As you expand your business, you may start selling products to customers in other countries.
While taking your company international can grow your profit and brand recognition, there are some important considerations to work through.
International shipping opens up room for additional issues, such as customs, delays in shipping, damage before arrival, lost packages and more.
From shipping with high-quality custom cardboard boxes to adding up all potential costs, keep reading for tips that could help you make shipping internationally a success.
Article Contents
Tip 1: Effective Packaging Solutions
It may seem obvious, but proper packaging is crucial to reducing issues associated with international shipping.
Many businesses make the mistake of relying on cheap, ill-fitting packaging, but this often results in damage to the product.
The best packaging for you will depend on the product. Consider custom options that can perfectly fit your product and showcase your brand’s name or logo.
For example, if you’re shipping something fragile, ensure your packaging is labeled as such and contains the right amount of bubble wrap, air pillows or other filler to prevent it from moving too much during travel.
If the package you use is too small or too large or without proper cushioning, your product is more susceptible to damage during transit.
Tip 2: Shipping Rules and Restrictions
There are specific rules in place for shipping products domestically and internationally.
International shipments often have more regulations that you must follow to ensure your item reaches its destination.
Most importantly, you must consider what you’re shipping. Some items require specific packaging and labeling so those handling the shipment know what precautions they must follow.
For example, if you’re shipping an item that could be considered a dangerous good, shop for boxes that meet IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR).
This will help ensure your item is properly boxed and labeled for smooth acceptance and shipment to its destination. If there are any issues with your package as it passes through customs, it could get stuck there and you may lose your product altogether.
Tip 3: Customs Requirements
Customs agencies control and manage what items go in and out of the country.
For your package to get through customs, you need to fill out the right forms, such as a commercial invoice and customs declaration.
Be as descriptive as possible when detailing what is in your package. It’s often a good idea to specify what the product is, what materials it’s made of, and what its intended use is.
Tip 4: Shipping Costs and Customs Fees
Shipping internationally typically costs more than shipping within your own country.
Be sure to understand shipping costs for different countries and adjust what you plan to charge your customers if needed.
You should also account for customs fees, which can vary quite a bit. Customs fees are based on the value of your product, so the higher the value, the higher the fee.
Shipping tariffs may also come into play. These are taxes charged for products being imported from a different country.
Tariffs are intended to make imported products more expensive and less attractive to consumers, thus protecting the production of local goods.
Tip 5: Shipping Insurance
The farther away your shipping destination is, the more risk you face of the package getting lost or damaged.
When shipping internationally, it’s often a good idea to insure your package. Insurance will help you get a refund if your item is lost, damaged, or even stolen during transit.
If you don’t use insurance, your business could end up losing money, especially if you have to replace the product for your customer and end up paying double in shipping, packaging and fees, while also tapping into more of your inventory.
Tip 6: Additional Required Forms
Some items, like animals, plants, and perishable goods require additional paperwork when being shipped internationally.
Before shipping, ensure you have all the forms you need and complete them fully and accurately. If you don’t, your item could be confiscated in customs or sent back to you.
Think about ordering forms, placards, customs labels and other supplies ahead of time so you’re prepared and don’t get held up when it comes time to ship.
Tip 7: Your Shipping Carrier
Some common US-based carriers that ship to other countries include USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL Express.
Do your research prior to choosing a carrier to ensure they are a good fit for your business and product offering.
Each carrier has its own package weight and size limits, insurance policies, tracking options, lists of prohibited items, and delivery times. You also need to make sure they ship to the countries you’re selling to.
Tip 8: Customer Returns
Many businesses offer customers the opportunity to return items if they’re unsatisfied.
Keep this in mind when deciding whether or not you want to sell internationally because this could accrue additional costs for your business.
If a customer returns an item, you may need to pay for the return shipping, restocking, and other associated costs and fees. You might save money by shipping items back to you in bulk.
So, you may consider spending money to have items held at the destination country until you can ship multiple returns in a larger batch. Or, you might restrict returns to domestic sales only.
Tip 9: Shipping Scams
Unfortunately, there are many scams that shippers and recipients are susceptible to, especially when selling and shopping online.
Be wary of suspicious texts, emails and calls from shipping companies. Sometimes scammers will send false tracking information with links that can compromise your device.
And when you’re looking at tracking information, make sure you confirm the link you’re using.
In Summary
Deciding to go international with your business can be a huge accomplishment. It could help you grow and increase your profits. However, it is not a simple feat.
You must consider everything that goes into mailing a package to another country. You should consider the packaging, shipping costs, extended shipping times, international rules and regulations, customs requirements, potential returns, and shipping scams.
With the right understanding and effort, you can ensure your packages reach their destination and meet your customers’ expectations.
