What Is Package Forwarding? How It Works & How to Save Money

The Problem Every International Shopper Knows

You find the perfect product on an American website. You add it to your cart, fill in your address in Canada, the UAE, Germany, or the UK, and then you see it: "We do not ship internationally." Or worse, you see a shipping fee that costs more than the product itself.

This is not a rare edge case. It happens every day to millions of shoppers around the world. Major US retailers like Walmart, Target, Nordstrom, eBay, and niche marketplaces like Mercari US simply do not offer affordable international shipping options. For shoppers in Europe and the Middle East, the problem is even more specific: you want something that is not available on Amazon, eBay, or local stores at all. The product exists, it is sitting on an American website, and the only thing standing between you and it is a logistics barrier.

That is exactly what package forwarding solves.

This guide explains what package forwarding is, how it works step by step, how to save money, what to expect at customs, and everything else you need to know before signing up for a service.

What Is Package Forwarding?

Package forwarding is an international shipping service that gives online shoppers a real US warehouse address. You use that address when shopping on any American website. The forwarding company receives your package at their warehouse, and then ships it to your actual home address anywhere in the world.

In practical terms: You shop from any US store as if you live in the United States. The forwarding company receives your order at their facility and re-ships it to you internationally, usually at rates far lower than a retailer would charge for direct international delivery, if they even offered it.

Package Forwarding vs. Mail Forwarding

These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are different services.

Package forwarding refers to forwarding physical parcels, boxes, and bags — the kind of items you order online. Mail forwarding refers to forwarding traditional postal mail: letters, postcards, magazines, and paper correspondence.

If you order sneakers from Nike US, that is a package forwarding job. If you want your US bank statements sent abroad, that is mail forwarding. A package forwarding service cannot substitute for mail forwarding, and vice versa.

What Is Freight Forwarding? (And How Is It Different?)

While researching package forwarding, you will come across a related term: freight forwarding. They are not the same.

Freight forwarding is a logistics service designed for large commercial shipments: pallets, containers, bulk cargo. Businesses use freight forwarders when importing or exporting goods in high volumes via sea, air, or land transport. It involves complex commercial documentation, bills of lading, and customs brokerage at an industrial scale.

Package forwarding is built for individual consumers and small parcels. You are buying a smartphone, a pair of shoes, or a limited-edition item, not a container of goods.

Key distinction: Freight forwarding is business-to-business bulk logistics. Package forwarding is a consumer re-shipping service. If you are an individual shopper, you need a package forwarding service.

How Does Package Forwarding Work?

The process is simpler than most people expect. Here is exactly how it works from sign-up to delivery.

You create a free account with a package forwarding service. Within minutes, you receive a unique US shipping address at their warehouse, for example in Delaware, which charges no state sales tax. This becomes your personal US address for all online shopping.

Step 2: Shop at Any US Retailer

Browse any US online store: Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Target, Nordstrom, Mercari US, Apple, Nike, or any other retailer. At checkout, enter your new US warehouse address as the delivery address. The store ships to it as if you were a local US customer.

Step 3: Your Package Arrives at the Warehouse

Your package arrives at the forwarding company's warehouse. You receive an instant notification by email or WhatsApp, and you can view photos of your actual package in your online dashboard. This is real-time package tracking at work.

Step 4: Choose Your Shipping Options

You log in and see your package waiting. At this point you have several choices: ship it immediately, wait for more packages to arrive so you can consolidate them into one shipment, request repackaging to reduce the box size, or request the personal shopper service for future orders. You also choose from multiple international carrier options: DHL Express, FedEx, USPS, Aramex, or economy services, each with different prices and delivery speeds.

Step 5: Pay for International Shipping

You pay for your chosen shipping method. The forwarding service prepares all necessary customs documentation, shipping labels, and re-packaging. Everything that would normally require expertise in international logistics is handled for you.

Step 6: Delivery to Your Door

Your package is shipped to your home country. Express services typically deliver within 2 to 5 business days. Economy options can take 10 to 21 days but cost significantly less. Delivery is door-to-door to over 220 countries worldwide.

What Is the Personal Shopper Service?

There is one barrier that a US shipping address alone cannot solve: some American stores decline non-US credit cards or require a US billing address to complete checkout.

This is where the personal shopper service (also called an assisted purchase service) comes in. You send the forwarding company a link to the item you want, along with your size, color, and specifications. They purchase it on your behalf using their US payment method, receive it at the warehouse, and forward it to you internationally.

