Step 2 of 5
Passing the duty to your customer doesn't make it disappear
The duty gets paid either way. The only question is whether you collect it at checkout or your customer is asked for it at the door — and that one choice costs you in three different ways.
The money
When duty-free limits end, DDU shippers feel it first
The European Union removed its duty-free floor for low-value parcels. Every item now carries duty from the first euro, and a DDU parcel meets that bill at the door.
The time
A DDU parcel can lose weeks at the border
Customs cannot release a parcel until someone pays. The carrier has to reach your customer, wait for payment, and only then move it — while the delay lands on your brand.
The customer
One unexpected charge and the next order never comes
A courier asking for money they did not agree to is the last thing a first-time international buyer remembers. Most do not come back, and some refuse the parcel outright.
Not every DDP offer is a guarantee
Some providers quote an estimate and back-bill you the difference later. Here is how to tell which one you are buying.
