“Hand-carried”, “Carry-on” or “Hand luggage” Goods

Currently, there are many types of hand-carried goods sold on the market. Below are the popular types of hand-carried goods and are chosen by many consumers.

Technology goods

Technology goods are one of the most popular types of hand-carried goods today. Mobile phones, laptops, tablets, smart watches… are technology products that are often purchased from abroad and brought back to sell in Vietnam. When buying hand-carried technology goods, you need to pay attention to the quality and features of the product because hand-carried goods often do not have a warranty stamp from the manufacturer in Vietnam, so it is very important to check carefully before buying.

Shoes

Hand-carried shoes often have unique designs and are made of better materials than shoes made in Vietnam. However, when buying hand-carried shoes, you need to pay attention to the size and quality of the product. In addition, you should also carefully check details such as shoe soles, shoelaces, stitching, etc. to ensure the quality of the product.

Cosmetics

Cosmetics are one of the types of hand-carried goods that many women seek. Usually, hand-carried cosmetics come from countries such as: domestic cosmetics in China, Korea, Japan, the US, etc. However, when buying hand-carried cosmetics, you need to be careful because there are many fake and poor quality products on the market. You should buy cosmetics from reputable stores or ask the seller to provide invoices or documents proving the origin of the product.

Fashion

Carry-on fashion is clothing, shoes, accessories and other fashion items sold at a lower price than the regular retail price. These goods are usually purchased from stores in foreign countries, such as the United States, Korea, China and Japan. Carry-on fashion can be a good choice for those who want to save money when buying clothes and fashion accessories. However, there are also some risks when buying carry-on goods, such as counterfeit goods, defective goods and no warranty.

Other Accessories

In addition to the types of goods mentioned above, there are many other types of accessories such as handbags, jewelry, Chinese watches, etc. that are also sold at carry-on stores. Similar to other types of goods, when buying these types of accessories, you need to pay attention to the quality and legality of the product.

There are many ways to distinguish hand-carried goods from genuine goods. To distinguish hand-carried goods from genuine goods most accurately, you can rely on the following criteria:

Origin

• Origin: Hand-carried goods will usually have no brand or only a fake brand. Meanwhile, genuine goods will have a clear origin and be licensed to produce at reputable companies.
• Certification documents: Genuine goods will be provided with certification documents from the manufacturing company, while hand-carried goods often do not have this document.

Actual experience

• Time of use: Genuine goods often have a longer time of use than hand-carried goods, especially electronic products.
• Product quality: With genuine goods, you can check and be sure of the product quality before buying. Meanwhile, hand-carried goods are often not checked and may encounter technical errors.

Warranty policies

• Warranty policy: Genuine products will have a clear warranty policy and warranty support in Vietnam. Meanwhile, hand-carried products often do not have a warranty policy or are only supported by warranty in the country of origin.
• Warranty value: For genuine products, the warranty value will be calculated from the new purchase price of the product. Meanwhile, for hand-carried products, the warranty value is usually only calculated from the repurchase price of the product, excluding other costs such as shipping fees or import taxes.

To avoid buying fake or low-quality products, you need to learn how to distinguish between genuine and fake products. For products such as technology, cosmetics, fashion, etc., you can find information about the product on reputable websites or ask for opinions from people who have used the product before. For products such as shoes, accessories, etc., you need to pay attention to the details as mentioned above.

For further information, see the Distinguishment between Hand-carried goods and Genuine goods?

As you may be aware, many beauty products, functional foods, diapers, milk, etc. are being sold online as hand-carried goods, including brands with official distributors in Vietnam. The price difference between hand-carried goods and genuine goods sold in Vietnam is clear. This difference can range from a few tens, a few hundred thousand to a few million VND depending on the type of product. Genuine distributors are also facing great competition from “hand-carried” online shops.

However, buying hand-carried goods is very risky because there is no origin, no after-sales service, no warranty, no advice on usage instructions and no responsibility for health-related incidents. As analysed above, selling hand-carried goods is considered a legal style of business when the goods sold meet all the conditions prescribed by law. However, in cases where the conditions are not met, this style of business will violate the law and the related goods can be considered smuggled or contraband goods.

Selling hand-carried goods is considered legal if the goods meet the following conditions: they have been cleared through customs according to the procedures for luggage of people entering and leaving the country, as prescribed in Article 59 of Decree 08/2015/ND-CP (dated 21 January 2015 providing specific provisions and guidance on enforcement of the customs law on customs procedures, examination, supervision and control procedures); the correct quantity and type of goods are ensured when customs procedures are carried out; goods are not on the list of prohibited or temporarily suspended imports according to the provisions of law; goods are with invoices and accompanying documents and in accordance with the law on invoice management.Hand-carried goods are sold without invoices and accompanying documents as prescribed, and/or are not been cleared though customs procedures, etc. are identified as smuggled or contraband goods.

However, the inspection of hand-carried goods business activities still faces many difficulties. With the trend that online sales, products are often kept at home by the seller, the market management authority who wants to inspect these cases must have a decision to search the residence signed by the district chairman, but obtaining such a decision is not easy. In addition, many people who sell hand-carried goods often rent business locations, so when a decision is made to impose an administrative penalty, the violating individuals and organizations can easily escape.

Choosing to buy hand-carried goods means risks and disadvantages that buyers cannot control in terms of quality, even affecting health, money, and not enjoying warranty policies from the manufacturer. The taste for hand-carried goods and the foreign-oriented mentality have been thoroughly exploited by businesses to make consumers disburse. In the current situation of the hand-carried goods market being almost completely free, not only is it a loss of budget revenue but it also causes many consequences for society. Despite the availability of penalties, preventive measures are more important. Administrative sanctions are just a channel to limit smuggling and illegal trading of goods in order to prevent tax violations, thereby preventing loss of tax revenue from commercial activities. To deal with this situation at its root, it is necessary to synchronize policies from trade, market to tax, customs, etc. Obviously, the reality is in dire need of drastic intervention from authorities to protect consumer rights as well as the health of the market. Authorities need to strengthen inspections and checks of public services; resolutely and strictly handle violations. With the goal of protecting consumers, in addition to the efforts of the Government and authorities, it is necessary to have the cooperation of sellers, businesses and each consumer.