:
• Full-port U.S. customs clearance
• Third-party warehouse distribution
• Overseas warehouse transit
• Nationwide container drayage
As a leading U.S. customs broker, we offer:
• 50+ years of clearance experience
• In-house licensed clearance team
• Overseas branch network
• Service to 4,900+ e-commerce sellers and 150+ Amazon vendors
• Monthly volume exceeding 10,000 40' containers (2022)
• C-TPAT certification since 2003
When facing U.S. customs inspections, trust SSA Global's professional team to navigate the process efficiently and keep your business moving forward.
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