Dispatch Dictionary
EAD
EAD is the abbreviation for Export Accompanying Document. When shipping goods with a value of EUR 1,000 or more to a non-EU country, you must complete an export declaration. The declaration consists of various forms that need to be submitted to the responsible main customs office.
PICKUP SCAN
As soon as your shipment is picked up, it will receive a pickup scan that’s used for shipment tracking. You can track your shipment on our home page as well as in the archive.
PICKUP
Pickup is when the shipment is collected at a predetermined pickup address. You don’t have to drop it off at an access point.
PICKUP WINDOW
The scheduled time period in which the transport service provider picks up your express shipment. A pickup time window specifies a time frame (for example, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) during which a shipment will be collected. When using LetMeShip, you need to specify a window of at least two hours. For DPD-Standard (national only), a pickup window between 8 a.m to 6 p.m. is required.
PROOF OF DELIVERY (POD)
Transport service providers issue the proof of delivery, which the consignee acknowledges when the goods are delivered. If there are visible defects found on the goods, the recipient must make note of these on the POD upon delivery. This is important for possible damage claims, among other reasons. You can find proofs of delivery in the archive by clicking on shipment tracking. As an additional option, you can also request them from our customer service at booking@letmeship.com.
ACCESS POINT
See also: parcel store. An access point is an acceptance point for parcel shipments and is often integrated in stores, gas stations or kiosks with convenient opening hours. With LetMeShip, you can also select “self-delivery”, which will ensure no pick-up order is initiated.
ADDRESS BOOK
You can store or manage all your contacts in your LetMeShip address book. You already have an address book and want to connect it with your LetMeShip account? No problem! Get in touch with your account manager to find out how this works.
AIR WAYBILL (AWB)
See also: air consignment note. An air waybill is a document issued by the service provider that is attached to the goods in order to clearly allocate them.
ACTIVE USER
The administrator of the main LetMeShip account can add multiple users, each of whom can also set up their own username and password, after which they can also make a booking. The advantage here is that you can clearly assign bookings to each individual employee.
ATLAS
ATLAS stands for “Automated tariff and local customs declaration procedures”. It is a customs-certified software used to replace written customs declarations with electronic messages. Many companies use ATLAS to make their electronic export declarations.
DEFERMENT ACCOUNT
This is an account number that’s assigned to a specific customer number. Funds reserved for import duties are deposited in this account. However, this isn’t possible with LetMeShip, seeing as we have several customers who post to our customer number. Customs charges are calculated on invoice.
COPY ORDER
You can easily reactivate past recurring orders using the order copy function in the LetMeShip archive.
CANCEL ORDER
This is the option to cancel shipments free of charge. You can find this function in the archive. After choosing to cancel your order, you will receive a cancellation confirmation.
DIGITAL TRADE DOCUMENTS
Together with our shipping partners, we are introducing Digital Trade Documents, which are transmitted directly to the shipping company at the time of booking in order to fulfil the legal requirements of ICS2 and avoid delays in customs clearance. New are:
- Additional customs-relevant mandatory fields in the booking process
- New options to save orders
- New options to create ABD via LetMeShip
- The option to create and upload customs documents directly
If you have any questions or difficulties, please contact your personal account manager or our customer service team by phone or email.
ORDER NUMBER
You will always receive a seven-digit LetMeShip order number for your booked order.
EXPORT DECLARATION
An export declaration must be made when shipping to a non-EU country if the value of the goods exceeds EUR 1,000. The declaration consists of various forms that are submitted to the responsible main customs office.
EXTENDED AREA SURCHARGE
The extended area surcharge is calculated for the delivery of shipments to some remote destination that, for example, are less populated, less accessible or have little traffic. You can see whether an extended area surcharge applies to your shipping order in the shipment details for each booking.
NOTICE
A notice, or notification, is a message that informs you about a pickup or delivery.
AWB NUMBER
This stands for air waybill number. See also: consignment note number. Each waybill or consignment note has its own waybill number. This makes it easier for transport service providers to assign orders. You can find your order’s AWB number in the archive, among other places.
BARCODE
A barcode is a digitized code that consists of bars. It can be found on your waybills and contains information such as the pickup and delivery address. An unique barcode is created for each order you generate.
