How to Calculate Total Cost for International Shopping

Total cost — add these items

• Item price — final price after discounts
• Local shipping — seller → forwarder or shipper
• International shipping — forwarder → your address
• Customs duty — tariff by product category (if over duty‑free threshold)
• Import taxes / VAT / Sales tax — depends on destination (US: sales tax varies by state; many countries apply VAT/GST)
• Forwarding & brokerage fees

Notes for the United States (example)

US de minimis value: USD 800 — many low‑value parcels are released without duties by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), but exceptions apply. Check CBP: cbp.gov.

Formulas

Customs duty = (Item price + Local shipping) × duty rate

Import tax / VAT = (Taxable base + Customs duty) × VAT rate (if applicable)

Example (illustrative)

Item $120 + Local shipping $15, assume duty 5% → duty = $135 × 0.05 = $6.75. Sales tax/GST depends on state or country.

Important

• Rules differ by country — always check the destination customs authority.
• Some sellers collect import taxes at checkout; others collect on delivery.
• Restricted items may require permits regardless of value.