In international shipments, situations may occasionally arise where the recipient refuses the shipment, disputes the payment, or fails to pay customs duties. In such cases, the sender is ultimately responsible for any customs duties, return shipping costs, and other additional fees associated with the shipment.
This practice is directly related to the DAP (Delivered At Place) delivery term, which is frequently used in international trade.
Under DAP terms, the seller—that is, the shipper—is responsible for delivering the goods to the specified address in the buyer’s country. However, customs duties, import charges, and tax obligations are the responsibility of the buyer.
If the recipient refuses to pay these charges, the shipping company (such as FedEx) may pass the amounts in question on to the sender. For this reason, it is extremely important to contact the recipient before shipping and reach an agreement regarding customs obligations.