US shipping and import charges: no surprise customs bills

The price you see at checkout is the price you pay.

When you order Kibu headphones to the US, the import duties are handled by us, so nothing is collected from you when your order arrives. No surprise import charges on delivery.

Importing into the US has become more complicated over the last few years, with import rules and tariffs changing along the way. We know that has been frustrating for US customers.

Kibu headphones are made in our factory in London, and every order leaves us for your door with the import process already handled. US customers have told us they were hit with a duty bill, and then extra fees and hassle on top, just to receive something they had already paid for.

What's changing

We ship US orders on a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) basis. In plain terms, we pay the applicable import duties ourselves, so they are not collected from you when your order reaches you.

Instead of a bill on the doorstep, there is one flat $12 import & handling charge, added to your order at checkout. That $12 is our fee for handling the import process. It is not a payment of the duties themselves, and it does not change with the number of pairs, because it is charged once per shipment. Kibu covers the applicable import duties.

The full cost is shown at checkout, so there is no separate customs form to fill in and nothing to pay to the courier at the door.

One $12 import & handling fee covers the whole shipment, however many pairs are in it, and US Standard shipping is free on merchandise over $150. For US families and gift buyers, that is where a second or third pair starts to make sense.

How our pricing works

Every pair of Kibu headphones is US$54. On a US order you will also see:

• US Standard shipping: free on merchandise over $150, otherwise $20.
• Import & handling: one flat $12 per shipment.
• Paid upgrades, with prices set at checkout that vary by parcel.

So a single pair on Standard shipping, delivered, looks like this:

• Headphones: $54
• Shipping: $20
• Import & handling: $12
• Total: $86

Optional upgrades (a custom colourway, a mic cable, or a name engraved on the headband) and any sales tax are not included in that example.

US Standard delivery is 5 to 8 business days after production. Production comes first, then dispatch. If you need it sooner, three paid upgrades are available, with prices set at checkout that vary by parcel:

• UPS Express Saver: 1 to 3 business days after production.
• FedEx International Connect Plus: 2 to 4 business days after production.
• FedEx International Priority: 1 to 2 business days after production.

All delivery times are estimates.

Buying more than one pair

The $12 import & handling charge is per shipment, not per pair, and shipping is charged once as well. So buying for more than one child does not multiply the extra charges:

• Two pairs: $108 of headphones, plus $20 shipping and $12 import & handling, for a total of $140.
• Three pairs: $162 of headphones, which passes the $150 free-shipping threshold, so shipping is free, plus $12 import & handling, for a total of $174.

Optional upgrades and any sales tax are not included in these figures.

What happens after checkout

Everything is shown before you pay. Your checkout total includes the headphones, the shipping, the $12 import & handling charge, and any sales tax. Nothing else is collected from you after that.

There is nothing to do on your side once the order is placed. We take care of the duties, and your order is on its way.

A few specifics:

• Will I pay duties on arrival? No. We handle the applicable duties.
• Why is there a $12 charge? That $12 is our fee for handling the import process. It is not a payment of the duties themselves, and it does not change with the number of pairs, because it is charged once per shipment. Kibu covers the applicable import duties.
• How much is shipping? US Standard is $20, and free on merchandise over $150. If you choose an upgrade, the price is set at checkout and varies by parcel.
• How long will delivery take? US Standard delivery is 5 to 8 business days after production. Upgrades are faster: UPS Express Saver is 1 to 3 business days, FedEx International Connect Plus is 2 to 4 business days, and FedEx International Priority is 1 to 2 business days. Production comes first, then dispatch.
• Does free shipping include the $12 fee? No. The import & handling charge still applies.
• Will I get tracking? Yes. Every order is tracked.
• Can I return a US order? Returns from the US are considered case by case, and we normally accept them. We may decline one where the cost of importing the item back is too high. Where we accept a US return, the $12 import & handling fee and the duty are not refunded.

The aim is simple: the total you agree at checkout is the total you pay.

Kibu headphones are made to be built, repaired and kept.

See Kibu headphones