How to Import Shoes from China to Vietnam: 8-Digit HS Codes, Form E, Labels & Trial Order

Quick Answer: A Vietnam Footwear Import Requires a Compliant Product File and a Sellable Size Curve

A Vietnamese importer should confirm the market gap, legal importer and electronic customs setup, the 8-digit HS code for every materially different model, valid origin evidence for any ACFTA or RCEP claim, the customs document set, and compliant Vietnamese labelling before the products are circulated.

The commercial plan must distinguish merchandise cost from landed cost. Freight, insurance, customs duty, import VAT, brokerage, testing, Vietnamese supplementary labels, destination handling, local delivery and operating expenses remain real. The best first order is not the broadest catalogue selection; it is the smallest controlled assortment that can prove fit, price acceptance, sell-through and replenishment in the chosen Vietnamese region and channel.

1. Start With the Market Gap, Not the Supplier Catalogue

Vietnam has a substantial domestic footwear manufacturing base. A generic imported casual shoe may therefore face heavy price competition and limited retailer interest. Chinese sourcing is more defensible when the product solves a clear catalogue gap: easy-on footwear, comfort shoes for older adults, wider or roomier fits, travel and walking products, specialised seasonal styles, or a brand and service package that local buyers cannot easily replace.

Define the first customer before choosing models. The product brief should state the target age group, main city or sales region, target retail price, channel, climate and wearing occasion, current competing brands, and the reason a retailer or consumer should switch.

2. Confirm the Vietnamese Importer and Customs Setup

The Vietnamese importing entity should be legally able to conduct the intended trading activity and complete electronic customs declarations. The Vietnam Trade Portal advises commercial importers to register their business and customs electronic declaration capability. A licensed customs broker can handle formalities, but the importer remains responsible for the accuracy of classification, origin, value, quality, and quantity declared.

• Confirm the importer name, tax code, address, and authorised signatory.
• Align the sales contract, commercial invoice, transport document, and customs declaration.
• Decide the port, warehouse, and delivery route before accepting the final freight quotation.
• Verify whether the goods will be imported for domestic sale, an e-commerce channel, a bonded arrangement, or another specific purpose.

3. Determine the 8-Digit HS Code for Every Materially Different Model

Vietnam uses an 8-digit HS classification. Footwear codes can change according to the upper material, outsole material, whether the shoe covers the ankle, whether it is open or closed, and other construction features. Textile walking shoes, leather shoes, rubber or plastic footwear, and sandals should not automatically be placed under one code.

The supplier should provide a technical sheet with photographs, upper and outsole composition, construction, closure, size range, and intended use. The Vietnamese importer or customs broker should validate the code and tariff rate in the current customs tariff database. The rate of import duty varies by commodity and origin, so a single percentage should not be used across a mixed collection.

4. Decide Whether to Claim ACFTA or RCEP Preferential Treatment

Shoes shipped from China do not automatically receive a preferential tariff. The goods must satisfy the applicable rules of origin and the importer must hold the required origin evidence and supporting transport documents. Depending on the transaction and the tariff line, the importer may compare normal preferential rates with a special preferential rate available under the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area or RCEP.

• Confirm the product-specific origin rule. Manufacturing in China is not sufficient if the rule is not met.
• Choose the origin document before shipment. Form E is commonly associated with the ASEAN-China arrangement; RCEP uses its own origin procedures.
• Keep the data consistent. Exporter, consignee, invoice number, HS code, origin criterion, transport route, and goods description should match the commercial file.
• Check direct consignment or transport evidence. Transhipment can require additional documents.
• Compare actual rates. A special preferential rate should not be assumed to be lower for every tariff line and year.

If the certificate is late, incorrect, or unsupported, the importer may have to pay a higher rate or follow a refund procedure. The supplier and broker should review the draft origin document before dispatch.

