Buying from the USA with Shipito — Complete Reshipping Guide

Many US retailers don’t ship internationally, or charge prohibitive rates. Shipito solves this by giving you a real US address — packages go to Shipito’s warehouse, and they forward internationally. This guide covers the entire process.

1. Why use a reshipping service?

Dozens of major US retailers simply don’t offer international shipping — Best Buy, Newegg, many clothing brands, and thousands of small manufacturers. Even when Amazon ships internationally, prices are often 20–40% higher than the US version of the same item.

A reshipping service like Shipito provides a US street address. Retailers ship to that address, Shipito receives your packages, and then forwards them to your European address. You pay the international shipping cost, not the retailer.

2. Setting up your Shipito account

Registration at shipito.com is free. You choose a plan:

• Free account — default address at the California warehouse (sales tax applies), 7 days of free storage, $3.25 receiving and processing fee per package, consolidation at $5.50 per package
• Premium Membership ($10/month or $60/year) — default address at the sales-tax-free Oregon warehouse, 45 days or more of free storage, lower fees ($2.25 processing, $3.25 consolidation per package) and shipping discounts

After registration, you receive a US street address. On a free account, your default address is Shipito’s warehouse in Torrance, California, where sales tax is charged depending on the retailer (California’s statewide base rate is 7.25%, plus local district taxes). Premium Membership gives you a default address at the Tualatin, Oregon warehouse instead, and Oregon has no sales tax. At the base rate alone, a month of Premium ($10) costs less than the California sales tax on roughly $140 or more of purchases. Your Shipito address is a real street address with a suite number that identifies your account.

3. Shopping on US stores

Use your Shipito address as the delivery address for any US online purchase. Enter it exactly as provided by Shipito — including your suite/mailbox number, which Shipito uses to match the package to your account.

Where to shop:

• Amazon.com (US, not Amazon.de or .co.uk) — see our Amazon US via Shipito guide for step-by-step instructions
• Best Buy — electronics often 15–25% cheaper than EU prices
• Newegg — PC components, no EU equivalent
• Target, Walmart — clothing, household goods
• Specialty retailers — sporting goods, tools, beauty brands not available in EU

Shipito notifies you by email when each package arrives. You can see all pending packages in your Shipito dashboard.

4. Consolidation — key to cost savings

If you make multiple purchases, consolidate them into one shipment before requesting international forwarding. The cost savings are significant:

• Three separate 1 kg shipments to Europe: roughly $45–60 each = $135–180, plus Shipito’s receiving and processing fee of 3 × $3.25 = $9.75 (free account) = $144.75–189.75 total
• One consolidated 3 kg shipment: roughly $50–75, plus the same $9.75 receiving fee and consolidation at 3 × $5.50 = $16.50 (free account) = $76.25–101.25 total, a saving of roughly $68.50–88.50

Consolidation in your Shipito dashboard costs $5.50 per package on a free account ($3.25 with Premium). Shipito staff physically repackage your items into a single box. Request photos first if you want to confirm the items before shipping.

5. Choosing international shipping

Once ready to ship, Shipito shows available carriers and rates:

6. Customs duties and VAT to expect

Since July 2021, the EU removed the €22 VAT-free threshold. VAT applies from the first euro of the declared goods value.

• Up to €150 — VAT (20–21% of goods value + shipping). Since the EU abolished its €150 duty exemption on 1 July 2026, expect that a flat customs duty of €3 per item may also apply. Goods bought from a US store, delivered to your US address and forwarded by Shipito on your instructions may not meet the definition of a distance sale, so treatment can differ — see what changed on 1 July 2026. The carrier (or Shipito) pre-clears customs and sends you a payment request.
• Above €150 — VAT + customs duty at normal rates. Duty rate depends on the product category (HS code): typically 0% for books, software, laptops, smartphones and many other consumer electronics, 12% for clothing and up to about 17% for footwear.

Example: a laptop worth $800 shipped to Germany — approximate EU import cost: 19% German VAT on €730 (~€139) + no duty (laptops are 0% duty under ITA). Total additional cost: ~€139 + carrier handling fee ~€15–25.

Shipito declares the actual value of goods on the customs form — do not ask them to under-declare. EU customs frequently cross-checks declared values against market prices.

7. Tracking your shipment

After Shipito dispatches your parcel, you receive a tracking number. Track it directly on the carrier’s website (DHL, FedEx, UPS) or via Shipito’s tracking panel. For EU-bound shipments, expect:

• US departure scan: same or next business day after dispatch
• Arrival at EU customs: typically 2–3 days (DHL/FedEx/UPS)
• Customs clearance: 1–5 days depending on the country
• Final delivery: 1–2 days after customs clearance

8. When Shipito makes financial sense

The savings calculation depends on what you’re buying:

• Expensive electronics (over $500) — strong case for Shipito. US prices for Apple, Sony, Bose, gaming hardware are typically 15–25% lower than EU retail, even after customs costs.
• Clothing and shoes (American brands, niche labels) — reasonable case. Duty above €150 (typically 12% for clothing and up to about 17% for footwear) eats into savings, but exclusive brands not sold in Europe justify the effort.
• Small items under $100 — often not worth it. The fixed overhead of international shipping ($30–50 minimum) erodes savings on cheap items.
• Hazmat, liquids, batteries as standalone items — Shipito cannot forward these internationally. Check their prohibited items list before purchasing.

Summary

Shipito is the most practical way to access US-only retailers and save on expensive US goods. Set up an account (free, with a California address where sales tax applies, or Premium for a sales-tax-free Oregon address), shop, consolidate, and forward. Factor in EU VAT (from €1), customs duty at normal rates above €150 and a possible flat duty of €3 per item up to €150 to calculate the real total cost before buying. For most electronics and branded goods over $300, the savings still make sense.