Shipping, Duties & Taxes
Orders from The Lilith Nails are handmade and shipped from Vietnam to customers around the world. Shipping, VAT/GST, sales tax, customs duties, import fees, and clearance procedures can differ by destination.
This policy explains when taxes are normally paid, who collects them, and the general tax rates or ranges that apply in our main sales regions.
1. Checkout tax: where local law requires The Lilith Nails to collect VAT, GST, or sales tax, we add it to your checkout total, hold it as tax collected, and report/remit it through the relevant tax-registration system. It is not additional product revenue for The Lilith Nails.
2. Import charges: import VAT, customs duty, tariffs, brokerage, or clearance charges are normally assessed when the parcel enters the destination country. Unless your order specifically states that these charges are prepaid or included, they are not collected by The Lilith Nails at checkout and may be collected by customs or our delivery partner before delivery.
Where Orders Ship From
Orders from The Lilith Nails are shipped from Vietnam. International orders may pass through export processing, international transit, destination customs, and a local delivery network before reaching you.
The final tax and import treatment depends on the destination, shipment value, product classification, customs rules, and the shipping arrangement used for the order.
Processing, Dispatch & Delivery Estimates
Most products from The Lilith Nails are handmade and made to order. Processing time is separate from shipping time.
Processing time covers making, checking, packing, and handing the parcel to our delivery partner. Shipping time begins after dispatch.
Estimated transit times can be affected by customs clearance, carrier networks, public holidays, peak seasons, weather, remote-area delivery, and incorrect or incomplete address information.
Tracking & Delivery Partners
Where tracking is available, tracking information will be provided after dispatch and after the carrier has created or activated the shipment record.
The shipping and logistics providers we use are delivery partners of The Lilith Nails. While physical transportation and final delivery are carried out by these partners, The Lilith Nails remains your point of contact for order-related support.
Where reasonably possible, we will assist with tracking inquiries, carrier communication, delivery investigations, and other shipment-related questions.
Regional Tax Guide
International orders can involve two different layers: a checkout tax collected by The Lilith Nails and separate import charges collected during customs clearance. Not every order has both.
| Region | Tax The Lilith Nails may collect at checkout | Charges normally handled at import / delivery |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Qualifying B2C consignments ≤ £135: UK VAT, normally 20% for standard-rated goods, collected by Lilith and remitted to HMRC. | For consignments above £135: import VAT and possible customs duty are normally paid through customs / the delivery company. |
| European Union | If Lilith uses IOSS for a qualifying consignment ≤ €150: destination-country VAT is collected at checkout and remitted through the IOSS system. | If IOSS is not used: import VAT is normally collected during import. The temporary €3 customs duty is a customs charge, separate from checkout VAT. |
| United States | State/local sales tax only where Lilith is registered or legally required to collect it. | Import duties, tariffs, and customs fees are handled through the import process unless specifically prepaid. |
| Australia | For qualifying low-value goods, 10% GST where Lilith is registered or required to register for Australian GST. | For consignments above A$1,000, GST, customs duty, and clearance charges may be assessed at the border. |
| Canada | For a non-resident seller shipping goods from outside Canada and not registered/carrying on business in Canada, Lilith generally does not collect GST/HST at checkout. | Applicable GST/HST, customs duty, and carrier/brokerage fees are normally handled at import. |
| Other Countries / Non-EU Destinations | Local VAT/GST/sales tax only where Lilith is registered or legally required to collect it. | Import VAT/GST, customs duty, brokerage, and clearance charges may be collected by customs or the delivery partner. |
United Kingdom
Qualifying B2C consignments with an intrinsic value of £135 or less: The Lilith Nails must collect UK VAT at checkout. For standard-rated goods, the standard UK VAT rate is 20%.
This VAT is collected from the customer by The Lilith Nails, recorded as VAT collected, reported on our UK VAT return, and remitted to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
For qualifying non-excise consignments of £135 or less, normal UK rules do not charge a second import VAT or Customs Duty to the customer.
