Shipping How-To: Custom Forms, Duties, and Taxes

Etsy.com handmade and vintage goods
muka

Story by muka

Published on Apr 15, 2010 in Seller Handbook

This is a follow-up to the excellent Seller How-To: Shipping published last fall on the Etsy Blog. I’ve repeated some of the Customs Forms information below and added some new tips and helpful links on duties and taxes.

Shipping internationally will go smoothly most of the time. Every so often a package can get stuck in customs. Make sure your customers are aware that you can’t be responsible for these delays. It can be hard to track a package once it leaves your country if you’re not using expedited mail classes, or courier service such as FedEx or DHL.

Do not mark your package “gift” if you’re mailing an item you’ve sold to a customer. Misrepresenting the contents of your shipment is against the law, and it’s really not worth the risk. Check with your country’s postal service to find out exactly what forms you’ll need to attach to your package. Properly filling out these forms is essential to prevent your package from getting held up in customs.

Postcard Wishes – Fun Guest Book Alternative by cutthecakedesigns

Shipping to the U.S.

All packages entering the U.S. from another country require a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Declaration form (there are two kinds: CN 22 or CN 23), which is obtainable at most foreign post offices or can be ordered for free from USPS.com.

Remember, your buyer may be asked to pay any additional customs fees. Please make arrangements with the buyer for how the two of you will handle charges. Buyers are responsible for duties, but it’s gracious to give them a heads up. Be sure to add your international shipping policy to your Shop Policies page.

Sellers that utilize the postal service may find the information below helpful. For questions about other services and for more information please visit the US Customs & Border Patrol site.

Merchandise shipped through international postal services is forwarded upon its arrival in the United States to one of U.S. Customs and Border Protection International Mail Branches for clearance.

  • If the item is less than $2,000 in value and is not subject to a quota or is not a restricted or prohibited item (like alcohol or tobacco), a CBP official will usually prepare the paperwork for importing it, assess the proper duty (which varies by item), and release it for delivery. This procedure is generally referred to as a “mail entry.”
  • Packages whose declared value is under $200 will generally be cleared without any additional paperwork prepared by CBP.
    • However, CBP always reserves the right to require a formal entry for any importation and generally exercises this option if there is something unusual about the importation, or if important documents such as an invoice or bill of sale do not accompany the item.

If any duty is owed, CBP will charge a processing fee for clearing your package. Duty and the processing fee are usually paid at your buyer’s local post office, where the package is forwarded.

To minimize any problems you should be sure the following information is visible on all packages you send to the US. Please visit the US Customs & Border Patrol site for detailed explanations of each of these items:

  1. Seller’s name and address
  2. Accurate description of the item(s) in English (this is how duty is calculated)
  3. Quantity of each type of item being shipped
  4. Purchase prices in USD
  5. Weight of the item(s)
  6. Country of origin of the product (note: for supplies and vintage this may differ from the seller’s country)

Foreign shipments that are not accompanied by a U.S. Customs & Border Patrol declaration form and an invoice may be subject to seizure, forfeiture or return to sender. Bummer!

CANADA 1964 – canvas sling tote by Yaheesplace

Shipping to Canada

The rules for Canada are very different from the US. Please refer this Canada Post link for additional information. Just like in the U.S., the buyer is responsible for any additional fees that may be charged at customs. You should add this to your Shop Policies page.

Any item mailed to Canada is potentially subject to duty and taxes. Although the GST was designed as a tax on the consumption of goods and services within Canada, imported goods are also subject to the GST because this ensures fair tax treatment for domestic products. Therefore, unless specifically exempted, you must pay the 5% GST on items you import into Canada by mail. Note: People in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador or Nova Scotia pay 13%.

There is no additional duty on any goods worth $20 CAD or less or gifts worth $60 CAD or less. Duty is calculated based on the description of the item.

Postcards from Europe, Embroidered Fabric Envelope by Tuuni

Shipping to the EU 

If you’re shipping within the 27 member countries of the EU your packages will not be subject to duties or taxes.

Shipping to the EU also requires declaration forms CN22 or CN23. If goods are imported from a third country, for example a country outside the EU, you will normally have to pay:

  1. Customs duty
  2. Import VAT (7 % or 19 %) and
  3. Possibly also special excise duties (usually just in the case of highly taxed goods such as alcohol or cigarettes)

NOTE: Total Value for VAT = value of goods + transport charges + duties
NOTE: Total Value for duty = value of goods + transport charges

If your order value is less than € 22, your buyer will not be charged any additional costs. If your order value is between € 22 and € 150, the import VAT will apply. For orders greater than € 150 your buyer will need to pay both VAT and customs duties.

  • PeculiarForest notes that for UK sellers, “Customs forms will need to be filled out at the post office if parcels are being sent outside of the European Union.” Memake notes that you may also download a PDF form from the Royal Mail website here.
  • If you’re selling in Germany you can download a CN22 here.

