You can set default international customs details to help streamline your international shipping processes and prevent errors. Shippit automatically applies these defaults if you don't have them set at a product level by your ecommerce store or warehouse management system. This feature is particularly useful if you regularly ship the same types of products, as it ensures consistency and saves you from entering the same details for every order.
This article discusses the various settings and configuration options available for international customs settings within your Shippit account. For more information about setting incoterms, see the Incoterm settings article. For more information about shipping internationally, see the International shipping article.
Change global incoterm settings
Global incoterm settings apply to all international orders, regardless of the carrier, lane, or specific order details. This is your default incoterm, and is used only if no other incoterm settings apply.
💡 NOTE: If you haven't changed your global incoterm settings, it defaults to DDU.
Changing global incoterm settings
Log in to your Shippit account.
Open the drop down menu in the top right of your screen, and click Settings.
Click International Shipping to go the international settings for your store.
In the Default international customs details section, adjust your settings as required. See the following sections for more information about the various settings.
Click Save to save your changes
Product category and goods type
A general classification of the goods that you are shipping. This helps customs authorities to identify the type of products in your shipment. You can use the goods type to specify the nature of the goods being shipped.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: If you don’t include an HS code when you create an international order, we attempt to determine the correct HS code based on the product description. If Shippit can't determine an HS code with high enough accuracy, then it falls back to the default HS code you have set in your Shippit account.
For more information about product descriptions, see the Writing effective product descriptions article.
Country of manufacture
The country where the goods were produced or manufactured. This information is used to determine eligibility for trade agreements and to assess the correct duties and taxes.
For more information about the country of manufacture, see the International duties and taxes article.
Incoterm
Incoterms are a set of internationally recognised rules that define the responsibilities of sellers and buyers in international trade. They specify who is responsible for paying for and managing the shipment, insurance, documentation, and customs clearance.
For more information about incoterms, see the Understanding incoterms article.
MID code
The Manufacturer Identification Code (MID) is used for shipments to the United States to identify the manufacturer of the goods. It's an alternative to providing the full name and address of the manufacturer on customs documentation.
For more information about MID Codes, see the Understanding MID codes article.
HS code
The Harmonised System (HS) code is a standardised international system for classifying traded products. Customs authorities use HS codes to apply the correct tariffs and to gather statistics.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: If you don’t include an HS code when you create an international order, we attempt to determine the correct HS code based on the product description. If Shippit can't determine an HS code with high enough accuracy, then it falls back to the default HS code you have set in your Shippit account.
For more information about HS codes, see the International duties and taxes article.