So, You Think You're Ready to Go Global…
I’ll never forget the feeling. It was 2015. I was shipping my first big batch of handcrafted leather bags from my tiny workshop in Dharavi, Mumbai, to a boutique in Brooklyn, New York. I was on top of the world. I had my IEC (Importer-Exporter Code), my packaging was on point, and I thought I had it all figured out. I filled out the paperwork, handed the boxes over to the courier, and waited for the money to roll in. And I waited. And waited.
A week later, I get a terrifying email with the subject line: “Shipment On Hold - US Customs”. My heart sank. The email was a jumble of acronyms and demands: 'Incorrect HS Code,' 'Commercial Invoice Value Mismatch,' 'Insufficient Goods Description.' My beautiful leather bags, my ticket to the global stage, were sitting in a cold, sterile warehouse in JFK airport, held up by a customs officer who probably thought my 'Artisanal Hand-Stitched Totes' were a threat to national security. That single mistake—a mix of ignorance and arrogance on my part—cost me over $1,200 in fines, storage fees, and the cost of having the entire shipment sent back to me. It was a difficult, expensive, and deeply humiliating lesson.
Look, selling to the world from India is one of the most incredible opportunities for an e-commerce entrepreneur right now. The 'Made in India' brand has never been stronger. But here’s the stone-cold truth: the moment your package crosses a border, you are no longer just an e-commerce seller. You are an international exporter. And exporting has rules. Lots of them. Mess them up, and you’re not just dealing with an angry customer; you’re dealing with the customs authorities of a foreign government. And trust me, they don’t care about your 5-star seller rating.
This isn't going to be some dry, boring guide. This is the real, raw, 'I-almost-went-bankrupt-because-of-a-typo' guide to international shipping labels and documents for Indian sellers. We're going to cover the three horsemen of the customs disaster: the HS Code, the Customs Declaration (CN22/23), and the Commercial Invoice. Get these right, and the world is your oyster. Get them wrong, and customs issues await.
The HS Code: The Most Important Number You’ve Never Heard Of
Before we even talk about labels, we have to talk about this. The Harmonized System (HS) Code is everything. It's a universal code used by customs authorities worldwide to classify products. Think of it as an Aadhaar card for your product. This number determines what taxes and duties your customer will have to pay. Get it wrong, and you're in a world of hurt.
Why it’s a major issue: Let's say you're shipping a 100% cotton t-shirt. You lazily look up the code and put down the one for 'knitted apparel'. But your t-shirt is woven. To you, it's a minor detail. To a customs officer, you've just mis-declared your goods. Best case scenario? They correct it and slap your customer with a higher-than-expected bill, who then refuses the package and leaves you a 1-star review. Worst case? They seize your shipment for attempted customs fraud. Seriously.
A 2023 report from the World Customs Organization noted that incorrect HS Code classification is the #1 reason for customs delays globally. It’s a massive, expensive problem.
How to Find the Right HS Code (The Non-Lazy Way):
- Start with the Government: Don't just Google it. Your first stop should always be the official Indian Trade Portal. You can search for your product description on the Indian Trade Portal's HS Code search. This gives you the official Indian export code.
- Check the Destination Country's Code: Here's the pro tip. The HS Code system is standardized for the first 6 digits globally, but countries can add more digits for their own specific classifications. To be 100% safe, check the destination country's government website. For the USA, you'd use the official Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) search. A mismatch between India's export code and the USA's import code can cause flags.
- Be Specific: The more detail, the better. Don't just search 'shoe'. Search 'men's leather ankle boot'. The system is designed around specificity. What is it made of? What is its primary function? Answering these questions will lead you to the right code.
The Customs Declaration (CN22/CN23): The Pink & Green Slips of Truth
If you are using India Post, this is your primary customs document. It's a sticker that you fill out and slap on the front of your package.
- CN22: For packages valued under 300 SDR (Special Drawing Rights - a weird IMF currency, just think of it as roughly ₹25,000 or $300). It’s a small green sticker.
- CN23: For packages valued over 300 SDR. It’s a more detailed form that often goes in a clear plastic pouch on the outside of the box along with your commercial invoice.
The Deadly Mistakes on the CN22/23:
- Vague Descriptions: Writing 'Gift' or 'Apparel' is a giant red flag for customs. It screams 'I'm trying to hide something!' Be specific. Instead of 'Apparel', write '1x Men's Cotton T-Shirt'. Instead of 'Handicraft', write '1x Hand-carved Wooden Elephant Statue'.
- Incorrect Value: It is SO tempting to under-declare the value of your item to try and save your customer a few bucks on import duties. DO NOT DO THIS. Customs agents aren't idiots. They know what a pair of leather shoes is worth. If they suspect you've lied on the value, they can seize the goods, fine you, and potentially ban you from shipping to that country again. It is not worth the risk. Always declare the price the customer actually paid.
- Missing HS Code: The form has a spot for the HS code. Don't leave it blank. It shows you've done your homework.
For the full, mind-numbing details, you can always check out the official India Post Customs Declaration page. Fun, right?
The Commercial Invoice: The Most Important Document of All
If you're using a private courier like DHL, FedEx, or Aramex, they don't use the CN22/23. Instead, they require a Commercial Invoice. This is the official bill of sale for the transaction, and customs uses it to assess duties and taxes. Usually, you need to print three copies: one for your records, one for the courier, and one that goes in a clear plastic pouch on the outside of the box for customs.
