Need help?
FAQ & Contact Details
If you have questions or concerns we hope this page helps put them at ease. We have frequently asked questions and a contact us form in case your question is still needing attention. If you’re a Goparel member please submit ticket if you need further help.
NOTE 1: If your question or concern is eBay related please use the proper eBay channels to contact us.
NOTE 2: We’re still adding questions to our support section and it will grow in time.

Getting Started
Before you jump into the faq we recommend checking out the getting started section below.
Join Goparel
You can do that here -> goparel membership
Learn Your Dashboard

Here you can see how to navigate your dashboard.
1. Dashboard
Your dashboard button will navigate you to the image you see above. You can edit your account details, billing address, payment methods, and wishlist.
2. Orders
Your orders button will navigate you to all the orders you’ve ever placed. That goes for canceled also.
3. Downloads
Your downloads button will navigate you to all your downloads. If you have purchased any digital downloads like icon packs or graphics, this is where they will show up.
4. Money Spent
Your money spent button will navigate you to all your money spent on our website. An easy way to keep track of your spending.
5. Your Reviews
Your reviews button will navigate you to just that, all your left reviews on our website. This does not include our other marketplaces like eBay.
6. Edit Account
Your edit account button will navigate you to edit your account details for your account on our website.
7. Edit Billing Address
Your edit billing address button will navigate you to edit your billing address for your account.
8. Payment Methods
Your payment methods button will navigate you to edit your payment methods used for making purchases on our website.
9. FAQ
Your faq button will navigate you to our frequently asked questions where you can find answers to common wonders or curiosity.
10. Get Support
Your get support button will navigate you to our get support area. It’s your direct gateway to us and how we can communicate with one another with ease and no data loss between parties.
You can learn more about our support in the next section below. ↓
Learn How To Receive Support
We have an advanced but simple-to-use ticket system.
1. Main View
As mentioned above in the dashboard toggle, you can visit the support section in your dashboard. When you click on the button you will see something like the photo below.
2. Ticket View
You can view all your tickets by clicking the “your tickets” toggle. It will open up and all your tickets will be visible like shown in the next photo.
You can click on the open ticket inside the toggle and it will open a new page to submit a ticket. You can also stay on the page by clicking the toggle “submit ticket” below. The privacy button has a few options like delete information and more.
note: the export ticket option is currently unavailable.
3. Submit Ticket
Next, when you click on Submit Ticket you’ll see something similar to the image below.
Our image is a little different because we’re operating on an admin account and not a member account. But this is where you can submit a ticket.
4. Alternative Method
Alternatively, you can open a full page if it’s more convenient for you on both options as pictured below.
We hope this was helpful information and if you feel we’re missing anything please submit a ticket and let us know.
See what we did there!? 🙂
Continue to the next section and learn our website navigation. ↓
Learn Our Website Navigation
Now on to the Website Navigation.
Section One
The image shown in the square section is Bite. He’s one of our characters. You can click him at any time to return to the homepage. Alternatively, you click the words Goparel next to him to do the same thing.
This menu has 3 sections.
- For Free
- Fore Hire
- Fore Sale
When you highlight your mouse over a word it will expand that menu section as shown in the picture above. Words without arrows next to them are not expandable.
All links are clickable in the menu.
Now if you travel to your right —>
Highlight your mouse over the arrow icon above and Login will appear.
Next, you will see our advanced search box for our website.
Followed by your Wishlist which is products you can save for later purchase.
Your cart comes next.
This is where all your products go while you shop.
You can checkout quickly by navigating there.
Now after you click the menu icon with the arrow above, you will see a new menu appear.
Note: mobile users do not see this menu button.
This menu is full of our on-site eBay products. Our on-site eBay pages have all our products without leaving our website.
Last we have our bottom of the website or footer section.
This section has a lot going on. The first available links are located under popular, digital, markets, and support.
Most links stay on site but some travel off to marketplaces we offer products on.
The bottom section with more links is all off-site stuff. Things like tracking your packages to buying bitcoin safely and securely. We have a lot of useful links and even some boring stuff like our legal documents. Lastly, you can subscribe to our newsletter for our best deals and content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our frequently asked questions are made up of 3 sections.
