Shipping: Let's Get Started

Correctly setting domestic and international shipping prices is one of the most important things you can do to increase your chances of selling on Artfinder.

Read our quick and easy step by step guide to setting up your shipping, and soon you'll be selling your work everywhere.

Section 1:

Setting up a shipping profile (part 1)

1. Take the following steps to get to your Shipping Profiles: Dashboard Icon > Settings > Shipping Prices
2. Click... 
3. Give your shipping profile a name (e.g. Small Canvas). We will explain the significance of names in Section 2 of this document
4. State how many artworks can be shipped together for the same price - if you're not sure, read this Combined Shipping article
   1. Remember: You can always issue a refund, so overestimate if you're in doubt (but not by too much as that can put customers off)
5. Hit 'SAVE' and pat yourself on the back, you've made a start!

Setting up a shipping profile (part 2)

1. Set a price to charge for Domestic shipping
   1. If you are unsure what sort of price to set, read this article, which suggests some couriers that offer quotes - What Courier should I Use?
2. Feel free to add some more destinations by clicking the '+ Add another destination' button
   1. The most popular destinations are UK, United States (nested under North America) and Europe - or you can even select Anywhere in the World if you want to cover all your bases! (risks to this selection will be covered in Section 3)
   2. You will be able to add locations anytime you want and will be able to gauge interest via the Dashboard tab
3. So far, your Shipping Profile might look something like this:

Section 2:

The Importance of Naming your Profile

You can set up more than one shipping profile on your account, in fact, we strongly recommend it! This is useful if you are selling different types of artworks which vary in shipping costs. You can set up one profile for prints, for example, and another for bronze statues.

Choose a simple and memorable name for each profile, for example ‘Print Shipping Rates’ or ‘Painting Shipping Rates’ (or even 'Small', 'Medium' and 'Large'). You will then be able to select which profile to apply to each individual artwork.

Section 3:

Duties and Taxes - Requirement for Inter-Continental Shipping

All international shipments may be subject to additional import taxes and customs duties upon arrival to the destination country which will need to be paid upfront by the receiver in order to have the shipment released from customs and delivered.

We encourage our artists to, where possible, ship their pieces Delivery Duty Paid, and allocate additional funds for this in their Shipping Prices.

In cases where a package has not been sent with Delivery Duties Paid, any charges are liable to be paid by the importer of record (in this case, the customer). Customers may get upset when their artwork reaches customs in their country and they receive a letter asking them to pay additional fees. If your artwork is shipped without 'Duty Delivery Paid', one of two things can happen: your customer pays the fee when they pick up their artwork, or the customer will not pay the fee, and the artwork is returned to sender (possible at an additional fee for the return delivery). 

Filling in the paperwork necessary for international shipments may seem daunting at first, but stick to the following best practice guidelines when dispatching your artwork. If you are unsure of how to fulfil any of these requirements, get in touch with your preferred courier to clarify.

Do

• Send your artwork 'Delivery Duty Paid'. Any duties and taxes due on arrival will be billed back to your own account. You can research the duty and tax your artworks will be liable for on a country by country basis, as this can vary considerably. The charge will most likely be a percentage of the value of the contents. (Note that shipments between all EU countries are Duty Free and are also Duty Free into the USA on artworks up to $800.) This will ensure that your artwork will pass swiftly through customs and no hidden costs for your customers. 
• Make sure you have labelled your package correctly as an 'Original Artwork' and applied the correct harmonised commodity code (in the case of artworks being shipped to the UK from outside the EU, this will be 9701.10.0000 for the majority of works sold on Artfinder).
• Attach any relevant labels, commercial invoice, or further documentation, so that it is clearly visible on the outside of your package.
• Use a traceable method of shipment with a delivery date guarantee. This will enable you to track any delays in the arrival of your package, and make any follow-up enquiries easier to facilitate with your courier.

Don't

• Mis-categorise your artwork or under-declare the value of goods in the hope of reducing duty. This can lead to penalties far outweighing any potential gain, as well as extended delays in the receipt of the shipment by your customer.