The International Shopping Guide
How to buy clothes from another country: size conversions, import duty and VAT by country, return rights, sale dates and safe-payment tips.
Last reviewed: 26 September 2026. Every tax and legal figure links to the official page it came from.
Before you buy clothes from a shop in another country, check three things: your size in that shop’s sizing system, whether import duty and VAT, GST or sales tax are included in the price or charged when the parcel arrives, and what the shop’s return policy says. The customs rules changed in 2025 and 2026 in the United States and the European Union, so check the official pages linked here before relying on any figure.
Key points
- Sizes: UK, US and EU numbers differ for the same garment. Use a converter, then check the shop’s own size chart.
- United States: the $800 duty-free “de minimis” allowance has been suspended for parcels from all countries since 29 August 2025. Duties and fees are now due on low-value parcels.
- European Union: VAT is due on every import, whatever the value. Since 1 July 2026 a temporary €3 customs duty per item applies to low-value parcels.
- United Kingdom: on goods of £135 or less that you buy yourself, the seller should include VAT in the price. Above £135, the delivery company collects VAT (and any duty) from you.
- Returns: the EU and UK give 14 days to cancel most online orders. The US, Canada and Australia generally leave change-of-mind returns to the shop’s own policy.
Size systems by country
The same garment can carry very different numbers depending on the country: a women’s UK 10 is a US 6 and an EU (German) 38, and a men’s US 9 shoe is a UK 8 and an EU 42.5. Convert with the tools below, then check the shop’s own chart, because brands vary.
| Region | Women’s clothing | Men’s clothing | Shoes | Convert with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Even numbers (4, 6, 8…) | Chest and waist in inches; shirts by neck in inches | UK sizes (a men’s UK 8 = US 9) | Dress sizes, men’s clothing |
| US | UK size minus 4 (UK 10 = US 6) | Same inch numbers as the UK for chest, waist and neck | US sizes; men’s and women’s scales differ | Shoe sizes |
| Germany, Netherlands, Scandinavia | UK + 28 (UK 10 = 38) | Jackets: chest in inches + 10 (40 = EU 50) | EU sizes, e.g. 42.5 | Dress, shoe |
| France, Spain | UK + 30 (UK 10 = 40) | As EU | EU | Dress sizes |
| Italy | UK + 32 (UK 10 = 42) | As EU (jackets UK + 10) | EU | Dress sizes |
| Australia | Same numbers as the UK | Mostly inch or letter sizes | Often UK- or US-based; check the brand | Dress sizes |
| Japan | Odd numbers (UK 10 ≈ 9) | Letter sizes; check the brand’s chart | Foot length in cm | Shoe sizes (cm column) |
| Jeans | US 0–16 or waist in inches | Waist × leg in inches; EU ≈ waist + 16 | — | Jeans & trousers |
| Shirts | — | Neck in inches (UK/US) or cm (EU collar) | — | Shirt & neck sizes |
| Hats | US 7⅛ = UK 7 = 57 cm | — | Hat sizes | |
| Rings | US numbers, UK/AU letters, EU = inner circumference in mm | — | Ring sizes | |
| Belts, watches, bags | Belts by waist, watch cases by wrist, bags in litres | — | Belt, watch, backpack | |
Tip: measuring beats guessing. Measure chest, waist, hips, foot and head in centimetres, then match the measurements, not the size number.
Import duties and taxes when buying clothes from abroad
Rules change. Several of these rules changed in 2025–2026 and more changes are scheduled. Each row links to the official page and gives the date we checked it. This is general information, not tax advice.
Whether you pay extra depends on the country you live in, the value of the parcel and whether the shop collected the tax at checkout. In the EU, VAT is due on every import. In the UK, the seller should add VAT on goods of £135 or less. In the US, duty-free treatment for parcels of $800 or less has been suspended since August 2025.
Duty (customs duty, tariff) is a tax on imports that depends on the product and where it was made. VAT, GST or sales tax is the same consumption tax you would pay on goods bought at home. Many carriers also charge a handling or clearance fee for collecting these taxes; that fee is the carrier’s, not the government’s.
United States
- No duty-free threshold for most parcels. The $800 de minimis allowance was suspended for all countries from 29 August 2025 (Executive Order 14324), continued on 20 February 2026 (E.O. 14388) and made an indefinite suspension by CBP from 24 June 2026, for postal and non-postal parcels alike.
- A 2025 law (Pub. L. 119-21, s. 70531) ends the de minimis exemption by statute from 1 July 2027.
