Nowadays we all have family members spread out across the globe. Whether it’s for work, love or business people are moving to new countries which means getting them their birthday present or Christmas present takes a bit more time and planning.
Or perhaps you are the one abroad who is wondering about sending gifts internationally to your loved ones. If you are shipping from Europe, Canada, Australia or Asia, it will need a small bit of research and thought.
Below is a short guide with a few simple pointers you need to be aware of:
Watch out for prohibited items. Items like aftershaves and perfumes and other highly flammable items such as nail varnishes are completely prohibited from sending. Most countries have their own list of prohibited items so it’s extremely important that you research these before you send anything abroad. For example, animals, tobacco, seeds, straw, fresh foods, dairy and furs are all prohibited and cannot be sent to Australia.
You also need to be careful of excluded items as these are items sent at your own risk and won’t be returned to you, for example china crockery.
Customs cannot be avoided. Most of the items you send will be subject to taxes. Customs and duty taxes will vary from country to country. Try to ensure you fill out the customs form correctly so that the person receiving the parcel doesn’t get charged when it arrives.
Your courier’s customer services team should be able to help you out with an estimate of how much it will cost to clear customs. However, do note that if you are sending personal items these may be exempt from import charges.
Make sure you package the item correctly especially if it’s fragile. Use new and strong boxes and put plenty of cushioning and bubble wrap where necessary.
Sending packages internationally can be pricey so it’s best to shop around to ensure you get a reliable courier and a fair price. You can use websites like Shiply to get free quotes from various parcel couriers.
Before sending your parcel double check that you have put the correct address on it and more importantly do not forget the return address.