9618.00.00.00 - Tailors' dummies and other mannequins; automatons and other animated displays used for shopwindow dressing

HTS code 9618.00.00.00 encompasses a specialized group of articles primarily designed for retail display and promotional purposes. This classification includes tailors' dummies, which are anatomical models used to display clothing during the design, manufacturing, or retail process. It also covers other mannequins, serving a similar function for garment presentation. Furthermore, this category extends to automatons and other animated displays, which are mechanical or electrical devices that move or exhibit other dynamic features to attract attention and showcase merchandise in shop windows or other retail environments.

While this category deals with display items, it is crucial to distinguish it from other HTS classifications. For instance, it is separate from categories covering raw materials or finished textile products themselves, focusing solely on the display apparatus. It also does not include general decorative items or fixtures that do not have a primary function of displaying merchandise or animating a retail space. The key differentiator is the specific purpose: these items are animated or shaped to represent the human form for the explicit purpose of exhibiting goods for sale or promotional impact.

As a leaf node, HTS code 9618.00.00.00 does not have further subdivisions. Therefore, classification within this code relies on the precise definition of the goods. Examples would include a full-body mannequin used in a clothing store, a torso form for displaying jewelry, or a complex animated figure designed to interact with passing customers in a department store window. The essential criteria for classification are that the item is a mannequin or an automaton/animated display specifically intended for shopwindow dressing or similar retail presentation contexts.