We answered a version of this question back in September, when the de minimis exemption had just ended. With Q4’s real volume now arriving and holiday shipping deadlines adding a second layer of complexity, worth an updated, more specific answer.
“I’m getting more international orders now that the holiday season is picking up, and I’m still not confident I’m handling the tariff and customs situation correctly for these buyers. What should I actually be telling them?”
The core distinction from September still holds
To recap briefly: if you’re a US seller sourcing materials internationally, the tariff cost is yours to absorb or build into pricing, we covered the options for that back in September. If you’re shipping to international buyers, the tariff and customs situation is a separate, longer-standing issue, your buyer’s own country may charge import duties on the incoming package, which is outside your control as the seller.
What’s specifically different heading into the holidays
With holiday deadlines now in play, international orders carry a second layer of risk beyond cost: customs processing can add unpredictable delay to an already time-sensitive shipment. This is worth stating plainly to any international buyer ordering for a holiday deadline: customs clearance timing is genuinely outside your control and can vary significantly, and a buyer needs to know this before committing to an order with a hard date attached.
A template worth having ready for international holiday orders
“I want to be upfront that international shipments can experience unpredictable delays at customs, in addition to standard transit time. Based on current shipping estimates, your order would typically arrive by [date], but if you need this guaranteed by a specific date, international shipping carries more risk of missing that window than domestic shipping does. I’m happy to proceed if you understand and accept that risk.”
Should you stop taking international holiday orders with tight deadlines?
This is a legitimate option worth considering if you’ve had bad experiences with missed deadlines in the past. Some sellers set an earlier order cutoff specifically for international holiday orders, given the added customs uncertainty, rather than applying the same cutoff date across domestic and international orders alike.
What we wouldn’t recommend
Don’t quietly absorb responsibility for customs delays that are genuinely outside your control by offering unconditional refunds or reships for late international holiday deliveries. Be generous and understanding, but a clear, honest policy set at the point of sale protects you from being held responsible for a carrier and customs process you have no ability to influence.
The bottom line
Be more explicit and more conservative with international holiday order deadlines than you would with domestic ones, and make sure that honesty happens before the sale, not as a defense after a late delivery already disappointed someone.
