Import declarations
Goods are declared to customs in the importer’s name, with the product, value and origin details the declaration needs.
Importer of Record
Get stock into a new market without becoming the importer.
Before anything sells locally, someone has to import the goods. Where you need it, ExpandNow acts as Importer of Record alongside its role as the local seller, so customs, import duties and the paperwork behind them stop being a reason to wait.
The role
What the Importer of Record is responsible for.
The Importer of Record is the party legally responsible for goods entering a country and for the obligations attached to them.
Duties and import taxes
Import duties and any taxes due at the border are accounted for when the goods enter the market.
Customs compliance
The importer answers for the declaration, so classification, valuation and origin have to hold up to a customs check.
Import records
Import documents are kept for as long as the local authorities require.
With ExpandNow
Who does what.
You keep your products, suppliers and logistics partners. ExpandNow provides the local presence the import needs.
You provide
- Product details: descriptions, values and country of origin
- Commercial invoices for each shipment
- Your freight forwarder and warehouse, or a specialist ExpandNow introduces
- Stock planning for each market
ExpandNow provides
- Importer of Record, where your model needs it
- The local entity and registrations the role depends on
- Imports aligned with the local sale under Merchant of Record
- One relationship for import, tax, payments and payouts
When you need it
Three situations where it matters.
Importer of Record usually becomes necessary once stock has to sit inside the market.
Channel warehouses
Stock held in Fulfilled by TikTok or a marketplace’s warehouse has to be imported first. ExpandNow already holds the VAT registrations Fulfilled by TikTok needs in Germany and Spain.
Local warehouses
Holding stock with a warehouse in the market shortens delivery times, and that stock needs a local importer.
Retail and trade shipments
Bulk orders for retailers and trade customers usually enter the market as one import before local invoicing.
FAQ
Questions buyers ask.
Do I always need an Importer of Record?
No. It matters once goods are imported into the market ahead of sale, for example into a local warehouse. Your model is confirmed during scoping.
Can I keep my own logistics partners?
Yes. ExpandNow works alongside the freight forwarders and warehouses you already use, and can connect you with specialists where you need them.
Which markets does it cover?
Importer of Record support is available across ExpandNow’s UK, EU and US markets, confirmed for your products during scoping.
Start with the market
Tell us where you want to sell.
Tell us the market and channels. We’ll map the seller setup, and which layers you’ll take from us or bring yourself.