How to Ship from the USA to Australia?

Australia, being the world’s tenth-largest eCommerce market, is an ideal location for establishing and increasing your online store’s global footprint. Offering services to Australia is a smart choice if you sell to global markets. Because Australia is isolated from the rest of the world, shipping to Australia is more complex than shipping to the rest of the world. Shipping from the USA to Australia is a long and complex procedure that involves your package passing many bodies of water and countries.

For shipping overseas, the United States has several trustworthy shipping carriers. Businesses can take advantage of the international prices, discounts, and packages offered by USPS, FedEx, UPS, and DHL. We’ll go through the basics of shipping from the USA to Australia, delivery alternatives, rules, regulations, how to locate the lowest shipping costs to Australia from the United States, and how integrating with ReachShip may help you expedite your shipping and save money when delivering packages to Australia.

Things to know about shipping from the USA to Australia

Be prepared to wait for a long time for your order to be delivered.

The two countries, the United States and Australia, are not very close. It usually takes around two to three weeks to ship from the USA to Australia. There are, however, a few factors that can influence the time it takes for your package to arrive at its delivery point. Among these variables would be: the country from which you are shipping, your shipments’ final destination, your customs clearance, package type, and your chosen shipping method.

Australia has extremely strict customs and duties

Understanding Australia’s customs procedures are essential if you intend to ship goods there. When it comes to customs and duties, Australia, like most other countries, is highly stringent. It is crucial that the value and description of the goods match the invoice that comes with your shipping. Your package could be delayed, denied entry, or even destroyed if you make a single mistake.

High GST

Imported goods priced above AUD 1,000 will be subject to duties and taxes. The GST is usually 10% of the taxable import’s value. Most shipping services will add an extra amount to your bill as a result of this. The value of your goods determines whether the GST is to be paid before or after your shipment arrives. Once the cargo reaches Australian customs, the GST is levied.

How long does it take to ship something from the United States to Australia?

Australia is a rather isolated continent. A shipment from the USA to Australia via air freight typically takes 5-10 working days. Based on the US state you ship from, ocean freight deliveries usually take roughly 2-3 weeks. You can use the ReachShip Shipping calculator to get exact estimated delivery date information.

Cost of shipping to Australia

Shipping to Australia might be costly because of its remote location. However, a few important elements that affect practically all shipping will always be a factor.

Shipment weight: The more weight your package has, the more it will cost to send. You’ll want to weigh the expense of shipping against your customer’s need for quick delivery.

Dimensions of the package: The cost of a shipment can be increased due to dimensional weight. Additional fees will almost certainly be charged to the total cost of packages with unusual forms or dimensions.

Speed of delivery: Accelerated shipment costs extra, often significantly more. Offering quick deliveries to your customers, along with other cost-effective options, is always a good idea.

Due to the rising cost of delivery, it is critical to carefully analyze the shipping options. Standard shipping (5-7 days) is also a typical service provided by Australian retailers, so Australians are familiar with it. You should always offer a low-cost shipping option with an express one at checkout. 

The top four US shipping companies that export to Australia

Although there are numerous carriers that can transport goods from the USA to Australia, the big four carriers: USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL are the ones we recommend. They are dependable and can get your products transported to Australia in a matter of days.

USPS

If you’re looking for the cheapest shipping option and don’t mind waiting for it, USPS is a wonderful choice as USPS charges a fixed rate based on the kind of mail and package weight. The parcels are passed to Australia Post once they arrive in Australia, which is a big disadvantage of utilizing USPS for Australian shipping. This implies that the order tracking number issued by USPS will no longer be valid, and you will have to wait for a new tracking number from Australia Post. Due to the transfer process, this also adds a few more days before delivery.

The following is a list of USPS shipping charges for parcels being shipped internationally to Australia.

USPS Global Express Guaranteed®

Depending on where the shipment is going and where it’s coming from, it can take anywhere from 1 to 3 business days to arrive.

Global Express only ships packages weighing less than 70 pounds. FedEx is in charge of these shipments.

