Etsy international shipping helps you take your store and products to the world and open your business up to Etsy buyers around the globe.
If you’re in the US, making your products available to customers in Canada, the UK, or Europe can help you significantly improve your bottom line. If you’re not in the US, making your products available to millions of US-based Etsy buyers is also a decisive move.
But the challenge in making your products available internationally often lies in getting them to the other side of the planet. And the customs regulations associated with it.
In this article, we’ll look at the not-so-complicated process of Etsy’s international shipping and how to get your products through customs.
Why ship internationally on Etsy?
Simply put, sellers often list their items internationally to reach more customers. For non-US customers, this usually means shipping to the US, where Etsy’s most extensive customer base resides.
For US residents, this generally means shipping north to Canada, Australia, the UK, or Europe.
These international markets increase the number of customers who can buy your product. It’s also a great way to fine-tune your niche marketing if there are no competitors in those international markets.
Is Etsy international shipping worth it?
Yes, shipping internationally on Etsy is totally worth it. As long as you know how to price your products to make up for additional shipping and customs fees.
Many Etsy sellers share a similar sentiment – sending items abroad the first several times can be challenging. Still, it gets significantly easier once you’ve figured it out and developed your own process.
The biggest one of those challenges is navigating the local import tax, customs duties, and/or fees associated with importing your orders into another country or region.
Related: Are Etsy Shipping Labels Worth It?
While you don’t have to calculate, pay for, or collect said fees, Etsy suggests that you communicate who is responsible for paying them in your shop policies to eliminate surprises for your customers.
Shipping Etsy products abroad
Etsy has its own international postage calculator to help you establish shipment costs, tariffs, fees, and duties.
Shipping to the EU
Customs fees only apply to packages with a value over 150EUR, which will be assessed when the package enters the EU.
When the order value is less than 150EUR, Etsy will collect the VAT at the checkout, and the courier will not charge VAT upon arrival. For packages over 150EUR, the carrier will collect VAT along with customs duty.
It’s important to communicate this with potential EU customers in your store policies.
Shipping to Norway
Etsy collects VAT for items being sent to Norway that meet the following criteria:
- The seller is outside of Norway
- The shipping address is in Norway
- The package is worth less than 3,000NOK (310USD approx.)
- The items are subject to standard VAT rates
VAT will be charged and collected at the border for items above 3,000NOK and orders that don’t meet the above criteria.
Shipping to Australia & New Zealand
Australia and New Zealand have similar but slightly different import and customs fees.
Australia and New Zealand require Etsy to collect and remit GST on applicable goods sold to New Zealand buyers from overseas that meet the following criteria:
- Less than or equal to 1,000AUD (Australia only)
- The buyer is in Australia or New Zealand (based on the shipped-to address).
- The seller is not located in Australia or New Zealand.
Shipping to the UK
As of 1st January 2021, the UK requires Etsy to collect and remit VAT on applicable goods from buyers on orders that meet the following criteria:
- The purchase is for a physical item.
- The recipient is located in the UK.
- The total value of the package (including gift wrap but excluding delivery) is less than or equal to £135.
- VAT is applied to the complete order total, which includes item price, delivery, and gift wrap charges.
- The goods are dispatched from outside the UK.
For amounts higher than 135 GBP, VAT will be charged and collected at the border.
Customs declarations for Etsy international shipping
At some point, you’ll have to declare the items for customs to assess them.
This is because some regions like Australia and New Zealand have stringent laws on what can and can’t be imported into their country. Wood, animal products, and other natural fibers are highly regulated.
Related: Should you offer free shipping on Etsy?
Custom declarations are also used for security purposes.
All carriers are different when it comes to declarations. Some require you to include it in a sealed shipping pocket outside the parcel – this method is generally the best way to do so.
Some carriers may contact you, the sender, via email once the item is processed or as it nears its destination.
Be aware that inadequate or incomplete declarations will slow the delivery time of your order to the end customer.
Setting up Shipping Destination settings.
Sellers must specify which regions they ship to on each listing. Do this by going to Shop Manager -> Listings and then clicking on the gear icon of the relevant listing.
Here, you can edit the dispatch origin and the shipping destinations by entering a carrier, a class, and what you’ll charge.
Conclusion
Etsy’s international shipping can seem daunting, if not intimidating, at first. You are, after all, venturing into the import/export realm when all you really may want to do is be an artisan and small business operator.
But the truth is that Etsy, as a marketplace, really can open your product up to the entire world. So while it’s on offer, it pays to take advantage!
