International shipping and duties: what 48 Australian ecommerce brands tell overseas customers (October 2026)
We read the published shipping policies of 48 Australian brands across swimwear, activewear, kidswear, homewares, jewellery and footwear and bags. Only nine say duties are paid at checkout; the rest leave the customer to pay on delivery. Standard rates to the US cluster between about USD 5 and 25, flat international rates between AUD 16 and 50, and most international orders still leave from Australia by express courier or Australia Post.
How did we run the survey?
Between 17 and 22 October 2026 we read the shipping, delivery and FAQ pages of 48 Australian ecommerce brands in six categories: 24 swimwear labels, 7 activewear brands, 5 kidswear brands, 4 homewares brands, 4 jewellery brands and 4 footwear, bag and fashion retailers. They range from founder-run labels to national names. We recorded only what each brand publishes on its own website: how international orders are sent, the price a customer pays, delivery windows, and who pays duties and import taxes. We do not name brands, and where a policy did not state something we counted it as not stated rather than guessing.
Who pays duties on international orders?
This is the clearest pattern. Only nine of the 48 brands say duties and taxes are paid at checkout, either through a courier's delivered-duty-paid service or by charging an estimate before payment. Thirty-nine tell overseas customers that duties, taxes and handling fees are the customer's responsibility on delivery, or do not mention them. Since the US ended its duty-free threshold for low-value parcels, that difference shows up directly in reviews: an unexpected bill at the door is one of the most common reasons an international order becomes a complaint or a refused parcel.
What does a standard order to the US cost?
Among the brands that publish a US price, standard or entry-level rates sit between about USD 5 and USD 25, most often around USD 12 to 15. The cheapest rates are either conditional (below a spend threshold, with free shipping above it) or from brands that have moved some stock closer to US customers. Swimwear labels most often quote USD 15.
And everywhere else?
Brands that quote one flat international rate in Australian dollars charge between AUD 16 and AUD 50 per order; the top of that range is DHL Express. New Zealand is usually treated separately, at roughly AUD 10 to 35. UK standard rates, where published, sit around GBP 10 to 20. Several brands offer free international shipping only above high thresholds, such as AUD 300 or USD 600.
How do Australian brands send overseas orders?
Almost all of the brands that say where orders ship from send international orders from Australia. Two delivery methods dominate: DHL Express (fast, three to seven business days, but the most expensive) and Australia Post International (cheaper, five to 15 business days or longer). A handful hold stock in the US or Singapore. One kidswear brand says plainly that it is still working out the best way to ship internationally, which is probably true of many smaller brands that do not say so.
What does the same parcel cost shipped directly from a China warehouse?
Most of these categories are largely manufactured in China. Shipped directly from a China warehouse on an apparel lane, a 0.25 kg parcel costs about USD 7.77 to the US (6 to 12 working days), GBP 3.50 to the UK (4 to 6 working days), CAD 9.04 to Canada and EUR 5.23 to Germany, fuel included. Duties are handled separately, exactly as they are from Australia, so the comparison is freight against freight. For heavier or bulkier items such as homewares, the gap narrows and a local warehouse can be the better answer.
What should an Australian brand do with this?
Three practical steps. First, publish your international rates and say clearly who pays duties; most of your competitors do not, so clarity is an advantage. Second, if you sell to the US, consider collecting duties at checkout, because a surprise bill on delivery is a common source of refused parcels. Third, if international orders are more than about one in ten, price the alternative of shipping them from where the goods are made rather than from Australia.
Can I see the swimwear numbers in more detail?
Yes. Swimwear is the largest group in this survey, and we published it separately with more detail on rates, delivery windows and where brands hold stock. See our swimwear deep dive linked below.