Sourcing shoe display feet from China

UK duty on shoe display feet

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 9618 covers tailors' dummies and other lay figures, automata and other animated shop-window displays. Shoe display feet are foot-shaped figures used to present footwear. The table shows product variants sharing the supplied commodity line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. See the wider mannequins and dress forms guide.

The supplied line, 9618 00 00 00, carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension listed. The tariff attaches import and export controls on cat and dog fur. Imports and exports of that fur and products containing it are banned. For covered forms, ask the supplier to identify the covering material and exclude cat and dog fur.

Confirm the commodity code using photographs, materials and the intended display use. Display stands are classified by material, as explained in the wider guide; describe a foot-shaped display figure clearly rather than using only 'shoe accessory' on the invoice.

Specify the foot shape and shoe fit

Specify left or right foot, foot length and width, instep shape, ankle opening, calf height, toe position and heel angle. Supply the actual shoes to be displayed and approve a sample with them fitted. Agree the material, hollow or solid construction, colour, gloss, base contact surface and any mounting connection. Define acceptable mould lines and the areas visible above an open shoe.

For Great Britain, the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 apply to products intended for, or reasonably likely to be used by, consumers. Consumer display forms must be safe. Check stability and sharp fittings, and ask for a supplier statement on substances of very high concern under UK REACH for painted or plastic parts, following the wider mannequins guide.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 300 shoe display feet; FOB value and freight are illustrative under 9618 00 00 00, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £590 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,090. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,090, so it is £618. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Shoe fit: fit the approved shoes, check heel seating and toe position, and confirm that the form can be inserted and removed without stretching or scuffing the footwear.

Finish: compare colour and gloss with the approved sample; inspect toes, heel and ankle rim for cracks, chips, rough mould lines and exposed fibres.

Stability and fittings: place the fitted form on the intended shelf, check for rocking, and assemble any base or mounting connection to check its fit.

Packing and arrival: check left and right quantities, protect toes and ankle rims separately, and inspect unpacked forms for rubbing marks, crushed sections and loose fittings.

What goes wrong

A form can match the quoted foot length yet have an instep too high for the shoe opening. The heel then sits incorrectly, or staff force the shoe onto the form and mark it. Approve the shape with your actual footwear and keep that fitted sample as the inspection reference.

Other failures include rocking bases, chipped ankle rims, visible mould seams and paint rubbed away inside cartons. Check the packed sample as well as the finished form, and record defects before accepting the shipment. Use the quality inspection guide to define the checks.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.