The personal shopper service is especially useful for:

Stores that decline your international credit card
Platforms like Mercari US that require a US billing address
eBay sellers who only ship within the US
Anyone who wants to send a gift from a US retailer to friends or family abroad

Package Consolidation: The Biggest Way to Cut Shipping Costs

Package consolidation is one of the most powerful features of a forwarding service. If you order from Amazon, Walmart, and a clothing store, you receive three separate packages at the warehouse. Without consolidation, you pay three separate international shipping fees.

With consolidation, the warehouse team unpacks all three boxes, combines your items into a single optimally packed box, and ships everything together as one shipment. Because international shipping costs are based on package weight and dimensional weight (volume), combining multiple packages into one well-packed box can reduce your total shipping cost by up to 80%.

Good forwarding services also offer repackaging: they strip out the excess bubble wrap, filler, and oversized boxes that retailers use, which directly reduces the dimensional weight of your shipment and lowers your shipping bill.

Example:

3 separate packages shipped individually: approximately $135
Same items consolidated into 1 box: approximately $65
Saving: around $70, and the more packages you combine, the greater the saving

How to Save Money with Package Forwarding

Use a Delaware or Tax-Free State Address

Delaware has no state sales tax. Delaware, Oregon, New Hampshire, and Montana also charge none. By using a forwarding warehouse in one of these states, you pay 0% US sales tax on your purchases, a saving of 5 to 10% on every order before international shipping even enters the calculation.

Consolidate Multiple Orders

Plan your purchases in batches. Let packages accumulate at the warehouse during the free storage period, then ship everything together in one consolidated box. This is the single biggest lever for reducing your total shipping cost.

Compare Carriers with a Shipping Calculator

Forwardme offers a real-time shipping calculator. Before committing, compare DHL Express, FedEx, USPS, Aramex, and economy options. The price difference between the fastest and slowest option for the same package can be 40 to 60%. If speed is not urgent, economy shipping generates significant savings.

Request Repackaging

Retailers use oversized boxes with heavy filler material. Dimensional weight means a light item in a large box can cost as much to ship as a genuinely heavy one. Repackaging strips out the excess and reduces the billable weight of your shipment.

Benefits of Using a Package Forwarding Service

Access to US retailers that do not ship internationally, including Walmart, Target, Nordstrom, Mercari US, and thousands of others
Up to 80% savings on international shipping costs through consolidation
0% US sales tax when using a Delaware or other tax-free state warehouse address
Multiple carrier options (DHL, FedEx, USPS, Aramex) at bulk-negotiated rates
Personal shopper service for stores requiring a US billing address or US payment method
Real-time tracking and photographic confirmation when your package arrives
Professional repackaging that reduces dimensional weight and protects items in transit
Customs documentation prepared on your behalf
Optional insurance for high-value shipments
Door-to-door delivery to 220+ countries
Ideal for expats, digital nomads, and international shoppers who need consistent access to US retailers

Who Uses Package Forwarding?

Shoppers in Europe, Middle East, Asia or more

If you live in Germany, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or elsewhere in the region, package forwarding solves a very specific problem: the US market has products that simply do not exist locally or cost two to three times more when they reach local retailers.

A sports fan in Istanbul who wants a limited-edition NBA jersey that is not sold on any Turkish site. A tech buyer in Dubai who wants to order from B&H Photo before a product sells out. A parent in Riyadh buying from a US toy brand that has never shipped to Saudi Arabia. These are everyday use cases for forwarding services in the region.

Digital Nomads and Expats

People who live outside their home country often need to receive packages from brands in their home market or access region-specific US retailers. A forwarding service gives them a stable US address regardless of where they are physically located.

Small Business Owners

Businesses that source products from the US for resale or personal use often use forwarding services to consolidate multiple supplier shipments into one international delivery, reducing logistics costs and simplifying customs documentation.

Customs Guide: What to Expect When Your Package Arrives

This is the section most forwarding guides skip over entirely, or treat so briefly that it is not actually useful. Customs is where first-time users feel the most uncertainty, so here is an honest explanation.

How Customs Works

When a package enters your country from abroad, customs authorities assess the declared commercial value of the contents. If the value exceeds your country's de minimis threshold (the duty-free import limit), import duties and taxes are charged before the package is released for delivery.