For consignments above £135: normal import rules apply. Import VAT and any applicable Customs Duty are normally collected by the delivery company / customs before delivery or collection, unless the shipment explicitly states that those charges have been prepaid.
The £135 threshold is based on the consignment's intrinsic value. Separately stated transport or insurance is generally excluded when determining whether the consignment is above or below that threshold.
Northern Ireland can follow different import VAT rules in certain situations, so treatment may differ from Great Britain.
European Union (EU)
For a qualifying imported consignment not exceeding €150, The Lilith Nails may collect the VAT rate of the customer's destination EU Member State at checkout.
The VAT collected is declared and remitted through the Import One Stop Shop (IOSS). Because The Lilith Nails is established outside the EU, use of IOSS generally requires an EU-established intermediary for goods dispatched from Vietnam.
When IOSS is used correctly, import VAT is exempt at the border, so the customer should not be charged that same VAT a second time on import.
The Lilith Nails does not collect EU import VAT at checkout under IOSS. The customer is normally liable for import VAT, which may be collected by the postal operator, carrier, or customs process before delivery.
EU standard VAT rates vary by Member State and are generally in the 17%–27% range. The exact applicable rate depends on the destination and product classification.
Orders above €150 fall outside the low-value IOSS scheme and are generally handled through normal import VAT and customs procedures.
United States
The United States has no nationwide VAT. State and local sales tax may be collected only where The Lilith Nails is registered or legally required to collect it.
Where sales tax is collected, the amount is calculated for the customer's delivery location, recorded as tax collected, and reported/remitted to the applicable state or local tax authority through the relevant sales-tax filing.
U.S. import duties, tariffs, and customs-processing fees are separate from state/local sales tax. Unless the shipment specifically states that these import charges are prepaid, they are handled through the U.S. import process and may be collected by the carrier, postal service, customs broker, or U.S. Customs and Border Protection process.
There is no single fixed U.S. import-duty percentage; the amount depends on product classification, country of origin, shipment value, and the customs/tariff rules in force at the time of import.
Effective 29 August 2025, the previous duty-free de minimis treatment for shipments valued at or below US$800 was suspended for imports from all countries. Low-value shipments may therefore be subject to applicable duties, taxes, and fees.
Australia
For qualifying low-value imported goods with a customs value of A$1,000 or less, Australian GST is 10%.
If The Lilith Nails meets the Australian registration requirement (generally A$75,000 of relevant GST turnover) or is otherwise registered, we collect GST at checkout, report it through the Australian GST system, and remit it to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
Low-value goods of A$1,000 or less are generally not charged GST or Customs Duty again at the border under the low-value-goods system.
For consignments with a customs value above A$1,000, GST, Customs Duty, and clearance charges may instead be payable by the importer at the border. Unless the shipment explicitly states that these import charges are prepaid, The Lilith Nails does not collect them as checkout GST.
Canada
Where The Lilith Nails remains a non-resident seller that is not registered for GST/HST, is not carrying on business in Canada, keeps the goods outside Canada, and ships them directly from Vietnam to the customer, we generally do not collect Canadian GST/HST at checkout.
Canadian GST/HST and any applicable Customs Duty are assessed as import charges. GST on imported goods includes a federal 5% component, and additional provincial/HST amounts may apply depending on destination.
These amounts, plus any carrier/brokerage or clearance fee, are normally collected through Canada Customs or the delivery/brokerage process before or at delivery. The Lilith Nails does not receive those payments and cannot directly remit or refund them.
Goods valued at CAN$20 or less sent by mail or courier are generally among Canada's non-taxable low-value importations, subject to applicable exclusions.
Other Countries & Non-EU Destinations
Where a destination country legally requires The Lilith Nails to register and collect local VAT, GST, or sales tax, that tax will be shown at checkout. We will treat it as tax collected and report/remit it through the relevant tax authority or filing system.