- Bona fide gifts of $100 or less sent by a person abroad, and travellers’ personal items, are still exempt.
- There is no national VAT. Duties, taxes and fees depend on the product’s classification, country of origin and value; the carrier or the seller’s customs agent usually collects them. How individual states apply sales tax to foreign online sellers: not verified.
- On 20 February 2026 the Supreme Court held that IEEPA does not authorise the President to impose tariffs, and E.O. 14389 ended those duties. Other tariffs can still apply, so the rate depends on the product and where it was made.
Sources: CBP rule 2026-12670, Federal Register · CBP e-commerce FAQs. Checked 26 Sep 2026.
United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- £135 or less, bought by you: the seller includes VAT in the price at checkout; nothing is collected on delivery.
- Over £135: you pay VAT to the delivery company before delivery or when you collect. Customs duty may also apply, depending on the product and where it was made.
- Gifts: no VAT up to £39.
- Standard VAT is 20%; children’s clothes are zero-rated.
- The delivery company sends a bill and normally holds the parcel for about 3 weeks.
- Coming change: the £135 customs-duty relief for low-value imports will be removed by October 2028 (announced 23 June 2026). Northern Ireland rules differ and are not covered here.
Sources: GOV.UK, goods sent from abroad · GOV.UK, VAT rates · GOV.UK, 23 Jun 2026 announcement. Checked 26 Sep 2026.
European Union
- VAT has no threshold. The €22 exemption was abolished on 1 July 2021, so every imported item carries VAT at the rate of your member state.
- Up to €150: either the seller charges VAT at checkout through the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS), or you pay it to the postal operator, courier or customs agent that clears the parcel.
- Customs duty: the €150 duty exemption ended on 30 June 2026. From 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2028 a temporary €3 duty per item applies to parcels up to €150 sold at a distance. “Per item” means per tariff category, not per piece: five T-shirts count as one item (€3); a T-shirt and a watch count as two (€6).
- The €3 duty is charged to the seller or importer that declares the goods, not directly to you, though it may be built into prices.
- A separate EU handling fee has been proposed; its amount and start date are still to be decided.
Sources: European Commission, temporary flat fee (8 Jun 2026) · European Commission, low-value consignments. Checked 26 Sep 2026.
Canada, Australia and the Gulf
| Country | Threshold | Tax at import | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Courier from the US or Mexico: duty and tax free up to C$40; C$40–150 duty free but taxes apply. Mail, and goods from all other countries: duty and taxes above C$20. Gifts by mail: free up to C$60. | GST plus provincial PST, or HST, assessed at import. | Courier and broker fees are separate from duties and taxes. A parcel from Pakistan or the UK falls under the C$20 rule. CBSA, checked 26 Sep 2026. |
| Australia | Up to A$1,000: generally no duty or charges at the border. | Registered overseas sellers charge 10% GST at checkout. Over A$1,000 you pay duty, taxes and a processing charge at the border. | Duty is not refunded if you return goods because you changed your mind. Australian Border Force, checked 26 Sep 2026. |
| United Arab Emirates | Not verified. Press reports say Dubai raised its e-commerce exemption to AED 1,000 in August 2026; we could not confirm it on an official page. | VAT 5%. | Dubai Customs lists general duty as 5% of the value including insurance and freight. Dubai Customs, UAE Ministry of Finance, checked 26 Sep 2026. |
| Saudi Arabia | Not verified. The official page for online-store customers no longer loads. | VAT 15% on all imports, even when the goods are exempt from customs duty. | ZATCA VAT guideline (May 2026), checked 26 Sep 2026. |
| Pakistan | Not verified. We found no current official page giving a threshold for personal online imports. | Not verified. | Buying from a shop inside Pakistan involves no import. |
Who pays: the buyer or the seller?
The shop’s terms decide. Duties paid (“DDP” or a “landed price”) means the shop collected everything at checkout and nothing is due on delivery. Duties unpaid (“DAP” or “DDU”) means the carrier bills you before handing over the parcel. Look for the phrase on the shop’s shipping page before you pay; if it isn’t there, ask.
