Introduction
Look at the bigger picture of international shipment services
The world has shrunken into a global village through the interplay of connectivity and networking.
So, sending and receiving shipments across borders is not only made possible, but also possible to happen at everybody’s convenience.
Be it sending a gift to a loved one residing abroad, or important professional documents to your clients or customers, the role of international courier services cannot be overstated in bridging distances that are miles away.
Although made easy and possible, making an international shipment for the first time can be excruciating considering the process and procedural complexities involved in it. Not only that but doing it for the first time could be overwhelming when you lack the understanding of the shipment terms in the first place.
This beginner’s guide helps you uncover important insights about the process of international shipments, how they work, the usual challenges to avoid and the list of the best global shipment providers.
International shipping
International shipping denotes the process of goods moving from one country to another enabling individual shippers to connect with their distant loved ones and for businesses to serve their broader customer base located abroad.
As easy as it may look on the surface, the process is bounded by multiple components. Beginning with but not limited to a choice of service delivery, mode of transportation, customs filing, and adherence to regulatory compliances, there are a variety of factors governing the global shipment process.
The complexities arise from navigating customs clearance, varying local international laws, and economic uncertainties. On the whole, the international shipping process is a layered one and one must know the know-how to navigate any such intricacies with precision and care.
Process of international shipping
Get started with the detailed process of how international shipments are done by skimming through the below steps,
Identify your shipping needs – Begin with knowing your shipment needs from the type of goods, shipping budget, expected delivery speed & time, urgency, availability, accessibility, size and weight of the packages.
Research and choose the right delivery partner– Upon assessing your shipping needs, make your list of pros and cons to validate the delivery partners and make sure they perfectly fit into your criteria list. While picking an appropriate one, do not forget to consider factors like cost, service quality, expertise level, and reputation.
Obtaining quotes – Make sure to get them from your listed service providers to compare based on their costs and value for money. It also helps you identify the operator who is transparent with their pricing approach so that you avoid surprises while you travel alongside.
Looking for value-added services– It has turned around where most of the global shipment providers are delivering more than their core value and hence value-added services are emerging to be another indispensable element. Some of the value-added services to look forward to are door-step pickup, packing assistance and flexible delivery options.
At Brown Post, you are exclusively offered intense packing expertise, doorstep pickup services and shop& ship options addressing the growing pains of customers from a convenient point of view.
Order Booking– Once selecting the appropriate delivery partner, your order gets booked with them based on your opted delivery options like standard or express.
Documentation preparation: Make sure to gather the important documents which are listed below,
- Commercial Invoice: Description of the items and their respective value.
- Customs declaration: The necessary information about the process of customs clearance.
- Certificates of origin: Information on where the country of origin where the goods are produced.
- Packing lists: A packing itinerary containing the essential data on contents packed inside like the product type, and instructions in case of any fragile items.
Shipment Tracking: Once the shipment gets processed, use the available tracking options provided by your courier partner to have enhanced visibility over the status of your shipment. It gives complete accountability to monitor the shipments at every stage of the transit.
Customs clearance preparation: Check with your shipment provider if the shipments are smoothly reaching your destination as customs regulations vary according to each country. To avoid any discrepancies like delays in shipment delivery, it is necessary to ensure that the customs duties are paid prior.
Proof of delivery: Once the shipment gets delivered to the recipient, the proof of delivery is obtained by obtaining their signature.
Common Challenges to Avoid
When you are new to international shipping, leaping to immediate conclusions can make you encounter several challenges and here is a list of them to be aware of:
Delay in customs clearance
While the customs clearance process begins with the timely filing of the necessary documents, the process of scrutinising the parcels gets incredibly challenging making your parcels wait and may get imposed with fines if the parcels are found with restricted goods. To avoid such issues, the filing must be done to ensure it complies with the destination’s regulations.
Excessive costs incurred
Always look for any hidden charges in the cross-border shipment process which may arrive in the form of customs duties, storage fees and taxes. There are many indirect ways that additional costs will be incurred through the fluctuating currency exchange rates, which has an impact on the overall costs.
Inappropriate packaging
Safety is one of the key considerations in any shipment process and especially when it comes to cross-border movement of goods, safety must be double fold. It is necessary to invest in service providers who ensure fail-proof packaging with proper packaging materials and handle packages with precision.
Documentation errors
Documentation procedure can become unwarranted if it’s not done carefully which may lead to additional costs. Always double-check with your delivery operator, ensuring all the documents have complied with the local country regulations.
Disregarding Insurance
Securing insurance for your international shipments is mandatory as it protects you during critical case scenarios like parcel damage, missing items and misplaced packages. It prevents you from additional spending for the worst-case scenario happenings.
Top International Courier Services
- Brown Post– Widely recognised and acknowledged for having a customer-centric approach in providing more affordable, quality-enriched, and reliable international shipment services to individuals and businesses.
- Also, appreciated by its loyal customer base, Brown Post provides extensive pick-up and packaging assistance.
- India Post– Largely defined for its ability to provide cost-effective logistics solutions for small-weight shipments like couriers and documents.
- DHL Express– Renowned for its wide network serving more international destinations, it is a global delivery partner garnering any kind of shipment needs coming from both individuals and businesses.
- FedEx– With more customisable options provided, FedEx is considered to be the most reliable option serving specific needs like food and perishables. They are well known for providing discounts for bulk shipments.
- UPS – Known for its extensive ability to cater for every specific need of commercial shipments, UPS stands as the most reputed shipment provider that has been pioneering with its tech-enabled processes.
How Brown Post has transformed international shipping
‘While everyone thinks out of the box, Brown Post was thinking for every box’
Brown Post, one of the leading international courier services with a market dominance at the regional level has revolutionised the complexity of international shipping services with their simple, cost-effective, and customised solutions for its customers. Their services have certainly betted against every labelled operator through,
- Transparent and affordable pricing abilities
- Door-step pickup and packaging support
- End-to-end process control
- Assured timely delivery with their reliable service
- Specialised in handling personalised shipments with accuracy
Wrap-Up
‘Understanding how it’s done is good enough to make half-way progress with it’.
International courier services stand as a centre pillar of connectivity between different destinations and work and therefore work as ‘a means to an end’ for individuals and businesses.
From understanding its purpose, to knowing how it works and jotting down the top functioning service providers, you have gotten yourself a roadmap to deal with international shipments without much hiccups.
Whether you are an individual sending home comforts to your loved ones, or a business aspiring to broaden their customer base internationally, global shipment providers provide you with the best support possible to achieve it.
By understanding how it works and taking proactive steps to avoid some of the pitfalls, you can begin your international shipment by putting your best foot forward.
Get ready to ship smarter and obtain the right value for your money.