If local tax is instead an import tax, import VAT/GST, Customs Duty, brokerage charge, or clearance fee, it is normally assessed after the parcel reaches the destination country.
Unless checkout or the order confirmation specifically states that these charges are included or prepaid, the customer may need to pay them to customs, the postal operator, or our delivery partner before the parcel can be released or delivered.
Customs Clearance & Declarations
Customs authorities may request payment, identification, documentation, product information, or other clearance steps before releasing a parcel.
We will provide shipping and order information in accordance with applicable customs and carrier requirements.
We cannot intentionally declare a false value, incorrectly mark a commercial order as a gift, or provide inaccurate customs information for the purpose of avoiding tax or duty.
Customs clearance times are controlled by the destination authority and are outside our direct control, although we will assist with reasonable carrier or documentation requests where possible.
Incorrect Address, Refused Deliveries & Unpaid Import Charges
Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address and for completing any destination-country import steps that apply to their order.
If you notice an address mistake after ordering, please notify us as soon as possible. We will attempt to update the address if the parcel has not yet been dispatched.
If a customer refuses delivery, fails to collect a parcel, or declines to pay import duties, taxes, or other charges required by the destination authority or delivery partner, the package may be returned, held, abandoned, or destroyed.
Any refund or reshipment request will be reviewed after the final shipment status is known.
Where permitted by applicable law, original shipping charges, return shipping, carrier fees, storage fees, customs-related charges, and other non-recoverable costs may be deducted from any amount otherwise refundable.
If the parcel is abandoned, destroyed, or cannot be recovered because the customer refused delivery or did not complete required import procedures, a refund may not be available.
Refunds of Shipping, Taxes & Duties
Shipping Charges
Original shipping charges may or may not be refundable depending on the reason for the refund and the circumstances of the order.
If an issue was caused by an error on our side, applicable shipping costs will be considered as part of the resolution.
Taxes Collected by The Lilith Nails
If The Lilith Nails collected sales tax, VAT, GST, or another tax at checkout and the related order amount is refunded, the corresponding checkout-collected tax will generally be refunded as applicable.
Import Duties & Third-Party Charges
Customs duties, import taxes, brokerage fees, clearance charges, or similar amounts paid directly to customs, a carrier, a postal operator, customs broker, or another third party are not collected or held by The Lilith Nails. We therefore cannot normally refund those amounts directly.
Where the destination country's rules allow those amounts to be reclaimed, the customer may need to apply directly to the authority or service provider that collected them.
Our Commitment to Tax Compliance
International tax and customs rules can be complex, particularly for a small independent business serving customers across many countries and tax jurisdictions.
Each destination may have its own rules for VAT, GST, sales tax, customs duties, import taxes, registration thresholds, filing requirements, and the way those amounts are collected and remitted.
The Lilith Nails sincerely appreciates every customer who chooses to purchase from us, wherever in the world they may be located. We also respect the laws, tax systems, and customs requirements of the countries and communities in which our customers live and shop.
Where The Lilith Nails is legally required to collect VAT, GST, sales tax, or another applicable tax at checkout, that amount is collected on behalf of the relevant tax system. It is not treated by us as additional product revenue.
Taxes collected by The Lilith Nails will be recorded, reported, and remitted through the appropriate tax authority, registration, filing system, or authorized intermediary in accordance with the applicable rules.
Where an import tax, customs duty, tariff, brokerage fee, clearance charge, or similar amount is instead payable directly by the customer to customs, a postal operator, a delivery partner, customs broker, or another authority, The Lilith Nails does not receive or retain that payment.
Our goal is to be as transparent as possible about what you are paying, who collects it, and why it may apply. As our international business grows and tax requirements change, we will continue to review and update our processes so that we can meet our obligations responsibly.
Thank you for supporting a small independent brand and for helping us trade responsibly across borders.