Your return rights when you buy online
In the EU and the UK you can usually cancel an online order within 14 days of receiving it, without giving a reason. In the US, Canada and Australia there is generally no legal right to return something just because you changed your mind: the shop’s own policy decides. Faulty goods are treated differently everywhere.
| Where you live | Change-of-mind right | Key details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | Yes, 14 days from delivery | The trader must refund within 14 days of your notice. You pay return postage unless the seller offered to or didn’t tell you beforehand. If you were never told about the right, it extends to 12 months. Custom-made and perishable goods are exceptions. | Your Europe |
| United Kingdom | Yes, 14 days from delivery | If the trader did not give the cancellation information, the period extends by up to 12 months. | Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 |
| United States | No general federal right; the shop’s policy decides | The seller must ship within the time it stated, or 30 days if it stated none, or offer you a full refund. You can dispute a credit-card charge for goods not delivered as agreed; your letter must reach the card issuer within 60 days of the first bill showing it. State return rules: not verified. | FTC |
| Australia | No, but a shop that offers a change-of-mind policy must honour it | A major problem entitles you to a refund or replacement; a minor one to a free repair. Overseas shops selling to Australians must follow Australian Consumer Law. | ACCC |
| Canada | No federal right unless goods are defective | Contract law is provincial. In Ontario, remotely ordered goods must arrive within 30 days of the promised date or you can ask for a refund. | Office of Consumer Affairs |
All checked 26 Sep 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Before you buy, look on the shop’s returns page for: how many days you have, whether they start at delivery or dispatch, who pays return postage from your country, whether duties you paid are refunded, and how refunds are issued.
Big shopping dates worldwide
Most big sale days follow a fixed date or a simple rule. Black Friday is the day after US Thanksgiving, Singles’ Day is 11 November and Boxing Day is 26 December. Religious festival sales follow lunar calendars, so their dates move every year.
| Event | When | How the date is set |
|---|---|---|
| Black Friday | 27 Nov 2026, 26 Nov 2027 | The day after US Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday in November (OPM) |
| Cyber Monday | 30 Nov 2026, 29 Nov 2027 | The Monday after Thanksgiving (retail convention) |
| Singles’ Day (11.11) | 11 November | Fixed date, popularised by Asian marketplaces |
| 12.12 | 12 December | Fixed date on Asian marketplaces |
| Boxing Day | 26 December; the UK bank holiday is 28 Dec in 2026 and 2027 | Fixed date; retailers set their own sale dates (GOV.UK) |
| Ramadan and Eid sales | About 11 days earlier each year | Islamic lunar calendar; the exact days depend on moon sighting and can differ by country |
| Diwali | October or November | Hindu lunisolar calendar |
| France: soldes | Winter: from the 2nd Wednesday of January (1st if the 2nd falls after the 12th). Summer: from the last Wednesday of June (a week earlier if after the 28th). Four weeks each. | Set by law (arrêté of 27 May 2019) |
| UK and other EU sales | Usually after Christmas and in early summer | UK retailers choose their own dates; other EU rules not verified |
Tip: a sale abroad does not change the duty or tax rules; it only lowers the value they are calculated on. In the UK, a price cut that takes an order under £135 moves it into the “seller charges VAT at checkout” group.
Currency and payment tips
When a foreign shop or card terminal offers to charge you in your own currency, that is dynamic currency conversion (DCC), and its exchange rate is set by the merchant’s provider, not your bank. Compare it with paying in the shop’s currency and letting your card convert, and check your card’s foreign-transaction fee, which can apply even when you pay in your own currency.
- DCC in the EU: before you pay, the provider must show its mark-up over the European Central Bank reference rate, show the amount in both currencies, and tell you that you can pay in the shop’s currency instead (Regulation (EU) 2021/1230, Art. 4).
- Foreign-transaction fees are set by your card issuer. For US credit cards, a purchase “with a foreign merchant” can carry the fee even when you pay in dollars, so paying a shop abroad in USD does not by itself avoid it (CFPB, Regulation Z).
- Converted prices are a guide. Your statement depends on the currency the shop actually charges in, your card’s rate on the day and any bank fee. Check the checkout page for the charge currency and keep your confirmation.
- Card beats bank transfer. A credit card gives you a dispute route if goods don’t arrive or aren’t as agreed. Bank transfers to an unknown overseas seller are much harder to recover.
Delivery times and tracking basics
International delivery time depends on the service (postal or express courier), customs clearance at both ends and the last-mile carrier in your country. A parcel “stuck in customs” is usually waiting for duties or taxes to be paid, for missing paperwork, or for an inspection.
- Label created. The shop has a tracking number; the carrier may not have the parcel yet.
- Accepted, in transit. The carrier has it and it is moving towards export.
- Export and international transit.
- Import customs clearance. Duties and taxes are assessed here.