5. Prepare the Commercial and Customs Documents

6. Complete Vietnamese Labels Before the Product Is Circulated

Vietnam's goods-labelling rules require imported goods to retain the original label. If that label does not contain the required information in Vietnamese, the importer must add a supplementary Vietnamese label before the product is put into circulation. Required information includes the goods name, the name and address of the responsible organisation or individual, and origin, with additional content depending on the goods.

The importer should review the label artwork before mass printing. Confirm the Vietnamese product name, responsible importer details, country of origin, size information, material or composition information where required, instructions or warnings where applicable, and any claims used on the package or online listing. Decree 111/2021 amended the origin-labelling rules, so origin must be stated accurately and the country or territory name should not be misleading.

Do not cover or contradict the original label. The supplementary label and online product description should be consistent with the actual construction and customs documents.

7. Verify Product Testing and Claims

Footwear requirements can depend on materials, use, and claims. Textile components, chemical content, adhesives, colour fastness, sole performance, and consumer-safety statements may require testing or documentation depending on the product and the buyer's channel. The importer should check the Vietnam National Trade Repository and the responsible authority for the final HS code and composition.

Medical, orthopaedic, therapeutic, anti-slip, or health claims require more evidence than ordinary comfort descriptions. For senior comfort footwear, use specific and supportable claims about fit, ease of wearing, cushioning, outsole design, or daily-use stability. The supplier should retain the technical evidence behind each claim.

8. Build the Landed-Cost Model Before Negotiating the First Order

The cost model should start with the supplier's price and add China inland transport, export handling, freight, insurance where applicable, Vietnam destination charges, customs brokerage, import duty, import VAT, certificate and document fees, testing, Vietnamese labels, local delivery, warehousing, bank charges, marketplace or retailer fees, promotions, returns, and inventory financing.

Import duty varies by the 8-digit HS code, origin, tariff schedule, and valid origin documentation. VAT rules and temporary reductions can also change. Use the broker's written calculation for the shipment date instead of copying an old rate from a blog or another product.

Calculate four figures per pair:

1. landed cash cost before recoverable tax treatment;
2. cost per sellable pair after defects and shortages;
3. gross margin after retailer or platform deductions; and
4. contribution after promotions, returns, warehousing, and slow inventory.

9. Validate Samples for Vietnamese Customers and Climate

Vietnam varies by region and season. A sample plan should consider heat and humidity, heavy rain in some periods, motorbike-based daily movement, indoor tiled surfaces, easy cleaning, and local preferences for weight, colour, and fit. For older customers, evaluate easy-on structures, secure fastening, forefoot room, heel hold, cushioning, outsole grip, and size clarity.

Test more than one size and more than one foot shape. Record try-on feedback, walking comfort, heat management, strap or closure performance, and the reasons customers would or would not pay the target retail price. Use an approved sample and written specification as the production reference.

10. Use a Focused First Order and a 30/60-Day Pilot

Begin with samples across representative sizes and test entry ease, forefoot room, heel hold, heat comfort, outsole behaviour, packaging and Vietnamese label content. A controlled mixed-SKU order can then compare a limited number of styles and colours with meaningful depth in likely core sizes. There is no single universal MOQ for every ZULIZ partner, market or product programme.

For a qualifying first commercial order under an agreed written support plan, eligible purchased pairs may be matched with an equal number of eligible support pairs at no additional merchandise charge. Support SKUs may differ from purchased SKUs, which can broaden a disciplined test without forcing the buyer to duplicate every colour and size. Eligibility, assortment, quantity, timing and all other conditions must be confirmed in writing; support is not automatic for every style, order or reorder and does not waive freight, insurance, customs duty, import VAT, testing, labels or local delivery.

At 30 and 60 days, review sell-through by style and size, try-on conversion, exchange and return reasons, realised gross margin, core-size stock-outs, replenishment time, retailer feedback and marketing cost. Expand or alter the size curve only when the evidence supports the next purchase.