Beautiful Day Postcards by littlemoandfriends

Shipping to Australia

Fortunately for our friends down under, receiving packages from abroad is pretty easy. All goods (except for tobacco products and alcoholic beverages) may be imported duty and tax free if their value is $1,000 AUD or less.

Note: However, where there are multiple packages to the same addressee in Australia from a single consignor overseas that arrive at about the same time, then the value of all packages will be combined for duty and tax assessment purposes.

Australians need the green forms available from your post office for free when sending packages outside Australia.  For more info about shipping from Australia, check out this article.

Shipping to Japan

All packages entering Japan from another country undergo customs clearance where applicable duty and consumption tax are calculated. Duties are typically a percentage of the value (in Yen) of the imported goods.  In most cases, goods valued at less than 10,000 yen (about $110-$120) are exempt from consumption tax.  Full list of tariffs here.

Standard international shipping methods (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL) can be used to send packages to Japan. Another option is Yamato Transport, which is a popular courier service based in Japan. It is highly recommended to remind buyers from Japan that there may be delays or additional expenses incurred as a result of customs laws. Always be sure to include your buyer’s telephone number on the shipping declaration, as this is how customs will contact them in the case of an issue.

Addressing your packages

Remember, the address formats of your buyers may vary based on location. It’s never a bad thing to check the common address formats for the location you’re shipping to, and format the address accordingly. Although you may be limited in placement and room on your customs forms, you might also consider displaying this information elsewhere on your package. If your buyer supplied an address with non-latin characters, it’s always a good idea to include a version of the address in the language of the origin location and the destination location. You can read more about international addresses here.

Read More Seller How-To’s About Shipping

Related Items

164 comments

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  • hulagirlsoapco

    hulagirlsoapco says:

    I love it!! I just shipped to japan from chicago last week. A bLAST!

    3 years ago

  • theeye

    theeye says:

    thank you for the information

    3 years ago

  • indiepixie

    indiepixie says:

    I ship worldwide...Finland and Australia were two places I shipped to this week :) I love Royal Mail.

    3 years ago

  • AlchemicMuse

    AlchemicMuse says:

    Great information - thank you!

    3 years ago

  • laurelinsailor

    laurelinsailor says:

    Thanks for the information! I usually ship to the U.S. and had never a problem. I guess that the form the swiss post requires works just fine with america's border laws.

    3 years ago

  • kissadesign

    kissadesign says:

    Great info! thanks.

    3 years ago

  • Ayca

    Ayca says:

    Great information! Thank you !

    3 years ago

  • missindie

    missindie says:

    Excellent article!!

    3 years ago

  • StopTheClock

    StopTheClock says:

    Thank you! Much appreciated!

    3 years ago

  • craftpile

    craftpile says:

    Thank you...great info!

    3 years ago

  • thejumpingjunebug

    thejumpingjunebug says:

    How very timely! I just received my first order from Australia. Thanks for the info.

    3 years ago

  • jewelrybyjackie

    jewelrybyjackie says:

    Thanks for the info. Very helpful!

    3 years ago

  • sewlola

    sewlola says:

    This is valuable information. Thank you!

    3 years ago

  • seragun

    seragun says:

    Thank you for great information

    3 years ago

  • Earmark

    Earmark says:

    oh yahoo! our Airmail invitations!! Thank you for including them in this great and helpful article!!

    3 years ago

  • ginaregina

    ginaregina says:

    Thanks for the information!Very helpful!

    3 years ago

  • MonikaDesign

    MonikaDesign says:

    I love international shipping.....very often sending to Canada, UK, Nederland....thanks for great information...

    3 years ago

  • TangledArts

    TangledArts says:

    I haven't tackled international shipping yet. Very useful info!

    3 years ago

  • everydaypress

    everydaypress says:

    Just a pity it is so expensive to ship from Australia to everywhere else! thanks for the article

    3 years ago

  • aisle3studio

    aisle3studio says:

    oh shipping, how i wish you were cheap, i would totally use you more

    3 years ago

  • anniejacks

    anniejacks says:

    What a great article! Also, for those in the United States, USPS's Shipping Assistant program has proved invaluable to me in shipping internationally via First Class mail. It allows you to fill out and print the customs forms from home so that when you bring the package to the post office to pay for shipping, all they have to do is scan the barcode and you're good to go! It can be found here: http://www.usps.com/shippingassistant/

    3 years ago

  • HeatherLairDesigns

    HeatherLairDesigns says:

    Thanks for the information. I will save it for when needed!

    3 years ago

  • allisonmooney

    allisonmooney says:

    Thank you for posting this. I have had some questions and this info is really helpful!!

    3 years ago

  • ElasIdea

    ElasIdea says:

    Thank you for this article. I recently shipped to Australia and had to hunt for the 'how to' myself. This is very informative.

