For mid-market and enterprise
Review duty-saving options without guessing the rules
A practical duty-opportunity review: separate supported alternatives from assumptions, identify required evidence and establish broker decision points.
General information, not a duty quotation. Shipment-specific conclusions require licensed customs broker review.
The opportunity is a supported change, not a cheaper code.
A duty review should begin with the commercial facts and evidence. A lower rate is not a reason to choose an incorrect classification or origin. The importer’s reasonable-care obligations are not removed by software or broker involvement. CBP retains its decision-making role.
Greenwich’s role is to connect scenario analysis with accountable customs judgment and implementation. An opportunity remains conditional until the relevant facts, rules, documentation and commercial feasibility have been reviewed.
A decision checklist, not a menu of automatic savings.
| Area to examine | Evidence to assemble | What must be resolved |
|---|---|---|
| Classification | Technical specifications, function, composition and intended use | The supported classification, not the desired rate. |
| Manufacturing or sourcing change | Production steps, materials, locations and supplier evidence | Whether the change actually changes origin or other relevant treatment. |
| Valuation | Transactions, commercial terms, related-party facts and relevant additions | Which valuation method and adjustments the facts support. |
| Preference or special treatment | Applicable program, product rules and supporting records | Eligibility and records for this specific transaction. |
| Product design | A technically workable specification and business rationale | Whether a real design change affects classification or treatment. |
Use the worked comparison to set an evidence threshold.
In our illustrative landed-cost comparison, Offer B appears $5,600 cheaper only if its assumed effective duty input is 12%. At 14%, it is $2,800 more expensive than A. No actual tariff rate or duty-saving scheme is being recommended. The example explains why a small apparent saving cannot justify an unsupported assumption.
Before acting, ask what evidence would confirm or reject the proposed treatment, what a supplier must change, what implementation costs are excluded and what event would trigger a new review.
Keep distinct questions distinct.
A duty payment is not evidence that a product satisfies forced-labor admissibility requirements. For example, USTR announced Section 301 action in July 2026 concerning foreign forced-labor import prohibitions; CBP separately describes its forced-labor enforcement authorities. Neither headline is a product-specific clearance decision.
Use the official notices and guidance below as starting points, not as a blended tariff percentage. A review must establish which measures and exceptions apply to the goods and date in question.
Agree the response and record the limits.
The useful deliverable is a reasoned option, its required evidence, expected commercial effect under stated assumptions and the person responsible for review. It should also say when no supported saving has been identified. Software-generated suggestions are not approval to file.
Questions, answered directly.
Can we use a lower-duty tariff code for a similar product?
Not simply because it is cheaper. Classification must follow the actual product and applicable rules. Similar descriptions alone are not sufficient support.
Does paying duties resolve a forced-labor detention?
No. Tariff treatment and forced-labor admissibility are separate questions. The relevant CBP evidence and enforcement process must be addressed.
Sources and limits
- CBP: Reasonable Care
- USITC: Harmonized Tariff Schedule
- USTR: July 23, 2026 Section 301 action
- CBP: Forced Labor Enforcement Operational Guidance
Sources support the stated context, not an endorsement of Greenwich or a shipment-specific determination.
Define your next U.S. decision.
Agree the question, evidence and responsibilities before acting.
Import readiness review