Explainers
Why Your Price Already Includes Import Duty
Duties-paid pricing means the import duty for your market is already inside the price you see, so nothing extra is collected when the parcel arrives. Here is what that covers, and what it does not.
One of the most common questions we are asked before a first order is some version of: will I be charged again when it arrives? It is a fair question. Ordering across a border usually means a second bill at the door, and nobody enjoys being surprised by one.
Where our storefront labels pricing as duties-paid for your market, the answer is no. The applicable import duty is already inside the number you see on the product page, and no additional import duty is collected at delivery.
What duties-paid actually means
A duty is a charge a country applies to goods arriving from outside it. Normally the person receiving the parcel pays it, and they find out how much only when the carrier asks for it.
Duties-paid moves that step to the front. The duty for your selected market is calculated into the displayed price, so the figure on the product page is the figure you pay. There is no second conversation with a courier about release fees for duty.
This is why choosing your market matters before you browse. Your market sets the currency, the shipping charge, the free-shipping threshold, and whether duties-paid pricing applies at all.
What is included, and what is not
| Charge | Included in the price you see? |
|---|---|
| The product itself | Yes |
| Import duty for your market, where duties-paid applies | Yes |
| Standard shipping on qualifying orders over $199 | Yes, free above the threshold |
| Standard shipping below the threshold | No, shown separately before you order |
| A carrier's own storage or redelivery fee after a failed delivery | No, that is between you and the carrier |
The threshold and the standard charge are shown in the currency for your selected market, and checkout applies the charge automatically based on the qualifying item total after any discount.
Why the customs form still has a value on it
Every international parcel carries a customs declaration, and that declaration states a value. Seeing it can be alarming if you have just read that your duty is already paid.
The declaration exists so a customs officer can identify what is inside and confirm it has been handled correctly. It is a description, not a bill. Its presence does not mean a charge is coming.
Customs documentation is a legal requirement and must describe what is inside. That part is not something we can make discreet, and it is not something we can leave off.
What customs can still decide
Duties-paid pricing settles the duty. It does not, and cannot, settle whether a shipment is allowed into a country at all. That decision belongs to the authorities at the destination, and it is theirs alone.
Import rules differ by country and change over time, and some products require a valid prescription in the destination country. It is your responsibility to check what applies where you live. We would rather say that plainly here than have you discover it at a border.
How duty is treated in a refund
Where a refund is approved and the item price is refunded, any import duty included in that duties-paid price is refunded along with it. You are not left having paid duty on something you did not keep.
A refund is issued in the currency the order was paid in. Because payment is arranged outside the website, a refund is arranged rather than reversed automatically, and we confirm when it has been sent from our side.
The short version
- Where the storefront says duties-paid for your market, the duty is already in the price.
- No further import duty is collected at delivery.
- Shipping is separate and free on qualifying orders over $199.
- The customs form describes the parcel; it is not an invoice.
- Whether goods may enter a country is always the destination's decision.
- Refunded duty follows the refunded item.
If anything about pricing for your market is unclear before you order, email [email protected] and ask. Asking first is always cheaper than finding out later.
Article FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Will I be asked to pay customs charges when my order arrives?
Where our storefront labels pricing as duties-paid for your market, applicable import duties are already included in the displayed price and no additional import duty is collected at delivery. A carrier's own fees, such as storage after a failed delivery attempt, are separate and are between you and that carrier.
Why does the customs form show a value if duty is paid?
A customs declaration has to state what is inside and what it is worth so an officer can identify the parcel without opening it. It is a description for customs, not a bill for you. Seeing a value on it does not mean a charge is on its way.
Does duties-paid pricing guarantee my parcel will be allowed in?
No. Duties-paid settles the duty, not the decision. Whether goods may enter a country rests with the authorities at the destination, and import and prescription rules differ by country and change over time. Checking what applies where you live is your responsibility.
Is shipping included in the price too?
Shipping is shown separately. Standard shipping is free on qualifying orders over $199, and below that threshold the standard charge for your market is displayed before you place the order.
If I get a refund, do I get the duty back as well?
Yes. Where the item price is refunded, the import duty included in that duties-paid price is refunded with it. Refunds are issued in the currency the order was paid in.
Why does my price change when I switch market?
Your market sets the currency, the shipping charge, the free-shipping threshold, and whether duties-paid pricing applies. Because the duty differs by destination, the same product can carry a different duties-paid price in a different market.