    3 years ago

  • elemegibere

    elemegibere says:

    Thanks for the information. Our shipments to U.S. buyers, but also being reached in a very long time. We're in a tough position: (

    3 years ago

  • SeptemberStars

    SeptemberStars says:

    This is very useful info! Thanks!.. (and thanks to anniejacks, too!) -Will be looking into that.

    3 years ago

  • oldworldprimitives

    oldworldprimitives says:

    Thank you for the helpful tips!

    3 years ago

  • GoodGriefGlass

    GoodGriefGlass says:

    Appreciate the follow-up info.

    3 years ago

  • rarebeasts

    rarebeasts says:

    Thanks for the info, a few new ones for me in there. Nice post picks too.

    3 years ago

  • KristyLynnJewelry

    KristyLynnJewelry says:

    thanks for updating this info, very helpful. One of my very first orders was for Australia!! Thank you!!

    3 years ago

  • love4rocks

    love4rocks says:

    Thank a lot for all this info. Great article.

    3 years ago

  • soule

    soule says:

    Thank you for posting this so everyone can see it! Sometime selling International is hard...

    3 years ago

  • tippleandsnack

    tippleandsnack says:

    It still amazes me that it's as easy to ship to Poland and China as it is to Canada. What a small world!

    3 years ago

  • littlemoandfriends

    littlemoandfriends says:

    Ooooh snail mail!! Thanks for including my Beautiful day postcards in your helpful article!!

    3 years ago

  • styleforlife

    styleforlife says:

    I love this post...Thank you! Emily from EL Vintage http://twitter.com/ELVintage http://styleforlifelosangeles.blogspot.com/

    3 years ago

  • AvianInspirations

    AvianInspirations says:

    As always, thank you for the advice!

    3 years ago

  • Tuuni

    Tuuni says:

    Great article! Some useful info here I didn't know. Thank you for including my Embroidered Envelope!

    3 years ago

  • bialakura

    bialakura says:

    thanks for very helpful information!

    3 years ago

  • blota

    blota says:

    thanks for the great info. I am setting up my shop and am planning to start selling soon and this info is really helpful!

    3 years ago

  • OsoVictoria

    OsoVictoria says:

    Thank you for the additional information. My very first order was to Japan, since then I have shipped to Canada, Finland and Australia, I didn't know about the duty charges for Canada, my item was under $20. I have stopped some international shipping due to the weight or size of the item, cost of shipping these items can be a bit much. I need to look into that duty thing.

    3 years ago

  • steinschmuckdesign

    steinschmuckdesign says:

    THANK YOU!!!!

    3 years ago

  • bsartstudio

    bsartstudio says:

    Thank you for the information! I had a lot of experience shipping from the US to the rest of the world, but now that I have moved overseas, shipping to the US from elsewhere is a whole new ball game!

    3 years ago

  • wensaccessories

    wensaccessories says:

    Thank you for your information

    3 years ago

  • LittleWrenPottery

    LittleWrenPottery says:

    Love this post I'm always looking for tips on how to improve my shipping particularly internationally, thanks!

    3 years ago

  • thymbyldesigns

    thymbyldesigns says:

    Really, the CN22 packs can be ordered for free at uspsp.com by non-US customers? Has anyone tried it out?

    3 years ago

  • slingzprings

    slingzprings says:

    Hi! :) Any tips on shipping to Asia?

    3 years ago

  • karuskisupplies

    karuskisupplies says:

    Thanks for a great post. Just a little note that the import VAT can vary WIDELY vary among EU countries. For example here in Finland it is usually 22% (will be raised to 23% soon). It is good to mention in your shop policy that a buyer is responsible for all taxes and custom fees which MAY apply.

    3 years ago

  • satellitedaisy

    satellitedaisy says:

    I have shipped all over the world through the USPS & have never had a problem. This article is full of lots of good information. Thanks!

    3 years ago

  • fluxplay

    fluxplay says:

    Thanks for the information. It's very clear and concise and there are lots of details there that I didn't even know about so I've saved it for reference. Thanks!

    3 years ago

  • kirkus

    kirkus says:

    wonderful info!

    3 years ago

  • recycledwares

    recycledwares says:

    Thanks for taking the time to research the shipping information and for putting it in one, easy to read blog entry. I use the US Postal Service and they have a simple CN22 form. I usually pick up a handful each time I'm at the post office. Then I take about an hour to fill out some of the information on the forms that never changes, like my address and signature. This saves me time when I actually need to ship something out.

    3 years ago

  • janetsilkoff

    janetsilkoff says:

    Thanks for the information! I am new to Etsy, so looking into how to do business properly, especially if items are sold to international buyers. ~Janet

    3 years ago

  • lisaroy

    lisaroy says:

    Always great tips! i ship worldwide and find that the clearer and more detailed you are on the customs forms, the easier things travel. : )

    3 years ago

  • simplyworn

    simplyworn says:

    Thank you for these resources....

