How to Send a Parcel from the UK to the USA

The USA market is often seen as a natural progression for successful UK eCommerce brands looking to expand. Not only is it the biggest economy in the world, but the UK and the USA share a language, culture, and history. Oh, and there’s also the 820,000 British consumers who live in the United States, too.

Unfortunately, shipping to the USA is not as easy as turning up at the post office with your packages — at least not if you want to send them at scale. But if you want to expand your eCommerce business to the largest economy in the world, we’re here to help. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about sending a parcel from the UK to the USA, from formatting addresses to choosing a courier. Let’s get started.

Shipping to the USA: An Overview

There’s certainly no shortage of options when it comes to sending eCommerce packages to the USA. There are multiple carriers and shipping methods you can use — and that’s before you’ve even considered delivery preferences like PUDO or express delivery.

To make your USA shipping strategy a success, there are a few things you need to get right. These include:

• Calculating accurate delivery times
• Choosing couriers with a wide range of delivery options
• Overcoming USA Customs
• Understanding USA public holidays
• Automating the process as much as possible

We’ll cover all of these topics in the rest of the article, before showing how you can use Pro Carrier to handle everything.

Sending a Parcel to the USA May Not Take As Long As You Think

A common misconception is that unless you have warehouse facilities across the pond, transit times to the USA will usually be slow. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Your brand may actually be able to benefit from next-day delivery or five-to-eight business day delivery, depending on what you ship and where you ship from.

There are a variety of factors that contribute to calculating transit times, as well as the chance of unexpected delays such as pesky customs holds. Fortunately, working with an experienced eCommerce expert like Pro Carrier can help.

Last Peak Season, Pro Carrier had 0.12% customs holds in total, meaning that not only did we deliver on time, but in some cases, we even beat our transit time offerings. Pro Carrier look to break the stereotype of slow shipping to the USA and we will always offer premium service quality and fast transit times.

What Courier Services Are Available in the USA?

Since the USA has such a large and established e-commerce market, there are several couriers to choose from when shipping from the UK. At Pro Carrier, we work with the best carrier suitable for the eCommerce methods and needs specific to the USA.

USA Customs: What Do You Need to Know?

If you want to get packages to consumers in the USA as fast as possible, the last thing you want is a delay at customs. Including all the right documents and getting your paperwork in order before shipping is vital if you want to send parcels across the Atlantic.

Because you will presumably be shipping goods valued less than $800 in each package, you will only need to complete a few documents, including:

• A Commercial Invoice
• An Airway Bill (AWB)
• A Customs Declaration (CN22 or CN23)

A commercial invoice is a type of customs declaration that acts as a contract of sale between the buyer and the supplier. The commercial invoice will need to detail the type, quantity and value of goods, as well as your business address, contact details and tax number. USA customs officials will use this document to determine what duties and taxes (if any) need to be applied.

An airway bill is required when goods are sent via an international courier. This is similar to a commercial invoice and contains information about the buyer (who they are and where they live) the products, and your company.

Finally, CN22 and CN23 are declarations that all UK companies must make when sending goods abroad. If your package is worth less than £270 you’ll need a CN22. If it’s worth more, you’ll need a CN23.

How to Format an American Address

When shipping parcels to the USA, it’s important to format the address correctly. While USA addresses will look similar to UK addresses, there are a couple of subtle differences.

Lines one and two will be the same as a UK address, containing the name and street address. However, on the third line, you must write the city, state and postal code. Unlike UK addresses, the postal code will not be on a separate line. Furthermore, the city or town name does not have to be capitalised.

Finally, since the parcel will be shipping overseas, you must write USA or United States on the fourth line.

Here’s an example:

John Doe

495 Grove Street NW

New York, NY 10014

United States

Public Holidays to Note in the USA

There are several public holidays in the USA that may affect business hours. Look below to find a list of all major federal holidays:

• New Year’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• President’s Day
• Juneteenth National Independence Day
• Columbus Day
• Veterans Day

Does Brexit Affect UK to USA Shipping?

Ever since the UK withdrew from the EU in 2020, there have been disturbances in shipping processes and services. However, since Brexit only affects shipping between the UK and the European Union, shipping to the USA won’t be a problem; you won’t encounter any issues related to Brexit.

How Can You Track Your American Parcel Delivery?

While you can typically track your parcel through whatever courier service you choose, the easiest way to track your shipments will be with Pro Carrier.

When you use our service, customers can track their parcel simply by heading to our tracking portal and entering their tracking number. From there, they can monitor their order’s progress and access a dashboard with detailed reports.

Customers who order from your site will also receive multiple updates about their order status.

Ship to the USA with Pro Carrier

If you’re looking to improve your current eCommerce operation or expand your business to the USA market, Pro Carrier can help you do just that.

With Pro Carrier, you can manage and monitor deliveries and edit orders. This can be done from a single dashboard, making it easy to use. Through your own bespoke customer portal, you can receive real-time visibility into your logistical operations and have full transparency over delays, carrier schedules, and a plethora of data to help you optimise your eCommerce processes when shipping to the USA.

If you want to learn more about shipping to the USA with Pro Carrier, speak to an expert today.