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When creating an international shipping label, you must provide shipment-level customs data. This ensures your package clears customs smoothly and avoids delays or fines.

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Required Fields

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Customs Content Type

Specifies what you are shipping. Common options:
  • Merchandise – Items sold to a customer
  • Documents – Letters, contracts, or paperwork only
  • Gift – Non-commercial shipment sent without payment
  • Sample – Item sent for testing or review
  • Returned Goods – Goods being sent back to the country of origin

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Non-Delivery Option

Tells customs what to do if your package cannot be delivered:
  • Return to Sender – Package is shipped back (sender may incur return costs)
  • Abandon – Package is disposed of at destination customs
If you select Abandon, you will not receive the package back or be refunded.

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Incoterms

International Commercial Terms (Incoterms) define who is responsible for shipping costs, duties, and taxes:
  • DAP (Delivered at Place) – Recipient pays duties/taxes on delivery (default)
  • DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) – Shipper prepays duties/taxes so the recipient does not pay at delivery
If you want to give customers a smoother experience, use DDP to pay duties upfront.

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Duties Payer

Identifies who is responsible for duties and taxes:
  • Sender (Shipper) – Duties are prepaid
  • Recipient – Duties are collected on delivery

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Additional Information

Depending on the shipment, customs may also require:
  • Declared value – Replacement value of the goods
  • HS Tariff Codes – Harmonized System codes for each product type
  • Country of origin – Where the items were manufactured

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Best Practices

  • Always declare the full and accurate value of goods
  • Use correct HS codes to prevent clearance delays
  • Choose Return to Sender unless you are okay with packages being discarded
  • For higher-value shipments, consider DDP to avoid customer frustration
SimpliSent automatically includes your customs data in the label file sent to carriers. Double-check all values before purchase — errors can result in rejected shipments, fines, or additional fees at delivery.