GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 16, 2026

goods sent on approval

Goods sent on approval are items dispatched to a recipient for examination or testing, with no immediate obligation to buy.

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Last updated: 16 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://wirtschaftslexikon.gabler.de/definition/ansichtssendung-39335

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Definition & Explanation

Goods sent on approval are items dispatched to a recipient for examination or testing, with no immediate obligation to buy. If the recipient decides to keep the goods, payment becomes due; otherwise, the items are returned – typically at the sender's expense. The arrangement is common in international trade for samples, trial deliveries, and selective sourcing decisions. Key terms such as return deadlines, cost allocation, and retention of title should be set out clearly in the sales contract or general terms and conditions. On the customs side, import declaration requirements still apply even for approval shipments; subsequent return of the goods normally calls for a specific procedure such as temporary admission or inward processing.

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goods sent on approval

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