TLDR
For international shipments, accurate contact information is critical. Always include a valid phone number and email address. If you don’t have your customer’s contact details, use your own. Missing or invalid contact information can lead to bonded storage and carrier fees, often over $50, which may be passed on to you.
Why Accurate Contact Information Matters for International Shipping
International shipping relies heavily on accurate contact information. Unlike domestic shipments, carriers and customs authorities often need to reach someone to complete clearance, verify details, or resolve delivery issues. If the phone number is missing or invalid, shipments can be delayed or held without immediate notice.
If you do not have your customer’s phone number, include your own phone number instead. Carriers need a reachable contact. Leaving the field blank or entering an invalid number greatly increases the risk of delays and fees.
Email is commonly used as a secondary contact method. If you have your customer’s email, include it on the shipment. If not, use your own business email address so carriers have another way to resolve issues quickly.
When carriers cannot reach the recipient, shipments may be placed into bonded storage while contact attempts are made. Bonded storage fees are common in these cases and are typically in excess of $50. These fees are billed after the fact and may be passed on to you, the artist.
One of the most frequent issues we see is a mismatch between the phone number country code and the destination country. Even if a number looks valid, some carrier systems cannot parse it correctly if the country code is not correct.
The takeaway is simple: treat phone numbers and email addresses as required data for international shipments. Providing accurate, reachable contact information upfront helps prevent delays, bonded storage, and unnecessary carrier fees.
If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] or contact chat support.