When creating a shipment, it is crucial to declare an accurate value to avoid returns, delays, or abandonment at customs. This article will discuss how to declare your shipment value correctly and what happens when you don't.
Declared Value
Always input the actual value of the item. This value represents the transactional worth of your items, meaning the amount your customer paid.
If you enter a value lower than the transactional value, your shipment will get stuck at customs, and additional fees may be charged to your account. Underdeclaring your shipment's value is strictly prohibited per the terms and conditions of using Easyship.
Misdeclared Shipments
If customs are uncertain about the declared value of a shipment, the local customs office will require proof of purchase. Typically this can be a screenshot of a bank transfer, PayPal, or a document proving the value of the product. Sometimes, the courier will notify us if additional documents are missing, and we will reach out to you directly. Other times, they will return the shipment without warning.
It's important to note that if customs investigate a shipment, you must provide the requested information within 7-14 days, or the shipment will be automatically returned or abandoned.
Declaring an item as a gift
When shipping with Easyship, all shipments are declared to be commercial. You cannot claim a shipment as a gift if the item's value is above the tax threshold for the destination country. You can still ship gifts and personal items with Easyship; they will just need to be declared accurately.
Tax Threshold
You can find the different thresholds for all destination countries on Easyship's webpage.