Current ZULIZ Cooperation Terms: Reduce Brand-Entry Friction Without Hiding Import Cost

ZULIZ does not charge a brand usage fee, and the US$50,000 brand security deposit is waived under the current cooperation policy. This lowers brand-level entry friction; it does not mean that opening, importing or operating in Vietnam is cost-free. Vietnamese importer and customs compliance, freight, customs duty, import VAT, brokerage, testing, labels, local delivery, warehousing, staffing, marketing and working capital remain real and must be budgeted separately.

Merchandise support is conditional and written

For a qualifying first commercial order under an agreed written support plan, eligible purchased pairs may be matched with an equal number of eligible support pairs at no additional merchandise charge. Support SKUs may differ from purchased SKUs. Eligibility, assortment, quantity, timing and all other conditions must be confirmed in writing; the support is not automatic for every style, order or reorder.

Do not confuse merchandise cost with landed cost or profit

For selected styles, effective average merchandise cost can start below US$10 per pair after applicable first-order support. This is not a universal wholesale price and it is not landed cost. Freight, insurance, duty, tax, customs, labels, local delivery and operating costs remain additional. A 60%–70% average retail gross-margin planning target may be achievable under suitable local pricing and normal sell-through. It is gross margin, not net profit, and no sales, margin, payback or return is guaranteed.

After-sales and market rights must follow written rules

For qualifying sole separation or sole breakage within the applicable one-year written policy, retain the normal purchase evidence, SKU details, photographs and video. After review and approval, the corresponding amount is credited directly against the cooperation partner's goods payment. Any exclusive territory or channel right exists only if it is expressly included in a signed agreement.

11. How ZULIZ Can Support a Vietnam Distributor Evaluation

ZULIZ develops comfort-focused footwear for older adults, including walking shoes, easy-on everyday styles, men's and women's comfort footwear, travel-oriented products and warm-weather sandals. A partner in Vietnam should evaluate the range against the target region, climate, older consumer profile, retail channel, price point and catalogue gap rather than copy an export catalogue into the first shipment.

Qualified partners can discuss 8-digit HS construction data, origin information, samples, size guidance, inspection criteria and a measurable 30/60-day pilot. Samples or a controlled mixed-SKU test may precede a commercial order. The applicable MOQ, lead time, product availability, inspection scope, Incoterm, price and any first-order support must be confirmed for the specific project in writing.

ZULIZ reports that global cumulative sales have exceeded 100,000,000 pairs. This statement is brand-reported context, not a forecast of sales in Vietnam. Local sell-through remains the decisive commercial test, and any exclusive territory or channel right exists only in a signed agreement.

Request a Vietnam Sample, HS Data, and Trial-Order Proposal

For a decision-ready response, share the target cities or regions, importer setup, destination port, existing stores or wholesale accounts, online channels, customer profile, target price, preferred categories and launch date. State whether the immediate objective is sample validation, a controlled test, a qualifying first commercial order or a larger market rollout.

The discussion can then cover HS classification inputs, Form E or RCEP coordination, Vietnamese label planning, duty and VAT modelling, sample evaluation, a mixed-SKU trial and any qualifying first-order support. Ask for one dated written proposal that separates merchandise, first-order support, freight, duty, tax, clearance and local costs; this prevents a low product figure from being mistaken for the full landed cost in Vietnam.

Business enquiries: Ray.pang@zuliz.com
Telephone / WhatsApp: +86 177 2761 6668

Official Vietnam Sources to Verify

• Vietnam Trade Portal: importing commercial goods, classification, and customs value
• Vietnam National Trade Repository: Decree 43/2017 on product labelling
• Ministry of Industry and Trade: Decree 111/2021 origin-labelling update

Regulatory note: Tariffs, VAT treatment, origin procedures, product controls, and labelling rules can change. Confirm the final HS code, tariff, origin document, tax treatment, and product file with Vietnam Customs, the relevant authority, or a licensed customs broker before shipment.