Last Christmas failure to give enough information about parcels sent beyond the EU caused an average delay of over 11 days at Customs, says international parcel broker ParcelHero. It’s urging the industry to help ensure gifts don’t get stalled at Customs this year.
The global courier ParcelHero says that 12% of all gifts shipped beyond the EU missed arriving in time for Christmas last year, simply because they had not been properly described in the Custom’s invoice form. Says ParcelHero’s Head of Public Relations, David Jinks MILT: ‘No one wants their presents to arrive late for Christmas. Our industry needs to take more steps to ensure that our customers’ gifts to friends and family overseas are sitting safely under the tree, and not in a Custom’s warehouse, on Christmas Day.’
Explains David: ‘It’s really important that people declare the contents and value of each item inside a parcel on the Custom’s invoice, so that Custom’s Officers don’t have open the parcel, which causes delays. In all, our research reveals a huge 49% of gifts were held-up at Customs last Christmas. Shippers need to understand that, when sending presents outside the EU, they must be sure to specify what is inside on the Custom’s documentation. On average parcels labelled simply ‘gift’ or ‘present’ were held 20% longer in Customs last Christmas.’
Continues David: ‘Many people only send a parcel outside the EU at Christmas, and they need possible delays and tax exemption limits on gifts to be better explained. It’s vitally important that they know the final mailing dates including Customs clearance. This is why ParcelHero has launched a new stress-busting Christmas overseas mailing page to help people avoid these pointless delays by being aware of final shipping dates and exemption limits on gifts for different countries.’
Adds David: ‘As a nation we spend a lot of money on the presents we send abroad: the average value for a gift parcel delivered through ParcelHero overseas last Christmas was £109. That shows how much we care about loved ones overseas. But that does mean we ought to put a little bit of that care into ensuring that the presents arrive on time – and that our industry does all it can to help avoid these delays.’
David says: ‘Shipping beyond the EU, shippers must be made aware that they may have to pay import duty and tax, even on gifts. Different countries will decide their own levels of import duties and taxes. However, there are many countries that have quite generous exemption levels on gifts, or have quite a high value threshold before duties and taxes are imposed. Australia won’t charge duties or taxes on any items below 1000 Australian Dollars – around £480, and the US won’t impose charges on gifts below $100 US Dollars, around £65. But India imposes these on any gift above just 1000 Rupees, around £10; and South Africa above 400 Rand, around £18. Customers need to know these facts.’
Explains David: ‘Of course ParcelHero actively tracks parcels and intervenes on the sender’s behalf, but any Customs delay is concerning at this time of year, especially if it is avoidable. Global delivery companies and couriers need to give senders as much information as possible. There are some destinations that are known to experience regular delays and senders need to allow extra time and take care to fully describe items. For example 85% of all shipments to China and 78% to South Africa were four or more days late last Christmas.’
Adds David: ‘It’s also important our industry makes senders aware that any extra duties to be paid will have to be by the receiver, and that also means they will be told what the item is, spoiling the surprise. Paying all duties in advance might be the safest choice; an option that is available through companies such as ParcelHero.’
David concludes: ‘For people who send gifts outside the EU perhaps just once a year, sending parcels abroad shouldn’t be a minefield. There are three simple steps to ensuring successful deliveries:
- Check the item you are sending is allowed into Country – for example some countries have strict alcohol regulations
- Check you can send the gift via a courier – for example most couriers have rules surrounding perishable food shipments
- Look up the value threshold of gifts
That’s why we have launched our new Christmas page with last mailing dates and gift duty exemption guides for sending gifts to a non EU country - and we urge all our fellow couriers and delivery companies to take similar steps. Our Christmas page even includes last order dates for Christmas from retail stores, from Argos and Harrods!’