Help with International Shipping
Like many other e-commerce websites based in the United States, Umbrella Source is unable to ship directly to addresses outside of the United States. There are several reasons for this, but the main reason is that it is very difficult to calculate the proper shipping charges including the required taxes and duties charged by many countries around the world. Even if we were able to calculate international shipping charges, our rates would be much higher due to the fact that international shipping would be a very small percentage of our shipments. Carriers would not provide us the volume discounts that keep our US-based shipments low.
Shipping Carriers
To assist our international buyers, we have published some research into external services that provide US-based addresses. The providers are called Freight Forwarders because they will forward your US purchases from a central warehouse located in the US to your international location. These companies provide you with a US-based delivery address, which you can use as your shipping address for online purchases at Umbrella Source or any other online store.
Parcel Deliveries
Parcel deliveries are the most common form of delivery from Umbrella Source and include any package that can be shipped by FedEx and UPS. Almost all Freight Forwarders will be able to physically accept parcel packages, inspect them for damages, and sign any necessary paperwork. Many Freight Forwarders will also consolidate multiple parcel packages into a single shipment to your international location. This is called parcel consolidation and it can reduce your shipping costs. If you will be ordering multiple packages, be sure to verify that the company you choose will consolidate your packages.
Postal Deliveries
Postal deliveries are all deliveries made by the US Postal Service (USPS) and include enveloped mail, magazines and small packages. It is possible that Umbrella Source will use the postal service to deliver smaller items, such as samples. Not all Freight Forwarders are able to accept postal deliveries due to the extra paperwork required by the US Postal Service. Any company that will accept postal deliveries will require you to complete a USPS 1583 form before they accept the delivery.
Truck Deliveries (LTL)
Truck deliveries are used for large items that cannot be shipped by parcel carriers (FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc.). These large shipments are loaded into a truck for delivery and may require a forklift or delivery dock to accept the delivery. If you expect that your purchase will require this type of shipping, verify with the Freight Forwarder that they can accept LTL Shipments and properly forward them to your location.
Personal Shoppers
Personal shopper services are sometimes offered by Freight Forwarders to customers that do not have a method of purchasing on a website due to payment problems. Some websites do not accept international credit cards or may not offer payment methods available to international shoppers. While you should have no problems making payments on Umbrella Source, be aware that these services are available. Not all Freight Forwarders will offer this service, and those that do may charge a premium.
Freight Forwarders
Umbrella Source does not recommend any single Freight Forwarder, and we strongly encourage you to carefully research which Freight Forwarder will provide you the best service.
Recommended Step-By-Step Ordering Guide for International Shoppers
- Research, Identify and Sign up with a Freight Forwarder
- Shop for your items on Umbrella Source and add them to your cart.
- Checkout on Umbrella Source
- Enter your international address as your BILLING address
- Enter your new US address as supplied by the Freight Forwarder as your SHIPPING Address.
- Umbrella Source will notify you when your items have shipped to the Freight Forwarder.
- The Freight Forwarder will notify you when your packages arrive.
- Follow the instructions provided by the Freight Forwarders for consolidation and shipments.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us, and a customer service representative will be glad to assist you.