Shipping Rates & Options
By Volkan
By Volkan
Estimating costs, why a quote can be higher, carriers, transit times and address changes.
Estimating your shipping cost and delivery time
Short answer: Our shipping calculator gives you the final shipping price for the weight, size and destination you enter. Check whether your address is in a remote area, and estimate duties separately with our duty calculator. Express services usually take 1–5 business days. Using the shipping calculator The calculator is free and you don't need an account. Enter: 1. Where the package ships from (US or Turkey) and where it's going. 2. The weight of the package. 3. The dimensions (length, width and height). The results show each available courier and service with its price and delivery estimate. Is the calculator price final? Yes. The shipping price the calculator shows is the final price for the weight, size and destination you entered. Keep in mind three things it doesn't cover: - Remote-area fees. Couriers charge extra to deliver to some remote or rural addresses, typically $40–$50 depending on the courier. Use the "Check remote area" button in the results. You'll also see whether your address is in a remote area when you add it to your account. - Restricted items. The calculator doesn't check what's inside the package. See "Restricted and prohibited items: what we can ship and what happens if a package is flagged", and check your country with our trade restrictions lookup tool. - Duties and taxes in your country. These are separate from shipping. Use our duty calculator to estimate them. Checkout shows whether you can prepay them (DDP) for your destination. Some carriers also add risk or demand surcharges for certain destinations. If one applies, you'll see it at checkout before you pay. If your package arrives at a different weight or size from the one you entered, your price changes too. Checkout always uses the real, measured package. How weight is rounded We round weight up to the next whole pound. For example, a 2.3 lb package is billed as 3 lb. This applies to every courier except APC. Couriers also bill the higher of the actual weight and the dimensional (size-based) weight. A large, light box can cost more than a small, heavy one. For the maximum shipment weight, see "Weight and size limits for shipments". See "Why your shipping quote is higher than expected, and how to lower it". How long delivery takes Delivery time depends on the courier, the service, the destination country and the weather. - Express services usually deliver in 1–5 business days. - Economy services can take longer than express services. - Choosing DDP or DDU can make delivery faster or slower, because customs is handled differently. The delivery estimate shown at checkout for your shipment is the one to go by. It can differ from general ranges you see on a courier's own website. Tips for a more accurate estimate - Ask the store for the package weight and dimensions if the product page doesn't list them. - If you plan to combine several orders, estimate the combined weight and run one quote. See "Consolidating packages: how to request it, how long it takes and what it costs". - Compare a few couriers. The cheapest option isn't always the fastest. Common questions A courier's website says 1–3 days, but checkout shows a longer range. Which is right? Go by the estimate at checkout. It's calculated for your shipment, service and destination. Is the remote-area fee optional? No. The courier charges it to deliver to that address. Check it before you ship. Does the shipping price include duties and taxes? No. Estimate them with our duty calculator. Checkout shows whether DDP is available for your destination. Will I pay US sales tax? Our US warehouse is in Delaware, which has no state sales tax. If we ship within the US to another state, you're responsible for any taxes that apply there. Still need help? Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].
