We understand that buying and importing products from international brands can be challenging, rules and documentation requirements vary, depending on:
- Your country, its laws and regulations.
- The products you are importing
- The country of origin of these products
As a retailer on Faire, you are the importer of record, and are responsible for ensuring you have the right to resell the products you purchase on Faire, in compliance with UK law and regulation.
We want to help you feel confident buying from international brands.
This guide consists of tips and advice for UK retailers buying and importing international products into the UK.
Please note, this resource is non-exhaustive and purely indicative.
To learn about general international guidance (not UK specific), visit How to buy internationally on Faire
How to determine if you can buy, import and resell international products in the UK
To determine if the products you want to purchase from international brands can be imported, and resold in the UK, we recommend:
- Consulting governmental websites to check if there are any restrictions or specific requirements for importing the products you wish to purchase internationally:
- Look into any license requirements, or permit you may need as an importer when purchasing certain products. To learn more, visit Import goods into the UK
- Looking into potential restrictions enforced by your country, based on the country of manufacturing/origin of the products.
- Consulting legal counsel and/or a customs broker to determine your readiness to import given products from a given country.
Documentation and compliance requirements for the import of international products into the UK
Upon import of products, as the importer, you may be required to provide some information and/or documentation to support customs clearance of your order.
You will find non-exhaustive guidance below, to help understand what falls under your responsibility as the importer, if requested by UK customs :
| Document type | Retailer responsibility | Brand responsibility |
| Documentation specific to your company (if applicable and required) | ✔️ | |
| License or permit to import specific controlled products | ✔️ | |
| Proof of right to resell | ✔️ | |
| Tax related identification for your company (VAT) |
✔️ |
|
| Importing registration number (EORI) | ✔️ | |
|
Completion and Signature of forms for import if applicable
|
✔️ |
|
| Packing slip | ✔️ | |
| Commercial invoice | ✔️ | |
| Documentation or information specific to manufacturing practices or information (if applicable) |
✔️ |
|
| Product specific documentation (if applicable) | ✔️ |
Faire does not possess or provide documentation or information specific to your company, your right to trade, purchase and import products into your country. This type of documentation has to be provided by yourself as the importer of record.
Get an EORI number
The “Economic Operators Registration and Identification” (EORI) number is a unique number used by businesses to identify themselves to customs authorities on customs declarations and other import documentation. Think of it as a customs registration number.
Applying for an EORI number is free. Ensuring you are EORI registered falls under your responsibility as a business buying internationally.
To learn more about how to apply for an EORI number, please visit How do I apply for an EORI number? You can update your EORI number in your account settings.
VAT (Value added tax)
When buying internationally on Faire, VAT will be applied to your orders based on where the brand is shipping the product from at the point of sale.
The way VAT is applied for international orders may change depending on whether you are VAT registered or not. To learn more, please visit How will I pay VAT on my orders in the UK?
Customs broker
As a retailer buying internationally, you may contract a customs broker to help you with import regulations and compliance. If you have a customs broker, we recommend notifying the brand via Faire Messenger when you place your order, so they can include this on the commercial invoice prior to shipping your order.
If your customs brokerage information is included on the commercial invoice, they will be contacted at the time of import to clear the package on your behalf.
If your customs brokerage information is not provided on the commercial invoice, you will be contacted directly by the carrier to clear the package.
If you do not have a customs broker and want to authorize carriers to clear customs on your behalf, you will need to draft a POA (Power of Attorney) letter, and share it with the carrier upon request. Please note, this applies to tightly controlled product categories.
Tightly regulated product categories in the UK
When importing into the UK, you are required to comply with import regulations as set out by the UK Government, including, but not limited to, regulations for controlled goods. Importing controlled goods into your country/region may require additional authorization or clearance. Below, we have listed some common controlled goods categories for which additional requirements may apply:
- Controlled goods : products that require licenses or permits for import, or additional documentation from the importer. There are special rules, and you may need to get licenses or certificates if you are importing any of the following: animal products, plants and plant products, high risk food, food supplements, cosmetics.
- Dangerous goods (DG): Substances that when transported are a risk to health, safety, property or the environment. Certain dangerous goods that pose risks even when not being transported are known as hazardous materials.
- Food products Food product means any substance, other than a substance used primarily for the purpose of imparting flavor, intended to be consumed by humans or animals. To learn more, visit the following UK government resources : Import goods into the UK, and Import, export and distribution of food
- To read more about importing food from the EU, visit Importing food and drink from the EU to Great Britain
-
Animal products An animal product is any material derived from the body of an animal, products containing animal substances. We recommend referencing the following UK government resources :
- Import goods into the UK:
- Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS)
- Importing Food, drink and composite products
- For leather products (made of animal hide or skin), the UK has laws against leather products made of animals on the endangered species list. You can check if an animal is endangered by contacting the Animal and Plant Health Agency Centre for International Trade.
- Cosmetics and skin products : any substance or mixture intended to be placed in contact with the external parts of the human body. Please visit the UK Government guidance around Making cosmetic products available to consumers in Great Britain and Office for Product
- Safety & Standards guidance. We recommend communicating with the brands you purchase from to ensure they have taken the necessary steps for you to resell their products on the UK market.
- Plant and seed products. To learn more, visit Importing plants and plant products
- Metal, Gemstones, and Jewelry products. As a general resource, you can visit : Import goods into the UK to check requirements for specific products.
- Kids and baby products. As a general resource, you can visit : Import goods into the UK to check requirements for specific products.
- Toys. Please consult the Toys (Safety) Regulations, more specifically section #7 : Obligations of importers. This resource explains that as the importer, you need to ensure the brand / supplier has followed the necessary steps for you to introduce toy products to the UK market.
- Food contact products (Any material intended to come into contact with food, that is already in contact with food, or that can reasonably be expected to come into contact with food): As a general resource, you can visit : Import goods into the UK to check requirements for specific products.
Please note, this list is non-exhaustive and purely indicative. Faire takes no responsibility in updating these websites, the resources linked are governmental pages only.
How do import duties work?
As the importer, you're responsible for any import duties or taxes charged on international shipments.
Import duties are based on the type and origin of the goods, as determined by tariff codes provided by the brand.
For more information on how import duties work, visit How do import duties work?
In cases where import duties are covered by Faire in the context of a promotion or membership such as Insider, you will see free import duties at checkout, to learn more, visit What happens when Faire covers my import duties?
What happens if customs agencies or carriers require additional information to import my order?
If you order products internationally, and additional information or documentation is required for customs clearance, upon entrance of the products into the EU or into your country : you might be contacted by a customs agent, carrier, Faire, or the brand you ordered from to provide the necessary information to help clear customs.
Here are a few things to keep in mind :
- You are the importer, the brand is the exporter.
- The customs agent and/or carrier may reach out to you via phone, or via Faire support on an email thread. The brand would most likely reach out via Faire Messenger.
- Faire cannot provide : documentation or information specific to your company, your right to trade, purchase and import products into your country. (i.e.: license, permit, certification, import declarations, etc.) This has to be provided by yourself as the importer.
- Orders can typically be “stalled” at a border for a limited time, (this tends to vary between 3 and 5 days maximum)
- As the importer, it is your responsibility to accept the order, and to facilitate import, providing any information required.
If you are unresponsive, or fail to provide the required information/documentation/license, the customs agency may decide to return the shipment. (Return to Sender). This decision is outside of Faire’s control.
Please note, Faire keeps record of failures to import international orders, as well as the cost associated with shipping these products back to the brands. Faire reserves the right to review your account as well as ability to order on the platform in accordance with our Terms of Service.