1. Print on Demand Area

Print on demand return & quality policy
If your claim is validated by our quality assurance team, we will send a reprint to you as quickly as possible or offer a full refund for the defective order.
Color consistency
We use the same print machines, paper types and, work processes at our print partners to minimize color variations. Having said that, printing is a chemical process and 100% consistency cannot be achieved. Multiple factors influence the color, consistency, and final result: machine type, machine settings, paper types, humidity in the room, when the machine was last cleaned, just to mention a few examples. Color variations that may occur due to the above-mentioned reasons lie within acceptable tolerance levels and are not covered under our quality guarantee.
Defective or damaged products
If you receive defective or damaged orders, such as damage to the delivered products, errors in the number or quantity of the delivered products, or lack of quality of the delivered product not caused by lack of quality of the content you provided. Should you want to submit a new order, we will cover the costs of the new order.
Wrong Address
If you provide an address that is considered insufficient by the courier, the shipment will be returned to our print partner and destroyed. Should you want to submit a new order with an updated address, you will be liable for the costs of the new order.
Unclaimed
Shipments that go unclaimed are returned to our print partner and destroyed. Should you want to submit a new order, you will be liable for the costs of the new order.
Returned by Customer
We currently do not support returns due to the fact that the products you order are personalized and made specifically for each order. Should you want to submit a new order, you will be liable for the costs of the new order.
How to report a problem
Order lost in the mail
If your order still has not arrived 10 business days after the estimated delivery date please reach out so we can investigate and if in fact the order is lost we will have another order sent out.
How we ensure consistent quality globally
We work only with print partners who can ensure high-quality results thanks to the professional equipment used, the automatic machine calibration from goparel, and the constant monitoring of their performance.
Also, we always offer a 100% quality guarantee on our orders.
Will you print anything
We will print about anything but do have limits.
Nothing hateful or illegal and we will not print other brands and logos you do not have the rights to.
2. Website Solutions Area

Checking your server resource in cPanel
When using the CloudLinux operating system, shared hosting accounts are limited to a certain level of resources and also to ensure all users were only using their share of resources on the shared servers.
If you reach these limits set for your account all processes will slow down (to within this limit) and take longer to complete.
- cPanel user account – 1 core
- Memory per cPanel – 2GB
- Entry Processes – 20
- NPROC – 100
- I/O – 10
- IOPS – 124
- Inodes – 250000
View your resource usage history
1) Log into your website’s cPanel
2) Scroll to the Metrics section and click on “Resource Usage”
3) When inside the section, the status will be displayed. Click on “Details“ for more information.
4) Now choose the desired time frame you’d like to inspect and click “Submit“.
Do you offer a refund/return
The majority of our services are just that, services. So when the job is complete it’s also just that, complete. We can answer all your pre-sales questions to give you peace of mind.
We plan on adding some type of return/refund policy in the future.
Do you offer dedicated hosting
At the time the only dedicated hosting we provide is WordPress Hosting. However, if you would like a custom plan please contact us.
Adding e-mail to Apple devices.
1) Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account.
2) If you see your email provider, tap it to add your account automatically.
If you don’t see your email provider, tap Other to add your account manually.
Set up account
After you choose your email provider, follow these steps:
1) Enter your email address and password.
2) Tap Next and wait for Mail to verify your account.
3) Choose the content you want to sync. Tap Save.
Setup IMAP e-mail account in Microsoft Outlook 365
IMAP Email Account Setup
Microsoft has made some improvements to it’s Outlook Email Application making it easier than before to add a new email account so you can send and receive email. All Goparel hosting plans include POP, IMAP, and SMTP access for your email users, as well as webmail access.
Adding your first email
Step 1: Open Outlook. This can be done by clicking the logo in the bottom left corner of your taskbar on your keyboard type outlook, then select Outlook from the search results.
A. Enter your e-mail address.
B. Click Advanced Options.
C. Check the box next to Let me setup my account manually.
D. Click Connect.
Step 3: Outlook will display a list of email services and options for you to choose from. We’re setting up IMAP, so click IMAP.