CALCULATED WEIGHT
The weight that is billed (always the higher amount). A distinction is made between gross or actual weight and volumetric weight.
BOOKING CONFIRMATION
Each time you make a booking, we will send you a booking confirmation email that summarizes all the details of your order.
CNPJ number
This stands for “Cadastro Nacional da Pessoa Jurídica”and is the recipient’s company identification number, which is requested when shipping to Brazil. Providing this number simplifies the customs process. Failure to do so may cause delays, as it’ll be requested afterward.
CR number
Meaning customs reference number, it represents the recipient’s customs number and must be correctly specified when shipping to China, in order to simplify and speed up the customs process.
DDP (Duty paid price)
The DDP is a customs clearance cost that depends on the value of the goods and the receiving country. LetMeShip will receive the bill for these costs, which you’ll subsequently need to pay.
DEPOT
A depot is a warehouse where parcel services collect and distribute shipments.
DIRECT TRANSPORT
“Direct shipping, also known as direct transport, is when there is no change in the transportation means between the pickup and delivery address. Since there is no loading of third-party shipments, direct freight transport can be carried out according to individual specifications without any loss of time.
At LetMeShip, you will find this option under our SameDay or Special Shipping. We recommend direct transport especially when you have specific shipping requirements, like with same-day shipment or when sending bulky goods. These cases require short transit times, so arranging a direct transport is a good idea.
If you have other special shipping requirements, such as sending wine, jewelry, dry ice, batteries, hazardous or bulky goods, please feel free to specify it in your order.
The request will be sent to our partners, who will then check to what extent the transport is feasible or which locations can accommodate your request.
Our pool of shipping experts enjoy a broad Europe-wide network. They’ll find the best possible solution for your needs, at which point your personal account manager will send you a fair offer. Once you confirm the offer in writing, we will notify the transport on your behalf.
DOCUMENT SHIPPING
When shipping via LetMeShip, a distinction is made between parcel and document shipping. Please note that document shipments may only be sheets of paper with no monetary value. Folders, sleeves, CDs or USB sticks have a commodity value, meaning you would need to declare your shipment as goods.
DOMESTIC
“Domestic shipping always refers to shipments that are sent domestically or in the same country, for example, within Germany.
THIRD COUNTRY SHIPMENT
Shipment that is booked in the first country, picked up in the second country and delivered in the third country. Therefore, a shipment that neither goes from nor to your own country.
IMPORT TURNOVER TAX
The tax is levied when goods are dispatched from third countries to Germany. It’s incurred when goods are transferred from one Community territory to another and depends on the respective country to which the goods are delivered.
ONE-WAY PALLET
One-way pallets are intended for one-time transport. Unlike Euro pallets, the recipient will dispose of them after delivery. They’re made of wood, corrugated cardboard or plastic, and come in different sizes, e.g. 80 x 60cm or 120 x 80cm.
EMBARGO SURCHARGE
Shipments liable to customs are also subject to an embargo surcharge when the UN Security Council has set trade restrictions for the recipient country. You can see the surcharge amount in the price details after you’ve made a price comparison.
EORI NUMBER
The EORI number (Economic Operators’ Registration and Identification number) is an operator identification number that’s valid throughout Europe. It is used to identify economic operators and is intended to facilitate automated customs clearance. Customs in Germany and Austria assign the EORI number, which contains up to 17 characters. It begins with the two-character country prefix (ISO 3166) of the respective Member State, followed by up to 15 characters. In certain cases, additional country prefixes may be included.
EURO PALLET
A Euro pallet is a standardized reusable pallet that measures 120 x 80 cm. It is usually made of wood and can be identified by the branded Euro symbol.
EX WORKS
LetMeShip offers the possibility to send Ex Work shipments (also known as EXW or ExWorks), i.e. you book a shipment with another customer number. Consequently, you won’t receive the bill, but instead the customer whose client number you use would have to pay.
EXPORT CUSTOMS CLEARANCE
This is a customs clearance process that is subject to fees, which is carried out when goods leave the country of origin and aren’t moved within the Community.
