cross-border-guide
Installation
SKILL.md
Cross-Border Guide
Selling internationally means dealing with customs declarations, import duties, carrier restrictions, and documentation requirements that vary by destination country. Getting any of these wrong leads to shipments held at customs, unexpected duty charges billed to customers, or outright package seizures. This skill helps ecommerce sellers plan and execute cross-border fulfillment by walking through the specific requirements for their product type, origin, and destination markets.
Quick Reference
| Decision | Strong | Acceptable | Weak |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS classification | 6-digit HS verified in the destination's tariff database, extended to full national code | 6-digit HS from origin country lookup, flagged for destination verification | Copying a competitor's code or guessing from product name |
| Duty/tax estimate | Computed from destination tariff rate + VAT/GST on correct basis (CIF/FOB), checked against de minimis | Estimated with a reputable landed-cost calculator, basis stated | "Customer will figure out duties" |
| Incoterm choice | Deliberate DDP/DDU choice per market based on AOV vs. de minimis and customer expectations | DDP everywhere via carrier landed-cost service | Defaulting to DDU without telling customers |
| Customs value declaration | Actual transaction price, consistent with payment records | Transaction price minus genuinely separable shipping (where allowed) | Undervaluing to dodge duties |
| Carrier selection | Matched per lane: express vs. postal vs. consolidator by AOV, speed need, and tracking expectations | One express carrier for all international | Cheapest postal option for everything incl. high-AOV |
| Restricted goods check | Product checked against destination prohibited/restricted lists AND carrier dangerous-goods rules | Carrier restriction list checked | Assuming "it's fine, it's just cosmetics" |
| Tax registration | VAT/GST registration thresholds checked per market (UK, EU IOSS, AU, NZ) before launch | Marketplace collects where it is deemed collector | Ignoring until a penalty letter arrives |