VLS Asia – International Shipping Terms & Conditions

International Shipping Fees — Legal Clauses

Chargeable Weight Policy: Shipping fees are calculated upon checkout based on either the actual physical weight or the volumetric (dimensional) weight of the package, whichever value is higher.
Packaging Variable: VLS Asia reserves the right to adjust final packaging sizes to secure items safely, which may alter the dimensional weight of the shipment.

Dynamic Surcharges: Base shipping fees that have been requested by the buyer do not cover unexpected carrier surcharges. This includes variable fuel surcharges, remote area delivery fees, or residential delivery premiums enforced by destination couriers.
Address Correction Fees: If a buyer provides an incorrect, incomplete, or invalid international shipping address, any correction fees billed by the courier (~S$15 to S$30 SGD) will be charged directly to the buyer's original payment method.

Unclaimed Packages: If an international package is held at a local courier facility due to a buyer's failure to schedule delivery or respond to notifications, the buyer is liable for any accrued warehouse storage fees.
Abandonment Costs: If a package cannot be delivered and the return shipping costs to Singapore exceed the total value of the goods, VLS Asia will instruct the carrier to abandon and destroy the package. In this scenario, no refund will be issued to the customer.

Billed Currency: All international shipping rates are quoted and finalized in Singapore Dollars (SGD).
Conversion Discrepancies: VLS Asia is not responsible for any differences in international shipping costs resulting from currency exchange fluctuations or foreign transaction fees applied by the buyer's banking institution.

Buyer Liability: The buyer acts as the importer of record and is solely responsible for paying all destination import duties, customs clearance fees, and local taxes (such as VAT or GST).
Payment Separation: All cross-border charges are collected directly by the local customs office or designated courier at the destination country. These fees are not included in the VLS Asia checkout price.
Refusal Penalties: If a customer refuses a package to avoid paying local customs fees, all original shipping costs, return freight fees, and carrier penalties will be deducted from their final product refund. If the return costs exceed the value of the goods, no refund will be issued.

Transit Estimates: All international delivery timeframes listed on our store are rough estimates only and do not constitute legal guarantees.
Customs Delays: VLS Asia is not liable for delivery delays caused by foreign customs inspections, regulatory holds, international border restrictions, or local postal backlogs.
Transfer of Risk: The risk of loss, theft, or product damage transfers entirely to the buyer the exact moment the parcel is handed over to the shipping carrier in Singapore.

Return Shipping Costs: International customers must pay for all return shipping costs, tracking services, and shipping insurance, unless the item is verified to have arrived defective.
Non-Refundable Fees: Original international shipping fees, handling charges, and duties paid at the time of purchase are completely non-refundable.
Order Modifications: Once an international order has been processed or dispatched from our fulfilment warehouse, it cannot be cancelled, redirected, or modified.

Customer Verification: It is the customer's strict legal responsibility to ensure that the items they order can legally enter their destination country.
Seizure Disclaimer: VLS Asia will not be held liable for any replacements, modifications, or refunds if foreign customs authorities seize, destroy, or confiscate items due to local import restrictions.

Singapore Jurisdiction: These terms, conditions, and all international transactions are strictly governed by the Laws of the Republic of Singapore.
Dispute Resolution: Any legal disputes, claims, or actions arising from international shipments will be resolved exclusively within the courts of Singapore.

Use this operational checklist for your backend fulfilment team to ensure every international shipment complies with the terms stated above:

Commercial / Pro Forma Invoice: Ensure every cross-border package includes a detailed commercial invoice to declare accurate values so destination customs can assess taxes properly.
Air Waybill (AWB): Generate an accurate AWB for every shipment detailing sender info, recipient contact numbers, and specific transit instructions.
Data Accuracy Audit: Double-check that item values and HS codes match perfectly. Misleading info or false low values will result in heavy fines, shipment seizure, or returns to Singapore without courier refunds.

Define Responsibility: By default, shipments are processed as Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU/DAP), making the receiver responsible for fees at the door.
Prepaid Option (DDP): If using premium carriers like UPS International or Speedpost, confirm if the customer chose to prepay duties at checkout so fees can be charged to the VLS Asia corporate account upfront.
Refusal Protection: Monitor tracking for abandoned shipments where the receiver refuses to pay duties, as carriers will bill VLS Asia for the return penalties.

Destination Law Check: Verify the destination country's prohibited list before printing shipping labels.
Regulated Materials Handling: Flag orders containing restricted items—such as alcohol, plants, electronics, makeup, or loose lithium batteries—to ensure they carry the necessary safety certificates or MSDS sheets before leaving Singapore.

Right to Inspect Awareness: Pack items assuming customs or carriers will open and inspect the package for safety and security compliance.
Transit Insurance Assessment: For high-value orders, evaluate carrier liability limits and purchase additional third-party transit insurance to offset the risk of loss.
Data Privacy Compliance: Ensure your e-commerce checkout privacy policy states that customer personal data (names, addresses, and phone numbers) will be shared with international customs administrations to clear packages.