EXPRESS PALLET
A shipment is considered a pallet if you’ve used one when packing. From an logistical point of view, a pallet means that the shipping service provider must use a loading aid and/or a specific vehicle when collecting your shipment. We always make a distinction between stackable and non-stackable pallets. Please make note of this when completing your booking.
EXPRESS SHIPPING
Express related to shipping means a short transit time. In addition, express is very reliable seeing as you can also select time options when making your booking. Deliveries within the EU often take place on the next working day.
EXPORT INVOICE
One of the documents used in foreign trade is the export invoice (commercial invoice). This invoice requires the recipient to pay a certain amount for delivered goods or services rendered. In addition, it’s used as a basis for customs clearance and the statistical survey for imports. The commercial invoice is used to prepare further shipping and insurance documents.
FREIGHT
Freight refers to the cargo to be transported. A distinction is made between land transport, air freight and sea freight, depending on the means of transport. In addition, the term freight stands for payment, i.e. the cost of transport.
BILL OF LADING
The bill of lading, also referred to as accompanying document, air waybill or consignment note, is a document issued by the sender or shipping service provider that accompanies the freight.
TERMS Of DELIVERY
The terms of delivery specify who bears the costs of carriage (including customs duties and taxes) during transport. The delivery terms are a part of the carriage or transport contract.
FREE HOUSE
In the case of a free house delivery, the seller must legally bear the costs of transport until it arrives at the customer’s location. The term free house or free domicile is often used when the shipping company delivers a shipment as far as the first locked door.
HAZARDOUS GOODS
Hazardous goods are objects and substances that pose a risk during transport. For example, these could be corrosive chemicals or highly flammable gases. You can make a request to ship dangerous goods with LetMeShip via the “Special shipping” section. You must be logged in to do this.
CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT
In order to be exempt from VAT when shipping to another EU country, companies must show that the shipment has been transported within the internal market with a confirmation or proof of arrival. You can retrieve your confirmation or proof of arrival in PDF form in the LetMeShip archive.
COMMUNITY GOODS
Goods that are shipped within the Community. A Community territory refers to any country in the EU. There are significantly fewer trade barriers for goods shipped within the Community.
NOTIFICATION OF ARRIVAL
Notification to the customs authorities that the goods are at the customs office or at a place approved by customs authorities.
GIRTH
The girth is the unit of measurement used to indicate the maximum permissible package size.
It is calculated according to the following formula: 1 x longest side + 2 x width + 2 x height.
CIS
The “Commonwealth of Independent States” is a confederation of republics from the former Soviet Union, which includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
COMMERCIAL INVOICE
A commercial invoice is required when exporting goods to countries that are not members of the EU and is used for customs clearance in the importing country. It contains, for example, the invoice recipient’s address, the description of the goods and their value. After booking, you will be asked if you want to create a commercial invoice with LetMeShip.
HS CODE
HS stands for “Harmonized System” or “Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System.” Including this number is mandatory when shipping to certain countries.
HUB
A transport hub, also called a transport interchange, is a main transshipment base and is a central point for collecting, sorting and reloading shipments.
IATA
IATA stands for “International Air Transport Association” and represents the umbrella organization for airlines. The IATA promotes the safe and timely international transport of people and goods by air. Among other things, it issues the air waybill required for export. The IATA aims to simplify the processes in the aviation business.
IMPORT
Import means the transport of goods from abroad into another country.
IMPORT CONTROL SYSTEM 2 (ICS2)
ICS2 is an EU import control mechanism that is being introduced between 2021-2025 in a three-stage process to improve risk assessment, security and import control. Carriers of general cargo, courier and postal shipments are therefore obliged to digitally transmit the entry summary declaration with advance freight information to the competent customs authorities before the goods are presented.
This applies to all shipments transported by road, sea, rail, air or inland waterway, regardless of the transport route. For their part, shippers must provide the relevant documents to the transporting company either actively or on request in digital form. See the section on Digital Trade Documents (electronic customs documents) for changes to the booking process.
Import customs clearance
Any goods imported from a country outside the European Union (EU) by truck, plane, ship, train or other means must be processed by customs.
For this purpose, the declaration for a customs procedure must be made at customs. As a rule, this is done electronically using the appropriate software solutions that have been created specifically this purpose.
In a classic import customs declaration, the various types of goods are declared on the basis of goods tariff numbers and goods descriptions. The possible duty values are calculated from the information noted in an import declaration.