Why your shipping quote is higher than expected, and how to lower it
Short answer: Shipping is priced on the package's billable weight, which is the higher of its actual weight and its size-based (dimensional) weight, rounded up to the next pound. Remote-area fees, carrier surcharges and add-ons can add to that. Combining packages, asking about a smaller box and checking what you've selected at checkout are the best ways to lower it. What makes a shipping quote go up 1. Dimensional weight Couriers bill the higher of two weights: - Actual weight: what the package weighs on a scale. - Dimensional weight: a weight calculated from the box's length, width and height. A small, light item in a big box is billed by the box, not the item. That's why a light pillow or a pair of shoes in the store's oversized carton can cost more than you'd expect. 2. Rounding up We round weight up to the next whole pound for every courier except APC. A 2.3 lb package is billed as 3 lb. The rounding always goes up, never down. 3. Remote-area fees Couriers charge extra to deliver to some remote or rural addresses. The fee varies by courier and is typically $40–$60. You'll see whether your address is in a remote area when you add it to your account, and you can also use the "Check remote area" button in our shipping calculator. 4. Carrier risk and demand surcharges Carriers such as DHL, UPS and FedEx add surcharges for some destinations, for example areas they class as elevated-risk or high-demand. The carrier sets these amounts and changes them often. If one applies to your shipment, it's shown at checkout before you pay. The biggest one is the fuel surcharge, which every courier changes weekly. For the full list and what you can do about each, see "Carrier surcharges: the extra charges couriers add, and how to avoid them" and "Fuel surcharges: why your price changes from week to week". 5. Add-ons you selected Extras you choose at checkout, such as extra protection, invoice removal or faster handling, are added to your total. For the full list and prices, see "Packing add-ons: extra protection, invoice removal and faster handling". Consolidation also has a per-package fee on the Free and Premium plans. See "Consolidating packages: how to request it, how long it takes and what it costs". How to lower your shipping cost - Combine packages. One box usually costs less than several separate shipments. If one item is very bulky, though, combining can raise the dimensional weight, and our team may recommend shipping it separately. - Ask about a smaller box. If a store packed a small item in a large box, contact our support team before you ship and ask whether it can be repacked to reduce the size. - Compare couriers and services. Prices differ between couriers and between DDP and DDU options. Check each option shown at checkout. - Check your add-ons. Remove any extras you don't need. - Check the weight you entered. If you're using the calculator, a typo in the weight or dimensions can change the quote a lot. Common questions Shouldn't 2.3 lb round down to 2 lb? No. We always round up to the next whole pound, for every courier except APC. My item is tiny, so why is the quote so high? It's probably the box. Couriers bill by size when the dimensional weight is higher than the actual weight. Contact support to ask about a smaller box. Is the remote-area fee something I can remove? No. The courier charges it to deliver to that address. You can check it before you ship. Why is there a surcharge for my country? Some carriers add risk or demand surcharges for certain destinations. The amount is set by the carrier and shown at checkout. Still need help? Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].
When will my shipment leave the warehouse?
Short answer: Once you've paid for your shipment, it usually leaves our warehouse within 1–2 business days. Weekends don't count, because our warehouses don't work on Saturdays and Sundays. If you need it out faster, you can add Urgent Handling or Express Mailout at checkout. When your shipment leaves our warehouse The normal timeline Here's what happens after you pay: 1. We pick your package from the shelf. Our team finds it and gets it ready. 2. We prepare it for the courier. The courier's label goes on and the package joins the mail-out queue. 3. It leaves our warehouse. You get an outbound tracking number to follow it to your door. All of this normally takes 1–2 business days from payment. Weekends and business days We count business days only. Neither our US nor our Turkey warehouse works on weekends, so a shipment you pay for on a Friday evening or over the weekend starts moving on the next working day. Tip: if timing matters, pay for your shipment early in the week. Peak season: during our busiest periods of the year, handling can take up to 48 hours longer than usual. Speeding things up at checkout Two add-ons at checkout help your package leave sooner. They speed up different steps: | Add-on | Price | What it does | |---|---|---| | Urgent Handling | $10 | Priority processing and dispatch. We pick your package from the shelf with priority. | | Express Mailout | $2 | We create your shipping label and get your package ready for dispatch the same day. | Neither add-on changes how long the courier takes to deliver once the package has left us. That depends on the courier, the service and your destination. Express services usually take 1–5 business days, and the estimate shown at checkout is the best reference. If you asked for consolidation first If you want several packages combined into one box, consolidation comes first. It takes 2 business days, and after that you choose your shipping option and pay for the new package. The 1–2 business-day dispatch time starts from that payment. See "Consolidating packages: how to request it, how long it takes and what it costs". Asendia and Aramex shipments Asendia and Aramex shipments leave our Delaware warehouse for the carrier's New York hub every Thursday. The carrier scans them into its system there, so tracking may show little movement until then. A shipment that misses the Thursday handoff waits for the next one. To avoid that, try not to leave your order until Thursday or Friday. Express Mailout still applies: we label and prepare your shipment the same day, and it leaves with the next Thursday run. For more, see "Tracking your shipment: statuses, carrier hubs and customs holds". Common questions I paid yesterday and my shipment still hasn't left. Is something wrong? Probably not. Dispatch normally takes 1–2 business days after payment, not counting weekends. Can I add Urgent Handling or Express Mailout later? They're chosen at checkout when you pay for your shipment. If you've already paid, contact our support team. What's the difference between Urgent Handling and Express Mailout? Urgent Handling ($10) gives your package priority when we pick it from the shelf and prepare it. Express Mailout ($2) means we create the shipping label and get it ready for dispatch the same day. Will Urgent Handling make the courier deliver faster? No. It speeds up our side only. Delivery time depends on the courier and the service you choose. Do you charge extra during peak season? No. We don't add a peak-season surcharge. Handling can take up to 48 hours longer during our busiest periods, but the price is the same. I paid on a Saturday. When will it ship? We start on the next working day, and dispatch normally takes 1–2 business days from then. Still need help? Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].
