How to ship your products to a photo studio.

Before you ship

• Wait for confirmation. Ship only after your booking is confirmed and you've received the studio's shipping address and deadline.
• Check sizes. Send the size that fits the model. Compare your size chart with the model's measurements first.
• Send your best samples. Production-quality pieces photograph better than prototypes.

Packing checklist

1. Each item clean, pressed or steamed, and folded with tissue
2. Tags removed or tucked, unless you want them shown
3. Jewelry and small accessories in labeled bags
4. A printed product list: name or SKU, size, color and quantity
5. Your brand name written clearly on the outside of the box
6. A prepaid return label inside the box, if you want items returned

Shipping internationally

Brands ship to us from outside the US regularly, and a little preparation keeps customs smooth.

• Use a commercial invoice. Describe the contents accurately, with an honest value, and note that they are samples for photography, to be returned.
• Plan for duties and taxes. Depending on the countries involved and the value of the items, import duties or taxes may still be charged. The sender is responsible for them, so ask your carrier how to prepay.
• Allow extra time. Customs can add days. Ship early enough to arrive well before your deadline.
• Insure valuable items. Studios handle pieces with care, but carriers are outside anyone's control.
• Ask about high-value goods. For expensive or large shipments, a carrier or customs broker can advise whether a temporary-import document such as an ATA Carnet makes sense.

Getting your products back

Decide before you ship: returned, or kept or donated after the shoot. Returns go out once your images are delivered, using your prepaid label or at shipping cost. Accessories, jewelry and lightweight pieces are the easiest and cheapest to send across borders, so they're a great place to start.

What happens when your box arrives

Items are checked against your product list and kept together until your shoot. If anything arrives damaged or in the wrong size, you'll hear about it right away, before the shoot day.