What You See at Checkout — and Why It Matters

International orders can get confusing when shipping fees and import duties are unknown until the package arrives at your door. To reduce surprises, The Indus Craft Co. integrates DHL's API-based pricing and landed cost estimation so you can see a complete picture before you confirm payment.

At checkout, TICC shows you:
1
Estimated international shipping cost
Calculated via DHL Express API based on your destination, weight, and dimensions
2
Estimated customs duties & taxes (landed cost)
Where DHL's landed cost API supports your destination country
3
A clear choice of how you pay duties
Prepay at checkout for a smooth delivery, or pay duties on arrival through DHL — depending on your destination and eligibility

What DHL Means by "Landed Cost"

In DHL terminology, a "landed cost estimate" is a calculation of the total import-related charges that may apply when your shipment enters your country. DHL's landed cost service is specifically described as an estimate of the total import-related charges that can include duties and other charges.

A landed cost estimate may include:
◆
Customs Duties Import tariffs applied by your destination country's customs authority
◆
Import Taxes VAT, GST, or sales tax depending on your destination country's rules
◆
Certain Clearance Fees Fees that may apply during import clearance — varies by trade lane and DHL service type

What Information the DHL Estimate Is Based On

The accuracy of any duty/tax estimate depends directly on the quality of data sent to DHL's API. TICC provides the following inputs for every order:

✓
Origin Country
India — fixed for all TICC shipments
✓
Destination Country & Region
Your delivery address, including state for countries like the US
✓
Declared Product Value
The item price at which the product is declared for customs
✓
Currency
USD by default — used for consistent duty calculations
✓
Quantity
Number of units per SKU in your order
✓
Shipping Charges
Freight cost — may form part of the taxable base in certain countries
✓
HS Code & Product Description
Harmonised System tariff code and product type — critical for duty classification accuracy
✓
Incoterm / Payment Model
Whether duties are prepaid (DDP) or collected on arrival (DAP)
DHL explicitly notes that duty/tax estimates are based on the details provided, and that actual charges can vary and are subject to customs authorities. TICC passes all available order data to DHL's API to give you the most accurate estimate possible.

Why the Final Duties or Taxes Can Differ from the Estimate

Even with complete and accurate data, customs authorities are the final decision-maker on what you pay. DHL's own guidance is clear: actual duties and taxes can vary, and final amounts are always subject to the decisions of the relevant authority. DHL is not responsible for differences between the estimate and the actual cost.

⚠️
Common reasons why the final amount may differ
Customs authority reclassifies your product to a different HS code or tariff interpretation
Updated local duty/tax rules or assessments applied after the estimate was generated
Customs adds fees based on documentation review or physical inspection
Local rules about whether freight or insurance is included in the taxable value differ from the estimate
Destination-specific handling or clearance charges not covered in the initial estimate
Shipment characteristics at the time of tendering differ from what the estimate assumed

This is not unique to TICC or DHL — it reflects how customs authorities operate globally. Our goal is to give you the best possible estimate so you can plan your landed cost accurately.

Two Duty-Payment Choices at Checkout

Where DHL's landed cost estimation is available for your destination, you'll be offered one of the following two options at checkout. Choose the one that best fits how you manage imports.

Most Popular
Option A
Prepay Duties at Checkout
Duty Paid (DDP) Experience
✓
Pay shipping + estimated duties/taxes together at checkout
✓
DHL delivers door-to-door without collecting duties at delivery in standard cases
✓
TICC absorbs reasonable variance risk between estimate and final assessed duties
Protection Note
In rare exceptional cases — such as customs reclassification or destination-specific importer declaration requirements — additional steps or documentation may be needed to resolve clearance before delivery.
For Importers
Option B
Pay Duties on Arrival
DAP (Delivered at Place) Model
✓
Pay shipping only at checkout — no upfront duty payment required
✓
DHL contacts you directly when the shipment reaches your country for duty/tax payment
✓
You pay duties/taxes directly to DHL before final delivery — full control over your import account
Best for experienced importers who:
Want duties logged against their own importer account, need direct control over customs payment records, or have established import processes with DHL.
💡
Both options use the same DHL Express service and the same estimated shipping timeline. The difference is only in when and how you pay import duties — not in delivery speed or carrier.

What You Should Expect to See in Your Checkout Total

Before you confirm payment, your checkout total will be broken down clearly. Here's what each line item represents:

🛍
Product Cost
Price of items in your cart × quantity
Always shown
✈️
Shipping Cost (DHL Express)
Calculated by DHL API based on weight, dimensions, and destination
Always shown
📋
Estimated Duties & Taxes
If Option A (Prepay) is selected and DHL supports your destination
If prepaying
💳
Order Total
Shown before payment confirmation — always review this carefully
Confirm before paying
📅
A Note on Delivery Timeline
TICC products are made-to-order. Product pages show the production time for each item, and checkout combines the production timeline with the DHL shipping transit time into a single estimated delivery window. This is your most accurate delivery estimate at the point of purchase.
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