    3 years ago

  • kathyjohnson3

    kathyjohnson3 says:

    I ship worldwide, so this was a great article to read, thanks for the info!!

    3 years ago

  • ReclaimedObjects

    ReclaimedObjects says:

    Thank you I havent sold any thing internationally yet but this is very informative!

    3 years ago

  • pasin

    pasin says:

    great information

    3 years ago

  • jargonhead

    jargonhead says:

    Thank you for this incredibly valuable info!

    3 years ago

  • frenchtoastfriday

    frenchtoastfriday says:

    A personalized pendant purchased on February 5 from the US has yet been delivered. I just hope it didn't get lost in the mail :(

    3 years ago

  • maggiemaevintage

    maggiemaevintage says:

    good tips

    3 years ago

  • FNsCouture

    FNsCouture says:

    Very useful thank you!

    3 years ago

  • ArtisticIntentions

    ArtisticIntentions says:

    Great information. Thank you!

    3 years ago

  • rcrowley32

    rcrowley32 says:

    An important tip for anyone delivering an item to the EU: Be sure to put on the customs form if the item is 'original art'. Original Art is NOT subject to tax, or subject to a significantly lesser tax. You will save your buyer a load of customs fees : )

    3 years ago

  • ClementinesJewelry

    ClementinesJewelry says:

    Great info! thanks

    3 years ago

  • AdultIndulgences

    AdultIndulgences says:

    Now this we need more of. FANTASTIC! Thank you!

    3 years ago

  • fluce

    fluce says:

    Some of the above is misinformation and should probably be corrected very quickly. "All packages entering the U.S. from another country require a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Declaration form (also known as a CN 22 or CN 23)". Actually packages between any countries in the world (including to the US) do NOT require any US form. They require a CN22 form that is an internationally agreed standard by the Universal Postal Union. Furthermore this makes "Foreign shipments that are not accompanied by a U.S. Customs & Border Patrol declaration form [...] may be subject to seizure..." completely incorrect too.

    3 years ago

  • cutthecakedesigns

    cutthecakedesigns says:

    Awesome tips! Thank you ever so much for including my Postcard Wishes!!

    3 years ago

  • crochetgal

    crochetgal says:

    There is some good information here but there are also some errors. Packages coming into the USA do NOT require US customs forms. They require forms from the country of origin.

    3 years ago

  • trudiedavies

    trudiedavies says:

    Thank you so much for this valuable info !

    3 years ago

  • thymbyldesigns

    thymbyldesigns says:

    Fluce (http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/shipping-how-to-custom-forms-duties-and-taxes-7728/#comment-282150) I've been thinking the same. And dito to Karuski's comment about different regulations within the EU (and Europe, for that matter). Italy is another tricky issue regarding handling of non-EU merchandise in mail. Tracking shipments of regular mail usually works neat within most EU countries and even with some international countries, and it doesn't require DHL or FedEx, just a small tracking fee; it just doesn't work between e.g. Germany and USA, because the US rejects agreements for cross-border tracking (go figure...). And can I repeat my question regarding the free CN22 stickers at the US postal website -- I don't think it's free for customers outside of the US, so putting this info under "shipping to the U.S." is maybe not the right place.

    3 years ago

  • atelier28

    atelier28 says:

    very helpful... I sent a parcel from Holland to the USA and I asked about the little green customs form and was told it didn't need one, but she put one on anyway??? (it got there ok :D) Does anyone know what the deal is on shipping objects containing wood to Australia? I understand that importing anything made of wood to Austalia is illegal, yet on another government website read that importing handmade objects is fine, acknowledging they are often made of natural materials including wood.

    3 years ago

  • NoeleneRose

    NoeleneRose says:

    I'm recently new and I'm looking for a simple, low-risk effective way to start up my business. I was curious since my store would be based around baked goods/candies. How would I ship that to ensure minimal damage to the product. Also what is the estamated cost of shipping baked goods. Drop me a line here, my twitter page http://twitter.com/Noelene22 or e-mail me at noelenerose2@yahoo.com thank you

    3 years ago

  • gfarge2010

    gfarge2010 says:

    Hi, I'm knew here and I recently ship from Montreal to Quebec both in the same province and shipping fees are about 8.95 CA dollar and I saw other shops that their shipping cost are about 2-2.5 dollar please could you give an advice how I can find less shipping cost?

    3 years ago

  • JBPacrat

    JBPacrat says:

    Thanks for the great info. It may also be helpful to check the usps website for restrictions on items being shipped to different countries. Some items are prohibited depending on the country.

    3 years ago

  • Cassiejade

    Cassiejade says:

    *Atelier28: In regards to shipping wood; I am in New Zealand, and believe wooden products need to be "treated" in order to be allowed into the country (SHOULD be same for Aus). You still need to fill out the green stickers, although Customs may still want to open it to check. It might pay to include a letter stating what it is, where it's from and how it's been treated (and anything else that might help it get through safely!). Hope that helps :)

    3 years ago

  • grimmandgrete

    grimmandgrete says:

    I recently shipped some packages and it cost me more than I thought...a lot more!! Now I will have to rethink how I package my products. Thanks for the info.

