E-commerce

Your e‑commerce business is growing and you're ready to start selling in new countries and continents. That means cross-border shipping and all that comes with it – from customs paperwork to duties and taxes. It's time to work on your international shipping strategy.

When it comes to fast deliveries, having your paperwork in order is one of the best ways to keep your international shipments on schedule. How can you ensure you have the right documents and that they're filled in correctly? Let's take a look!

When your international shipments cross borders, they have to clear customs. It's important to remember that besides general import and export regulations, some countries will also have product-specific requirements. Because many e-commerce products are regulated, the chances are your goods fall under this category.

A successful e-commerce business is built on a smooth, tightly run shipping process. So everything from packaging to paperwork has to be done to perfection.

Returns are a key part of the e-commerce customer experience. They may be a cost factor, but they also offer added value. A good return policy provides peace of mind to shoppers, which is why it's important to develop a process that suits your brand, budget and customers.

When it comes to international shipping, carriers can offer a range of integrated solutions that serve both the e-tailer and the consumer. Services like evening and weekend delivery or parcel pick-up make it easy and convenient for the consumer to receive their goods. Other, e-tailer oriented solutions, invisible to the shopper, are aimed at streamlining the process to make logistics a breeze.

Understanding duties and taxes is essential for e-commerce businesses that ship internationally. That's because these customs charges can affect your costs, your shipping process and most importantly, your customer's experience.