Step 4: On the next screen, you will be able to enter your IMAP Account & Server Details. If the email account you’re adding is hosted by Goparel, your server configuration will be similar to the one below, you would just replace yourdomain.tld with your domain name.
Your Incoming Mail Server should be mail.yourdomain.tld
Under Port, use 993 for IMAP
For Encryption Method, select SSL/TLS
Check the box next to Require login using Secure Password Authentication(SPA)
Your Outgoing Mail Server should be mail.yourdomain.tld
Under Port, use 465
For Encryption Method, select SSL/TLS
Check the box next to Require login using Secure Password Authentication(SPA)
Step 5: Enter the password for this email account, and click the blue Next button.
Step 6: Outlook will connect to the mail server to verify your account configuration and subsequently add the account to Outlook.All done.
3. Physical Products Area

Do you offer return and or refunds
If you’re not satisfied with the quality of the products you received, get in touch within 7 days and we’ll do everything we can to investigate and find a solution.
If your claim is validated by our quality assurance team, we will send a replacement to you as quickly as possible or offer a full refund for the defective order.
Do you accept cryptocurrency
Yes, of course. How couldn’t we? We are a proud supporter of cryptocurrencies.
note: refunds are nonoptional when you pay with cryptocurrency.
What type of shipping is provided
We use the United States Postal service and FedEx for most items. Items shipping from our local facility located in Indiana ship same day for orders placed before 2pm est time and all other items ship within one week, normally 72 hours.
eBay support
It is against eBay policy to handle operations off eBay so if this is about our eBay store please message through the eBay proper channels. We will be happy to assist you there.
Reseller Friendly
If you want to resell any of our products please get in touch and we can add your own marketing materials etc. and will look like it was shipped from your brand/company.
Basic Shipping Questions
Why is my parcel stuck in transit?
It happens that the package is stuck in transit longer than we had expected. If the package was sent during the COVID-19 outbreak many carriers and postal services around the world are overloaded with an a increased volume of packages. Online shopping saw significant uptick in a number of people shopping online as well as an increased frequency of purchases.
So, what does the status “parcel stuck in transit” means? It can be literal status or package just has not moved in a long while. Many times, when this happens, you won’t see a new update in the tracking system.
What “in transit” means? When your shipment is in transit, it means the courier company picked the parcel up and your shipment is on its way to the delivery address. The package stays in transit until the driver/postman delivers it.
When parcel is stuck in transit it means that the package is no longer progressing towards its destination and it is either kept in one of the courier company’s depots for further checks or stuck in customs.
Can I resell for a higher price and make money?
Yes!
We have a program for that.
Please inquire via our partner Waxp.Art on their vIRL pricing page.
What Is DPI, Resolution And Actual Print File Size?
These are a few basic terms to help you get started:
Resolution is the measure of pixels in the display, usually expressed in measurements of width x height. For example, a monitor that is 1920 x 1080 is 1920 pixels across and 1080 pixels down.
DPI (dots per inch) is the number of dots in a printed inch. The more dots the higher the quality of the print (more sharpness and detail).
The actual size is best described with (you guessed it) actual numbers. Let’s say you have a 5”x5” shape at 100dpi, but you need to make it a 10”x10”. If you simply scale it to twice its original size you go from 5”x5” to 10”x10” Since the size has now doubled, your resolution has been cut in half – that particular part of your graphic, is now 50dpi.
How we ensure consistent quality globally
We work only with print partners who can ensure high-quality results thanks to the professional equipment used, and the automatic machine calibration from Goparel, and the constant monitoring of their performance.
Also, we always offer a 100% quality guarantee on our orders.
Why has my USPS package not moved?
It’s never a bad idea to get on the phone and inquire about USPS package! Call your local post office supervisor and ask them to email the sorting facility where your package is stuck and mention the city name and then this phrase ” NDC Package Inquiry” (remember, be super nice and friendly and it may spur them on to help you to the furthest extent they can!). They might hem and haw at your request, but remind them that you’ve heard it’s protocol.