These can include customs duties, excise duties (if applicable), anti-dumping duties (if applicable) and import turnover tax.
Incoterms
Incoterms (International Commercial Terms) are a set of voluntary rules that allow you to interpret the customary contract terms in the international trade of goods.
Island surcharge
The island surcharge is calculated for the collection or delivery of goods to an island. You can always see whether an island surcharge applies to your shipping order in the shipment details.
CEP
CEP is the abbreviation for courier, express and parcel services.
CUSTOMER NUMBER
Everyone who uses LetMeShip’s services has a customer number. You can find this under the Admin settings in your LetMeShip account.
LABEL
See also: consignment note or waybill. The label is attached to the shipment and contains a barcode with information such as pick-up and delivery addresses.
TRANSIT TIME
The transit time refers to the time elapsed between the shipments pickup from the sender and its delivery to the recipient. You can check the transit time by clicking on the link after the price comparison.
SUPPLIER INTEGRATION
You can use the “supplier connection” option to inform other companies about your conditions and allow them to invoice you. If you have any questions about this feature, please contact your account manager.
SUPPLY RESTRICTIONS
With LetMeShip, you can ship to all countries around the world, as long as none of our partners are subject to delivery restrictions. For example, a delivery restriction may be due to a country’s political situation (embargo regulations).
If you aren’t sure, feel free to call us!
DELIVERY NOTE
A delivery note provides information about the contents and quantity found within a shipment. It can be attached to a shipment by the sender and also serve as proof that a shipment has been delivered.
LIST PRICE
The advertised list price of the service provider, on which they base their discount allocation.
AIR FREIGHT
Air freight refers to the transport of cargo by air. You must be logged in to make this type of request.
MASTER SUB-STRUCTURE
LetMeShip offers you the possibility to use a master sub-structure. It allows you to manage different billing addresses within your personal account and select the respective invoice recipient via the dropdown menu with the “Invoice from” function.
TOLL SURCHARGE
The toll is a charge for the use of motorways and tunnels. TNT, for example, charges an extra toll surcharge for every transport, both national or international.
MULTI-ACCOUNT MODEL
See also: master sub-structure. LetMeShip offers you the possibility to use a multi-account model. Therefore, you can manage different billing addresses within your personal account and select the respective invoice recipient via the dropdown menu with the “Invoice from” function.
REUSABLE PALLET
A reusable pallet is not disposed of after a single transport, as is usually the case with a one-way pallet, but rather can be used several times. A typical reusable pallet is a Euro pallet.
MRN
MRN stands for Movement Reference Number, and is assigned by customs when they accept an electronic export declaration. The MRN makes each transit operation identifiable.
NEUTRAL DISPATCH
Neutral dispatch or shipping means that the physical pick-up address is not written on the waybill. Please speak to your personal account manager if you’re interested in this option.
NON-STACKABLE
Non-stackable means that two packages cannot be stacked on top of each other. This category includes packages that can only be stacked to a limited extent or not at all, such as cone-shaped pallets. Consequently, this type of package doesn’t effectively use transport capacities and their handling also requires additional time. Please select “non-stackable” during the booking process if this applies to your shipment.
NOT COLLECTED
A shipment that was not collected despite notification. A package that has not been collected cannot be the subject of a complaint and can therefore only be claimed once a transport service provider has it in their possession. Each service provider explicitly states in their terms and conditions that collections aren’t guaranteed. Please contact us immediately at booking@letmeship.com if a collection has failed so that we can immediately re-register your shipment.
NON-COMMUNITY GOODS
Goods that are transferred between two territories belonging to different Communities and are subject to the import regulations there, such as a shipment from Germany to Brazil.
USERNAME
Your username, which you can use to activate your personal discounts. A username always comes with a password. If you have forgotten your username or password, click here.
PACKAGE
A package is a transport unit. Several packages that are not transported individually but on a pallet are considered one package, whereas two individual packages count as two packages. A separate consignment note is required for each package.
PACKAGE DIMENSIONS
It’s necessary to specify the package dimensions for shipping. A volume weight is calculated on the basis of these dimensions, and a distinction is generally made between weighed and volumetric weight. You will be charged for the higher of the two.
