Efficient customs clearance is vital for successful international shipping. For ecommerce merchants, delays in customs can disrupt operations and impact customer satisfaction. This article outlines best practices to ensure your parcels clear customs promptly. By focusing on accurate documentation, proper classification of goods, compliance with regulations, prepayment of duties and taxes, and precise valuations, you can streamline your shipping process and avoid common pitfalls.
1. Complete Accurate and Detailed Documentation
Accurate and detailed documentation is crucial for smooth customs clearance. Ensure that your customs declaration is meticulously completed and includes a clear description of the goods (Ex: “Men’s Cotton T-Shirt” instead of “Shirt”), their value, and quantity. Don’t forget to include your selling channel URL and any required tax IDs to assist with identification and compliance. Any errors or omissions can lead to delays, fines, or other complications. Additionally, provide the recipient’s full name, the company name when applicable, and a valid phone number. This information will also come in handy when your parcel is out for delivery–incorrect or incomplete data can lead to non-delivery, disposal, or returns.
2. Properly Classify Your Goods
Correctly classifying goods using Harmonized System (HS) codes is essential for smooth customs clearance. HS codes determine the duties and taxes applied to shipments. Inaccurate classification can lead to delays, fines, or even seizure of goods. Merchants should use available resources such as GlobalPost’s free HS Code Lookup Tool to ensure precise classification. Accurate classification not only expedites customs processing but also helps in maintaining compliance with international trade regulations.
3. Understand and Comply with Destination Country Regulations
Understanding and complying with the specific regulations of the destination country is crucial for successful customs clearance. Each country has unique requirements regarding prohibited items and restricted goods. Ensuring compliance with these rules minimizes the risk of shipments being delayed or rejected at customs, thereby facilitating a smoother shipping process and enhancing overall efficiency. Check out our FAQs for more information on prohibited and restricted items, or contact us if you have questions about a specific destination country.
4. Consider Prepaying Duties and Taxes
Prepaying duties and taxes can expedite customs clearance and enhance customer satisfaction. By calculating and settling these fees in advance, merchants can avoid unexpected costs and delays at customs. This proactive approach not only speeds up delivery times but also provides a transparent and hassle-free experience for customers, fostering trust and loyalty. GlobalPost makes it easy to pay taxes and duties on your international parcels. GlobalPost Plus is a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) service that lets you ship parcels up to 66 lb to the world’s largest markets, including Canada, Mexico, Australia, Germany, France and the U.K. We also offer GlobalPost Go, a flat-rate shipping service for parcels up to 2 lb going to Canada and Australia that’s inclusive of all taxes and duties. You can also use our free Duties & Taxes Calculator to estimate import duties and taxes for hundreds of countries worldwide.
5. Provide Accurate Valuations
Providing accurate valuations of shipped goods is crucial for customs clearance. The declared value on the commercial invoice must reflect the true market value of the items. Inaccurate valuations can lead to delays, fines, or additional scrutiny from customs authorities. Merchants should ensure all valuations are precise and well-documented to facilitate smooth processing. Accurate valuations help in avoiding complications and ensure a more efficient and transparent customs clearance process.
Experience True Hassle-Free International Shipping With GlobalPost
GlobalPost is the carrier of choice for growing businesses, designed from the ground up to make international shipping easy. Our hassle-free solutions help you reach new customers in new places. We handle the complexities so you can focus on what matters most: getting more products to more customers. From tariff codes to duties and taxes, we make global shipping as easy as local. Get in touch with our team to learn how we can help you with your international shipping needs.
Other Resources
Are you using ShipStation, Stamps.com, or ShippingEasy to create a GlobalPost label? Check out these Help Center articles for tips on how to encourage a smooth customs clearance.