NDC stands for Network Distribution Center. Large regional facilities that all “packages” (they do do some lettermail work as well) go through at least one, on most cases two. Mail you drop off at your PO goes to the NDC where it gets routed with other packages to the NDC serving the Destination Zipcode and from there it goes to your destination Zipcode Post Office. A Network Distribution Center (NDC) is a highly mechanized mail processing plant of the United States Postal Service that distributes standard mail and package services in piece and bulk form.
What’s also worked for people in the past when they had a stuck package is to submit a USPS customer service form for a shipment problem. It just could be that within a day, your package would be located and sent on to its destination.
Why has my package not moved in a week?
Why is my shipment still in transit when it was supposed to be already delivered?
- Customs clearance – In general, items shipped to/from countries within the US/GB/EU/AU, do not need special documentation, unless the shipment is a matter of state monopoly or contains prohibited and restricted items. However, if the package is shipped from/to a country outside of the US, EU, then the customs declaration should be provided. Failure to provide the necessary documentation will have your shipment further stuck in transit.
Solution: Contact the courier company to tell you all the details and needed documentation to finalize the customs clearance.
- Wrong or incomplete address – This is the most common cause for undeliverable shipments. You should always double–check if your address has all the necessary details for it to be transported. Contact the courier company once you have realized that your order has some incomplete or wrong details written. The courier company will then make the changes.
- International shipping – If a package is coming from overseas (other countries), it is safe to assume that delivery may take longer than usual.
- Weather conditions or traffic – It is not so rare that during busy periods, such as holidays, or heavy snow, the parcel would take longer to arrive at its destination.
- Lost package – This is something you would not want to hear. But unfortunately, it is something that could indeed happen. You can start a claim procedure if your package is lost and ask for a refund.
- The package is oversized/overweight – Packages may be measured in the warehouse of the courier company. Therefore, if they notice that it is heavier than stated, then they could either return it to the sender or have you pay additional surcharges (this depends on one courier company to another).
- Undeliverable shipment – Have you shipped some items that are on the list of prohibited and restricted items from shipping? Courier companies scan the shipments at different depots therefore, we advise you not to ship any forbidden items as in some cases, they can be easily detected. Unfortunately, the courier will either destroy the package or return it to the shipper.
- Improper packaging – This does not only apply for the safety of the goods, but also for the safety of the staff taking care of your package. Therefore, if your package shows any signs of leaking or sharp items inside, the courier will most likely stop its transit.
What does USPS "In Transit to Next Facility" or "Item currently in transit to the destination" mean?
When the USPS’s tracking system marks a piece of mail as “In Transit to Next Facility,” it’s actually just a placeholder message meaning, “We don’t have a more specific scan today, but rest assured, it’s en-route.” It shows up once a day when there has been no other scanning activity within the last 24 hours.
It most commonly shows up on packages sent via Retail Ground (or Parcel Select, which is the equivalent ground service for commercial shippers), since trucks and trains can take several days to cross the country and move parcels from one hub (Processing and Distribution Center [P&DC] or Network Distribution Center [NDC]) to the next, so there can often be a couple days between scans.
It can also happen with some Priority Mail shipments, since the USPS contracts with FedEx to fly Priority Mail between P&DC hubs, which can sometimes take 36 hours or so, and FedEx doesn’t scan individual USPS packages in the course of carrying USPS bags and containers around the country.
I suspect the USPS added logic to their system to automatically insert an “In Transit to Next Facility” record to assure customers that their items haven’t been lost or delayed and help to prevent frantic phone calls or emails to the USPS’s customer service line when a new tracking result hasn’t shown up for a day or two.
Of course, it can also happen with some mailpieces that get missorted or lost.
How long does the transit take?
It is important to keep in mind that the estimated delivery time is exactly that, an estimation. It is an average calculated based on the time it usually takes for a given courier company to bring a package to its destination.
The estimated delivery time depends on the distance and the type of service you have booked.
- If you have booked a standard shipping service, specific transit time cannot be generalized.
- If you have booked freight or express shipment, you will get a specific delivery time, depending on the location, volume and type of shipment.
Why is my parcel not moving?