PARCEL
A parcel is generally packed in a square-shaped cardboard box with a certain maximum dimension and weight.
PARCEL SHOP
See also: Access Point. A parcel shop is an acceptance point where you can bring your parcel shipments. They’re often integrated into stores, petrol stations or kiosks with convenient opening hours.
PALLET
A pallet is a type of packaging. A shipment is considered a pallet if you’ve used one when packing. From an logistical point of view, a pallet means that the shipping service provider must use a loading aid and/or a specific vehicle when collecting your shipment. We always make a distinction between stackable and non-stackable pallets. Please make note of this when completing your booking.
PICKUP ADDRESS
The address where a shipment will be picked up. When you make a booking, your waybill will be sent to this address (via e-mail). For import and third country shipping abroad, the waybill goes to the sender.
PICK UP FEE
A special fee you need to pay for pickup. LetMeShip, however, doesn’t charge a pickup fee for any service provider.
PICKUP NUMBER
The service provider in question creates this reference number for the pickup.
POD
Transport service providers issue the proof of delivery (POD), which the recipient acknowledges when the goods are delivered. If there are any visible defects found on the goods, the recipient must make note of these on the POD upon delivery. This is important for possible damage claims, among other reasons. You can find proofs of delivery in the archive by clicking on shipment tracking. As an additional option, you can also request them from our customer service at booking@letmeship.com.
PROOF OF PREFERENCE
A proof of preference guarantees tariff preferences, such as a concession or exemption from customs duties. It’s used to prove the origin of a product. The European Community maintains so-called preferential agreements with various countries. When exporting to one of these countries, lower or no customs duties apply with a proof of preference certificate. You can find information on the different forms of proof of preference on www.zoll.de or your country’s own customs website.
PROACTIVE TRACKING
Notification of your shipment’s tracking status, which will be sent to one or more email addresses of your choice.
PRO FORMA INVOICE
A pro forma invoice is a document for goods that have no commercial value. When exporting, a pro forma invoice is used to prove the value of the goods to the customs authorities. The value indication should include a note that says “Gift shipment. The value for customs purposes only” or something similar. The structure corresponds to that of the commercial invoice.
BILLING ADDRESS
The address to which the invoice is issued.
INVOICE ARCHIVE
In the invoice archive, you will find your invoices from the last three months.
If you need an older invoice, please contact our accounting department at invoice@letmeship.com.
You can also use the search function to filter the archive directly by invoice number or date.
If you have any questions regarding overdue notices, please write to mahnungen@letmeship.com.
INVOICING
The default is payment by invoice due within 10 working days. You also have the option of paying your invoices by direct debit or American Express. Please contact your personal customer advisor for more information.
REFERENCE FIELDS
You can have up to four reference numbers activated, where each one can be named individually. They will appear on your invoice. Get in touch with us for this option.
COMPLAINTS
“ll claims, regardless of carrier, must be initiated through LetMeShip. It may disrupt or delay the claims process if you contact the carrier directly. We will liaise with the service provider on your behalf and do our best to achieve a positive outcome for you.
As soon as we receive the complaint, a member of our customer service team will contact the relevant service provider. This is followed by an investigation phase, which may take some time. If the service provider gets in touch with us, we will let you know. If you have any questions regarding complaints, please contact our customer service at booking@letmeship.com.
RESPONSIBLE PERSON
A customer account’s main contact person or administrator.
RETURN
In the case of a return, shipments are retrieved or returned to the sender.
SAMEDAY
A direct transport, also known as sameday, is when goods go from the pickup to the delivery address without changing the means of transport. Since no other external consignments are picked up, you can ask the direct transport to be carried out according to individual specifications without any loss of time.
SATURDAY DELIVERY
As a rule, shipments are delivered from Monday to Friday. If shipment delivery is needed on Saturdays, select the corresponding check mark under the shipment details to display the service providers that offer Saturday delivery. For international shipments, Saturday delivery must be requested from customer service.
SCAN
A shipment receives several scans during transport, loading, unloading, in the hub and during delivery. These scans can be used to track the location of the shipment.
