320  SELLING  LATIN  AMERICA

box  to  enclose  a  package  of  cards  or  some
other  advertising  material.  In  most  Latin
American  countries  it  is  against  the  law  for
a  case  to  contain  anything  more  than  what  the
bill  of  lading  or  the  consular  invoice  expressly
states,  and  the  trouble  that  ensues  from  this
desire  to  really  help  the  purchaser  can  never
be  understood  by  those  so  far  away  from  the
native  customs  official  who  seizes  every  opportunity ­
  to  extort  money  from  the  local  dealer
in  the  shape  of  fines  and  fees.
The  merchant  in  ordering  will  generally
definitely  state  just  how  he  wants  the  goods
which  you  are  shipping  him  declared,  so
as  to  properly  conform  to  the  classification
in  vogue  in  the  local  custom  house  and  its
tariff  regulations.  Here  it  again  behooves
you  to  follow  his  instructions  word  for  word,
otherwise  the  officious  custom  house  employe
sees  another  chance  to  levy  a  fine  and  the  unfortunate ­
  importer  becomes  correspondingly
disgusted  with  your  methods  of  doing  business ­
  with  him.
Finally,  the  packages  should  agree  in  num ­