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How to Utilize GlobalPost’s Delivered Duty Paid Services
Shipping Services That Keep Surprise Fees Off Your Customer’s Doorstep
Shipping internationally shouldn’t feel like a leap of faith. For many ecommerce brands, the biggest hurdle isn’t the distance—it’s the complexity of the delivery agreement. GlobalPost offers delivered duty paid services specifically designed to help business owners move goods across borders. Whether you are shipping lightweight apparel or specialized tech services components, these delivered duty paid services are built for the modern merchant. By taking the guesswork out of the process, GlobalPost helps you provide a high-end experience for every buyer, regardless of their countries’ regulations.
Why is this shift so critical for your brand right now? In the fast-moving world of ecommerce, buyers’ expectations are at an all-time high. A shipment that leaves the United States only to get stuck in customs clearance is more than just a delay—it’s a broken promise. To stay competitive, brands need to offer the same level of transparency for international orders as they do for domestic ones. These Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) services provide the visibility you need to help ensure your global growth is sustainable, reliable, and—most importantly—scalable.
Addressing Common Shipping Challenges
International logistics is notoriously full of “gotchas.” The traditional process often involves a handoff between carriers, like moving from a domestic hub to a local player like Royal Mail in the UK. Without a clear strategy, this handoff can trigger unexpected fees for the receiver customer. These “doorstep surprises” are the leading cause of “Return to Sender” packages and negative reviews.
Beyond the customer experience, there is the administrative burden. Managing duties taxes customs paperwork is a full-time job in itself. When the responsibility for these shipping costs falls on the buyers, it creates a barrier to purchase. By utilizing duty paid shipping, you remove that barrier. You take control of the import duties taxes upfront, helping to ensure that the package actually reaches the customer’s front door without a surprise bill attached.
GlobalPost’s Duty Paid DDP Services: Choosing the Right Fit
GlobalPost offers three distinct, delivered duty paid services to help you customize your international strategy.
GlobalPost Flat Rate: Best for packages under 2 lbs and shippers just getting started shipping internationally.
- Flat-Fee Service: Bundling shipping costs, duties, and taxed all into a single, predictable flat rate.
- Total Predictability: By paying one upfront price, you eliminate the uncertainty of post-processing duty adjustments.
GlobalPost Plus: Best for shipments up to 66 lbs and the most popular service.
- Better Cash Flow: The seller pays import duties taxes after shipment processing.
- Full Tracking: It’s an efficient way to keep things moving while maintaining full door-to-door visibility.
GlobalPost Plus – Duties & Taxes Included: Best for total price certainty.
A shipping service that allows you to see the duties taxes customs costs at label creation before purchase.
- Guaranteed Duties & Taxes Cost: A shipping service that allows you to see the duties taxes customs costs at label creation before purchase.
- Stability: Protects your business from unknown prices or hidden fees on duties and taxes.
The Benefits of GlobalPost’s Delivered Duty Paid Services
Unmatched Financial Visibility for the Seller
One of the biggest updates to these services is the level of financial visibility they provide to you. With this information, you can make the best financial decisions for your business, such as adjusting your product pricing or setting your own shipping rules to account for these costs.
Navigating the New De Minimis Landscape
The terms of international trade are always changing. We’ve seen de minimis changes in the United States and recent, with shifts in the EU following. This means more packages than ever are being flagged for import duties taxes. Using a DDP service helps protect your brand from these fluctuating regulations. It aims to provide your customers with a more predictable delivery process, regardless of how local governments adjust their thresholds.
Building Trust Through Transparency
When you use duty paid shipping, you aren’t just sending a package; you’re building a relationship. Eliminating surprise fees is the fastest way to turn a one-time buyer into a repeat customer. In a world where consumers compare your brand to giants with massive resources, GlobalPost gives you the same professional edge without the enterprise price tag.
Experience the Services in Action
Seamless Integration into Your ShipStation Workflow
You don’t need a degree in international law to get started. Many merchants think they need a complex workflow, but if you’re using ShipStation, you’re already halfway there.
GlobalPost is an international shipping carrier that is fully integrated into the ShipStation platform. You can access these delivered duty paid services directly in your carrier dropdown menu and start shipping immediately.
To start, you simply need to enable GlobalPost as a carrier in your ShipStation account.
Want to see exactly how this looks? Check out our Storylane demo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is delivered duty paid (DDP) in simple terms?
Essentially, delivered duty paid means the seller takes full responsibility of the duties and taxes price for the package instead of the buyer.
What's the difference between DDP and DDU?
With a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) service, the merchant pays for duties and taxes upfront. Under DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid), the customer or buyer is responsible for the fees before or when the package can be delivered. For ecommerce, DDP is almost always the better choice for customer satisfaction.
What duties, taxes, and fees does the seller pay?
The seller typically covers the customs duties, VAT/GST, and any brokerage fees associated with customs clearance. These vary based on the goods, the value, and the destination country.
How is the DDP cost calculated, and will it show at checkout?
The cost is based on the item’s value and its classification (HS code). These delivered duty paid services do not show the live calculation to the customer at checkout. Instead, they give visibility to the shipper on the backend. This allows you, the shipper, to see the cost and decide how much to charge at checkout to maintain your margins.
Do I need HS codes for GlobalPost DDP services?
Yes. To help ensure accurate customs clearance and prevent delays, providing an HS code is highly recommended. It helps the service calculate the correct import duties taxes so there are no discrepancies later.
