Shipping internationally comes with stricter requirements than domestic deliveries. Many countries and regions—such as the EU and the US—require accurate, detailed Goods Descriptions. If these are missing or too vague, shipments may be delayed, rejected, or returned at the border.
What is a Goods Description?
The Goods Description is a key piece of information used by customs authorities to:
Identify the contents of a shipment
Calculate duties and taxes
Determine whether the goods can enter the destination country
Goods Description Requirements
Your Goods Description must:
Clearly and accurately describe the item being shipped
Avoid generic or vague terms (e.g. “goods”, “samples”, “parts”)
Be specific about what the item is (e.g. “cotton t-shirt”, “ceramic coffee mug”)
Acceptable vs Unacceptable Descriptions
Unacceptable | Acceptable |
Goods | Cotton t-shirt |
Parts | Stainless steel bike chain |
Sample | Plastic phone case |
Accessories | Leather wallet |
What is Considered Acceptable?
ReadyToShip cannot provide official advice on what descriptions will be accepted, as requirements vary by country and carrier.
We recommend:
Checking with your shipping carrier (e.g. DHL, AusPost)
Reviewing customs guidelines for the destination country
For example, the EU provides guidance on acceptable descriptions:
https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2021-03/guidance_acceptable_goods_description_en.pdf
Carriers like DHL also provide examples of acceptable and unacceptable descriptions.
How to Set Your Goods Description in ReadyToShip
By default, ReadyToShip uses the Item Title as the Goods Description if no other value is set.
You can customise this in several ways:
1. Set a Value per SKU / Product / Item
Assign a unique Goods Description for each product:
Open an international order
Expand the order details
Click the world icon next to a line item
Enter the correct Goods Description
ReadyToShip will save this value and automatically reuse it for future orders with the same product.
2. Set a Default Value per Carrier
Define a default Goods Description for all products:
Go to Settings → Carriers
Edit your carrier settings
Set a default under “Goods Description for International Consignments”
⚠️ Important:
This value applies to every item in every order. Only use this option if all your products are the same (e.g. Ceramic Coffee Mug).
If left blank, ReadyToShip will fall back to using the item title.
How Goods Descriptions Are Prioritised
When multiple options are set, ReadyToShip uses the following priority:
Goods Description set at the product level
Default Goods Description from carrier settings
Item Title (from your store)
Example:
If a default Goods Description is set, it will be used for all products
If you then set a product-level description, it will override the default and be saved for future use
If no values are set, the Item Title will be used
Best Practice
Use clear, specific, and consistent descriptions
Set descriptions at the product level wherever possible
Avoid relying on a single default unless your catalogue is uniform
Following these guidelines will help reduce customs issues, avoid shipment delays, and improve delivery success rates.