SELF-DELIVERY
See also: Track and trace. You can track your shipments in the LetMeShip archive, on our homepage or directly on the service provider’s website. If you find the tracking status to be unclear, we would be glad to help you. Shipment tracking lets you see your shipments status. To do this, enter the order or parcel number in the search field under Tracking. Please also read the FAQ on tracking.
BULKY GOODS
Bulky goods are consignments that aren’t packed in rectangular packaging. They can be round-shaped as well as uneven items wrapped in cardboard, wood, plastic, fabric or metal. Please note that shipping costs for bulky goods are higher than that for parcels packed in cardboard boxes. You can request bulky goods under “Special shipping”.
SPECIAL SHIPPING
Special shipments are used to transport goods with specific requirements, such as a certain means of transport like a low-loader or tarpaulin semi-trailer, or specific handling like cooling or labelling. For example, special transports apply to heavy or dangerous goods. LOX freights will be happy to organise your special transports. Make a non-binding freight enquiry here.
DEFAULT COLLECTION ADDRESS
A pickup address that is preset by default.
STANDARD PALLET
Select the standard pallet service if you want to send particularly large, but less time-critical shipments.
A shipment is considered a pallet when it’s packed on one. Logistically, a pallet means that the carrier must use a loading aid and/or a specific vehicle when collecting your shipment. We always distinguish stackable and non-stackable pallets. Please bear this in mind when completing your booking. In addition, please note that transit time claims aren’t possible for standard shipping.
STANDARD SHIPPING
Standard shipping is possible both nationally and internationally. International standard shipments can be collected on the same day, while national standard shipments are usually booked for the next working day, unless there is a daily collection. Please note that with standard shipping no transit time complaint can be made.
STACKABLE
Shipments are considered stackable if they can be stacked on top of each other. If this isn’t the case, you must click “non-stackable” when requesting the shipment.
SERVICE CORRECTION
A service correction is made if the provider determines that the booked shipment is a different service type than specified (e.g. instead of a document, it’s a parcel shipment).
DAILY LOG
All orders to be picked up on a single day are listed on a daily log. On collection, the driver signs the list instead of the individual dispatch notes, which serves as a collection receipt.
DAILY COLLECTION
Also: daily pickup. A daily collection is normally arranged directly with the service provider who usually picks up shipments from you. This means that no extra notice will be sent to the transport service provider. Please let us know if you have arranged a daily collection with a service provider so that we can enter this into your account. A daily pickup agreement is usually free of charge, aside from UPS that will charge extra.
TRACK AND TRACE
Tracking is an IT-based system that allows you to determine your shipment’s current status or location with the order number. To do this, enter your shipment’s order or parcel number into the tracking search bar.
TRANSPORT INSURANCE
Transport insurance insures shipments or goods in transit. It offers financial protection against damage or loss. You can find more information on transport insurance policies of each individual service providers in the logged-in customer area.
FUEL SURCHARGE
Diesel surcharge, also called fuel surcharge, means additional costs for fuel must be paid by the customer. The cost amount depends on the oil price. The surcharge was introduced due to price developments on the energy market in recent years.
DECLARATION OF ORIGIN
The declaration of origin belongs to the preference certificates. A declaration of origin is required by the customs authorities of certain countries when importing goods with a value of up to 6,000 euros. When exporting to countries where a preferential agreement exists, lower or no customs duties apply with a declaration of origin.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
The country of origin is one that’s been significantly involved in the production of the goods. This information is important when exporting to certain countries.
PROOF OF ORIGIN
The proof of origin is one of the preference certificates. When exporting to certain countries, a proof of origin should be provided if the value for an exemption is exceeded. When exporting to countries where a preferential agreement exists, lower or no customs duties apply with a proof of origin.
CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN
A document that says where a product was manufactured. If several countries were involved in the production, the one that puts the “finishing touches” on the goods (or that was significantly involved in the production) is deemed the country of origin.
VAT NO.
The recipient’s tax number, which must be entered in the input mask when shipping to Russia, so that a customs process can take place.
SHIPPING COST CALCULATOR
You can use the shipping cost calculator to determine the freight costs for your shipment in seconds. You get 100% price transparency and an overview of all surcharges or additional costs. It’s important to enter the shipment details correctly so that your price can be calculated as accurately as possible.
