Special Report: Getting Started With International Shipping

Retailers are increasingly taking advantage of the global reach of the internet to sell to international consumers. Along with that growth opportunity comes the challenge of making sure your packages get to your international customers. An international order not reaching its final destination not only means the loss of the goods but also a chargeback fee (i.e., loss of money) and, worst of all, a very upset customer.

Before shipping your products to a foreign country, try to learn as much about its customs as possible, including merchant restrictions (e.g., brands that can't be shipped to certain countries), export restrictions (one in 10 products is restricted from leaving the United States) and import restrictions (each country has its own import policies in place to protect the country's national interests). Having this information available to you beforehand will save you time, money and frustration.

Keep in mind that each country sets its own duty and tax rates, which vary based on the materials being shipped, the cost of the product and the weight of the package.