A Complete Guide To Shipping Internationally [From India To The USA]

Do you plan on shipping your products from India to the USA? Worry not! We’ve got you covered! Here’s everything you need to know about shipping Internationally, efficiently, and at the most effective rates.

The eCommerce industry in the USA is a bit different from India. The eCommerce realm of the USA is ahead of India concerning a lot of elements as per the statistical data. These include the percentage of the population involved in online buying or the market value of the USA based eCommerce retailers or the government norms related to Import/Export or the taxation system involved in eCommerce, etc.

But having quoted this, it is also a noted fact that accounting to Indian eCommerce’s CAGR, it is sure to surpass that of the US soon and become the global leader of the eCommerce marketplace.

The shipping of products to foreign countries is done majorly to append a value to the goods. Following are the key players involved while considering shipping products internationally, for instance from India to the USA:

  • Shipper

A person/company dealing with shipment at the supplier end.

  • Consignee

A person/company dealing with shipment at the receiving end.

  • Freight Forwarder

The logistics provider (for road, ship, or air transportation).

  • Shipping Line

The company carrying product-related cargo.

Shipping in the local domain, within the territory of national geographical boundaries, is more straightforward. Things get a bit complex in operations when international trade and shipping is involved. Each country has its norms and protocol to follow for international trade. The same applies to the eCommerce industry. And when it comes to the USA, tough things get tougher.

Different Steps/Stages For Shipping Products Internationally

  1. Export haulage
  2. Origin handling
  3. Export customs clearance
  4. Ocean freight
  5. Import customs clearance
  6. Destination handling
  7. Import haulage

ship from india to usa

Of these, the Export & Import customs clearance are documentation phases while the rest are physical transportation phases of the shipping process.

Step 1. Export Haulage:

The first step involves the movement of the products’ cargo from shippers to the forwarder’s premises. Products usually get transported by road or railways or a combination of both.

Step 2. Export Customs Clearance:

It is a type of official regulatory formality involving the submission of valid and required documents to the concerned authorities.

Step 3.Origin Handling:

This step covers all physical handling, inspection, and loading of the cargo; at the supplier End’s warehouse. This is coordinated by the freight forwarder.

Step 4. Ocean Freight: 

To meet the required timeline for shipments, the freight forwarder schedules a shipping line for transportation. This step not only covers costs involved in shipping from port-to-port but also levied surcharges like currency adjustment factor, exchange rates, etc.

Step 5. Import Customs Clearance:

This process can begin even before the arrival of cargo in the US. This clearance is performed by a customs house broker appointed by the consignee.

Step 6. Destination Handling:

This involves transportation and unloading of cargo from port to destination warehouse.

Step 7. Import Haulage:

The final step of the actual delivery of the product to the consignee and ultimately to the consumer.

eCommerce retailers look forward to foreign investments in other countries like the US to expand their market influence for overseas sales.

Drop-shipping vendors, i.e., wholesale suppliers or retailers who stock their inventory, are another source that may be used to transfer customer orders and shipment details for direct delivery of the ordered product(s). Another and last aspect of overseas shipment is the selection of accessible, appropriate, and business-friendly payment gateway for all credit-related transactions. After all, eCommerce is a business, and like every other business entity, everything funnels to money-making or profits. The USA is a promising marketplace for Indian eCommerce retailers, and as long as norms and regulations are complied with, doing business, there is unproblematic.

List Of Prohibited Items When Shipping From India To The USA

While shipping internationally, one must take care of the prohibited items that are country-specific. Prohibited items are goods that are not allowed in a country due to their jurisdiction. For the USA below are the prohibited items:

    • Aerosols
    • Dairy
    • Fur
    • Ivory
    • Fresh Foods
    • Animals
    • Cash
    • Nail Varnish
    • Perfume
    • Plants
    • Tobacco
  • Seeds etc.

prohibited items in USA

Apart from these, there are a few items that are restricted from an entry in the USA by the Customs. These include poisons and ink. You can find the complete list of such products here. However, if you want to import goods like ink etc. you will require a special clearance under the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA).

You can use Shiprocket X’s shipping services if you’re shipping internationally. Not only will you find the cheapest rates but also a holistic growth platform for your business.

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Puneet Bhalla

Associate Director - Marketing at Shiprocket

7+ years of experience in growth hacking and product marketing. A passionate digital marketer with a great blend of technology. I spend most of my time upskilling and experimenting, for my love of doi ... Read more

21 Comments

  1. Laxmi Proya Reply

    Hi, I would like to know how much charge is required for Shipping products (weight between 2-5kg) from India to U.S. and also what are the documents required for clearing export.

    • Sanjay Negi Reply

      Hi Laxmi,

      We will help you with your query. Kindly email your query to srsales@kartrocket.com to take it further.

      Thanks,
      Sanjay

  2. Mahendra Reply

    I want to ship T-shirt to USA. I want to know the total cost & procedure from start to delivery in the USA.

    • Srishti Arora Reply

      Hi Mahendra,

      To get answers about the rates and the procedure followed, sign up on our platform – http://bit.ly/2lE7gWY

      Regards,
      Srishti Arora

  3. Jobin Thomas Reply

    I’m in Canada. I need shipment from India. During the signup process I came across phone verification which takes only Indian phone numbers. How can I get verified with Canadian phone number?

    • Srishti Arora Reply

      Hi Jobin,

      Right now, Shiprocket offers to ship only from India. So if you want to ship something from India, you’ll need to signup with an Indian number.

      Thanks & regards,
      Srishti Arora

  4. Guru Reply

    i want to ship jewelry indian to usa its possible?

  5. Nandy Reply

    i am currently using shiprocket to ship my products all-over india, i want to know-how’s about expanding shipping to US/Europe countries as well? Do we have a rate card using which i can decide on this from shiprocket?

    • Srishti Arora Reply

      Hi Nandy!

      Sure! We offer international shipping to 220+ countries across the world in our advanced plan and above. You can check the rates in the rate calculator and get started immediately.

  6. Devsiddh Reply

    i want to ship upvc window indian to usa its possible

    • Srishti Arora Reply

      Hi Devshiddh,

      Yes! Shiprocket offers International shipping across 220+ countries in India. You can get started here – http://bit.ly/2s2fz26

  7. Deepta Reply

    how much does it cost to ship about 1kg to US

    • Srishti Arora Reply

      Hi Deepta,

      You can check the rates using the rate calculator on the Shiprocket platform. Just follow the link here – http://bit.ly/2ZsprB1

  8. Asadullah Khan Reply

    I want to ship Beauty products to Canada and USA
    I want the complete details of the procedure and documents, charges involved in it.

    • Srishti Arora Reply

      Hi Asadullah,

      You ship to 220+ countries in the world with Shiprocket. You can follow the link to get started – http://bit.ly/2lE7gWY

  9. Anjali Palekar Reply

    hi ..i want to inquire delivery charges from india to usa.

  10. Esha Prasad Reply

    Hello, I would like to ship wooden toys from India to USA. Who can I contact to discuss details ?
    Thank you

    • Rashmi Sharma Reply

      Hi Esha,

      Thank you for your interest in Shiprocket. Please sign up to our platform for both domestic and international shipments: https://bit.ly/3p1ZTWq

  11. Bala Reply

    We are planning to ship books from India to USA in bulk. But I am not seeing ocean freight charges showing in rates calculator. Are you using only Air or Ocean Freight too?. Please confirm

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