Shipping — DHL / UPS / FedEx door-to-door

Delivery timelines by region

Shipping cost

Tracking

You receive a DHL/UPS/FedEx tracking number within 48 hours of your QC approval and payment. Tracking is fully live from Putian pickup through last-mile delivery. If your tracking hasn't updated in 72 hours, message us and we'll open a carrier inquiry.

Customs and duty

We declare conservatively as "shoes / footwear" with a low commercial value on the customs form. In most EU markets and the US, singles clear without duty. Bulk orders (10+ pairs) may be split across multiple parcels to keep individual declared values under threshold. If a parcel gets held at customs, we assist with paperwork or provide a partial refund + reship depending on the situation.

Lost packages

DHL and UPS have loss rates under 0.5% on our routes. If a package is confirmed lost by the carrier, we reship at our cost or refund — your choice. Timing on carrier confirmation is usually 10–14 days from last tracking update.

Damage claims

Photo the box and shoes on receipt if there's any damage. Send us the photos on WhatsApp. Damage-in-transit is on the carrier — we help you file the DHL/UPS/FedEx claim. Damage that was clearly present before shipping (didn't happen in transit) is on us — we replace at our cost.

DHL express — full regional table and typical transit times

Our default carrier is DHL Express from Putian. Here's the actual pair-count-based transit and cost breakdown we've built from 20,000+ shipments since 2020. Times are door-to-door, meaning from the moment your pair leaves our Putian workshop to the moment it hits your address.

Customs, duty, and VAT — realistic expectations by region

The main friction in international rep shipping isn't the shipping itself — it's customs. Here's what actually happens by region:

• USA: Personal-use imports under $800 declared value clear without duty. We declare pairs at $30-50 per pair as personal-use apparel, well under the $800 threshold. In 20,000+ US shipments since 2020, less than 0.5% face customs inspection. If inspected, the pair is either released (typical) or seized (rare, ~0.1%). We refund seized pairs in full.
• UK: Post-Brexit VAT of 20% applies to imports over £39. DHL usually collects VAT on delivery via a payment link before releasing the package. Typical charge: £25-60 per pair. Consider factoring this into your total cost.
• EU: Similar to UK — VAT rates 15-25% depending on country. DHL handles collection at delivery. If VAT + handling fees exceed $60 per pair, we recommend consolidating orders (3+ pairs) to spread the fixed handling fee.
• Australia: GST of 10% applies to imports over AU$1000. Under that threshold, no GST. Since a single AJ4 rep at $150 is well under, most orders clear GST-free.
• Brazil: The strictest customs regime we ship to. Import tax can be 60% of declared value, with additional state ICMS 17-25%. Delivery time 12-20 days is realistic. Consider whether the rep + duty math still makes sense — for high-end grails yes, for common colorways sometimes not.
• Mexico: Cleaner than Brazil. IVA 16% applies above US$50. Typical clearance 1-3 days.

What happens if the package gets lost

Lost packages happen. We've had ~15 confirmed loss events in 20,000+ shipments (0.075% rate). Our policy:

1. DHL tracking shows no update for 5+ business days beyond expected delivery date → we open a DHL trace request on your behalf.
2. Trace confirms loss (7-14 days after opening) → we ship a replacement pair at no additional cost, DHL Express with same tracking.
3. If replacement pair is also lost (has never happened but process exists) → full refund via original payment method.
4. You don't need to prove anything or file claims — we handle the DHL side. Just message us with your tracking number if the package looks stuck.

Delivery signature and package receipt

DHL Express requires signature on delivery for shipments over $500 declared value. Since we declare rep pairs at $30-50, no signature is needed for most orders — driver leaves at door. If you specifically want signature-required, message us and we mark the shipment accordingly (adds $5 fee).

If nobody is home at first delivery attempt: DHL will retry twice more on subsequent business days, then hold at the local DHL depot for 5 business days for you to pick up. After 5 days, package returns to us — we can re-ship (buyer pays $35 return shipping) or refund minus original shipping.

Damage claims — what counts and what doesn't

Every pair ships with QC video and 4-6 photos taken in our Putian workshop before dispatch. If the pair arrives with damage that's shown in the QC record: not a claim, you approved that pair. If damage arrives that's NOT in the QC record (transport damage or defect we missed): valid 14-day defect claim, we replace or refund.

Common transport damage patterns we've seen: shoe box crushing (cosmetic, pair usually fine), toe-box creasing from tight packing (rare, we ship with tissue padding to prevent), sole delamination on very rare pairs (defect, replace immediately). Take opening photos and video for your own records — makes the 14-day claim faster if needed.

Duty pre-payment vs cash-on-delivery — which is better

DHL offers two customs handling models depending on region:

• DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): We pre-pay duty on your behalf before shipping. Package arrives, no additional charge on delivery. Simpler for you but 5-10% more expensive upfront. Available in most EU/UK/AU.
• DAP (Delivered at Place): You pay duty on delivery via DHL's payment link (email + SMS). Cheaper upfront but requires an extra step at delivery. Our default option for most regions.

If you prefer DDP, message us before payment — we quote with duty included. If you want to keep it cheapest, use default DAP.

Multi-pair shipping and consolidation savings

The shipping economics get much better as pair count increases. Two reasons:

1. DHL's cost per pair drops significantly for combined shipments (multi-pair share a single air waybill, single customs entry).
2. Customs fixed fees (handling, brokerage) get spread across multiple pairs.

Concrete example — 3 pairs to US: single-pair shipping would be 3 × $35 = $105. Combined 3-pair shipping is free with us. That's $105 savings on shipping alone, plus 1 customs event instead of 3. If you're buying multiple colorways or gifts, batch the order.

Signature-required, insurance, and premium shipping options

Standard DHL Express includes basic insurance up to $100 per shipment. For higher-value orders (5+ pairs, or grail pairs where the value matters), we can add:

• Extended insurance — up to $2,000 declared value, +$15 flat fee. Covers full replacement in case of loss or damage.
• Signature required — driver requires ID and signature on delivery. +$5 fee.
• Guaranteed date delivery — DHL guaranteed 6-day US, 7-day EU. +$25 fee. Available for orders placed by 10 AM Putian time on weekdays.