Personal Horror Story #2: The Invoice From a Mess (Germany, 2020). During the lockdown chaos, I was shipping a bulk order of printed fabrics to a client in Germany. The DHL portal automatically generated the commercial invoice, and I just printed it without looking. Big mistake. The portal had defaulted the 'Country of Origin' to China for some reason. German customs flagged it immediately. My fabric was made in Jaipur. They held the shipment and demanded proof of origin—certificates from the manufacturer, transaction records, the whole nine yards. It took three weeks of frantic emails and calls to get it cleared. All because I didn't spend 30 seconds to proofread a document. The client was furious. I learned that day: always double-check the auto-generated documents.
What MUST Be on Your Commercial Invoice:
| Field | What it is & Why it Matters |
|---|---|
| Shipper/Exporter Info | That's you. Full name, address, GSTIN (if applicable), and IEC. No mistakes. |
| Consignee Info | Your customer. Full name, address, and phone number. A phone number is critical. |
| Invoice Number & Date | Your internal record-keeping number for this sale. |
| Full Description of Goods | BE SPECIFIC. '1x Women's Hand-Woven Silk Scarf, Blue, 90x90cm'. Not 'Scarf'. |
| Quantity & Unit Value | E.g., Quantity: 2, Unit Value: $25.00, Total Value: $50.00. This must match what the customer paid. |
| HS Code | The 6-10 digit code we talked about. Crucial for calculating duty. |
| Country of Origin | For us, this will almost always be 'India'. This is vital for trade agreements and duties. |
| Incoterms | A fancy word for 'who pays for what'. For most e-commerce, it's 'DAP' (Delivered at Place) or 'DDU' (Delivered Duty Unpaid), which means the customer is responsible for paying import duties. This is the default. Make sure it's on there! |
Most courier portals (MyDHL+, FedEx Electronic Trade Documents) will generate this for you, but you MUST proofread it. Or, you can use a free template, like the ones available on shipping platforms like Easyship or directly on carrier sites.
India Post vs. Private Couriers: The Big Decision
Okay, so who do you actually ship with? For Indian sellers, you have two main paths.
Option 1: India Post (The Slow & Cheap Workhorse)
India Post's Speed Post and Registered Post services are, without a doubt, the cheapest way to ship lightweight items internationally. I'm talking ₹500-₹1500 for a small packet to the US or Europe.
Pros:
- Cheap. Unbelievably cheap for items under 2kg.
- Universal reach. They deliver everywhere.
- The customs process is simpler (using the CN22/23 forms).
Cons:
- Slow. It can take anywhere from 15 to 40 days for a package to reach the US. You MUST be transparent about this with your customers.
- Tracking is mediocre at best. Once it leaves India, the tracking often stops until it's out for final delivery by the local postal service (like USPS in the US).
- It's a very manual process at the post office.
My take: Perfect for Etsy sellers or businesses selling low-cost, lightweight items where customers are willing to wait. For a step-by-step guide on how to prepare your package for them, this guide from a fellow Indian exporter is fantastic: Shiprocket's India Post Guide.
Option 2: Private Couriers - DHL, FedEx, etc. (The Fast & Expensive Pros)
These guys are the big guns. They are fast, reliable, and professional. But they are not cheap.
Pros:
- Fast. We're talking 5-7 business days to major cities in the US and Europe.
- Excellent Tracking. You get detailed, end-to-end tracking that you and your customer can rely on.
- Professional process. They handle all the customs brokerage. Their online portals make generating the commercial invoice and shipping label relatively easy.
Cons:
- Expensive. That same small packet that cost ₹1000 with India Post could easily be ₹3000-₹5000 with DHL. You need to have the margins to support this.
My take: This is for businesses selling higher-value items where speed and reliability are part of the brand promise. If you’re selling on Amazon Global Selling or your own Shopify store to US customers, you almost have to use a private courier to meet customer expectations. Using a shipping aggregator can often get you better rates than going direct.
The Final, God's-Honest-Truth Checklist for Not Screwing Up
Print this. Tape it to your wall. Read it before every single international shipment.
- Check the Address. Does it look right? Is there a phone number?
- Find the Correct HS Code. Use the government portals. Don't guess.
- Fill Out the Paperwork Completely. Don't leave fields blank on your CN22 or Commercial Invoice.
- Be Honest About the Value. The real value. Don't be a hero.
- Use a Specific Goods Description. '1x Men's Leather Wallet, Brown' not 'Wallet'.
- Print Clearly. Use a good printer. No 'draft' mode. A thermal printer is best. If you can’t afford one, print your labels at 100% scale using a free tool like the one on SmartLabelPrint.
- Triple-Check Your Paperwork. Did the courier portal auto-fill something weird? Read it before you print it.
- Package for a long journey. Your box is going on a long, intense journey. Use a good box, good tape, and plenty of padding.
International shipping from India feels like a final boss for a lot of sellers. It's intimidating, the stakes are high, and the rules are confusing. But it's not black magic. It's a process. And like any process, it can be learned, systemized, and mastered. The sellers who take the time to learn these rules are the ones who successfully scale their businesses from local heroes to global brands. It takes a little more effort upfront, but the reward—access to the biggest consumer markets on the planet—is more than worth it.