- Handed to the local carrier. Some parcels get a new tracking number from your national post at this point, so check both.
- Out for delivery or ready to collect.
If a parcel stalls in customs, look for a payment request from the carrier, check that your name, address and phone number are complete, and only pay through the carrier’s official website or app: scam texts asking for a small “customs fee” copy carrier branding. If nothing moves for longer than the seller’s stated window, contact the seller, who holds the contract with the carrier.
Buying safely from overseas shops: a checklist
Before paying a shop in another country, check that it shows who runs it and how to reach them, that its prices say whether duties are included, that its returns page names a window and who pays postage, and that you are paying by a method with a dispute process.
- Real contact details: a phone number, a physical address and a business registration number.
- A named business on the About page, not just job titles.
- A shipping page naming your country, with cost, time and whether duties are included.
- A returns page with the number of days, who pays return postage and how refunds are paid.
- A size chart in your system, or measurements in cm or inches.
- A secure checkout on an
https://address, through a recognised card gateway or wallet. - Pay by credit card or a protected wallet, not bank transfer, gift cards or crypto.
- Prices that make sense. Famous-brand goods at a fraction of the usual price are a counterfeit warning sign, and counterfeits can be seized at the border.
- Check the currency at the final checkout step and decline DCC unless it is cheaper.
- Screenshot the order, the price, the shipping terms and the returns policy on the day you buy.
- Keep your tracking number, and only pay customs charges through the carrier’s official site.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay customs on clothes bought from another country?
Often, yes. It depends on where you live and the parcel’s value. In the EU, VAT is due on every import and a €3-per-item duty applies to parcels up to €150 from 1 July 2026. In the UK, VAT is charged at checkout up to £135 and by the delivery company above it. In the US, the $800 duty-free allowance has been suspended since August 2025. Canada charges duty and tax above C$20 (C$40 or C$150 for couriers from the US and Mexico). Australia has no border charges up to A$1,000, but GST is added at checkout.
Who pays customs fees, the buyer or the seller?
The shop’s terms decide. If the shop sells “duties paid” (DDP), it has collected everything at checkout. If not, the carrier charges you before delivery, often with a handling fee on top. In the EU, the new €3 duty is normally charged to the seller or importer that declares the goods.
Do I have to pay duty on a gift?
Gift allowances are small, and a shop order is not a gift. In the US, gifts of $100 or less sent by a person abroad are exempt; the UK charges VAT on gifts over £39; Canada lets gifts by mail up to C$60 in free. Goods you buy from a shop and have posted to someone are not a gift for customs purposes, even with a gift note.
Why is my package stuck in customs?
Usually because duties or taxes are waiting to be paid, the paperwork is incomplete (a missing description, value or phone number), or the parcel was picked for inspection. Check the carrier’s official app or website for a payment request and don’t pay through links in unexpected texts.
How long does international shipping take?
It depends on the service: express couriers are usually faster than postal services, and customs clearance at both ends plus the handover to your local carrier add time. The seller’s shipping page should give its own estimate.
Should I pay in the local currency or my own currency?
Compare both. Paying in your own currency at a foreign checkout is dynamic currency conversion, and the rate is set by the merchant’s provider. Paying in the shop’s currency lets your card issuer convert at the rate and fee in your card terms. US cardholders may pay a foreign-transaction fee even when paying a foreign shop in dollars.
How do I know if a website is legit to buy from?
Look for a named business with a phone number, a physical address and a registration number, clear shipping and returns pages, a secure https checkout, believable prices and a payment method with a dispute process. The checklist above covers the rest.
How can I avoid customs fees?
You can’t legally avoid taxes that are due, but you can avoid surprises: choose shops that include duties and taxes at checkout (DDP, IOSS in the EU, VAT at checkout in the UK and Australia) and check your country’s threshold above. Never ask a seller to under-declare a value or mark a purchase as a gift; that is customs fraud and the parcel can be seized.
Official sources, all checked 26 September 2026: U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Federal Register; GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk; European Commission (DG TAXUD), Your Europe and EUR-Lex; Légifrance; Canada Border Services Agency and the Office of Consumer Affairs; Government of Ontario; Australian Border Force and the ACCC; Dubai Customs and the UAE Ministry of Finance; ZATCA; the FTC, CFPB and U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Items marked not verified could not be confirmed on an official page and should not be relied on. We review this guide every three months and on the known change dates: 1 July 2027 (US), 1 July 2028 (EU) and October 2028 (UK).