FAQ

Sending goods abroad is strictly regulated and may require specific documents for customs clearance.

All shipments of goods must be accompanied by an invoice written in English for the customs declaration, or in the language of the destination country.

1. A commercial invoice if your goods are for sale
2. A pro forma invoice if they are not for sale

A pro forma invoice must always be justified. The nature of the shipment must be stated in writing, for example: personal gift, sample shipment or sample of goods, repair, processing, free subsequent delivery, exhibitions, trade fairs, etc.

If you wish, Shipper can create your customs invoices

1. Attach 3 original customs invoices in a transparent pouch stuck on the packaging of the shipment

For a document, only the carrier's label, which you print when you pay, needs to be stuck on the packaging. You do not need to attach a customs invoice

Incoterms ("International commercial terms") are the terms used to define the responsibilities and obligations of the buyer and the seller in international trade. They split the transport costs and the transfer of risks during transport, from the point of departure to the point of arrival.

1. Stating an Incoterm on the invoice is mandatory for exports
2. Shipper offers the DAP and DDP Incoterms for your shipments

All goods brought into or taken out of the Swiss customs territory must be taxed (cleared) according to the customs tariff.

The customs tariff, Tares, is a database of goods to which different numbers are assigned (tariff numbers or commodity codes).

Like most customs tariffs worldwide, the Swiss customs tariff is based on the internationally valid Harmonised System (HS). The first six digits of the Swiss tariff numbers (which have eight digits in total) correspond to the HS.

The Federal Customs Administration makes the customs tariff (Tares) available free of charge online at www.tares.ch

Since 1 January 2014, companies in Switzerland and Liechtenstein can consult the customs tariffs of the whole world free of charge through the modular database MendelOnline. To use this service, you need to register online.

1. Name and address of the sender
2. Name and address of the recipient, with phone number
3. Date, number and place of the invoice
4. Your EORI number and your recipient's (mandatory for exports to companies in Europe)
5. The delivery address if it differs from the billing address
6. The delivery terms (DAP or DDP Incoterm)
7. The description of the goods: name, quantity and corresponding tariff number, value of each item and total value with the currency, and the country of origin where the goods were made
8. Package numbers
9. Weight per item (gross/net)
10. Total weight (gross/net)
11. Company stamp and signature
12. In addition, depending on the type of customs clearance: text of the declaration of origin

If you sell and export goods to a company in the EU/EFTA, you must obtain your EORI number and your recipient's. This is mandatory, and these numbers must be stated on your commercial invoice.

As part of the security amendment to the Community Customs Code, the EU has set up a central database of all economic operators to identify them electronically. This database, called EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification), concerns not only forwarders and carriers but also importers and exporters, who must identify themselves with an EORI number. In practice, this identification reduces the administrative burden on operators and simplifies procedures. Risk identification is also easier and procedures lighter for customs officers. Although Switzerland is not part of the EU, operators trading with a member state must also register in EORI for exports, imports and transit, that is for all customs procedures. To obtain this identification number, the Swiss operator must contact the competent EU customs authority directly and register in the database.

The member states concerned are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, the Principality of Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Switzerland.

For example, from a value of EUR 6'000, an EUR.1 is required to export to the EU/EFTA states (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland)

Are you exporting goods? For goods exported from Switzerland to benefit in the destination country (free trade partner) from the tariff preferences (reduced or zero customs duties) provided for in the corresponding agreement, you must request or issue a proof of origin.

Switzerland has concluded free trade agreements with various states. However, the preferential treatment provided for by these agreements only applies to goods that comply with the rules of origin and procedure. Free trade agreements, tariff preferences and origin of goods

At the following link, the legal thresholds by foreign currency or CHF, this table shows the maximum value of goods you can export without adding movement certificates (for example: EUR.1, EUR-MED).

Here you will find specimens of the movement certificates and the explanatory notes and procedural provisions for filling them in.

You can order the certificates at the following link: E-shop

Declaration of origin for a non-approved exporter: From a minimum value of goods of EUR 6'000 for the EUR.1.

