Blog
Guides and stories about sending parcels abroad.
Commodity codes: where to look and what to check
Why a product name is not enough to choose a code and how to use official EU classification tools.
Goods origin: why the dispatch country may be different
How to distinguish origin from a warehouse address and what information to request from a supplier.
EORI: who needs an EU customs identification number?
Where to obtain an EORI and why it is different from a VAT or IOSS number.
IOSS: what VAT at online checkout means
How IOSS works for eligible orders from outside the EU and why it does not remove every import charge.
Who pays import duties? Agree the details before shipping
Separate transport charges from import payments and avoid an unexpected bill for the recipient.
Devices with lithium batteries: what to check before shipping
Why a laptop, spare battery and separately shipped battery require different checks.
Perfume and aerosols: why packaging is not enough
The information needed to check perfume and aerosol products before international shipping.
Food parcels: what to check before packing
Why ingredients, destination and shipping purpose matter more than the general label “food”.
Shipping and warehouse services in Italy: choose what you need
With Topparcel, you can choose a courier service and buy a shipping label.
Gifts to Great Britain: customs declarations and tax
When a parcel qualifies as a gift, what the £39 and £135 thresholds mean, and what customs needs to know.
Norway VOEC number: what to provide when shipping
Who needs VOEC, how the NOK 3,000 threshold works and why the number must reach the carrier electronically.
ACAS: information needed for air parcels to the US
Recipient contacts, packing location and delivery details: what to prepare for advance air cargo screening.