    2 years ago

  • ThePrettyGypsy

    ThePrettyGypsy says:

    Good to know! Just shipped some vintage teacups (in my other shop) to Denmark. I'm going to add international shipping to everything right now! :D

    2 years ago

  • mairidesign

    mairidesign says:

    Thanks for this. I didn't realise there were customs, duties and taxes to consider when posting abroad.

    2 years ago

  • CharlieErnestNErise

    CharlieErnestNErise says:

    I posted this on another article the other day but this also seems like a great place: http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immctry.htm Gives you a list of countries, shipping estimates for different shipping methods(first class, priority etc), tells you what you can and can't ship to the country and more!

    2 years ago

  • jocalatte

    jocalatte says:

    I read somewhere that you include the shipping and handling in the "Value." There may be a loop hole where the price of the item is made up for by charging extra for shipping and handling to off set this. For example what if the item sold for $4 (but is worth a value of $20) and shipping and handling is $16. So what then is the value? Thanks for any comments/advice/info.

    2 years ago

  • heatherlynne17

    heatherlynne17 says:

    Wow it feels intimidating.

    2 years ago

  • cosmichippodesigns

    cosmichippodesigns says:

    I just signed up for USPS Shipping Assistant. The download was a snap. Here's hoping it won't be a nightmare to ship Internationally. Up to now I've resisted. Thanks for the terrific post!

    2 years ago

  • abamber

    abamber says:

    Thanks! I just had my first Canadian inquiry today. So much to learn.

    2 years ago

  • LolaRain

    LolaRain says:

    Thanks so much for the info! International shipping seems so intimidating so it's helpful to have all the facts in one place.

    2 years ago

  • HauteInteriorsLLC

    HauteInteriorsLLC says:

    Thank you, thank you, thank you for the valuable information!

    2 years ago

  • mangosteenjewelry
  • MeAndBoo

    MeAndBoo says:

    This is great, nice and concise and easy to read. Thankyou.

    2 years ago

  • TheNightjar

    TheNightjar says:

    Thank you so much!

    2 years ago

  • BellaModernBaby

    BellaModernBaby says:

    Thankyou i am about to try setting up internationall shipping on our site as i just purchased from the UK so not too bad! And thankyou AnnieJacks you saved me a trip to the post offie!

    2 years ago

  • chikahisastudio

    chikahisastudio says:

    Thanks for the information! Does anyone have a preference which service to use, usps or fedex/ups? Thanks.

    2 years ago

  • sublimenprojects

    sublimenprojects says:

    Thanks! This was helpful! I just found this website for calculating duty http://www.dutycalculator.com/ if anyone is curious. Also, the shipping program Endicia includes custom forms and automatically selects the correct one for you to fill out, based on the ship to address you enter.

    2 years ago

  • Bruklars

    Bruklars says:

    This is great - but there are some additional oddities to shipping to Australia (from USA) that can be surprising and prohibitive: 1)"Jewelry is permitted only when sent as an insured parcel using Priority Mail International service..." 2)"Ordinary indemnity coverage is not paid for...parcels containing ...coins,...platinum, gold, silver, precious stone; jewelry; watches; and other..." 3) USPS Flat Rate envelopes and small Flat Rate boxes can not be insured. So, you have to use the larger boxes at much higher cost. This can make shipping a pair of earrings, with a little silver content for example, excessively expensive (about $45usd). I've used my own boxes and reduced the shipping buy half.

    2 years ago

  • Bruklars

    Bruklars says:

    This is great - but there are some additional oddities to shipping to Australia (from USA) that can be surprising and prohibitive: 1)"Jewelry is permitted only when sent as an insured parcel using Priority Mail International service..." 2)"Ordinary indemnity coverage is not paid for...parcels containing ...coins,...platinum, gold, silver, precious stone; jewelry; watches; and other..." 3) USPS Flat Rate envelopes and small Flat Rate boxes can not be insured. So, you have to use the larger boxes at much higher cost. This can make shipping a pair of earrings, with a little silver content for example, excessively expensive (about $45usd). I've used my own boxes and reduced the shipping buy half.

    2 years ago

  • davidcrockettpens

    davidcrockettpens says:

    October 13th I shipped internationally for the first time. At customer request I set up shipping to Wales and sent 2 pens. I sent them first class as any other method was cost prohibitive. They have not arrived and it has been 4 weeks today. Anybody have any experience with this?

    2 years ago

  • styleagency

    styleagency says:

    I recently had interest from someone in Canada for a wood chair. I called UPS and was told no wood products are accepted across the border. I looked this up on their website and it say 'no wood'. It is very simple in its wording, but no wood means no wood? Even a 40 year old chair? Has anyone gotten around this?

