Customs duty is a mandatory payment levied by the customs authorities of any state in connection with the movement of goods across the customs border. Payment of customs duties is a prerequisite for the import or export of any goods. Each country has its own customs clearance features, its own customs rates, and even customs limits for duty-free import of goods and postal items.

When sending a parcel to any country, it is necessary to study what valuation method is used by the customs authorities, what is the duty-free import limit in that country. It should also be noted that in addition to customs duties, the goods may be subject to sales tax.

Duty-free import limits for major countries:

In the United States, goods with a declared value of less than $800 USD are not subject to duty.

For Australia, this amount is $1000 AUD (about 700 USD).

For Japan, less than $93 USD (including shipping).

For Canada, less than $17 USD.
And in the EU, there is no longer a duty-free import threshold for shipments outside the Union as of July 1, 2021. All parcels up to 150 euros are subject to VAT, and above this value, customs duties. On some platforms (Etsy, Ebay), VAT for goods up to 150 euros is imposed and paid by the buyer immediately.
In most countries, parcels that do not exceed the threshold for duty-free importation are not subject to customs duties and sales tax. Detailed information on customs limits can be found on the Ukrposhta website.

Please note that sometimes the shipping cost is included in the valuation method (CIF) and sometimes not (FOB).

Sales tax and customs duties (if any) are always paid by the recipient, in many countries this procedure is automated. As a rule, a buyer who chooses fast delivery is ready to pay taxes and fees.
CIF valuation method (cost + insurance + delivery) - the amount of customs payment is calculated not only from the cost of the goods, but also from the cost of delivery and insurance.
FOB valuation method (declared value, excluding shipping and insurance) - the amount of customs payment is calculated only from the value of the imported goods.
For our clients, this means that when making a shipment to countries using the CIF valuation method, the shipping cost should be included in the invoice (check the appropriate box "include shipping cost in the invoice" on the last page).
It is recommended to inform the buyer about the limits for duty-free importation into their country, as this information significantly reduces the likelihood that the buyer will refuse to pay customs duties in their country and return the parcel.

For more information about customs duties for other countries, we suggest that you check the latest information sources on the Internet.