Custom Label Shipping Quotes: Confirm Duties and the Delivery Point

A brand asks for labels delivered to its contract packer. One reply says “door to door,” another says “freight included,” and a third offers DDP. Those phrases leave different questions to settle before paying: who handles import clearance, who pays the applicable duties and taxes, and exactly where does the agreed delivery occur?

Ask for the delivery point and the allocation of responsibilities in writing. Give the full destination, confirm the rule and edition if Incoterms® are being used, and identify the party responsible for each import task. A carrier name or a freight charge alone does not establish the sales contract's complete delivery scope.

Resolve the DAP and DDP distinction

ICC Academy's explanation of Incoterms® 2020 identifies import clearance as a key difference. Under DAP, the buyer handles import clearance and associated import costs; under DDP, those responsibilities are assigned to the seller. Both use an agreed destination and normally place delivery before unloading. The full rule, the contract and applicable local requirements matter; the initials alone should not replace confirmation that the proposed arrangement can actually be performed.

Ask a supplier proposing DDP to confirm how import clearance will be arranged for this shipment. A foreign seller may face practical or legal constraints in the destination country. If the buyer will be asked to undertake an import task, make that task explicit before agreeing the offer. For country-specific registration, tax treatment or a disputed contract, obtain confirmation from the responsible broker or qualified adviser.

Name the actual receiving point

“USA” or “California” may be enough for an early enquiry, but it does not identify the final receiving point. Provide the packer's full address and postcode, receiving contact, access restrictions and any booking requirement. Distinguish a freight terminal from the packer's premises. If the project uses several packers, list each destination rather than assuming one transport quote covers all releases.

The location also helps the parties compare offers consistently. A price to a terminal and a price to a packer can both be reasonable, but the buyer needs to account for any remaining movement or handling. The separate delivered-scope comparison guide shows how to keep confirmed and unquoted costs visible without turning an unknown amount into zero.

Keep an import responsibility record beside the print specification

For each shipment, record the quote reference, destination, agreed delivery term and edition where used, proposed transport service, import-clearance party, party paying duties and taxes, recipient's required documents, and any item awaiting confirmation. Identify who supplies the information needed for a truthful commercial invoice and other shipping documents. Do not invent a tariff code, origin statement or declared value to make an estimate look complete.

For custom printed labels, keep the label construction, quantity, format and packing information with the shipping brief. The precise goods and destination can affect the information a broker needs. This guide does not assign a tariff classification or predict a charge for paper, film, holographic or adhesive labels. Ask the party responsible for clearance to confirm the applicable requirements for the actual shipment.

Ask about charges and timing separately

Request the actual price, currency, validity and exclusions. If a provider lists freight separately, ask which services that amount covers. Clarify how a later address change, a separate delivery, recipient delay or other exception would be handled under the actual terms. Do not assume that a general statement such as “all included” resolves an unclear item; ask the supplier to connect it to the particular quotation and destination.

Keep the needed arrival date separate from the production estimate and the transport estimate. Print approval, material readiness and any sample decision can affect when goods become available for dispatch. Customs processing and recipient arrangements are further dependencies. The production timeline guide explains how to identify the event that starts the production clock. A preferred date in an enquiry becomes a commitment only when the responsible party confirms it.

When the simpler arrangement may fit

A buyer with an established import process may prefer to manage clearance through its own broker. A buyer seeking a supplier-managed option should first confirm whether that option is available and how its responsibilities will be fulfilled. The decision depends on the actual receiving organisation and destination. Neither a low freight figure nor three familiar initials establish that one route is suitable for every buyer.

If two quotations use different arrangements, ask for a comparison on the same destination and clearly documented scope. Where an amount is not yet known, record the responsible party and the action needed to resolve it. Keep commercial approval open if a required import task has no confirmed owner.

What to send RP Labels

Send the product type, size, construction and quantity per design, roll or sheet format, complete destination, packer contact and needed arrival date. Explain whether your organisation already has an import arrangement, and ask RP which shipping scope can be quoted. The site's shipping information states that method and cost are confirmed by order and destination. DDP (delivered duty paid) can be arranged when the destination country and the chosen service allow it. Duties and clearance are then handled as stated on the written quote. We do not promise DDP service in every country. If DDP is not available, we will quote an alternative delivery term such as DAP. Use the existing enquiry route to obtain a written project-specific answer.

Sources and scope

Reviewed November 3, 2026. Demand layer: buyer phrases such as “door to door,” “freight included” and “DDP” are questions to resolve, not RP terms. ICC Academy, DAP and DDP under Incoterms® 2020 and ICC, Incoterms® 2020 explain the named rules. They do not set RP prices, lead times, certifications or materials. Authority layer: RP shipping information says method, freight and transit are confirmed per order. It is not a rate card. The only published RP freight example on this site is the March 2026 proforma on the About page, and that example is one run, not a standing tariff. This guide is enquiry planning, not a country-specific customs or tax determination.