1. Applicable Circumstances (Any of which shall be handled in accordance with this Announcement)
The package was signed for by the consignee, but the carrier later billed the consignee/sender on a "billed after customs duty" basis, and the consignee refused to pay or did not respond.
The package is returned to the place of shipment due to reasons such as the recipient being unable to clear customs or refusing to pay taxes.
In the event of any of the above situations, CZL Express will assist in contacting and following up on the matter. However, regardless of the final outcome, all related costs incurred due to the above situations (including but not limited to customs duties, return shipping fees, customs fees, storage fees, etc.) must be borne by the sender.
II. Background and Recent Developments
The "deliver first, pay tax later" policy has been implemented since July.
We have recently received several bounced bills for shipments from July and August. The bill amounts are usually small, mostly in the tens of dollars, but they are all issued after the package has been signed for.
Due to the lag in reconciling bills with the system, charges often rebound to the sender 1–2 months after the incident.
3. Notes for senders (strongly recommended)
Please be sure to fill in the recipient's email address or valid contact information when recording the order.
- It is convenient for the carrier or customs clearance agent to directly notify the consignee to pay the tax, reducing the risk of rebound to the sender.
Communicate with the recipient in advance about tax and fee responsibility and willingness to pay.
- Confirm that the recipient understands the taxes and duties that may be incurred during customs clearance and is willing to bear or cooperate in paying them.
Prioritize the "DDP" channel.
- If the destination country supports tax-inclusive shipping, it is highly recommended to use this option. This significantly reduces the risk of returns and additional fees due to recipient refusal to pay.
For destination countries without tax-inclusive channels, sellers are requested to fully assess the risks and adjust pricing or shipping strategies.
CZL Express will actively assist in the event of any issues: communicating with the carrier, contacting the consignee, tracking bills, and facilitating the return process. However, we are unable to change the rates and customs clearance regulations of third-party carriers (such as UPS, FedEx, and DHL). Therefore, we recommend that shippers follow the precautionary measures outlined above.
