Clarks, the well-known British shoe retailer, does offer international delivery to some countries, particularly European countries. They also provide delivery to BFPO (British Forces Post Office) addresses, allowing for shipments to British military personnel stationed overseas.
Those in Europe should visit https://www.clarks.eu/gb/en/ and should look at this page to see shipping information for Europe and Turkey. BFPO shoppers can shop at https://clarks.com/
For customers outside of Europe and the BFPO system wanting to purchase from Clarks, the alternative is to use a package forwarding service. These services, such as Forward2me, offer a way to shop from Clarks and have your items shipped to a UK address provided by the forwarding service. Once your order arrives at this address, the forwarding service then ships it to your actual international address.
When using a package forwarding service, the total cost of shipping depends on the weight of your order and your location. Forward2me, for instance, offers weight-based pricing, allowing you to know the shipping cost before making a purchase. They also offer services like consolidating multiple packages into one shipment to save on shipping costs.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:
- Sign Up with the Forwarding Service: Register with Forward2me or a similar package forwarding service. Upon registration, you will receive a local address in the country where the retailer (like Clarks) is based. This address is essentially a warehouse of the forwarding company.
- Shop Online: Go to Clarks’ website or any other online retailer and shop as usual. When you check out, use the local address provided by the forwarding service as your shipping address. This means that instead of shipping directly to you, Clarks will send your purchase to the forwarding service’s warehouse.
- Package Receives at the Warehouse: Once your order arrives at the warehouse, the forwarding service will notify you. They might open the package to check its contents, ensure it’s not damaged, and repack it if necessary.
- Choose Shipping Options: The forwarding service will then provide you with various international shipping options. You can choose the one that best suits your budget and delivery time preference. Shipping costs can vary based on the package’s weight, size, and the chosen shipping speed.
- Pay for Forwarding Service: Pay the forwarding service for their shipping and handling. Some services might also charge a small fee for their services or offer premium memberships for frequent shoppers.
- Customs and Import Duties: Be aware of any customs duties or taxes that may apply when the package enters your country. The forwarding service may provide some guidance, but it’s ultimately your responsibility to know and cover these costs.
- Package Delivered to You: After payment, the forwarding service will ship the package to your address in your home country. You can usually track the shipment through a tracking number provided by the service.
- Receive Your Order: Finally, the package will be delivered to your doorstep, just like any other international package.
Remember, while package forwarding is a great solution to buy products from retailers that don’t ship to your country, it often involves additional costs like shipping fees, service fees, and customs duties. Always consider these extra costs when budgeting for your international purchase.