Shipping outside of Australia? Shippit can help you enable international orders with ease and peace of mind.
These are the key carriers we partner with for international shipping:
From Australia:
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From New Zealand:
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From Singapore & Malaysia:
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Limited and prohibited items
Shippit will help you find a compatible carrier to deliver your product so you don't get caught sending prohibited items into a destination country that doesn't accept them.
Prohibited goods can be stopped at customs, processed at a fee before being released, and possibly even returned to you at your own expense. So, this is not only a time consuming activity but also a very expensive one.
Each country has it's own import limitations. Some products are allowed in small quantities, and others are completely prohibited.
It's essential to check out the prohibited items list of the destination countries you're shipping to before shipping. A few key countries are listed below:
Carrier activation
It is currently not possible to just switch on international carriers from within the Shippit app. Contact our configuration team to discuss your onboarding requirements for the carrier of your choice.
Account setup
Below are some key things you need to have set up correctly before shipping internationally.
Dangerous goods
Your products might not seem dangerous but remember, anything travelling by air that is volatile in nature, is considered a dangerous good.
Be sure to check out our Know Your Carrier section and use the checklist against your products. If you're sending anything considered a dangerous good, you'll need approval from the carrier directly or Shippit before you start shipping.
The appropriate dangerous goods labels are required, and you'll also need to adhere to strict packaging guidelines to avoid delays and rejections when travelling through customs.
The product MSDS (material safety data sheet) or SDS (safety data sheet) documentation is also required when shipping dangerous goods, even when approved by the carrier.
Tax identifier numbers (TIN)
A TIN is used to quickly identify your business and track related tax activity. Any shipment that is subject to taxes and duties require a TIN on a customs form. Each country has their own version of this number but overall, it is determined based on the product type you are selling, where your product ships from, and where they're going.
For example, in New Zealand this number is referred to as an Overseas Supplier Registration (OSR) but in the United States, this number is referred to as an Employer Identification Number (EIN).
Be sure to check the government website of your destination country to find out what is required for your imported goods and speak to a tax expert if you are unsure.
Harmonised custom codes
Harmonised system (HS) codes are an important part of shipping internationally. Each code corresponds to specific goods to make it easier for customs officials to identify international cargo easily. Add your HS code to every order so you can rest assured that your items will be easily identified by custom authorities to smoothly pass through clearance.
If you don’t have an HS code, Shippit can help you accommodate a single, default HS code set against all deliveries.
From within Shippit, you can set-up default customs information by going to Settings > General > International Customs Details.
If you prefer to feed this information on a per order basis, you can use these attributes when you create an order within the product_attribute bracket:
description- for the product category and type of goodsorigin_country_code- for the product's country of manufacturetariff_code- for the harmonised system (HS) code
If you don't have harmonised system (HS or tariff) codes against your products, Shippit can accommodate a single, default HS code set against all deliveries. This 6-10 digit HS code must be sent with your activation request to our configuration team.
Product descriptions
A detailed product description is important to ensure the TIN and HS codes match what's inside the package. Avoid product description names that contain biological, botanical, or dangerous goods names. This will help your commercial invoice cruise through customs. Vague descriptions can get your products held up in customs because they can be mistaken for prohibited goods, like agricultural products.
Before you can confirm an international order, you are asked to type in the product information for customs declaration.
Click More Details to have an extended version of the Product Details dialog box.
When the order is confirmed, Shippit provides you with the required labels and documentation for the order.
Synced order descriptions
All platform integrations to Shippit send in product information upon order creation. In this case, you need to:
Confirm the international order synced to the New Orders tab
Print the Shipping Label and Customs Invoice in the Ready to Ship tab
Book the order in the Ready to Ship Tab to generate a manifest
If you encounter any errors in confirming an international order synced from your platform, check that you have made all the required configuration changes.
Through CSV bulk uploads
If you are uploading international orders through the Bulk Import option in the New Orders tab, only the delivery information can be plugged in through the CSV.
The product information required by customs must be typed in for each order before you can confirm an international order.
Through CSV/FTP integration
If you are uploading international orders through the CSV/FTP integration, these columns are required:
line_item_id- if you have different products within an ordersku- products' stock keeping unittitle- product nameqty- the quantity orderedqty_packed- the quantity packedprice- the price of an individual product (not the total)origin_country_code- the country of manufacturetariff_code- the harmonised system (HS) code
Customs duties and taxes
The customs tax policy of every country can be very unique and this section only covers what is known in general. Make sure you disclose to your Sales Contact the top countries that you ship to, for further guidance.
In general, goods that are shipped to other countries need to pay duties and taxes upon arrival at customs. Merchants may opt to either (1) pay for duties and taxes; or (2) have the customers settle the amount with their country's customs office.
Duties and Taxes Paid (DTP) or Delivery Duties Paid (DDP) - means that a merchant/sender settles the duties and taxes for the customer, possibly because (a) the merchant shouldered the cost altogether or (b) the customers were charged upon checkout.
Duties and Taxes Unpaid (DTU), Delivery Duties Unpaid (DDU), or Delivered at Place (DAP) - means that a customer will need to contact their country's customs office to settle the duties and taxes.
Most couriers allow you the option of choosing between the two options above, some couriers however predetermine how you are tagged depending on your expected volume.
If your customers are expected to cover these costs, let them know upfront. This will not only set the right expectation for your customer but also limit the delays when customer support have to get involved.
Click through the links below for the import guidelines per courier:
Shipping to New Zealand
Overseas businesses that sell low-value goods to consumers in New Zealand may need to register for, collect, and return Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 15%.
Low-value goods are physical goods valued at NZD 1,000 or less, excluding GST. If the value of goods sold to New Zealand customers exceeds NZD 60,000 over a 12-month period, merchants need to register for, collect, and return New Zealand GST on those sales. Read more here.
Goods imported into New Zealand valued over NZD 1,000 continue to have GST and customs duties applied at the border.
If you are required to comply with this, you can set your Overseas Supplier Registration (OSR) Number in Shippit → Settings → General → International Customs Details or email our configuration team to set it for you.