As the festive season approaches, Parcelhero, a leading international delivery expert, has launched a free-to-use tool designed to help Brits avoid costly Customs charges when sending Christmas gifts overseas. The tool provides valuable insights into each country’s duty and tax-free allowances, allowing senders to ensure their parcels remain within the limits and are not subject to unexpected fees.
With the growing trend of sending gifts abroad, many people are unaware that Customs duties and taxes can significantly increase the cost of international shipping. These charges vary depending on the value of the parcel and the nature of the goods being sent. Without careful planning, recipients can be forced to pay substantial amounts before they can receive their gifts, adding to the financial burden during the holiday season.
David Jinks M.I.L.T., Head of Consumer Research at Parcelhero, highlighted the impact of these hidden fees: “Nobody wants to face a hefty, unforeseen charge just before Christmas. Many countries impose steep tariffs on goods entering from overseas, and unless the sender pre-pays the fees, the recipient may be forced to cover the costs. These charges can range from tens to hundreds of pounds, depending on the value of the parcel.”
However, the good news is that many countries offer duty and tax-free thresholds for gifts. If the sender keeps the value of the parcel under this threshold, no additional charges will be incurred. For example, sending a gift worth less than $100 (around £79) to the United States would avoid Customs duties if the parcel is marked as a “Gift” and the contents are described clearly on the Customs form.
Parcelhero’s new Christmas Gifts Delivery tool makes it easier for senders to determine the duty and tax-free limits for each country. The tool also highlights the final collection dates to ensure gifts arrive on time, adding another layer of convenience during the busy holiday season.
For example, the duty-free threshold for Australia is set at 1,000 AUD (around £500), while the US allows gifts worth up to $100 to be sent duty-free. However, not all countries are so lenient. Canada, for instance, has a relatively low de minimis limit of just 20 Canadian dollars (around £11). Furthermore, countries like India impose no duty-free allowance at all, meaning any parcel sent to India could face Customs duties and taxes regardless of its value.
While the tool provides valuable guidance, Parcelhero advises senders to check the most up-to-date information using a real-time currency converter and the destination country’s own Customs pages. It’s also important to clearly mark parcels as gifts and list each item on the accompanying Customs form to avoid delays and unnecessary charges.
For those concerned about unexpected charges, Parcelhero offers a service where senders can pay the Customs duties in advance. This option, known as Delivery Duty Paid (DDP), ensures that the recipient is not required to pay any Customs fees upon arrival. However, this service comes with additional costs, including a 25% deposit of the goods’ value and a £25 administration fee. To find out the last collection dates for presents to international destinations and to check our handy Customs fees guide, together with other international shipping hacks, see: https://www.parcelhero.com/events/christmas-gifts-delivery