Carriers and shipping services we use
Short answer: From the US we ship with UPS, DHL Express, FedEx, Aramex, Asendia, USPS and APC Logistics. From Turkey we ship with UPS, DHL, FedEx and Turkish Airlines (THY). Which services you can choose depends on your destination and your package, and checkout shows every option available for your shipment. Who we ship with Carriers by origin | Ships from | Carriers and services | |---|---| | United States | UPS (including its different services), DHL Express, FedEx Priority, FedEx Economy, FedEx International Connect Plus, Aramex, Asendia, USPS, APC Logistics | | Turkey | UPS, DHL, FedEx, THY (Turkish Airlines, with local delivery) | For the countries we ship to, see "Where we ship from and to". How you choose a service You pick the carrier and service yourself when you pay for your shipment. For each option, checkout shows the price and a delivery estimate, so you can compare them side by side. You can also compare options before you buy anything with our shipping calculator. See "Estimating your shipping cost and delivery time". Why you don't see every carrier Not every service is available for every shipment. The options you see can depend on: - your destination country and address - your package's weight and size If a carrier isn't listed at checkout, it isn't available for that shipment. You can't use your own carrier account or your own label with us. See "Shipping labels, carrier accounts and other forwarders". How the carriers differ There's no single best carrier. Each one suits different needs, so compare the price and the estimate for your own shipment: - Delivery time. Express services usually take 1–5 business days. Economy services can take longer. The estimate at checkout is the one to go by. - Weight rounding. Every carrier except APC rounds your package weight up to the next whole pound. With APC, the weight isn't rounded up to a whole pound. - Hub handoff. Asendia and Aramex shipments go from our Delaware warehouse to the carrier's New York hub every Thursday before they're scanned. See "Tracking your shipment: statuses, carrier hubs and customs holds". - Surcharges. Some carriers add remote-area or risk surcharges for certain addresses and destinations. If one applies, you see it at checkout before you pay. Common questions Which carrier is the cheapest? It depends on your destination, weight and size. Compare the options in the shipping calculator or at checkout. Can I ask you to use a carrier that isn't listed? The services listed at checkout are the ones available for your shipment. Our support team can tell you why a specific one doesn't appear. Can I ship from Turkey with Aramex or Asendia? No. From Turkey we ship with UPS, DHL, FedEx and THY. Still need help? Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].
