Shipping to the United States — Duties included, no surprises
From our little workshop in Stamford to your home across the Atlantic: thank you. The rules for small international parcels to the United States have changed, and I want to keep everything beautiful and simple for you.
At Prenoa we now offer DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) options for US customers so you pay one single price at checkout and receive your parcel with no surprise customs fees on delivery. Below I explain what that shipping price includes, why these charges exist, and how our three tidy postage tiers work — with worked examples so you can buy confidently.
Why this change matters (briefly)
The US Government has altered the de-minimis treatment for low-value imports. The aim is to reduce illicit activity and collect duties more consistently, but the change also affects small, independent makers and their customers. Rather than let that create confusion at the door, Prenoa pays the customs process on your behalf when you buy — and the shipping price shows the full cost up front.
What your postage price now includes
When you select a DDP shipping option at checkout the shipping charge covers:
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Customs duty (tariff). A percentage applied to the declared value when the parcel enters the USA. Many of Prenoa’s base-metal finished pieces are commonly classified under codes that attract roughly 11%; pieces made of or clad with precious metal often attract a lower percentage (commonly ≈5%). We classify each piece carefully and price it accordingly.
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The UK → US levy (10%). This additional ad-valorem charge is part of the new import regime and is applied on the declared value. We include it in the DDP sum so it does not surprise you on delivery.
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Royal Mail handling / clearance fee (£0.50). This is the per-parcel charge for customs processing under Royal Mail’s PDDP service.
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Postage & packaging. The actual cost of sending the parcel from the UK (most Prenoa parcels weigh roughly the same; we use flat postage bands for simplicity).
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Platform & processing fee gross-up. Because marketplaces and payment processors take a percentage of the order total, we slightly gross up the DDP portion so the shipping line truly covers the duties and handling. This keeps the checkout honest — what you pay covers what we must pay to deliver your piece duty-paid.
In short: choose DDP and you’ll pay one clear price at checkout; we’ll take care of the customs clearance so you won’t see a further charge on delivery.
How we calculate it (simply)
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We start with the declared item price (the piece cost).
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We apply the item’s customs duty % (either the lower 5% band for jewellery chiefly of precious metal or the more conservative 11% band for base-metal/imitation pieces).
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We add the 10% UK→US levy and the £0.50 Royal Mail handling.
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We add the postage we pay to send the parcel.
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Because Etsy and payment processors charge percentages on the full order, we gross up the duty + levy + handling portion so that the shipping line actually covers those costs after platform fees. We also smooth in the small expected cost from Etsy’s off-site ads so shipping remains fair over a year of orders.
Tiered postage — straightforward choices at checkout
Most Prenoa parcels fall into a similar weight band, so we’ve created three value-based postage tiers. Below are the rounded shipping amounts we currently charge, shown in two helpful scenarios:
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Optimistic = item qualifies as precious-metal/clad jewellery (≈ 5% duty).
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Conservative = item classifies as base-metal/imitation jewellery (≈ 11% duty).
All examples include the 10% UK→US levy, the £0.50 Royal Mail handling, the postage we pay (£16 standard small parcel) and the platform gross-up using our live ad/fee data.
| Tier | Typical item price (GBP) | Shipping charged — optimistic (≈5% duty) | Shipping charged — conservative (≈11% duty) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | £35 — £50 | £22.80 → £25.40 (example range) | £25.20 → £28.80 (covers up to £50) |
| Mid | £70 — £120 | £29.70 → £37.40 | £34.85 → £45.65 |
| High | £150 — £220 | £46.85 → £54.55 | £58.85 → £69.65 |
The small ranges show representative examples across the band. Each listing shows the exact DDP postage for that item so the price you see at checkout is precise. Figures are estimated and may be different to what is actually paid as the market costs rise or fall.
Worked example — one tidy calculation
A £100 necklace, DDP (for example):
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Customs duty (optimistic 5%): £5.00 OR conservative 11%: £11.00
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UK→US levy (10%): £10.00
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Royal Mail handling: £0.50
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Postage we pay: £16.00
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Platform & processing fees are grossed into the shipping charge (so the DDP amount isn’t eroded by marketplace fees).
Estimated shipping you would see at checkout for a £100 item (example figures only):
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Optimistic (5% duty): ≈ £34.00.
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Conservative (11% duty): ≈ £40.85.
That single shipping figure is all you will pay for import clearance — no additional customs charge at delivery.
FAQ — the practical bits
Q: What is DDP?
A: DDP means Delivered Duty Paid. Prenoa pays all known duties and conducts customs clearance using Royal Mail for DDP parcels; you pay a single shipping price at checkout and the parcel arrives without further charges.
Q: Will all items have DDP shipping?
A: For now, yes. This may alter if we change provider or legislation changes. We will always keep our customers informed at every change.
Q: Why is there a 10% UK→US levy?
A: It forms part of the new US import regime and is applied as an ad-valorem charge on declared value; Prenoa includes it in the DDP shipping so you won’t be surprised at delivery.
Q: If an item shows the conservative shipping price, does that mean you are overcharging?
A: No. When classification is uncertain (ie how customs may interpret the items classification) we use the conservative band so that if customs decide the higher duty applies, you won't be charged on delivery. Where we can demonstrate a piece qualifies for the lower duty (e.g. via supplier invoices or hallmarking), we use the lower band.
Q: What if I’m buying multiple items?
A: Please message for a bespoke DDP quote on multi-item orders — I’ll happily calculate whether a combined shipping price is more economical.
Q: Can I still pay duties on delivery?
A: Not currently. We recommend DDP to avoid delays or refused delivery.
From our Founder...
"We know that shipping to the United States from the UK has become more costly under the new rules, and we want to meet that reality with honesty and heart. Since 2011 Prenoa has loved sending our little heirlooms across the sea, and it matters to us that our US customers can still find and gift these timeworn treasures.
To protect that connection we set clear, transparent postage prices that cover duties, levies and handling so there are no nasty surprises or customs hold-ups — and so Prenoa can continue to trade fairly and sustainably.
We remain resolutely committed to excellent service, to crafting pieces from mainly British coins and traditional workshop skills, and to honouring the heritage and stories each coin carries. It is this particular mix of history, care and craftsmanship that only Prenoa offers, and in that spirit we keep going: inclusive, practical and hopeful, because families — like the coins we love — often cross shores, and our work helps to hold those stories together. " - Rebecca
A note on fairness and transparency
I love the idea that small, handmade things should be accessible to collectors worldwide. These new rules make that harder, but my promise remains the same: you’ll always know the full cost before you click pay. If you’d like a bespoke DDP quote for a special or multiple pieces, please message me — I’ll calculate the landed cost and show you the simplest, most elegant option.
Call to action
Questions? Email hello@prenoa.com or press the message button on Etsy and I’ll respond personally. If you’re in the USA and want suggestions for pieces that have the smoothest DDP prices, I’ll gladly shortlist bestsellers that balance beauty and landed cost.
Internal links (suggestions for your website)
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Link to: About Prenoa — our story and workshop.
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Link to: Patina page — why we love timeworn surfaces (helps SEO/useful for storytelling).
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Link to: product category pages for coin necklaces, wedding charms, vermeil pieces (anchor the DDP table to these collections).