So, I’m sending packages to my overseas customers and using Royal Mail international tracked to send - and I’m diligently putting 3 copies of a completed commercial invoice in an irritating sticky wallet envelope thingummy on the back, all duly signed etc. But I don’t really know if I actually need to do this when I’m sending with RM? When I buy postage online it asks me for the HS code (not my Eori number), etc, so does that mean that’s enough? Am I over-egging the postage pudding? Please tell me I don’t have to do this - I only do it because I’m a bit scared and a belt 'n braces kind of woman… 
I’ve heard lots of horror stories (mostly from europe) where customers are being charged taxes/vat again because there is no invoice on the outside to prove that they have already paid the tax/ vat. So if you want to avoid that happening to your customers then stick to having the invoices on the outside.
(only country where you might get away with not having invoices on the outside is USA as their threshold is high)
Thanks Sasha, that’s really helpful! So when you mention customers already having paid tax/vat, I’m guessing you’re referring to them having brought through Folksy or a marketplace where that’s covered - a lot of what I send is through my own website though, so they wouldn’t have had that sorted for them. So would that still apply?
Honestly, I find this so confusing!
Hi Sarah,
I currently send to the US on a weekly basis and for years before Brexit also sent to various European countries regularly.
My experience with Europe post Brexit was that everyone was very confused and regardless of what stickers / invoices / forms I stuck to packages, the end customer usually suffered by having to pay more or not get their package and I’d then have to refund. I do think it’s improved a lot now but given the additional burdens of various recycling legislation in various EU countries, I decided to not send to Europe any more unless an existing customer specifically wanted me to make something for them and then I only used Tracked.
My experience of sending to the US couldn’t be more different. I’ve been regularly sending there for 10 years via Royal Mail using Large Letter and Small Parcel, mostly the International Standard service but also International Tracked sometimes and I just print out the postage and customs label and stick that on with an Air Mail sticker.
The only time I follow a process as you describe it is when I’m using another carrier because I’m sending something heavier, higher value like a wholesale order, or something time sensitive.
The thing I love about Royal Mail is that they make the process so easy and I can count on the fingers of one hand how many times anything has ever truly gone missing - even if I’d lost half the fingers off that hand - LOL! For US packages, I’ve experienced several slow deliveries over the holidays or where the destination was in an area with some extreme weather event, but by and large, I’ve found their service very reliable and very, very quick with most US areas receiving their package within 5 working days. I also send to Australia fairly often and find that service really good too, although it takes a bit longer. I occassionally send to Canada but for anything more than a low cost large letter package, I only offer to send via the Tracked service - I’ve found Canada Post very flaky for years now and probably 50% of what I have sent there has been delayed or lost or returned to me.
As I’ve said several times throughout this, this is purely my personal experience but I hope it helps 
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Thanks so much Debbie! Yes, I’ve had to restrict sending to certain EU countries following the new legislation: too expensive, too confusing, probably fine if you’re a big business or send overseas constantly, but sadly no good for tiny independent businesses 
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Not sure if this helps. https://www.royalmail.com/brexit check what they state there. Looks like when sending goods abroad, you need to complete and attach a customs declaration (CN22 or CN23), available from the Post Office® or Royal Mail’s [Click&Drop]Letters, postcards and documents are usually exempt. In accordance with the Northern Ireland Protocol, there are no declaration requirements for goods sent from Northern Ireland to the EU.
The recipient may then have to pay customs or VAT charges and a handling fee in the receiving country before they can claim the parcel. These charges will depend on the country you are sending to, the value of the item and whether it is a gift or commercial goods. Items from Northern Ireland to the EU should not be subject to customs processes and should continue to flow smoothly. You can find out more about customs and sending items abroad for [businesses]. Good luck and hope this helps (mind you, not sure really how it all works!!!)
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My experience like many others is ‘don’t bother with Europe’ at the moment - it’s now too complex for small businesses (and bigger businesses are tearing their hair out over all the regulations). The exception would be small business’s with established customers in the EU it would probably be worthwhile to continue.
I occasionally send to the USA and (so far) the rest of the world quite easily but I do charge a higher postage fee just to make sure I am not out of pocket if the goal posts change and to cover any contingences.
hope this helps.
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So, looks like I’ll just have to keep sticking my commercial invoices on the back - oh well, at least there’s still some countries we can post to without a law degree and a licence I guess! Thanks for your help
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If they haven’t already paid vat/taxes then having the invoices on the outside allows customs people to properly assess how much duty/vat needs to be charged. If they don’t have proof of how much was paid for an item they will make their own determination and could well end up with a higher figure.
