International Ecommerce Fulfillment

When Your Customers Start Speaking More Than One Language

At some point, a growing ecommerce brand notices something surprising in the order feed. Names and addresses start appearing in unfamiliar formats, across borders, and in regions where you have no infrastructure at all. That is when international ecommerce fulfillment stops being a hypothetical future project and becomes a practical, immediate challenge. Moving goods across borders requires more than postage and optimism. It demands compliance, documentation, routing choices, and an understanding of how carriers behave in different regions.

International customers do not judge your operation gently. They wait longer, pay more, and deal with customs friction that domestic customers never experience. If their order arrives late or damaged, the experience feels even worse because the stakes were higher. International ecommerce fulfillment is about reducing those points of friction so cross-border orders feel as predictable as domestic ones.

Where International Fulfillment Goes Wrong

International fulfillment fails for four predictable reasons: documentation errors, poor carrier selection, inaccurate item declarations, and unclear customer communication. Brands often underestimate the complexity of customs rules, especially when shipping regulated, fragile, or HAZMAT-adjacent products. A single wrong HS code can hold packages in inspection for weeks. A misdeclared value can produce surprise duties. Incorrect packaging can trigger returns or destruction in transit.

Maureen Milligan, Director of Operations and Projects at G10, hears these frustrations constantly. She says that "most of the customers who come to us from another 3PL, their challenges have always been access to their data, order accuracy and efficiency, and meeting the committed requirements." International orders amplify those challenges by creating more points of failure.

Documentation: The Non-Negotiable Foundation

International ecommerce fulfillment lives and dies by documentation. Customs agencies want precise product descriptions, accurate values, clear HS codes, and reliable shipper information. When any detail is off, packages stall. That is why G10 builds documentation rules into ChannelPoint so SKU-level information flows automatically into carrier paperwork.

Connor Perkins, Director of Fulfillment at G10, emphasizes the importance of accuracy, saying "you want everything to be scanned in the warehouse, nothing done on paper." That extends to international paperwork. Scanned receipts, scanned transfers, and scanned picks ensure that all declarations match physical inventory, reducing the risk of customs holds.

Carrier Choice Is Not One-Size-Fits-All

Choosing an international carrier is more complicated than picking the cheapest or fastest option. Carriers excel in different lanes, depending on the region, package weight, and risk tolerance. The best provider for UK deliveries may struggle in Brazil. A carrier strong in Southeast Asia may be weak in eastern Europe. G10 tracks carrier performance across lanes so that routing logic inside ChannelPoint reflects reality instead of assumptions.

Multi-node fulfillment helps here, too. With facilities in South Carolina, Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas, G10 can route international shipments from the node with the best access to ports, air hubs, or transit lanes. That reduces time in transit and lowers duties in certain regions by changing the point of export.

Packaging for the Long Journey

International packages travel farther, pass through more hands, and experience more environmental extremes. Packaging that works domestically may fail internationally. Weak cartons split. Unsealed closures open. Labels smear. Moisture-sensitive items degrade. Packaging optimization becomes even more important when shipping across borders.

Joel Malmquist, VP of Customer Experience at G10, sees the consequences in returns. He explains that "it looks good, we are going to restock this, or it looks damaged, we are going to either dispose of it or put it in a quarantine area." International failures produce expensive waste, so G10 evaluates whether packaging designs can endure long-haul handling and customs inspections.

Duties, Taxes, and Customer Expectations

One of the biggest pain points in international ecommerce fulfillment is customer confusion about duties and taxes. Brands must decide whether to ship DDU (duties unpaid) or DDP (duties paid). DDU shipments surprise customers with fees at pickup. DDP shipments increase cart transparency but require more backend work. G10 supports both models and helps brands understand which approach fits their margin and customer expectations.

Clear communication reduces abandoned carts. Customers are far more willing to accept duties when they are shown upfront rather than at the end of checkout. Real-time order tracking also helps international customers feel more confident during long transit windows.

HAZMAT and Restricted Goods Across Borders

Many countries enforce strict bans or limits on items like aerosols, flammables, lithium batteries, supplements, and certain cosmetics. Shipping HAZMAT or regulated goods internationally without the right documentation is risky. G10’s HAZMAT compliant expertise helps brands navigate these rules responsibly. If certain SKUs cannot ship to specific countries, ChannelPoint flags them automatically.

Returns: The Often-Ignored Side of International Fulfillment

International returns are complicated and expensive. Some brands instruct customers to keep or discard low-value items because return freight exceeds product value. Others consolidate returns into bulk shipments to reduce cost. G10’s returns management system classifies inbound international parcels, restocks where appropriate, and isolates products that cannot re-enter inventory due to regulatory restrictions.

Clear rules and accurate data make returns less chaotic. Connor notes that G10 customers "can see their daily orders, they can see KPIs, and they can see historical transactions." Those KPIs help brands understand the real rate of international returns and adjust expectations, policies, and packaging accordingly.

Scaling International Growth With Multi-Node Support

As brands expand globally, they must decide how to balance shipping from the U.S. with storing inventory in international nodes. Multi-node networks reduce duties, shorten transit times, and improve cost predictability. While G10’s current footprint is U.S.-based, the same discipline that supports cross-country routing supports cross-border scaling. Clear processes, clean data, and strict scanning discipline create a foundation for international expansion.

Building an International Program You Can Present With Confidence

International customers deserve the same quality of experience as domestic customers, even if the logistics are more complex. With the right 3PL, brands can build programs that survive customs delays, comply with regulations, and deliver predictable timelines.

Mark Becker, CEO and founder of G10, articulates the long-term philosophy: "we are going to grow with them." International ecommerce fulfillment is a key part of that growth story. If your cross-border orders feel unpredictable, fragile, or frustrating, it may be time to bring structure, compliance, and global lane intelligence into your operation.