Your package is still within the courier network and, unless otherwise noted, should be delivered. Shipment movement information is captured each time a tracking label is scanned in the USPS, FedEx, UPS delivery system. There may be several days between scans if the shipment is going cross-country or moving between countries or territories.
It can be a little unusual to not see further scans on your parcel though it should still be in transit and will catch up with scans soon. Once an item is posted, it’s on the move, just might’ve missed the initial processing track events.
Why has my package not moved with FedEx
Packages in the FedEx system receive scans at various points between pickup and delivery. It is not unusual for a package to go for more than 24 hours without a scan while in transit – your package may be traveling as intended.
If there are no scans for the tracking number entered, contact your shipper to verify the tracking number is correct. If you are the shipper, and it has been more than 24 hours since you dropped off the shipment or had the shipment picked up, please contact Customer Service at 0120-003200.
Understand also that Fedex.com tracking is not completely accurate with its updates. Just so everyone is clear, packages are NOT “out for delivery” on our trucks for several days. I know this has further exasperated the delays. The delays are with the volumes and trailers getting backed up and not getting worktypes as they usually do. If you are shipping or expecting “large” packages these items are considered “incompatibles” and go thru a manual sort and are placed on “incompatible trucks”. These types of items are experiencing even greater delays.
Why has my package not moved with UPS
It’s easy to get anxious if your UPS tracking status says “In Transit: Please check back later for scheduled delivery” or “Your package has been delayed due to events beyond our control” with no further updates.
Don’t worry yet, patience is the key. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, UPS experiencing a rush of packages and there can be delays. All the shipping companies are slammed because of the volume. There are trailers sitting at facilities full of packages because they can’t be processed. Give it a day or two and see if it clears up.
In March 2020, UPS suspended the service guarantee for all shipments from any origin to any destination as part of the company’s response to the virus.
Cited from UPS.com “Effective March 26, 2020, and until further notice, we have suspended the UPS Service Guarantee (also referred to as the UPS Money Back Guarantee) for all shipments from any origin to any destination. For all U.S. origin shipments, the Service Guarantee suspension became effective as of March 24, 2020.”
Why is my international parcel stuck in Sydney Parcel Facility?
Most likely your parcel is undergoing customs clearance procedures and will soon be released from customs. In unlikely cases, your parcel can get stuck because the sender didn’t put the correct address on the parcel and it’s being returned to the sender.
Also due to the pandemic, there are a lot fewer international flights at the moment due to fewer people travelling around the world. This is definitely causing some international mail to take longer than usual.
Parcels that aren’t able to be delivered or returned back to their sender can end up in our Returned Mail Centre (RMRC or lost and found) where they are opened and catalogued so Australia Post support staff can assist customers in locating their items.
RMRC staff will always try and get the parcel sent on to where it needs to go first but if there’s nowhere for Auspost to send it to, they’ll upload as much information (description of contents, how it was packaged, names, etc) as they can into our database to make it easy for Auspost to search.
Australia Post can not give step-by-step tracking of international parcels while they abroad just like FedEx and DHL. The reason they can’t provide the same detail of tracking as FedEx or DHL is that they are a bulk mail service, not a courier service. They have very different networks and your parcel travels in a completely different manner when you post it as opposed to courier it.
Courier companies like FedEx and DHL have their own transport and planes that they use to transport their products. International mail on the other hand travels on commercial airlines. Mailbags do not necessarily travel direct routes and are subject to timetables and changes made by airlines as they will always prioritise their passengers over mailbags.
Try to understand that when you use the post to send mail like a parcel, it will never get to its destination on a certain date. Whilst the postal staff indicated a date/timeframe when the package will arrive, it’s not set in stone. Try not to take it in a definitive way because it’s an approximation, a guideline. In practical terms, the only way you will know for certain how long it takes to send something is by you sending something and remembering how long it does take so you have a future reference.
The tracking is sufficient enough for sending the post, it’s not stuck here, and the system is telling you it’s the last location. It doesn’t mean it’s not transiting to its next location. Only when the package does reach its destination will the tracking be updated.
Why is my package stuck in customs?
There are many reasons why a shipment might be stuck at customs, these reasons can differ in severity from high (your goods are prohibited) to low (having the incorrect paperwork).
