Simplify International Shipping for Your Business

Factor in your international shipping costs

It is absolutely crucial to ensure the accuracy of your costs. This is not only important for maintaining proper records, but also for making your pricing completely transparent to consumers. But this goes beyond the actual shipping price. Your cost breakdown must include the following components:

• Cost of the product

• Cost of packaging

• Cost of international shipping

• All handling charges

• Duties and taxes

Learn more about calculating shipping costs

3. Get to know the legal requirements

From prohibited items to import duties to customs declarations, businesses must ensure compliance with all relevant laws and regulations to avoid costly penalties and delays.

Prohibited items vary widely depending on the destination country and carrier, but common examples include:

• Firearms

• Explosives

• Narcotics

• Counterfeit goods

Certain items may also be subject to restrictions or require special permits for importation, such as:

• Agricultural products

• Pharmaceuticals

• Hazardous materials

Furthermore, it's helpful to stay informed about changes in import/export regulations and trade agreements that may impact your shipping operations. Check a reliable source for requirements whenever you ship internationally. Or use a shipping service that carefully tracks these regulations for you. An integration like Sendcloud ensures you have the right forms for every shipment.

By staying vigilant and proactive in addressing legal requirements, you can minimize the risk of customs delays, seizures, and other compliance issues that may disrupt any international shipping.

4. Fill out your paperwork properly

To avoid delays or complications, you'll need to make sure you have all required documentation complete, accurate, and compliant with regulations or international shipping.

Be transparent with customers about the fees associated with importing goods, if there will be any. This includes import duties, VAT, and processing costs for carriers.

To ensure that your packages reach their destination successfully, there are some documents you should be familiar with depending on the carrier and destination.

• Customs Declaration CN22: Used for goods weighing up to 2 kg (4.4 lbs) and up to €425 ($460 USD) in value. It must be attached to the outside of the package.

• Customs Declaration CN23: Required for shipments weighing over 2 kg (4.4 lbs) and/or exceeding €425 ($460 USD) in value. It is larger than the CN22 and must also be attached to the outside of the package, with a second copy placed inside.

• Despatch Note CP71: This document accompanies the CN23 declaration and is mandatory for international shipments.

• Commercial Invoice: Essential for shipments going to countries outside the EU, the commercial invoice provides details about the package contents and agreed terms, such as who bears the customs charges (Incoterms).

Managing customs declarations can be complex and time-consuming. However, automated solutions can simplify the process and save time. With Sendcloud, you can accurately generate compliant customs forms and shipping labels.

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