SENDER
The person who books the order, who also receives the booking confirmation. The sender doesn’t necessarily have to be the person that physically sends it.
CUSTOMS CLEARANCE COSTS
These costs are incurred during the customs clearance, and are comprised of personnel costs, customs fees and the costs of preparing import VAT documents.
FREQUENT SHIPPER REQUEST
We provide the option of making a frequent shipper request within our system. You simply need to enter your volume and service types, and we will create an offer for you.
MOVEMENT CERTIFICATE
The movement certificate is one of the preference documents. When exporting to certain countries, you need to provide proof of preference with a movement certificate form if the value of the goods exceeds EUR 6,000. In the case of existing preferential arrangements, this certificate can be used to grant customs concessions. You can find more information at your country’s customs website or at www.zoll.de for residents in Germany.
VALUE OF GOODS
This amount may be insured and must correspond to the value of the goods on the pro forma or commercial invoice.
WORKING DAYS
When calculating collection and transit time, only weekdays from Monday to Friday are considered working days. Exemptions apply to Saturday collection and express shipping deliveries.
CUSTOMS
The German Customs Administration is an authority of the Federal Ministry of Finance and as such is responsible for monitoring the cross-border movement of goods. Customs also refers to a fee levied by the customs administration for the import (import duty) or export (export duty) of goods. The cross-border shipment of parcels is also subject to customs regulations. No customs duty is levied on private consignments within the EC Member States. Gift shipments, i.e. shipments from private individuals, can generally be sent to a third country without customs formalities. Further information is available at www.zoll.de.
CUSTOMS DECLARATION
You must complete a customs declaration at the customs office where the goods can be presented. This declaration must state all the characteristics and conditions that relate to the chosen customs procedure and processing. In addition, all necessary documents (e.g. invoices and transport documents) must be attached to the declaration. The person that makes the declaration is referred to as the declarant and is responsible for its legal consequences. A written description of the goods is required for a customs declaration. The corresponding commodity code, the customs value and the origin of the goods are also mandatory.
CUSTOMS INSPECTION
The customs inspection is when customs performs a physical examination of the goods. It serves to verify an accepted customs declaration and is part of the overall customs inspection. The examination usually takes place at a customs office or a clearance point and is carried out by the respective country’s customs officers. The goods are examined for quantity and/or condition. When goods are presented at customs, the customs officer doesn’t need to inspect them physically, though they reserve the right to do so. A distinction is made between partial and full inspection. The reasons for requiring a customs inspection are as follows: doubts about the correctness of the customs declaration or a sample came back from monitoring that requires further investigation.
CUSTOMS INVOICE
The customs invoice is stored in the archive, directly next to the invoice for your transport costs.
CUSTOMS ROADS
Goods may only be brought in or out of a Community customs territory by a specified means of transport.
DELIVERY DEPOT
A delivery depot is a warehouse and is the starting point from which shipment deliveries are made.
DELIVERY OPTION
Generally, the delivery of a shipment depends on the country, city and postal code.
For national shipments, the delivery time for standard parcels is one to two working days (Monday to Friday), though without guarantee. If you choose an express service provider, the shipment will be delivered the next business day and at selected times for an additional, optional charge, i.e. before 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m.
For international express shipments, the shipment’s standard delivery time will be displayed in the booking process.
ADDITIONAL HANDLING
This refers to a surcharge that certain service providers require if a shipment is particularly large or bulky. Our system calculates this surcharge automatically if the shipment details are correct. You will be able to see it in the shipment details. You may also be charged additional handling for the following shipments:
Goods in a metal or wooden packaging
Items in cylindrical containers, such as barrels, buckets, canisters or tires, which are not completely enclosed in corrugated cardboard packaging
Packages exceeding 150 cm/60 inches in length or packages whose second longest side exceeds 76 cm/30 inches
Any package with an actual weight that exceeds 32 kg/70 lbs (not volumetric weight)
Any shipment package whose average weight exceeds 32 kg/70 lbs and whose exact weight has not been indicated on the shipping documents
Transportation service providers do not offer a money-back guarantee for shipments that require additional handling and whose processing may be delayed as a result. Consequently, the service providers will not refund the shipping charges if the shipments requiring the additional handling do not arrive at the regular time.