- If you think you have a shipment stuck in customs your first action should be to contact the seller who has shipped your goods. The shipping company often will only talk to the seller about the shipment. Find out what is happening with the shipment by contacting the seller and if they missed out on any of the important documentation required to smoothly move your shipment over the border. Your seller will be able to contact the shipper and get more information concerning your shipment and the problems faced.
- Second option is to contact your carrier, but please ensure that your shipment is actually stuck in customs. Contacting the shipper will help you to identify if there is anything you can do to speed up your shipment’s time in customs.
- Find out if there are outstanding taxes you owe to pay. Many countries impose taxes on shipments over a certain value, if these taxes are payable on your shipment it will be held until the outstanding balance is paid. If you use a standard express shipper or the postal service they will pay the tax for you (DDU), clearing your goods through customs. If your products have high commercial value, like for example, in the US, items whose value is worth over $2500 you will require a customs broker will arrange for the taxes to be paid and for the shipment to be released from customs.
- Ensure there is no missing or incorrect paperwork. Missing paperwork is one of the most common reasons for delays in shipping. Depending on the size and value of your shipment, the documentation required may vary. Even simple mistakes like the seller forgetting to attach an invoice or CN22 customs form can cause significant delays to your shipment. Incorrect paperwork can cause considerable customs headaches, make sure your documents are in order and aren’t in the wrong language or alphabet.
- Finally, just wait. Unfortunately, if you have chosen to use a slower form of shipping such as airmail, in many countries customs is a slow and stressful process. Often, shipments are held up in customs to check that the contents of the package and the value of the goods were declared accurately. There is little that can be done to stop or speed up these random checks and attempts to do such may just be a waste of time. If your shipment is sent via the postal system, waiting is often the best option, as tracking is notoriously unreliable and often it’s better to just relax. Your shipment will come eventually, but it might take some time. Keeping calm is part of the battle, try not to stress too much about the delays, your shipment will come eventually. Sometimes the package tracking can be inaccurate, packages can disappear somewhere and reappear elsewhere, hold on, it will come. Fortunately, the postal system is great when it comes to customs – your shipment will be automatically cleared and released, you just need to wait and pay any payable taxes if you’re approached, it is a very easy process but also very slow.
Why is my parcel stuck in Canada customs?
The customs release of a shipment can take anywhere from 20 minutes to several days depending on circumstances. Once your Customs Broker has completed your entry for customs and transmitted the data, it takes about 20 minutes for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to receive it. Now that your entry has been received by the CBSA, it is now up to an officer to review the entry and either accept or reject the shipment – This step of course can take anywhere from just a few minutes to a few hours depending on the number of Customs staff available and congestion at the port of crossing.
There is, however, the possibility that prior to its release, your shipment may be held for inspection. If your shipment is inspected, it will be placed in a bonded warehouse and inspected by Customs officers at their earliest convenience. Generally, Customs officers will visit multiple sites during the day and process their releases in the afternoon. The process can take anywhere from 12-48 hours and even longer during high-traffic periods.
Customs releases are also not guaranteed. There are a number of reasons a shipment can be rejected:
- Temporary rejects: This may happen when information keyed into the entry does not match up exactly with the shipment’s paperwork. Customs will notify the broker and a change to the entry will be made
- Permanent Rejects: There are several reasons why a shipment may be rejected from Canada altogether. A mis-declaration (declaring apples when you are crossing with oranges), under-valuing your goods, or simply not permissible in Canada for health and safety reasons. If this is the case, you will either have to have the goods shipped back to the supplier or have the goods destroyed by the CBSA at your own expense.
What can I do if the parcel I am expecting is in Canada customs?
The status of a parcel sent to you from another country indicates that it is to be reviewed by customs. You need to wait for the package to clear customs. Here’s how the process works:
- Canada Post presents all incoming international parcels to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for customs review. Once a parcel is with CBSA, Canada Post cannot intervene or inquire about the status of the parcel. Times for packages to clear customs vary. Delays can occur due to the package itself, its documentation, or volumes at customs.
- The CBSA visually inspects each parcel or piece of mail.
