International Shipping Prohibited Items: Ultimate Guide for Shopping Agent Pros
The Ultimate Prohibited Items Checklist Every Buyer Needs
After months of tracking shipping failures in our community spreadsheet, we've identified the items that consistently cause problems. This isn't just another generic list – it's battle-tested data from over 2,000 shared experiences on Allchinabuy Spreadsheet. Before placing your next high-value order, reference this quick-hit guide to avoid costly rejections.
Hard Stop: Absolutely No-Ship Categories
- Liquids Over 100ml: Perfumes, cosmetics, supplements – seized 78% of the time
- Batteries & Electronics: Especially lithium-ion in air freight
- Food Products: Even packaged snacks trigger agricultural inspections
- Counterfeit Designer Goods: Customs actively scans for high-end replicas
- Medications & Supplements: Prescription or OTC – both problematic
- Liquid Repacking: Transfer perfumes to travel containers, label as "samples"
- Battery Removal: Ship items separately from power sources when possible
- Food Declaration Strategy: Mark as "samples" under commercial invoice
- Replica Brand Removal: Agents can de-brand items with discreet packaging
- Luxury accessories: Additional documentation required
- Electronics with CE marking issues
- Anything containing ivory or exotic animal materials
- Liquid medications from unknown suppliers
- Unmarked electronics without FCC certification
- Fresh food products (including teas from certain regions)
- Wood products, bamboo, plant-based materials
- Any untreated organic goods
- Egg or dairy-based cosmetics
- Split High-Risk Orders: Never ship prohibited and safe items together
- Document Everything: Request source invoices from sellers
- Choose Strategic Agents: Some have better customs relationships than others
- Timing is Everything: Avoid shipping during heightened customs periods
- Success rates by category and destination
- Preferred agents for restricted items
- Seasonal rejection patterns
- Repackaging success data
- Customs hold resolution times
- Missing commercial invoices: 34% higher rejection rate
- Incomplete HS codes: Additional 3-5 day processing minimum
- Absent certificates: Essential for electronics, cosmetics
Gray Areas That Pro Buyers Navigate
Our community has developed workarounds for these restricted items. The Allchinabuy Spreadsheet contains real success rates for each workaround method.
Regional Restrictions You Might Not Know
What ships fine to the UK might get confiscated in Australia. Based on Allchinabuy Spreadsheet tracking:
EU/UK Hot Spots
US Customs Triggers
Australia/NZ Strict Zones
Pro Tips from 100+ Successful Buyers
These come straight from the most frequent buyers who maintain perfect shipping records in our community:
The Spreadsheet Method
Advanced buyers don't memorize restrictions – they track them. Your Allchinabuy Spreadsheet should include these metrics:
Red Flags: When Customs Will Catch Your Parcel
Learn from our community's expensive mistakes:
Value Declaration Errors
Too low: Triggers suspicion and penalties
Too high: Unnecessary duties and increased scrutiny
Solution: Check Allchinabuy Spreadsheet for optimal declaration ranges by country
Documentation Gaps
Damage and Return Policies for Restricted Items
Here's what experienced buyers wish they knew earlier:
High Value Electronics
Most agents won't return seized electronics. Solution: Use shipping insurance and request detailed QC photos before dispatch. Document serial numbers in your Allchinabuy Spreadsheet for claim verification.
Luxury Accessories
Bags, watches, and jewelry face the highest rejection rates. Successful buyers always: • Request seller photos of authenticity tags • Verify customs value matches purchase price • Split items between multiple shipping methods
Beauty Products
Liquid restrictions vary dramatically. Before ordering, confirm: • Concentration levels for perfumes • Seal integrity for skincare • Alcohol content for customs declaration
Building Your Shipping Intelligence Network
The most successful buyers didn't learn these rules on their own. They leveraged community intelligence:
- Agent Reviews: Track which agents handle restricted items best
- Customs Updates: Monitor policy changes through buyer channels
- Success Patterns: Analyze what works for similar buyers
- Review your Allchinabuy Spreadsheet – flag high-risk items
- Document your current agent's rejection rates by category
- Set up alerts for customs policy changes in your country
- Test smaller quantities of restricted items first
Your Action Plan Today
Bottom Line
Distribution channels and customs restrictions constantly evolve. Stay ahead by tracking real-world data in your Allchinabuy Spreadsheet and contributing your experiences to the community knowledge base. Remember – every shipping failure teaches us something valuable, but success comes from learning others' mistakes first.