Weight and size limits for shipments
Short answer: You can ship up to 150 lb in one shipment. Heavy or large packages may carry overweight or oversize charges, which vary by courier. If one applies, you see it at checkout before you pay. The 150 lb limit Each shipment can weigh up to 150 lb. This is the total weight of the package we send, so if you consolidate several packages into one box, the combined box counts. If your items together would go over 150 lb, contact our support team before you request consolidation or pay, and we'll help you plan the shipment. Overweight and oversize charges Couriers can charge extra for packages that are especially heavy or large. These charges: - vary by courier and service, so the same box can cost a different amount with each carrier - are shown at checkout, so you always see them before you pay - are set by the courier, which is why we don't list fixed amounts here — for what each courier publishes today, see "Carrier surcharges: the extra charges couriers add, and how to avoid them" Size limits also differ from courier to courier, so a service that suits a small box may not be offered for a very large one. Checkout shows the options available for your package. Tip: if your package is heavy or bulky, compare several couriers at checkout or in our shipping calculator. Prices can differ a lot between them. How your weight is measured Two rules decide the weight you pay for: - Dimensional weight. Couriers bill the higher of the actual weight and the dimensional (size-based) weight. A large, light box can cost more than a small, heavy one. - Rounding. We round weight up to the next whole pound. For example, a 2.3 lb package is billed as 3 lb. This applies to every courier except APC. For ways to lower the billable weight, see "Why your shipping quote is higher than expected, and how to lower it". Before you ship something big - Ask the store for the weight and dimensions if the product page doesn't list them, and run a quote first. See "Estimating your shipping cost and delivery time". - Think twice before consolidating very large items. One bulky item can push the whole box into a higher dimensional weight. See "Consolidating packages: how to request it, how long it takes and what it costs". - Check the destination. Some addresses have remote-area fees on top of the shipping price. Common questions What's the maximum weight I can ship? Up to 150 lb per shipment. How much is the oversize fee? It depends on the courier and service. You see the exact charge at checkout before you pay. Why doesn't a courier appear for my package? Your package may be too heavy or too large for that service, or the service isn't available for your destination. My package weighs 10.2 lb. Why am I charged for 11 lb? Weight is rounded up to the next whole pound for every courier except APC. Dimensional weight may also be higher than the actual weight. Still need help? Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].
Shipping labels, carrier accounts and other forwarders
Short answer: We don't accept your own prepaid shipping label or your own carrier account for shipments leaving our warehouse, and we don't ship to other package forwarding addresses. Returns to a US seller work differently: there, a label from the seller is welcome. Your own label or carrier account You can't send us a prepaid label, or give us your own UPS, DHL, FedEx or other carrier account number, for a shipment from our warehouse to you. Every shipment goes out on one of the services offered at checkout, with the label we create for it. The good news is that you can still choose. Checkout shows every carrier and service available for your package and destination, with the price and delivery estimate for each. See "Carriers and shipping services we use". Shipping to another package forwarder We don't ship to the address of another package forwarding or reshipping service. Your shipment has to go to the recipient's own address. If you're not sure whether we deliver to your country, see "Where we ship from and to". Returns are different Sending an item back to a store or seller in the US is a return, not a forwarded shipment, and labels work differently there: - If the seller gives you a return label, send it to us and we'll attach it. A $10 handling fee applies. - If you'd like us to provide the label, we charge the courier cost plus $10. - QR-code returns aren't accepted for now, because they need the package to be taken to a drop-off location in person. If the seller offers no other option, contact our support team. For the full process, see "Returning a package to a US seller". Labels from stores are fine This is only about shipments leaving our warehouse. Stores and sellers ship to your ForwardMe address with their own labels all the time, and that's exactly how it should work. Just make sure your suite number is on the label. See "What is a suite number and why does it matter?". Common questions I have a discounted rate with a carrier. Can I use my account? No. Shipments from our warehouse only go out on the services shown at checkout. Can I print my own label and send it to you to attach? Not for a shipment to you. The only exception is a return to a US seller, where you can send us the seller's return label. Can you ship my package to another forwarder's address in my country? No. We only ship to the recipient's own address. The seller sent me a QR code for the return. Can you use it? Not for now. QR-code returns need an in-person drop-off. Ask the seller for a printable label, or contact our support team if there's no other option. Still need help? Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].
