Help with next phase of growth, International Sales!!!

[animacwear]

Hello there. 

We are currently selling mainly in the UK with reasonable sales in EU and some to US. I use a 3PL and getting prices for US or another other global location is slow and painful. Since Brexit the EU sales have dropped allot and so has US. However My traffic is still quite high, so the shipping bit and not knowing tax and duty costs i think put folks off. 

1) I have started paying annual subscription for carrier calculated rates

2) I have just signed up with my own Fedex account and going to bypass my 3PL rates

Hopefully this can automate pricing at the checkout and show taxes and duties so customers can pay one price and know it will arrive. 

Now, I have just signed up with a 3PL in the USA but only carry a few products, not the full range. 

So, here is what i'm looking for help with. Do I try and make my single website work to ship globally with fedex and somehow link the US 3pl to use whichever rates i get is US with them... sounds messy. 

Or do i just run a clean US website for US and keep my UK site for UK and International? 

Does this new marketplaces that shopify has going somehow effect this to make things easier or harder?

Finally, is it worth hiring an experienced pro to upgrade/ replace my current site so all this international stuff that is happening is considered. HELP! 

Thank you, Nathan 

[kevinibundle]

Hi Nathan. You're right - the unknown when it comes to customs taxes and fees does put a lot of people off.  It's not so much of an issue when sending into the USA given the $800 threshold (anything below this value generally doesn't have additional charges applied), but the threshold in the EU is €0, so all items have import VAT applied if they are sent on a delivery duties unpaid basis (often now called Delivered At Place, or DAP). Since Brexit sending items on a DDP basis (delivered duties paid) avoids this challenge. You could collect the import VAT on the checkout and use a DDP shipping method thereby avoiding your customers in the EU having to pay additional charges. You could also use the EUs IOSS process if the items are under €150 in value to avoid your customers getting additional charges.

I've seen eCommerce retailers take both routes you mention and be successful (one website vs. websites for separate territories).  To make things simple I've often seen they have very simplified shipping costs, i.e. a flat rate price per country/region/continent etc.

Feel free to reach out to me and the shipping/courier side is my forte.

[animacwear]

Thanks Kevinibundle. Im currently working with fedex on setting up integrated pricing. I have to deal with one of the inhouse IT guys so that may come up with some solutions for me with what I have. We shall see. Thanks again! 

[kevinibundle]

You're welcome!

FedEx isn't usually the most cost effective way of sending items internationally, if you wanted to compare against other options I could help.

[animacwear]

Yes I can see that, but they have a great onboarding team that specialize in ecommerce, and they were really helpful. We can get things up and running and review prices after a year. thank you

[Anindita]

Hi @animacwear,

Based on your query I would like to know if you are looking for a shipping solution like Ship, Rate and Track for FedEx. The app fetches FedEx Domestic, International & Freight Shipping Rates, including Negotiated Rates for your Account, directly on the checkout page. Not just that you can even print FedEx shipping labels, request pickup, print manifests & track orders in real time.

Let me know if you are looking for something similar. I will be happy to help!

[animacwear]

Hi Anindita, That sounds really good, but i'm not sure if this is what they are going to get me to install anyway. We are just setting up the account now and in talks with the 3PL to setup the API. I'll ask the question but that sounds exactly like what I would want. Thank you

[TeemuEAS]

Keeping it simple: with EU for better customer experience (and reduced returns), you simply have to utilise IOSS VAT scheme. Please check EAS Solution, it is a comprehensive solution with calculator, registrations and filing at a very low cost without monthly or starting fees. Plus, the solution is logistics agnostic, meaning you can easily use Royal Mail instead of the more expensive couriers. 

https://apps.shopify.com/eas-eu-compliance