Ah that makes perfect sense, thanks Sasha
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You don’t need to add 3 copies of the commercial invoice if sending via RM. You don’t need to add any invoices (just the customs form is fine) but I would recommend adding 1 (just 1) commercial invoice when sending to the EU.
With regard to the EORI number, if the order is going to the EU and it is being sent under the IOSS scheme, your EORI number is technically not required, but I handwrite it on the customs form just in case. Your EORI number should be added to all non EU orders.
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I post everywhere except for the EU, I find the US, Australia etc very straightforward but I couldn’t get my head around the EU at all even with help from other Folksy members then I think an additional cost came in for sellers so I decided to leave it. I am in awe of all of you who still post to the EU, I would need step by step instructions with diagrams thrn someone to physically take me by the hand and show me 
.It’s a shame as I did have a couple of customers in France that I no longer supply but still have one as her daughter lives in the UK so she has her items sent to her and she takes them over when she visits.
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Posting to the EU is exactly the same as posting to the US, but since Brexit, EU orders now incur VAT/import fees.
If you sell an item worth less than €150 on Folksy, you can send it under the IOSS scheme, so all you need to do is put Folky’s IOSS number on the customs form.
Some EU countries have packing schemes which you may need to sign up to in order to send there.
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You do realise that as you’ve a price in ‘rest of the world’ that anyone from the EU and the rest of Europe can still purchase your listings?
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Oh no I didn’t realise Carol, I thought because I didn’t have Europe listed it would be ok and rest of the world meant not EU or US. That’s an awkward one then as I can’t take it out as I have other international customers, all I could do would be to cancel the order and apologise but that’s not ideal or professional.
I think to include EU costs us as sellers now so I’m not really wanting it as an option plus I just don’t understand it all.
Thank you, I think it may have been the packing scheme that partly put me off, is it that bit that costs the seller now?
I have looked at including it again a couple pf times but just don’t seem to be able to understand what is required. I might have to have another look when i get chance.
Yes it’s a shame. I’m happy to sell to other countries but the way folksy is set up, to avoid the EU, you can only post to UK and USA.
I don’t know how true it is but I did read that if you offer to other countries and you get a sale, you have to honour that sale.
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Yes the seller has to join up and pay the packaging schemes. Many are for big businesses only, so if you’re only sending the odd order you shouldn’t need to sign up. Germany seems to be the only country which you need to sign up to and possibly France
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This is a really good overview Debby and it also mentions a couple of services you can use across the countries you want to sell to in the EU: EU-wide packaging act: What you need to know to comply!
My understanding is that the EU as a whole has a packaging / recycling framework and each member state decides how they want to apply it. Germany have been the most strict and proactive in applying theirs so they’re the one most widely known. They will go after the seller and the platform they sell on if they fail to register their business as ‘importers’ to Germany, which explains why the likes of Etsy, Amazon, Folksy etc. all insist on having your registration number, so they know they’re protected. France is right behind them on applying their law and the other member states vary, apparently.
From everything I’ve read, I don’t believe that any country with such a law has specifically excluded small / micro businesses from their legislation so you can’t take the view that this is for big business only - they all talk in terms of “importers” and seem to mean by that: anyone who sells something to someone in their country and posts it to them in packaging, regardless of the value. It does seem entirely crazy that there isn’t an exclusion for the little people like us, but I daresay they took the view that if they left a tiny hole, some scammy rat would learn to exploit it and avoid complying! 
What makes it all so confusing is that when we talk about “importers” in terms of customs laws, it’s usual to mean big business (or at least VAT paying businesses size), but this area is totally different to that.
After reviewing the whole thing several times over the last few years, I’ve decided to just avoid all countries with packaging recycling laws, whether they’re EU or not, because I don’t have the budget for it and / or the market to make it worthwhile.
I would love to see Folksy updating their shipping section to have sections that make much more sense - they definitely are too clunky at the moment.
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Thank you Debbie, I will have to look into it again but yes I agree it would be easier if there were more shipping options on Folksy so that we could avoid those that we don’t want to post to.
I am registered with an EORI number and do put it on the top of form CN22 whenever I post internationally and also use the tariff codes for my packages.
I think it’s the packaging rules for EU that has thrown me, I would like to post everywhere but they are making it difficult for small people like us. I expect like everything once we’ve done it a couple of times it will be straightforward.