    2 years ago

  • Tarajamu

    Tarajamu says:

    I eat, sleep & dream my Etsy shop and how to make it better and more attractive to buyers. I'm shipping to Australia for the first time. Horray!!! Tarajamu is Going Global. The info was good to have. It would have been ugly if my shopper would have had to pay tarrifs or additional charges once her package was cleared in Australia. Thanks

    2 years ago

  • LadyPicker

    LadyPicker says:

    I am just starting out...literally! Do you recommend figuring out all the ins and outs of international shipping before offering it? Or should I just go for it? It seems a bit daunting. How do I calculate shipping and other charges for international customers if I don't know ahead of time? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

    2 years ago

  • adorned7

    adorned7 says:

    Thank you for the info!

    2 years ago

  • luckygirlsdesigns

    luckygirlsdesigns says:

    Hi LadyPicker, I honestly suggest to do your homework when thinking about shipping international. Some countries may prohibit items you sell. Also be careful to ship exactly according to each contries regulations. I just found out today that an item I was shipping to Canada was going to cost almost double what I charge for shipping as it had to be sent via registered mail. Wish you the best of luck!

    2 years ago

  • SpecialThingsbyPatsy

    SpecialThingsbyPatsy says:

    I am very new in Etsy-land and I have found your list of catagories very helpful. I am looking forward to becoming a very member of the Etsy family Thank you patsy

    2 years ago

  • CStique

    CStique says:

    i've lost sales because i'm unsure of shipping outside the United States with all the paper work. Thanks for the info..

    2 years ago

  • BeadsByBrandy

    BeadsByBrandy says:

    I am just setting up my shop and this information is very helpful. Thanks so much!

    2 years ago

  • phyllisandhazel

    phyllisandhazel says:

    This was so helpful. I just sold my first item to a wonderful person in Australia and this helped relax me about trying to ship it there!

    2 years ago

  • bonecalinda

    bonecalinda says:

    Very helpful! Thank you!

    2 years ago

  • bonecalinda

    bonecalinda says:

    Very helpful! Thank you!

    2 years ago

  • digitaldoodlebug

    digitaldoodlebug says:

    great post, more people need to read it... it seems some buyers are not expecting to have to pay their own customs fees.

    2 years ago

  • ShaniArt

    ShaniArt says:

    Thank you. That was helpful.

    2 years ago

  • enjoyscrafting

    enjoyscrafting says:

    I want to open a shop. live in canada. If i ship to US do I steps to I need to read or do to prevent customs delays? Is it cheaper to ship to US then Canada?

    2 years ago

  • Spixi

    Spixi says:

    I used to do professional international freight and there are some oddities in every country. I recommend you check the countries you want to ship to first and see if your items conflict with any import restriction (plants, edibles, animal products, and honey are some that are banned in a lot of countries). Using FedEx and having them bill any incidental taxes back to your account is the fastest way to make sure things arrive, but you need a real account to do that. I really recommend FedEx, UPS or DHL (AIR!!!) if you want guaranteed delivery. The air carriers can bust whole containers across the border where ground delivery can get caught up in the local postal system. If you don't pre-pay duty or have a questionable product, they hold it at the airport customs counter, and your customer has to go liberate it themselves (an extra drive to the airport=not fun). Anyone can message me if they're having a real hard time with it.

    2 years ago

  • Spixi

    Spixi says:

    When you ship internationally, there are also a set of numerical codes (Harmonized shipping codes). If you can find the correct match, it will definitely speed things up & prevent them from opening your parcel. The FedEx site has a prompt that helps you find the right code.

    2 years ago

  • TownHallStudio

    TownHallStudio says:

    Thanks for all the info. I'm going to try to ship from the US to Australia. I'll post any info I learn through the process.

    2 years ago

  • DetailsbyDeb

    DetailsbyDeb says:

    Great article - I've been shipping overseas without issue

    1 year ago

  • MAGGYMAG

    MAGGYMAG says:

    Is it difficult to figure the shipping cost?

    1 year ago

  • seeratts

    seeratts says:

    Thank you for this invaluable information. I have not sold anything yet, but I am sure it will be of great help to me whenever I need it.

    1 year ago

  • beebleboop

    beebleboop says:

    This is very informative and answers a lot of my questions, Thanks !

    1 year ago

  • 65judy65

    65judy65 says:

    i need a bill of sale for the buyer Help!

    1 year ago

  • MissesLee

    MissesLee says:

    Is it just me though or is the shipping still rediculously high? I feel Like some shipping are more expensive than the items themselves...