Non-approved exporters must add to the invoice (preferably in English):

Follow the FedEx and TNT instructions to pack your goods properly

The packaging of your document must:

1. Preferably be made of cardboard
2. Be new, or free of any marking from a previous shipment

Your box must:

1. Be new, preferably double-walled
2. The goods are packed, protected and held in place in the box
3. The empty space inside your box must be filled with packing material so that your package does not collapse during transport
4. Use wide adhesive tape so that your package does not open during the journey

Your pallet must be:

1. In excellent condition
2. No package may stick out of the pallet
3. Make sure your goods are stable on the pallet
4. Stick a label on each package so that they can be identified correctly

The price of your shipment is calculated from the information you give us. If the actual dimensions and weight are wrong, the price of your package will be adjusted. The carrier may also refuse to take your shipment

1. An envelope or document weighing up to 2.5 kg
2. A package weighing up to 68 kg or 70 kg (depending on the carrier)
3. A pallet weighing up to 1'000 kg
4. Bulky shipments: on request

You will find the list of restrictions and goods prohibited for export at the following link: FCA: Prohibitions, restrictions and conditions

Please also check the general terms and conditions of the carrier you choose

Because our partners use express air transport, the following goods (non-exhaustive list) are prohibited or strictly regulated, depending on the conditions of each carrier:

1. Prohibited goods:

1. Animals
2. Antiques (breakable and/or fragile)
3. Asbestos
4. Bullion
5. Currency
6. Firearms, weapon parts and ammunition
7. Furs
8. Hazardous or combustible materials (as defined by the IATA regulations)
9. Human remains, including ashes
10. Jewellery, precious metals and stones
11. Narcotics (illegal)
12. Imitation firearms or ammunition
13. Dangerous goods (aerosols, perfume, pressurised goods, fuel, oil, paint, combustion engines with oil or fuel residue, boilers, oil-filled radiators, etc.)
14. Any goods whose transport is prohibited by the law, regulations or legislation of a federal, national or local government of a country to or from which the shipment is sent

2. Under conditions:

1. Tobacco
2. Alcoholic beverages
3. Perishable goods
4. Pornography
5. Biological products

3. Not recommended:

1. any fragile goods (tableware, TVs, household appliances, paintings, etc.)

If you want to send one of these goods, please contact Shipper or the express carriers directly to confirm whether the shipment is feasible

If you send any of these prohibited, conditional or not recommended goods, you are exposed either to heavy fines and prosecution, by customs and by the selected carrier, or to a high risk of breakage. You alone bear this responsibility by accepting our terms and conditions and those of the carrier, and you cannot claim any refund, even if you took out insurance

Customs officers have the competence and authority to hold a package at customs on the grounds that the declared value and/or the description of the goods are not correct.

AXA Switzerland is Shipper.ch's partner for insuring your goods for export. We strongly recommend that all our users take out insurance when the value of their goods exceeds CHF 100.–

What happens in case of damage without insurance:

Your carrier will compensate you according to the Geneva and Montreal conventions, depending on the mode of transport.

Example:

I send a 10 kg package worth CHF 20'000.– to Germany by air, and the carrier tells me the goods have been lost.

1. The carrier will compensate me with only EUR 23.98
2. AXA will compensate me with CHF 19'700.–

I took out AXA insurance and damage occurs: what should I do?

1. Record the damage (take photos) and above all keep the packaging and the goods as they are.
2. From the moment the recipient receives the goods, the sender has 5 working days to inform Shipper.ch using the dedicated ticket support system.
3. The refund is made within 30 days after the insurer closes the claim.

For the details of the insurance policy, please refer to the AXA terms and conditions and to the document: Summary of the insurance policy

How can I maximise my chances of compensation?

1. Follow packaging instructions suited to the contents of your goods
2. The value declared at export is the reference value for compensation

Find more information in the:

1. FedEx packaging guide
2. TNT packaging guide

Delivery times are given by the carriers as an indication and cannot be guaranteed by BlueBird Experience Sàrl. By default, a delivery time of 2 days for the "Express" service and 5 days for the "Economic" service is offered.

For your express shipments, in some regions, complete your shipments as early as possible in the morning to secure the delivery time.

If a shipment is held at customs and/or delivery is delayed for reasons related to the sender, the recipient or the customs authorities, the delivery time given by the carrier and/or Shipper is no longer guaranteed.

When you ship your goods, we recommend that you follow the progress of your shipment step by step with the tracking on Shipper.ch and on the website of the selected carrier. For reference, here are the carriers' contact links:

• UPS
• TNT
• FedEx
• DHL
• Chronopost
• Zeleris