Dimensional weight: how box size affects your shipping price
Short answer: Couriers charge for the space a box takes up, not only for what it weighs. They work out a dimensional weight from the box's length, width and height, compare it with the actual weight, and bill the higher of the two. Each courier uses its own divisor, so the same box can have a different dimensional weight with each one. What dimensional weight is A plane or truck fills up by space as well as by weight. A large box of pillows weighs little but takes the room of a much heavier parcel, so couriers price it as if it were heavier. That's why every shipment has two weights: - Actual weight: what the package weighs on a scale. - Dimensional weight: a weight worked out from the box's size. The courier bills whichever is higher. We call that the billable weight. How it's calculated Multiply the box's three sides in inches, then divide by the courier's divisor: Length × Width × Height ÷ divisor = dimensional weight in pounds We measure every package when it arrives at our warehouse, so you don't need to measure anything yourself. The billable weight is then rounded up to the next whole pound for every courier except APC. Divisors by courier The divisor is what makes the difference between couriers. A higher divisor gives a lower dimensional weight, which is better for you. | Courier and service | Divisor | What it means for a bulky box | |---|---|---| | UPS | 200 | Lowest dimensional weight, so the best of our couriers for a light, bulky box | | FedEx International Priority and Economy | 200 | Same as UPS | | DHL Express | 166 | Higher dimensional weight than the 200 couriers | | FedEx International Connect Plus | 166 | Same as DHL | | Aramex | 166 | Same as DHL | | Asendia | 139 | Highest dimensional weight, so a bulky box costs the most here. Asendia carries light parcels only, up to 4.4 lb. | These divisors come from our agreements with each courier, so they can differ from the numbers on a courier's own website, and they can differ between services from the same courier. For our other couriers, compare the price shown at checkout. A worked example Take a box that measures 20 × 16 × 12 inches and weighs 6 lb on the scale. Its volume is 3,840 cubic inches. | Divisor | Dimensional weight | Billable weight | |---|---|---| | ÷ 200 (UPS, FedEx Priority and Economy) | 19.2 lb | 20 lb | | ÷ 166 (DHL, FedEx Connect Plus, Aramex) | 23.1 lb | 24 lb | The box weighs 6 lb, but with every courier it's billed on its size: 20 lb on a divisor of 200 and 24 lb on 166. That's why comparing couriers matters most for light, bulky shipments. This box is too heavy for Asendia, which carries parcels up to 4.4 lb. On a small parcel that does fit, Asendia's divisor of 139 gives the highest dimensional weight of all our couriers. How to lower your dimensional weight - Ask us to repack. Stores often ship small items in large boxes full of filler. A better-fitting box can cut the dimensional weight sharply. See "Repacking and removing items". - Be careful when combining bulky items. Consolidating usually saves money, but one large item can push the whole box into a higher dimensional weight. See "Consolidating packages: how to request it, how long it takes and what it costs". - Compare couriers at checkout. For a light, bulky box, the courier with the highest divisor often gives the lowest price. See "Carriers and shipping services we use". - Check before you buy. If a product page lists the box size, you can estimate the dimensional weight before you order. See "Estimating your shipping cost and delivery time". Common questions My item is light. Why am I paying for so much weight? Because the box is big. When the dimensional weight is higher than the actual weight, the courier bills the dimensional weight. Asking us to repack into a smaller box is usually the quickest fix. Why does the same package have a different weight with each courier? Each courier divides the box's volume by a different number. A higher divisor gives a lower dimensional weight, so the billable weight can change from one courier to the next. Do I need to measure my package? No. We measure and weigh every package when it arrives at our warehouse, and your quote uses those measurements. Is the billable weight rounded? Yes. It's rounded up to the next whole pound for every courier except APC. See "Weight and size limits for shipments". Still need help? Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].
