How does customs clearance, VAT and additional charges work when shipping outside the EU?

When you place an order that is shipped to a country outside the EU (for example, to Great Britain), the customs of your country will handle your package. This is the standard procedure:

Step 1: Notification from the carrier

Once your package arrives at customs, you will receive an email notification from the carrier (such as UPS, FedEx, or PostNL). This email will request payment for the following charges:

• VAT and import duties: The taxes your country levies on imported goods.
• Administrative fees: A fee charged by the carrier for handling the customs paperwork (clearance).

Step 2: Payment via the link

In the carrier's email, you will find a secure payment link. Once you have paid these charges, the carrier will receive the green light, and your package will be released for the final stage of delivery.

Avoid delays and extra costs

We recommend that you check your tracking information daily after shipment. Do you see that your package has been held at customs for more than a day? Take immediate action:

• Check your spam box: The payment request sometimes accidentally ends up in the junk mail.
• Check your email address: Did you accidentally make a typo in your address? Then the payment link will not reach you.
• Proactively contact: Contact the carrier if you have not received a notification but the package is still held. This way, you can avoid high storage costs at customs.

Important to know

• These additional costs are at your own risk and are not reimbursed by Celtic WebMerchant.
• Carrier's administrative fees are not covered by the 'free shipping' rules of our webshop.
• If the package is returned because the charges were not paid on time, the return and storage costs incurred will be deducted from your refund.