    1 year ago

  • ElectronicGirl

    ElectronicGirl says:

    for anyone looking to get a rough estimate of shipping to specific countries: http://postcalc.usps.gov/ i estimated high..just in case. and i add $1 on to the shipping cost for packaging. a veteran etsy seller told me at least price out & list the major countries. US, Canada, UK & Australia! as many as you can. its important to do this research for the buyers, they will thank you with sales! ;)

    1 year ago

  • Fromglentoglen

    Fromglentoglen says:

    mind boggling.

    1 year ago

  • EponaJewels

    EponaJewels says:

    I have had luck shipping to Canada and Australia, but everywhere else I lost packages and had to refund the buyers money. Sooo, I only ship to US, Canada and Australia now.

    1 year ago

  • TheNakedOrchid

    TheNakedOrchid says:

    Thank you for the vital information!

    1 year ago

  • Aestheticsunlimited

    Aestheticsunlimited says:

    ***BEWARE & BE CAREFUL shipping to S. Africa / Cape Town area. Their Customs has "Long Fingers" / they have thiefs & rip-offs. I suppose it would not matter what type of shipping you use if customs thinks they need to pilfer your customers packages and take what ever they want. I cut off shipping to Africa after 1 item went missing out of my customers package and we are filing theft claims on both ends. Aesthetics Unlimited

    1 year ago

  • MagicSunday

    MagicSunday says:

    Thank you for info - very useful!

    1 year ago

  • kellyscreationsofkc
  • Pennyjanedesigns

    Pennyjanedesigns says:

    Thanks for this! I've had an etsy shop for a while and have only just started selling. Working out all the shipping costs seems to be the scariest bit!

    1 year ago

  • barbarasanders1

    barbarasanders1 says:

    This is a lot of info especially if you are just opening a shop. It is helpful to know that I can find my resources in one spot! Or other avenues to take if needed. Thank You and all the comments were very informative too. Well worth reading.

    1 year ago

  • CowgirlThangs

    CowgirlThangs says:

    I shipped my first international order before I read this article. Wish I had read it first! Great information and the comments from others were very helpful, also. Thank you so much!

    1 year ago

  • karadanieljewelry
  • blakeloaiza

    blakeloaiza says:

    okay so if the VAT exemption is 22 euros, and your item costs more than that could you find a loop hole way to have your customer pay ten sets of 22 euros?

    1 year ago

  • katehodges1

    katehodges1 says:

    I've only just joined Etsy so everything is new and scary to me and to top it all my first order is shipping to Singapore from the UK is there anything about custom forms/regulations/do's and don't s I should know about please? In fact am I even allowed to export my products as they are wood? HELP

    1 year ago

  • RedTailStudios

    RedTailStudios says:

    So helpful! Thanks! Made my first sale to Australia today!

    1 year ago

  • designskoko

    designskoko says:

    Thanks for the article. I'm very new to this, so will be going back to re calculate some of my prices! Thanks

    1 year ago

  • evameiy

    evameiy says:

    Thanks for the help!

    1 year ago

  • sugarbear75

    sugarbear75 says:

    This is good to know. Thanks for the information.

    1 year ago

  • aliceandlois

    aliceandlois says:

    thank you for the valuable info!!! thanks for the help!

    1 year ago

  • luckydoggallery

    Hal Hagy from luckydoggallery says:

    Very informative for a new troupe. I love the help pages. I'm currently navigating them to try and make myself visible.

    1 year ago

  • carolsuestore

    Carol Sue from FunkAndMore says:

    Thanks for the most helpful information! I am now ready to ship to Australia.

    1 year ago

  • samanthajadesinvites

    Samantha Jade from SamanthaJadesInvites says:

    I am finding shipping to Australia to be very, very expensive. I am going to ship something and UPS and FEDex is around $150, but the Post Office here in the States is around $50-75. Am I doing something wrong? Please help. I want to be able to offer Internationally shipping but not at that price, nor do I want to pass on that type of shipping to my customers. Help Samantha

    347 days ago

  • dyannoel

    Gloria Noelker from DyannoelQuilts says:

    I am new to Etsy and shipping so I am looking at everything to help me with my new adventure. I am finding such great information here as well as other forums within Etsy. Thanks to all who have contributed the information.

    346 days ago

  • artseed

    Eva-Lena Rehnmark from artseed says:

    Thanks for the shipping details - just what I was looking for!

    341 days ago

  • BeaconMills

    Patrick from BeaconMills says:

    All good info, thanks.

    330 days ago

  • partsbync

    Amy D from PartsbyNC says:

    Great information, but since there are a lot of jewelry sellers here I think it might be mindful to add that there are NUMEROUS restrictions on shipping silver and gold to certain countries. Mentioning tobacco and firearms on a site that doesn't even allow thr sale of them is kind of redundant...

    322 days ago

  • KrochetbyKristy

    Kristy from KristysKrochetNMore says:

    Thank you for the info. It's filled with alot of things I wasn't aware of.