Shipping to a PO Box or an APO/FPO address
Short answer: We can deliver to a PO Box or an APO/FPO/DPO military address only with USPS, from our US warehouse. Our other couriers deliver to a street address and can't deliver to a PO Box. Shipping insurance isn't available for PO Box deliveries, and once USPS delivers the shipment to the PO Box or the post office, we can't accept claims for its loss or theft. Which courier can deliver to a PO Box | Courier | PO Box | APO/FPO/DPO | |---|---|---| | USPS | Yes | Yes | | UPS, FedEx, DHL, Aramex, Asendia, APC | No | No | UPS, FedEx, DHL and Aramex deliver to a door, often against a signature, and PO Boxes are run by the postal service. That's why only USPS, which hands your shipment to your country's postal service, can reach one. Delivery to a PO Box abroad also depends on your country's postal service accepting it. If you're not sure, check with your local post office before you ship. From our Turkey warehouse, PO Box and APO/FPO deliveries aren't possible, because we don't ship with USPS from there. Before you ship - Choose USPS at checkout. If you choose another courier for a PO Box address, the courier can't deliver it and the shipment may be returned to us, with the return costs billed to you. See "If your shipment can't be delivered or is returned to us". - Add your phone number. Your delivery address needs a phone number, so the postal service can reach you if there's a problem. - Think about value. Because insurance isn't available and we can't accept loss or theft claims for PO Box deliveries, consider a street address for anything valuable. How to write an APO/FPO/DPO address USPS needs military addresses in its own format: - the recipient's full name — not a rank or "Any Service Member" on its own - the unit, CMR or PSC number and the box number - APO, FPO or DPO in place of the city, followed by AA, AE or AP and the ZIP code - no city or country name, so the shipment stays in the military mail system Insurance and responsibility - Insurance: shipping insurance isn't offered for deliveries to a PO Box. - Responsibility: deliveries to a PO Box are made at your own risk. Once the postal service delivers the shipment to the PO Box or the post office, we can't accept claims for its loss or theft. For every other address, see "Shipping insurance: what it costs and what it covers". Common questions Why can't I use UPS, FedEx or DHL for my PO Box? They deliver to a door and often need a signature, while PO Boxes are run by the postal service. Only USPS can hand your shipment over to it. Can I ship to a PO Box from the Turkey warehouse? No. PO Box deliveries need USPS, and we only ship with USPS from our US warehouse. Can I add insurance to a PO Box shipment? No. Shipping insurance isn't offered for PO Box deliveries. If the item is valuable, consider a street address instead. I chose another courier for a PO Box address. What should I do? Contact our support team as soon as possible, before the shipment leaves our warehouse. Still need help? Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].
When a package is split into several shipments
Short answer: Sometimes one package has to go out as several shipments. We always split a package that contains more than 2 products with a built-in battery, and we generally recommend splitting a package that weighs more than 70 lb, so an overweight surcharge doesn't apply. Each shipment is sent separately, and FedEx may add a surcharge to shipments that were split. When we split a package | Reason | What happens | |---|---| | More than 2 products with a built-in battery | Required. A single package can contain up to 2 of them, so we split it into separate shipments. | | Package over 70 lb | Recommended. Splitting it can avoid the courier's overweight surcharge. | | Package over 150 lb | Required. 150 lb is the maximum for one shipment. | Devices with built-in batteries Laptops, phones, cameras and other devices with a lithium-ion battery inside ship under UN3481. A single package can contain up to 2 of these products. If your package has more, we split it into separate shipments, with no more than 2 in each. This applies to consolidated packages too, so if you consolidate several devices, expect the result to go out in more than one shipment. See "Restricted and prohibited items: what we can ship and what happens if a package is flagged". Heavy packages Couriers charge an overweight surcharge on especially heavy packages. Above 70 lb, splitting the package into smaller shipments usually avoids that charge, so we generally recommend it. Whether it saves money depends on the courier and the destination, so compare the options at checkout. The maximum for any single shipment is 150 lb. See "Weight and size limits for shipments". What splitting means for your cost - Each shipment is sent on its own, so each one has its own shipping cost. - FedEx may add a surcharge to shipments that were split from one package. If you ship a split package with FedEx, compare its total with the other couriers. - Import duties and taxes still apply. Splitting on purpose to stay under a duty-free threshold isn't allowed in most countries. See "How import duties and taxes are calculated". Common questions I bought 3 laptops. Can they go in one box? No. A single package can contain up to 2 products with a built-in battery, so 3 laptops go out as at least two shipments. My package weighs 80 lb. Do I have to split it? No, but we generally recommend it. Above 70 lb, splitting it can avoid an overweight surcharge. Why did FedEx cost more after my package was split? FedEx may apply a surcharge to shipments that were split from one package. Other couriers may be cheaper for the same shipments. How do I ask for my package to be split? Contact our support team before you pay for the shipment, and tell us which package you want split. Still need help? Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].