Shipping costs start at $101.00.

USPS Priority Mail Express International

It takes between 3 and 5 business days for your package to reach your customer’s location in Australia.

The weight of the package must be less than 70 pounds.

Shipping costs begin at $69.35.

USPS Priority Mail International

It takes 6 to 10 business days to arrive, and the package must weigh less than 70 pounds to qualify.

Shipping costs begin at $55.70.

UPS

When you are shipping to Australia, UPS is a wise choice because they can deliver your packages efficiently and safely. You can rest assured that your products will arrive on time, and your customers will be happy and satisfied. UPS tracking systems, unlike USPS, track packages from pickup to delivery. You won’t have to worry about your packages being transferred to Australia Post because they’ll be in UPS’s custody the entire time and won’t have to change hands.

The following is a list of UPS shipping charges for parcels being shipped internationally to Australia.

UPS Worldwide Express Plus

It takes 1-3 business days to reach its destination, although it can arrive as early as 8 a.m. on the delivery day.

UPS Worldwide Express

It normally takes one to three working days and is delivered between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

UPS Worldwide Express Saver

On or before the third business day, packages are delivered before the end of the day.

The cost of shipping begins at $63 and goes up from there.

UPS Worldwide Expedited

The cheapest UPS shipping option, however, it can take up to 5 days to arrive.

Shipping costs start at $72 and go up from there.

FedEx

FedEx, like UPS, is a great choice while shipping from the USA to Australia as it handles the entire process of shipping instead of handing over the shipment to Australia Post. The following is a list of FedEx shipping charges for parcels being shipped internationally to Australia.

FedEx International Priority® Express

FedEx international shipments now have a new service. All shipments from the United States to 220 worldwide destinations, including Australia, are guaranteed to arrive within 1 to 3 working days.

Shipping costs begin at $128.25.

FedEx International First®

Packages can be delivered early in the morning on the planned delivery day.

Depending on the distance traveled, shipments are expected to arrive in one, two, or three business days.

Shipping costs begin at $88.25.

FedEx International Priority®

On the day of delivery, packages can be booked for later in the day.

It usually takes between 2 and 4 days for shipments to Australia from the United States to arrive.

Shipping costs begin at $85.50.

FedEx International Economy

The charges are determined by the weight and size of the cargo being shipped, and no delivery timeline is guaranteed.

The majority of shipments, however, take 3 to 6 business days to arrive at their destination.

DHL

DHL is a premier international shipping company and an excellent choice for sending packages to Australia. They have lower charges than UPS or FedEx while providing the same delivery times. When looking for shipping charges to Australia, consider DHL as one of your initial possibilities.

DHL Express Worldwide

It usually takes between 4 and 7 days for shipments to Australia from the United States to arrive.

Shipping costs begin at $62.21.

What Role Can ReachShip Play?

Delivering shipments to Australia may be as straightforward as shipping any place else, as long as you know what Australian Customs expects of you and look for opportunities to meet your Australian customers’ needs. Keeping track of international shipping costs has never been simpler, especially if you’re seeking the lowest shipping to Australia from the United States. Setting up a shipping strategy will enable you to explain your shipping policies to your consumers in a clear and concise manner. The trick is to give them options.

ReachShip makes international shipping easier than ever. When you sign up for ReachShip, you have immediate access to all four shipping services, including UPS, USPS, FedEx, and DHL. With ReachShip, you can streamline much of the delivery process and manage the challenges of international shipping without constantly worrying about customs, select from a variety of shipping options from all four shipping giants, and please your customers with a simplified delivery experience thanks to our tracking systems.

To Wrap Up

We hope this article has given you a clear idea regarding shipping from the USA to Australia. If you have any questions regarding shipping to Australia, please let us know in the comments section below.

Further Reading

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Ultimate Comparison of Shipping Rates and Carriers

Best Shipping Calculator for FedEx & Compare the Cost with Other Carriers like DHL, USPS & UPS