- Package contents that are not on the prohibited items list and not subject to duties or taxes are released for delivery. Packages that require further inspection or duty and tax assessment are held for further action.
- Once your package has cleared customs, it is handed over to Canada Post for delivery. Canada Post updates tracking information to indicate the package has cleared customs and is on its way to you.
Why is my parcel stuck in UK customs?
Customs clearance normally takes a matter of minutes or hours but it can take days or even weeks if there’s something wrong or your goods need to be inspected. We generally say that from your goods landing in the UK, you’ll have them delivered to your door in about 7 days and the customs clearance is only a fraction of that time.
UK Customs is a border control unit that monitors and controls what is allowed to leave the country; if goods are allowed in, Customs are also the ones that charge UK Duties and Taxes. Customs is a protective measure, put in place to ensure that nothing harmful to the UK can enter.
Why Do Goods Get Held By Customs? What To Do If Your Goods Are Being Held
Make sure that your goods are actually being held by customs. It may be the case that goods are simply being delayed and you need to wait. Unfortunately, the shipping process can be hit with delays on occasion.
There are many reasons that your goods can be held at customs. Most of these reasons are due to the fact that customs can’t (from their perspective) safely clear your goods. If the shipper hasn’t provided the necessary certification (such as safety or test certificates) or the shipper doesn’t have their documents ready (an EORI number, for example), this will cause customs to hold goods until the shipper can provide these documents.
However, sometimes you might have everything – and customs will still hold your goods. A reason that this often happens is that they want to test goods for quality or compliance with UK standards.
Why is my parcel stuck at Langley HWDC?
There can be huge delays at HWDC. It’s a Royal Mail international hub and when parcel volume is high like during Christmas, parcels take longer time to be processed. It will eventually be released. All I can advise is to be patient.
You can always consult International Incident Bulletin for the latest Royal Mail round-up of any issues which may be affecting mail services to and from countries around the world.
For example as of August 31, 2021: Items to some EU destinations are also experiencing customs delays. This is the result of changes to the EU’s VAT rules for items from non-EU destinations from 1st July. Also, delays should be expected as a result of ongoing COVID-19 reduction measures and reduced air transport capacity.
Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre (HWDC) is a sorting office for inbound and outbound international mail operated by Royal Mail. Located close to Heathrow Airport, the HWDC is situated in the town of Langley, Berkshire.
HWDC is one of the most automated postal centers in Europe. Automated conveyor systems transport trays of mail to automated mail processing equipment and manual or special handling workstations. The conveyors read the bar code labels on the trays and then transport them to the desired destination. When the mail is sorted on the automated mail sorting equipment, the letter destination image is lifted by high-speed optical cameras. Both inbound and outbound mail is then automatically sorted into groups.
Customs Clearance Process
Here’s what happens when your shipment arrives at customs.
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A customs officer examines your customs paperwork These documents must be accurate and complete, specifically the shipping label and commercial invoice. The commercial invoice is most important because it lists the contact information for the shipper, and the receiver, as well as the export date and airway bill number.
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Import duties and taxes are assessed using customs paperwork. Import fees vary depending on the type of goods, their value, and specific import regulations in the receiving country. Import duties are assessed on goods that exceed the de minimus value, or the minimum taxable threshold for imported goods.
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Customs requests payment for taxes and duties, if applicable. If your shipment exceeds the tax threshold, the customs officer checks if duty and taxes have been paid. Additionally, certain restricted goods may incur fees regardless of their value. At this point, the choice between shipping with Deliver Duty Unpaid (DDU) and Deliver Duty Paid (DDP) becomes relevant.
Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) means that import duties and taxes have already been paid. Most express courier services like FedEx have customs brokers who will process this payment on your behalf at customs. With DDP, the price you paid for shipping covers any import fees, and this is reflected on the attached shipping label. In other words, using DDP is the best way to ensure a smooth customs clearance process.
Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU) means that import duties and taxes are unpaid. In this case, the customs officer forwards the shipment to an independent customs broker to collect the required amount.
Customs brokers are middlemen who charge fees for facilitating the customs clearance process. These variable fees can be expensive because they include brokerage, storage, and late payment.
