Buying Online from Another Country? 6 Simple Ways to Help Your Parcel Arrive Without Delay
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Buying something special from another country has never been easier.
A few clicks and an item made in Ireland, France, Italy or almost anywhere else can begin a journey of hundreds or thousands of miles to your door.
Here at Irish Pens, we've recently reviewed and updated the way we send our handcrafted pens internationally. Going through that process reminded us that there are a few remarkably simple things all of us can do when shopping internationally to help our orders arrive smoothly.
So whether you're buying an Irish Pen from us or ordering something completely different from another international website, here are six things worth checking before you press Buy.
Use an Email Address You Actually Read
It sounds obvious, but this might be the most important tip on the list.
Your order confirmation may arrive by email. Your tracking number may arrive by email. And for an international purchase, the delivery company or customs agent may also need to contact you by email.
An old email account that you rarely check can mean an important message sits unread while your parcel sits waiting.
Simple rule: when ordering online, use an email address you monitor regularly.
Give Them the Right Mobile Number
Your telephone number isn't there just because the checkout form wants another piece of information.
Delivery drivers increasingly use mobile numbers to communicate with recipients about deliveries, access problems or other issues.
If you're sending something directly to another person as a gift, it may therefore make sense to provide the recipient's mobile number rather than your own.
That gives the delivery company a way of contacting the person who is actually standing at the other end of the journey.
Check the Address — Then Check It Again
A beautifully made product isn't much use if it's travelling towards the wrong postcode.
Before completing an international order, check:
- Recipient's full name
- House number or building name
- Street
- Town or city
- State, county or province where required
- Postcode or ZIP code
- Country
Autofill is convenient, but don't assume it's always right — particularly if you've previously sent something to the same person at an old address.
Thirty seconds checking an address can save days sorting out a delivery problem later.
Remember That Another Country Means Another Set of Rules
This is one of the confusing parts of international shopping.
When something crosses an international border, the rules of the country receiving the parcel apply.
Depending on the countries involved, the type and value of the goods and the rules in force at the time, there may be customs duties, import taxes, tariffs or other charges.
Those rules aren't normally determined by the small business that made or sold you the product.
The price you pay to the seller and any import charges imposed by your own country can be two separate things.
Keep an Eye on Your Messages After Dispatch
Once you've received that exciting "Your order has been dispatched" message, don't completely forget about it.
Follow the tracking occasionally and keep an eye on your email.
If the carrier needs additional information or an import payment before the parcel can continue, dealing with it promptly can prevent an unnecessary delay.
Sending a Gift? Think About Who Should Be Contacted
International gifts require one extra bit of thought.
The person paying for the order and the person receiving the parcel aren't necessarily the same person.
If you don't want your mum in Boston, your son in Sydney or your friend in London being unexpectedly asked to deal with an import payment for their own present, check how the seller handles customs communications before ordering.
Ideally, the purchaser should be able to deal with the financial side while the recipient remains available for any communication about the physical delivery.
Your contact details for the payment. Their contact details for the delivery.
A Little Preparation Goes a Long Way
International delivery involves quite a few people and systems: the seller, the carrier, customs authorities and ultimately the person receiving the parcel.
Most of the time, all of this happens quietly in the background and a parcel simply turns up at the door.
A correct address, a working mobile number and — perhaps most importantly — an email address you actually check can help keep it that way.
And If You're Sending an Irish Pen...
We've recently made international delivery from Irish Pens in Kells, County Meath even simpler.
Our international pen orders are now delivered with DHL Express, with tracking from our door to yours — or directly to the person receiving your gift.
We've also created a straightforward International Delivery Guide explaining how the journey works, what happens with customs and the important contact details to provide when sending an Irish Pen as a gift.
International Delivery Made Simple →
Richard & Catherine
Irish Pens
Handcrafted in Kells, County Meath, Ireland