For a U.S. shopper, an overseas order can have two prices: the checkout total and the amount due before the package is delivered. The second amount may include import duty, a carrier handling fee, missing paperwork, or a request for a more specific product description.

Before paying, get three answers in writing:

If the seller can't answer the first question clearly, treat the displayed total as incomplete.

The rules come from several places at once: the seller's checkout and return policy, the carrier's service terms, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other U.S. agencies that regulate particular products. These points apply to purchases shipped to the United States.

What makes up the real delivered cost

An overseas order can split into separate charges. Not every charge applies to every shipment, so ask for an itemized estimate instead of accepting a vague percentage.

Possible cost What it covers Question to ask
Item price The goods themselves Is the price in U.S. dollars, and can currency conversion change it?
International shipping Transport from the seller to the United States Which carrier and service level are included?
Import duty A customs charge based partly on classification, value, and origin Is duty included, estimated, or collected separately?
Tax or agency charge A charge connected with the product or import process Does the product need special documentation or approval?
Brokerage or handling fee A carrier or customs-broker service charge Could the carrier add a fee beyond duty?
Insurance Protection against loss or damage Is coverage included, and what exclusions apply?
Return shipping Sending an unwanted or defective item back Is the return address in the United States or overseas?

The customs description is not a place to be vague. A label such as "parts" or "gift" doesn't tell customs what the item is, what it's made from, or how it's used. USPS customs-form guidance says descriptions should be clear, specific, and accurate. Ask the seller to use truthful information. Don't ask for an undervalued invoice.

Some products also have to satisfy agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, Consumer Product Safety Commission, or Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. U.S. Customs and Border Protection's duty information notes that applicable agency requirements still must be met.

DDP, duties unpaid, and EXW

Shipping terms describe who arranges transport and who takes responsibility for import costs. They don't guarantee that a product is admissible or that delivery will be on time.

DDP: Delivered Duty Paid

With DDP, the seller generally arranges delivery and pays the import duties and taxes required under the shipping arrangement. DHL describes DDP as a way to settle costs upfront and reduce unexpected customs charges for the customer.

DDP can make checkout easier, but ask what "all costs included" actually covers. Confirm whether it includes:

DDP doesn't override U.S. restrictions. A prohibited or regulated product can still be delayed, refused, or held for additional documentation.

Duties unpaid

A seller may include international postage but leave import costs to the buyer. The carrier or customs broker can then contact you for payment or documents before releasing the shipment. Listings may call this "duties unpaid" or use another delivery term.

"Free shipping" often means only the transport charge. It doesn't automatically mean duties are included.

EXW: Ex Works

EXW puts much more of the transport responsibility on the buyer, starting at the seller's premises. It's common in commercial freight arrangements, but it's usually a poor fit for an ordinary consumer order unless you already have a freight provider and customs support.

If a listing shows an unfamiliar Incoterm, ask the seller to describe the arrangement in plain English. You need to know who pays, who files the import paperwork, and who handles a problem at the border.

Checks that catch most surprises

1. Confirm where the item ships from

A business may be based in one country while storing products in another. Check the actual dispatch location, expected transit time, and whether a U.S. carrier will take over after arrival.

2. Request a landed-cost estimate

Ask for the expected total delivered cost, including shipping, insurance, duty, taxes, and possible carrier fees. A useful question is:

Are duties, taxes, and customs or brokerage charges included in the amount I pay at checkout?

Save the answer. If the seller won't provide one, assume additional charges are possible.

3. Check whether the product is restricted

Extra rules commonly affect food, plants, cosmetics, supplements, medicines, alcohol, batteries, animal products, and goods made from protected materials. Product safety, labeling, or permit requirements may apply even when the item is legal to buy in the seller's country.

Check the carrier's rules as well as U.S. import requirements. USPS international restrictions notes that restrictions vary by country and product. For a regulated item, ask the seller whether it has the documentation needed for shipment to the United States.

4. Review the customs description

The commercial invoice should accurately identify the item, quantity, value, materials, and country of origin. USPS also notes that the United States uses a 10-digit classification code, so a specific description helps point to the correct HS or HTS code. If the product is expensive, technical, or regulated, ask whether the seller or broker has identified the appropriate classification.

Never ask a seller to mark merchandise as a gift or declare a false value. An inaccurate declaration can create clearance, insurance, and delivery problems.

5. Verify the carrier and tracking

Find out whether tracking covers the full journey or stops when the package leaves the seller's country. Ask who will contact you if customs needs payment or documents.

Use the tracking number on the carrier's official website. If a message asks for money or personal information, open the carrier site yourself instead of relying on a link in an email or text.

6. Read the return policy before paying

Look for the return window, exclusions, return address, and responsibility for postage. Confirm whether the seller refunds:

A merchant's refund policy and the customs process are separate issues. Returning an item doesn't automatically resolve every import charge.

7. Keep your records

Save the product page, checkout total, seller's shipping explanation, order confirmation, payment receipt, tracking number, and all messages. These records help if the seller changes the shipping terms, the package is delayed, or the item arrives materially different from its description.

If customs holds the package

A "customs clearance delay" means the shipment has not completed the import process. By itself, it doesn't tell you whether the problem is missing paperwork, unpaid charges, a restricted product, or an incorrect description.

Work through the issue in this order:

  1. Check the tracking status on the carrier's official site.
  2. Contact the carrier or named customs broker and ask what specific document or payment is required.
  3. Compare the request with your order confirmation and invoice.
  4. If the invoice is wrong, ask the seller to send a corrected document through the carrier's approved process.
  5. If the issue involves a permit, product safety rule, food, plant, medicine, or another regulated category, ask what agency requirement applies.
  6. Submit documents only through an official carrier, broker, or government channel.
  7. Record every deadline and keep proof of what you submitted.

Don't guess at a product description or alter an invoice to make clearance easier. If you can't provide the required information, the carrier may return the package or handle it under its customs procedure.

CBP's public guidance is useful for understanding general import requirements, but the carrier or broker is usually the best source for the status of a specific parcel.

Returns and refunds across borders

Returns are often the most expensive part of an overseas purchase. Before ordering, confirm whether the seller accepts returns from the United States and whether the return address is domestic or abroad.

If you need to return an item:

  1. Request written return authorization if the seller requires it.
  2. Confirm the exact return address and deadline.
  3. Follow the seller's customs instructions and describe the contents accurately.
  4. Use a trackable service and keep the receipt.
  5. Photograph the item and packaging before sending it.
  6. Ask when the refund will be issued and which charges it covers.

If the item is defective, missing, or substantially different from the listing, contact the seller first. Provide photographs, tracking information, and the order record. If the seller doesn't resolve the issue, contact the marketplace or payment provider promptly about its formal complaint or dispute process. Those procedures can have separate deadlines and evidence requirements.

What shipping promises don't tell you

Several common statements sound reassuring but leave important questions open:

Treat the seller's written terms as the starting point, not as a substitute for checking the carrier and U.S. import requirements.

A practical go/no-go test

Proceed when you have:

Pause the order when the seller refuses to disclose the shipping arrangement, asks for a false customs declaration, provides no usable return instructions, or directs payment to an unrelated account.

Before paying, save the checkout page and ask the seller in writing whether duties and carrier fees are included. That one record can prevent the most common dispute: believing the checkout total was final when it wasn't.