Etsy US orders: what to check in a DDP quote

Start with the order you actually need to ship

For an international Etsy order entering the US from another country, compare the complete arrangement before accepting the lowest freight number. Etsy requires DDP for these US-bound orders. The practical question is whether a specific quotation covers your product, import process and delivery charges. A three-letter label alone cannot answer that question.

Start with one representative order: what the buyer purchased, where it will physically leave from, where it must arrive, and which packaging version will be used. Keep preparation time separate from transport. A quote for stock already packed at a warehouse cannot fairly be compared with one that includes supplier collection and packing. Record what is still unknown rather than filling gaps with assumptions.

Give both proposals the same starting information

Build a short fact sheet containing the actual product description, material and intended use, quantity, value and currency, origin, delivery postcode, parcel count, final dimensions and gross weight. Keep the order and SKU references alongside it. A decorative product name such as “Moonlight set” does not explain what a customs reviewer will find inside.

If a supplier changes the material, the number of pieces or the packaging, update the fact sheet before comparing again. Ask who will check the classification and import documentation for this shipment. A previous order is useful context, but its paperwork is not automatic approval for a different product or destination.

Turn “DDP included” into a written scope

Ask the quoting team to describe the import arrangement and how charges are paid. Identify the responsible parties and the destination covered. ICC Academy explains that DDP places import formalities and costs on the seller; that general explanation does not establish the terms of your particular carrier contract. Keep the actual agreement attached to the quote.

• Which import duties, taxes and clearance or handling charges are included?
• Which address, parcel count and packing measurements does the price assume?
• What happens if a charge or adjustment is raised after dispatch?
• Are remote-area, storage, redelivery or return costs excluded, and who approves them?

A comparison example without invented prices

Imagine two proposals for the same packed metal craft-accessory set. Proposal A lists only transport and leaves import payment with the recipient. Proposal B describes prepaid import charges but excludes remote-area delivery. They are not equivalent offers, even if both use the same service name. Ask A to provide a suitable complete arrangement and B to check the actual postcode.

Now suppose the outer box is larger than the dimensions originally supplied. Reconfirm the transport charge and every size-dependent condition. Put the updated proposals side by side, with included, excluded and unresolved items in separate columns. Leave the total undecided until the unresolved items have a responsible party and a written answer.

Resolve exceptions before release

Etsy limits exceptions to genuine DDP unavailability, explicit buyer confirmation in Etsy Messages and an accurate estimate of extra charges. A cheaper proposal alone does not establish unavailability.

Before release, keep the final goods record, packing version, quote version and responsibilities together. If the import arrangement remains unclear, resolve it while the goods are still under your control. Ask for review using the product, intended US destination and current proposal; there is no need to send account passwords or payment credentials. This turns a broad “Can you ship it?” conversation into a specific decision.