How to easily send gifts internationally to employees & customers (& how to avoid hidden costs)
Do you have employees or customers who live abroad? Sending gifts to them can be expensive and complicated, but it doesn't have to be.
With the right action plan and tools, international gifting can be made simple and cost-effective. In this article, we will provide a quick guide on how to easily send gifts internationally, including our best tips, hidden costs of international gifting, ideas for the best international gifts, and gifting solutions for international employees and customers.
How to send international gifts
Using Loop & Tie to send your international corporate gifts is the easiest way to ensure everything goes smoothly and there are no unexpected hiccups. When you gift with our tool, you also know exactly how much you'll spend.
Here's how it works:
- You pick one of our standard international gift collections, based on the amount you'd like to spend per recipient.
- Design your gift email and personalize your message!
- Send the gift to your recipient using only their email address.
- They select a gift they really want or defer the equivalent amount to a charitable organization.
- They provide their exact shipping address through Loop & Tie, so you don't have to worry about collecting and storing them.
- Their gift arrives with no extra considerations for you or them—just good vibes all-around.
Loop & Tie has four standard international gift collections, priced from $100-$300.
If you'd like to build your own custom international collection, talk to our gifting experts!
3 tips for painless international corporate gifting
When sending gifts internationally, it is critical to be aware of any potential gift restrictions in the countries you are sending to. Doing so helps ensure that your gifts arrive safely and without any issues. Depending on the country, certain items may be prohibited from crossing international borders or require special paperwork. Additionally, certain items may come with a higher cost due to import fees or restrictions.
Here are the 3 most important things to keep in mind to make international corporate gifting as easy as possible:
Research regulations
Some types of items may be prohibited for international gift delivery. Before sending anything abroad, make sure you know what types of items are permitted in the country and if there are any special requirements for certain goods.
While it's perfectly fine to ship a bottle of wine to a recipient in the US, international destinations don't take as kindly to receiving alcohol. In fact, there are several types of items that will seldom make it to delivery when shipped overseas, including:
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Plants
- Flowers
- Perishable food items
- Medical devices
Of course, this list isn't comprehensive, and restrictions can vary by destination. Before sending a gift to an international recipient, make sure to brush up on local import restrictions, and make sure to avoid the big no-nos listed above. While sending these items to another country isn't breaking any laws outright, they simply will not be eligible for international gift delivery and will be returned to you.
When doing your international gifting online, it's important to ensure that if the gift you send can be replaced by the recipient, that none of the possible selections or alternatives fall in the above categories, either.
*Tie Tip: Loop & Tie's International Gift Collections do not contain any non-importable items, so your recipient is guaranteed to have their item delivered without any snags.
Check taxes, duties, & other hidden costs
Take note of international gift tax. Each nation has different regulations regarding international shipments, so it's important to find out whether there are any additional taxes or duties which need to be paid once the package arrives at its destination. This information needs to be factored into your budget when deciding how much money you want to spend on each gift.
Corporate gifting budgets are often thinly spread; you'll have even more fees to consider when you're sending gifts across borders. When items are shipped from one country to another—even when they're gifts—the recipient may be asked to cough up the item's import duty fees before it can be delivered to them.
Of course, asking our recipients to pay for the gifts isn't exactly the spirit we're going for to show our appreciation. Luckily, there are a few ways around this.
First, consider the total value of the item you're sending. Depending on the destination country, you may be able to avoid import duties altogether if the item falls under a certain category and within a certain value range. Of course, this requires you to know which country your recipient is in, and a little research to figure out what will be exempt; tools like this one can help you calculate how much will be owed before the item can make its way to your recipient.
If you do know the destination country and address for your gift, you can also choose to select an item from a local vendor and have it shipped within the country to avoid duties altogether. This can be tricky when language barriers are involved, but can present a more sustainable option that boosts the recipient's local economy—a double win!
Cultural differences should influence your gift selection
While we often think of the types of corporate gifts we typically send as universal, you'd be surprised how easy it is to make a cultural misstep when gifting internationally.
For example — in China, gifted clocks and umbrellas are considered bad luck; two items that are commonly branded and given to employees!
More importantly than the items themselves, in many areas, there may be business norms that prevent your customers from receiving gifts altogether.
In the UK, for example, a vast majority of businesses disallow employees from receiving gifts to avoid running afoul of the 2010 Bribery Act.
For this reason, you may want to consider taking your international gifts online, where various services include options for the recipient to decline the gift you sent or donate to charity! This saves you money by avoiding pre-purchasing an item that can't be delivered and is more sustainable in its avoidance of unnecessary over-production.
By considering all the above factors associated with sending gifts internationally, businesses can ensure their gifting efforts are successful while also keeping costs under control. Researching taxes and fees applicable can help companies maintain an effective international gifting program without breaking the bank!
Ideas for the best international gifts
When sending gifts internationally, it is important to understand what type of gift your recipient would want. With Loop & Tie, you pick a gift collection and your lucky recipient chooses their own gift!
Here are a few ideas from each of the gift collections listed above.
1. Dry Gear Bag from Mad Man
Dry Gear keeps all your items protected, everywhere you go. This waterproof pak was created so you'll be free to hike, swim, kayak or any other outdoor sporting you want, while keeping your things dry and safe.
2. Deluxe Studio Yoga Mat from Half Moon
The Deluxe Studio Mat is 6mm thick for an extra soft, comfortable, and gentle practice surface. Designed to provide yogis with generous cushioning for daily asana, the Deluxe Studio Mat is suitable for all styles and all levels of yoga, pilates, and conditioning, even when layered on hardwood or concrete floors. The waffled surface is ideal for anything from gentle hatha yoga to an energetic vinyasa practice.
3. DeskView Mini
DeskView Mini is the perfect combination of minimalist design and superb functionality for smaller spaces. Building on the success of our original DeskView, DeskView Mini features the same aerospace grade, cast aluminum housing and unparalleled suction disc technology. Mounts to any smooth, non-etched tempered glass wall or window. Recommended Load Capacity: Up to 20 lbs on modern, tempered glass. Lightweight, 9 lbs. design.
4. Crosley Voyager Record Player
Join Crosley's mission to bring analog music to the masses with the Voyager three-speed turntable. The clean, vintage-inspired aesthetic fits into any space, while the lightweight design allows this record player to travel further than anyone, or anything in history. Spin 33 1/3, 45, or 78 RPM records or launch the built-in Bluetooth receiver to transmit your digital music wirelessly through the turntable's stereo speakers.
*Tie Tip: If you're looking for more ideas, check out our lists of best corporate gifts, unique gifts, and luxury gifts!
Easy-to-use platform for sending international gifts
For companies looking to send gifts to customers and employees abroad, international gifting can be a complex process. By following these guidelines, businesses have the potential for successful international gifting experiences that are both respectful and appreciated! Sign up free and start gifting internationally today!
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