The forwarding service prepares the customs documentation: commercial invoices, packing lists, and HS codes (Harmonized System product classification codes). Reputable forwarding services handle this automatically.

Customs Rules: How It Works by Country

Every country has its own de minimis threshold — the declared value below which no import duties are charged. Once your package's declared value exceeds that threshold, customs duties and local taxes apply. The exact rates depend on both the destination country and the product category.

Here are a few examples to give you a sense of how different the rules can be:

United Kingdom: The de minimis threshold is £135. Packages above this value are subject to customs duty plus 20% VAT. The duty rate varies by product category.

Germany (and most EU countries): The threshold is €150. Above that, customs duty plus 19% VAT applies. For electronics and luxury goods, duty rates can range from 3% to 12% on top of VAT.

United Arab Emirates: The UAE charges a flat 5% VAT on most imported goods. The de minimis threshold is 300 AED, below which shipments are generally duty-free.

Saudi Arabia: A 15% VAT applies on most imports. Certain product categories carry additional import duties on top of VAT.

India: India has one of the stricter customs regimes for personal imports. The de minimis threshold is only ₹5,000 (roughly $60). Above that, Basic Customs Duty plus IGST (Integrated GST, typically 18%) applies, and electronics are subject to additional levies.

Before placing a large order, always calculate your estimated duty costs.

To calculate the exact duties for your country and product, use a duty calculator before you buy. → Click here to calculate your customs duties

General International Customs Rules

Always declare the accurate commercial value of your goods. Undervaluing packages to avoid customs duties is customs fraud and can result in seizure, fines, or permanent bans from the carrier.
Shipping insurance does not cover customs seizures. Insurance covers loss or damage in transit, not regulatory confiscation.
Customs processing times vary by country and can add 1 to 5 business days to your delivery estimate.

Prohibited and Restricted Items

Generally Prohibited

Standalone lithium batteries not installed in a device (classified as HAZMAT under IATA regulations)
Flammable liquids, aerosols, and pressurised containers
Firearms and ammunition
Controlled substances and narcotics
Perishable food and live animals
Counterfeit or trademark-infringing goods
Items subject to US export controls

Items That Require Special Handling

Electronics with built-in lithium batteries (laptops, smartphones) can be shipped but require specific carrier selection and documentation
Cosmetics and fragrances with high alcohol content are restricted on certain carriers
Oversized items exceeding standard carrier dimension limits
High-value items may require additional insurance documentation

If you are unsure whether an item is shippable, contact the forwarding service before purchasing.

How to Choose the Right Package Forwarding Service

Not all forwarding services are equal. The differences that matter in practice:

Warehouse location. A Delaware address saves you 5 to 10% on US sales tax on every purchase. Check where the warehouse is before signing up.

Personal shopper capability. If you plan to buy from Mercari US, certain eBay sellers, or any store that requires a US billing address, confirm the service offers genuine personal shopper support, not just a US address.

Carrier selection. More carrier options mean more flexibility on cost and speed. Look for services that offer at least DHL, FedEx, and a budget carrier like USPS or Aramex.

Customer service. Check whether support is available via WhatsApp or email, in your time zone, and in a language you are comfortable with. Problems do occasionally happen; when they do, accessible customer service is the difference between a quick resolution and weeks of frustration.

Insurance process. Before you need it, ask specifically how the claims process works. A service that is easy to reach but slow or evasive on claims is not actually offering you protection.

Conclusion

"We do not ship internationally" used to be the end of the conversation. With Forwardme, it is just the beginning.

We give you a real US warehouse address in Delaware, which means you pay 0% US sales tax on every purchase. You shop from any American retailer — Amazon, Walmart, Nike, Mercari US, or anywhere else — and we receive your packages at our facility. When you are ready to ship, we consolidate everything into one box, repack it to reduce dimensional weight, handle all the customs documentation, and send it to your door anywhere in the world.

If a store declines your card or requires a US billing address, our personal shopper team steps in and buys it for you. If you have a question, we are reachable on WhatsApp. If something goes wrong, we are the ones you call — not a faceless logistics chain.

We ship to 200+ countries. We work with DHL, FedEx, USPS, and Aramex so you can choose the right balance of speed and cost for every shipment. And we keep you informed at every step with real-time tracking and photo confirmations when your package arrives.

The math usually works in your favor too. Once you factor in the Delaware tax saving and the consolidation discount, forwarding with us often costs less than what the retailer would have charged for direct international shipping — if they offered it at all.