Carrier surcharges: the extra charges couriers add, and how to avoid them
Short answer: A courier's price is a base rate plus surcharges: fuel, remote areas, oversized or heavy boxes, residential delivery and a few others. They're all included in the price you see at checkout, so nothing new appears afterwards. The ones our customers run into most are the fuel surcharge, remote-area fees, oversize and overweight charges, and the fee the courier charges at delivery for handling your duties. What a surcharge is Couriers publish a base rate per weight and zone, then add separate charges for things that cost them more: flying fuel, driving to a remote village, handling a box that doesn't fit the sorting belt, ringing a doorbell at a house instead of an office. You don't pay these separately. When you choose a courier at checkout, the price already has them in it. Prices below were checked in September 2026. Couriers change them, usually every January, so treat them as a guide and use the carrier links at the end for today's list. The ones that come up most often Fuel surcharge A percentage added to the shipping charge, changed every week by all three couriers. It's the single biggest surcharge on most shipments. See "Fuel surcharges: why your price changes from week to week". Remote-area delivery Charged when your address is a place the courier reaches rarely: islands, mountain villages, and postal codes far from a hub. | Courier | What they publish (Sept 2026) | |---|---| | DHL | $50 per shipment, or $0.50 per lb if that's higher | | FedEx | Tier A $4.45 · Tier B $49 or $0.52 per lb · Tier C $68 or $0.68 per lb | | UPS | $61 per shipment, or $0.61 per lb if that's higher | What you can do: check your address before you ship. The "Check remote area" button in our shipping calculator tells you, and a different courier may not class the same address as remote. Oversize, overweight and awkward boxes Every courier charges extra when a box is long, bulky, very heavy, or not a plain rectangular cardboard carton. | Courier | What they publish (Sept 2026) | |---|---| | DHL | Oversize piece $30 · Overweight piece $100 (over 150 lb) · Non-conveyable piece $30 | | FedEx | Additional handling $29.50 (size) · $40 (over 55 lb) · $29.50 (packaging) · Oversize $208 | | UPS | Additional handling $36.35 · Large package $235 · Over maximum limits $1,875 | What you can do: ask us to repack a big box with a lot of air in it, and split a very heavy one. See "Why your shipping quote is higher than expected, and how to lower it" and "When a package is split into several shipments". Residential delivery Some couriers charge a few dollars more to deliver to a home rather than a business. DHL and UPS both publish $6.95 per shipment for their air services. Address correction If the address is incomplete or wrong and the courier has to find the right one, they charge for it: $25.50 at DHL and FedEx, $25.25 at UPS. Keep your Address Book accurate, including a phone number. See "Your Address Book: adding and checking delivery addresses". Elevated-risk and restricted destinations DHL charges $30 per shipment for destinations it classes as elevated risk, and another $30 for destinations under trade restrictions. DHL's published elevated-risk list includes Israel, Lebanon and Ukraine, and on our own invoices we've also seen it applied to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman. It's in the price you see at checkout. Peak or demand surcharges Couriers add a per-pound surcharge on busy lanes, usually announced for a season and then extended. In September 2026, FedEx charges $0.30 per lb on US exports to Europe (Turkey included), $0.50 per lb to Israel and $0.75 per lb to the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. DHL has a demand surcharge running 1 October 2026 to 5 February 2027, which is $0.00 per lb for Europe and higher for other regions. These change often — the carrier pages have the current ones. Duty and tax handling at delivery When the courier pays your duties and taxes to customs so your package can clear, it charges a fee for doing it. The fee is usually a minimum amount or a percentage of the duty, whichever is higher, and each country's courier office sets its own. Expect a minimum in the $15–$18 range. This fee is charged by the courier at delivery, not by us, and it's separate from the duty itself. If you'd rather settle everything in advance, choose DDP where it's available — see "DDP vs DDU: who pays duties, where DDP is available, and what to do if you're asked to pay again". More than five kinds of item in one box DHL charges a multiline entry fee when a customs declaration has more than five lines: $5 per extra line, minimum $10. Consolidated boxes with many different products can reach that. Two things worth knowing - Fuel is charged on top of other surcharges. At DHL and UPS, the fuel percentage applies to charges like remote area, residential and oversize as well as to the shipping charge. A $50 remote-area fee at a 34% fuel surcharge is about $67. - We don't add anything to these. They're the courier's charges, passed through in your price. Our own fees — storage, consolidation, add-ons — are listed separately in your account. Where the couriers publish their lists - DHL Express: dhl.com surcharges - FedEx: fedex.com surcharges and fees - UPS: ups.com shipping costs and rates Common questions Will a surcharge be added after I've paid? No. The price at checkout includes the surcharges that apply to your shipment. The one charge that can come later is duties and taxes on a DDU shipment, plus the courier's fee for handling them. Why is the same package cheaper with another courier? Because each courier has its own surcharges and its own view of your address. One may class it as remote while another doesn't, and their fuel percentages differ. Compare the options at checkout. My address isn't remote. Why was a remote-area fee charged? Couriers decide this by postal code, not by how the area looks. Check the address with the "Check remote area" button, and contact our support team if the result looks wrong. Can you waive a carrier surcharge? No. These are charged to us by the courier, so we can't remove them. What we can often do is help you avoid one, by repacking a bulky box or suggesting a courier that prices your address differently. Still need help? Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].
