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Category: Shopping abroad

  • How package forwarding works, and when it is worth it

    Many US and UK online stores only deliver domestically. A package forwarder gives you an address in that country: you shop as if you lived there, the store delivers to the forwarder's warehouse, and the forwarder sends the parcel on to you.

    The steps

    1. Sign up with a forwarder. You get a personal suite or unit number at their warehouse address.
    2. Shop and check out using that address as your delivery address.
    3. The forwarder receives and logs the parcel, often with a photo.
    4. You choose how to ship it on: which carrier, how fast, and whether to wait for more parcels.
    5. You pay the forwarder, who ships it to your door. Import duty and tax are normally paid by you on arrival.

    Why consolidation matters

    International shipping is priced per parcel, and each parcel has a minimum charge. If you buy from three stores, the forwarder can combine the three boxes into one shipment, usually repacked into a smaller box. You pay one international charge instead of three, and a smaller box means a lower dimensional weight.

    Free storage time decides how long you can wait for other orders to arrive before consolidating. It varies from about a week to a month or more depending on the forwarder and plan.

    What to check before you choose

    • Warehouse locations. Some forwarders have warehouses in states without sales tax, which lowers the price at checkout.
    • Membership model. Some are free to join and charge per shipment; others charge a monthly or yearly fee for lower rates and longer storage.
    • Restricted items. Forwarders cannot ship what the destination country bans, and many refuse batteries, liquids and perfume by air.
    • Import charges at home. Forwarding does not avoid duty or tax. Estimate them with the duty and tax estimator.

    When forwarding is not worth it

    If the store ships internationally at a reasonable price, ordering direct is usually simpler and returns are easier. Forwarding pays off when the store will not ship to you at all, or when you are combining several orders.

    See forwarders side by side in our Shop the USA and UK hub.

    Sources

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