    321 days ago

  • burdges

    Jeff Burdges says:

    You should avoid buying across customs borders all together. Customs often increases the final cost by 50% or more with their various fees. Customers hate this. Also, your customers will often be traveling when the package arrives, meaning customs returns it for non-payment, meaning you must pay that shipping. And the customer contests the charges. Just avoid it all together.

    316 days ago

  • vll970

    Victoria from Vintagiality says:

    As others point out regulation in EU member countries varies. Some countries do not have the 150 euro exemption mentioned in the article EVEN if it is a gift.

    258 days ago

  • MalibuJewel

    Candace from MalibuJewel says:

    I shipped a small package via USPS to Canada 2 months ago and it is nowhere to be found.

    215 days ago

  • LoriMarie

    Lori Cellini Deal from LoriMarie says:

    Thank You for the additional information. It will be so helpful!! :-)

    215 days ago

  • LouiseHibbert

    Louise Hibbert from LouiseHibbert says:

    I just wanted to add that if you are shipping to the UK from outside the EU, you have to pay VAT at 20% on everything over £15. Not only that but the shipping company will hit you with an administration fee of around £8 - so it can make something just over the limit a lot more expensive :-(

    199 days ago

  • SingingSlowly

    Singing Slowly from SingingSlowly says:

    Great article! Please include a $200 limit on the import of textiles as well. Packages (imports) containing apparel worth more than $200 will be dutied in the US. Few people are aware of this.

    185 days ago

  • Woodeco

    Jacqueline Aithsaine from Woodeco says:

    Just started on Etsy, I am not thinking to sell international yet, but I have been learning a lot, so thanks to everyone for the infos.

    167 days ago

  • theArtsyClutch

    Angie Pettigrew from theArtsyClutch says:

    All though I haven't shipped internationally, I have been looking into it. There is some great info out there if you look for it. I went to the USPS site and checked on their flat rate prices , it seem for the most part basic shipping to most countrys is about $10.00 or less. However, there are some exceptions and the prices just go up if your customer needs it faster or if the item you are sending is larger than the flat rate size ( 10"x14"). I haven't even begun looking at the customs info. For now I will limit my sales to the US. But am keeping my options open .

    132 days ago

  • kathyscraftroom55

    Kathylee from kathyscraftroom55 says:

    Shipping International is easier than I thought. (* Having a learning problem all my life. If I can do it, so can everyone else.) I've shipped to~ Japan, Germany, UK, Canada, Australia and Spain. :o)

    124 days ago

  • wildrose11111

    wildrose11111 from InstowVintage says:

    just about to dive in and start shipping internationally so really useful, thanks.

    102 days ago

  • avrjosh25

    Gregory Thibeau from Gctenterprises says:

    This information is the greatest. Just a note that you have shipping agency's,especially to the Philippines. like Manila Forwarder which is a door to door service. You can get a box and ship and ship by the box. This is great if you have a few items going to the same person,and it's a flat rate rate which covers shipping and customs. I ship to relatives all the time. I don't see why you couldn't do it for customers. It takes a month to get there. Oh and I can call them and they tell how the shipment is doing.

    85 days ago

  • birdycoconut

    birdycoconut from MyNiftyBrocante says:

    thanks for this very detailed and usefull article.

    76 days ago

  • flahertychris

    Christine Flaherty from NaturesInspiration2 says:

    Been nervous about going international. Thank you for helping clarify how easy it truly is. Will be going for it soon! Thanks again

    67 days ago

  • naomigarcia1

    Greg and Naomi Phillips from SquirrelSix says:

    Thanks very helpful!

    54 days ago

  • ld34760

    Lydia Diaz from WEBAnaturalproducts says:

    Excellent information. Thanks!

    48 days ago

  • hazelnomachulepuwani

    Hazel Nomachule Puwani from Langadecor says:

    Thanks for the info, very helpful

    35 days ago

  • MidModLife

    MidModLife from HighPlainsModern says:

    We've been asked if we can ship to Israel. I have the person's address, but how do I calculate the cost?

    27 days ago

  • meherrintraders22

    meherrintraders22 from Meherrintraders says:

    thanks so much!

    26 days ago

  • regaliaatlanta

    Christina Waggoner from REGALIAATLANTA says:

    Ok, so I am very anxious to ship internationally and I kind of understand these charges and forms, but do you have to buy a scale to keep at home to calculate aaaand look up each country you would ship that particular item to? Then do you have to pay all those fees when you go to the post? Or do they charge the buyer when it gets there? Am I a dunce? Super thanks to anyone who can help me out!!!!

    16 days ago

  • regaliaatlanta

    Christina Waggoner from REGALIAATLANTA says:

    And will my brain split open at all of it? :)

    16 days ago

  • Rafjag

    Suzanne Rafferty from VINAUCTIONS says:

    As a new bee!! It was so helpful to have all this info to hand...trying to embrace internet sales is such a daunting task make easier by good instruction... Thank you!! Suzanne

    1 day ago