Fuel surcharges: why your price changes from week to week
Short answer: Every courier adds a fuel surcharge, a percentage on top of the shipping charge that follows the price of jet fuel. All three of our main couriers now update it every week, which is why a quote you got two weeks ago may not match today's. It's always included in the price you see at checkout. What is a fuel surcharge? A percentage the courier adds to the shipping charge to track the cost of fuel. It isn't our fee and we don't set it or add to it: it's part of what the courier charges us, and it's included in the price we show you. Which fuel price sets it? For international air shipments, all three couriers use the same index: the US Gulf Coast spot price for kerosene-type jet fuel, published by the US Department of Energy. Each courier has its own table that turns a fuel price into a percentage, which is why their percentages differ. How often does it change? Weekly, at all three. | Courier | Update | Details | |---|---|---| | DHL Express | Weekly | Moved from monthly to weekly in April 2026, based on a rolling 20-working-day average | | FedEx | Weekly | Each rate runs Monday to Sunday | | UPS | Weekly | Changes take effect on Monday | Why doesn't it follow the fuel price immediately? Because each courier uses a fuel price from a week or two earlier. UPS states the lag plainly: the price the Energy Department publishes in one week sets the surcharge for the following week. FedEx prints, next to each rate, the exact date of the fuel price it used. DHL averages about 20 working days of prices and applies the result later. So when fuel prices move, your shipping price follows a couple of weeks behind. How big is it? Large — it's usually the biggest single surcharge on an international shipment. In the week of 21–27 September 2026: | Courier | International export fuel surcharge | |---|---| | DHL Express | 34.00% | | FedEx | 44.50% | UPS publishes its percentage on its own page, in a table it updates weekly. These are percentages of the shipping charge, not of your whole order. They change every week, so check the carrier pages below for today's figure. Does it apply to the other surcharges too? At DHL and UPS, yes. The fuel percentage is applied to charges like remote-area delivery, residential delivery and oversize pieces as well as to the shipping charge itself. So a $50 remote-area fee at a 34% fuel surcharge is about $67 in the end. See "Carrier surcharges: the extra charges couriers add, and how to avoid them". Is it included in the price I see? Yes. The price at checkout includes the fuel surcharge that applies to your courier and service that day. It's not added later. Where can I check today's rate? - DHL Express: dhl.com surcharges - FedEx: fedex.com fuel surcharge - UPS: ups.com fuel surcharges Common questions I got a quote last week and the price went up. Why? Most often the fuel surcharge. It changes weekly, so the same box to the same address can cost a little more or less from one week to the next. Why is DHL's percentage lower than FedEx's? Each courier has its own table converting the fuel price into a percentage, and each starts from a different base rate. A lower fuel percentage doesn't mean a lower total — compare the final prices at checkout. Can I avoid the fuel surcharge? No. Every courier applies it to every shipment. What you can change is the billable weight and the courier you choose. See "Why your shipping quote is higher than expected, and how to lower it". Does the fuel surcharge apply to duties and taxes? No. It applies to shipping charges and to many courier surcharges, not to duties, taxes or customs fees. Still need help? Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].