Australia is currently the 10th largest e-commerce market in the world by revenue. If you haven’t expanded your business to Australia, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to increase sales.
But serving Australian customers as a US-based company can be tricky. Since Australia is a remote country, air and sea shipments will take some time. With more rules and regulations in place than many other countries, shipping to Australia from the United States can be time consuming, error prone and expensive, especially if your eCommerce business is small or medium.
in this guide to shipping from usa. uu. To Australia, you’ll learn about your shipping options, rules and regulations, common transit times and other ways to help you expand your e-commerce business in Australia, and the benefits of partnering with an international fulfillment 3pl like shipbob.
and thanks to advances in international shipping, shoppers can expect to receive orders for products ordered from the united states within days.
Top 4 US carriers shipping to Australia
There are dozens of carriers that can ship to Australia from the United States. We recommend working with the Big Four carriers: USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL. they are reliable and can send your parcels to australia within a few days.
have partnerships with many companies that can help reduce shipping costs and have resources to help you with customs, taxes, freight and other paperwork. Below, we break down the price and shipping speeds of these four carriers when shipping a package to Australia.
Note: These are general options for consumer shipping orders. to find out what shipbob offers when fulfilling and shipping to other countries like australia, request a quote here.
Prices below are calculated for a 2kg package in January 2020 from carriers’ websites. prices are subject to change.
1. USPS
usps is a great option if fast delivery times are not a high priority and you want the cheapest shipping option. Unlike other carriers, you only have to pay a flat rate based on the type of USPS mail and the weight of the package. Package delivery is simple because you can drop packages off at your mailbox or visit a local post office.
a big drawback to using usps for australian shipping is that packages are transferred to australian post (the national australian mail service) once they arrive in australia. this means that the order tracking number provided by usps will no longer work and you will have to wait for a new tracking number. this also adds some extra delivery days due to the transfer process.
usps international options
- express international priority mail
- international priority mail
- first class international service
read more: usps australia country conditions
when should you ship with usps
- you want the lowest cost
- having the fastest delivery time is not a priority
2. ups and fedex
ups and fedex are good options for shipping to australia because they can deliver your packages quickly and reliably. With guaranteed delivery times, you can rest easy knowing your packages will be delivered on time and your customers will be happy, too.
unlike usps, packages are tracked from pickup to delivery through the ups and fedex tracking systems. You don’t have to worry about packages being transferred to Australia Post because they are in the possession of UPS or FedEx all the time and don’t have to change custody.
Please note that UPS and FedEx may be more expensive options if you are shipping packages over 10 pounds.
ups and fedex international options
- ups worldwide expedited
- ups worldwide saver
- fedex international priority
- fedex international economy
when should you ship with ups and fedex
- you want package tracking
- you want faster delivery and are willing to pay a higher price than usps
3. dhl
dhl is the leading international shipping carrier and a great choice for shipping to australia. They have competitive rates compared to UPS or FedEx and offer the same delivery times. If you want to ship to Australia, consider DHL as one of your first options when checking shipping prices.
Depending on the packages or products you ship, there may be additional fees, so please keep that in mind when considering DHL.
when should you ship with dhl
- you want tracking
- you want faster delivery
common customs fees and taxes
the australia-united states free trade agreement (ausfta) is similar to nafta, which means that the u.s. and Australia have a free trade agreement that facilitates trade between the two countries.
This means that you will not be subject to high tariffs and customs compared to other international countries.
Customs duties can add up to around 5% of the value of the item being imported, and handling fees can also affect the final customs charge.
shipping to australia requires patience
Australia is a remote country that has no land borders with other countries. Due to this, all packages must be shipped by air or sea and this can take time. On average, parcel deliveries to Australia from the US. uu. it can take 7-10 days if you don’t use expedited shipping options.
It is important to communicate these long transit times to Australian customers so they are aware that they may have to wait a little longer than usual.
long shipping times
shipping to australia from usa. uu. It may take a few weeks, depending on the type of shipment. Because all packages are shipped by air or sea, there may be additional delays due to weather and natural disasters.
customs and handling time
Customs and handling time can also take a few weeks, so be sure to ship in plenty of time. Make sure you understand the tariff codes before sending a package to Australia so your shipment has the proper paperwork and doesn’t get held up in customs.
expand to australia with shipbob
ShipBob is an international 3PL with locations across the globe, including a location in Melbourne, Australia.
is operated by the same warehouse management system, slas, and support team as our u.s. locations. USA, to provide the same world-class level of compliance, consistency, and transparency throughout your e-commerce supply chain.
By partnering with Shipbob for international fulfillment, you can sell more in Australia by reducing shipping costs and transit times. Simply ship wholesale inventory to our fulfillment location in Melbourne, and from there, Australian orders can be picked, packed and shipped domestically.
If you have a strong customer presence in Australia, here are more reasons why you should partner with Shipbob.
fast and affordable shipping throughout australia
When you bulk ship inventory to our Melbourne location, you can easily reduce shipping costs and transit times. With shipbob, you can choose between standard or expedited shipping options for Australian orders.
Average transit time throughout Australia is 1-7 business days. shipbob partners with australia post for shipping within australia and will continue to add more carriers and shipping destinations in the future.
browse international markets
Each country has its own set of import duties, tariffs, taxes, and rules for international orders. shipbob’s experts know all the ins and outs of international shipping and can simplify the process for you.
Because we have a location in Melbourne, we make it easy for you to better serve Australian customers. You can bulk ship inventory to Melbourne and from there Australian orders can be picked, packed and shipped domestically.
shipbob will guide you through the process of shipping cargo to our Australian fulfillment center. We’ll work with your current carrier or freight partners, or you can take advantage of shipbob’s relationships with cross-border freight specialists.
“It’s very helpful to know that we have the options to expand so easily. We know that we can easily compare markets and since shipbob has already established several distribution centers in several countries, it is an easy choice. we don’t need to compare logistics so intensively.”
nakisah williams, founder of craft club co.
sell more in australia with shipbob
Serving Australian customers has never been easier. With Shipbob’s fulfillment presence in Australia, partnering with Shipbob can help you expand into Australia with ease.
If you’d like to learn more about how shipbob can help you meet customer expectations as you expand internationally, please fill out the form below to start the conversation.
request a quote
enter your information below and we will contact you to obtain more information about your company.