With customs fees unpaid, the broker will contact the recipient to collect payment.
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Your shipment clears customs once all duties are paid. Once customs clearance is complete, your chosen courier service transports the shipment from customs to the end destination. Shipments rarely get stuck at customs. When they do, it’s usually because of faulty paperwork.
Why is my parcel stuck at Langley HWDC?
There can be huge delays at HWDC. It’s a Royal Mail international hub and when parcel volume is high like during Christmas, parcels take longer time to be processed. It will eventually be released. All I can advise is to be patient.
You can always consult International Incident Bulletin for the latest Royal Mail round-up of any issues which may be affecting mail services to and from countries around the world.
For example as of August 31, 2021: Items to some EU destinations are also experiencing customs delays. This is the result of changes to the EU’s VAT rules for items from non-EU destinations from 1st July. Also, delays should be expected as a result of ongoing COVID-19 reduction measures and reduced air transport capacity.
Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre (HWDC) is a sorting office for inbound and outbound international mail operated by Royal Mail. Located close to Heathrow Airport, the HWDC is situated in the town of Langley, Berkshire.
HWDC is one of the most automated postal centers in Europe. Automated conveyor systems transport trays of mail to automated mail processing equipment and manual or special handling workstations. The conveyors read the bar code labels on the trays and then transport them to the desired destination. When the mail is sorted on the automated mail sorting equipment, the letter destination image is lifted by high-speed optical cameras. Both inbound and outbound mail is then automatically sorted into groups.
Customs Clearance Process
Here’s what happens when your shipment arrives at customs.
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A customs officer examines your customs paperwork These documents must be accurate and complete, specifically the shipping label and commercial invoice. The commercial invoice is most important because it lists the contact information for the shipper, and the receiver, as well as the export date and airway bill number.
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Import duties and taxes are assessed using customs paperwork. Import fees vary depending on the type of goods, their value, and specific import regulations in the receiving country. Import duties are assessed on goods that exceed the de minimus value, or the minimum taxable threshold for imported goods.
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Customs requests payment for taxes and duties, if applicable. If your shipment exceeds the tax threshold, the customs officer checks if duty and taxes have been paid. Additionally, certain restricted goods may incur fees regardless of their value. At this point, the choice between shipping with Deliver Duty Unpaid (DDU) and Deliver Duty Paid (DDP) becomes relevant.
Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) means that import duties and taxes have already been paid. Most express courier services like FedEx have customs brokers who will process this payment on your behalf at customs. With DDP, the price you paid for shipping covers any import fees, and this is reflected on the attached shipping label. In other words, using DDP is the best way to ensure a smooth customs clearance process.
Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU) means that import duties and taxes are unpaid. In this case, the customs officer forwards the shipment to an independent customs broker to collect the required amount.
Customs brokers are middlemen who charge fees for facilitating the customs clearance process. These variable fees can be expensive because they include brokerage, storage, and late payment.
With customs fees unpaid, the broker will contact the recipient to collect payment.
-
Your shipment clears customs once all duties are paid. Once customs clearance is complete, your chosen courier service transports the shipment from customs to the end destination. Shipments rarely get stuck at customs. When they do, it’s usually because of faulty paperwork.
Who should I contact to find out if my package is stuck in customs?
If your package is held at customs, you should contact the courier company in charge of your shipment. Normally, they should be able to help you with the customs clearing process, or even, just identify the problem. Before contacting, make sure you have the tracking number to give it to the courier to check its status.
Why is my shipment held in customs and what do I need to do to resolve the delay?
Most delays in customs clearance do not require you to take any action. Reasons for your parcel to be held in customs include:
- Physical inspection – Normally, your paperwork is inspected, and your parcel cleared. However, sometimes the contents of your package are also inspected, which takes extra time. This can take a day or two longer than normal.
- Customs backlog – Sometimes if customs are busy, clearance gets delayed and parcels are queued awaiting clearance.
When your parcel is shipped to another country, the contents of your parcel and the customs paperwork that you sent with the parcel will be checked to assess if duty or tax is payable.
Once your shipment has been inspected, customs may request further information from the shipper or receiver.
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