Equipment / International Shipping
Delivery doesn't end when the equipment is shipped.
A team keeps the case open until it's resolved, even when things get tough.Dell equipment and other brands shipped to your overseas locations. We prepare the paperwork before the order is placed, track the shipment during transit, and remain responsible for the shipment if the goods are held up. This is a job that involves paperwork and tracking—not just transportation.
What We Promise—and What We Don't Promise
An international shipment passes through customs, freight forwarders, and authorities that answer to no one. Claiming that everything will go smoothly is a hollow promise; taking responsibility for the shipment, on the other hand, is a commitment.
We do not promise that every shipment will go off without a hitch.
We guarantee that it will be prepared, monitored, and managed by a team that retains operational responsibility for it until the equipment is accepted.
In practical terms: the same point of contact from the quote through delivery, a case that remains open until the goods arrive, and regular updates whenever there’s a delay—even when we don’t yet have an answer.
The application is being prepared, and the destination country is being verified
Incoterms, designated importer, expected taxes, required documents. And the equipment’s compatibility with its intended use: power supply, certifications, local warranty, and on-site support conditions.
Follow-up and Requests for Documents
Our team tracks the shipment, coordinates with carriers, and responds to document requests from freight forwarders or authorities. These requests often come on short notice.
We'll keep the case open until delivery
Inspection, delay, or goods held up: We’ll gather the necessary information and keep you updated regularly until the situation is resolved. We won’t close the case just because it gets complicated.
Your Incoterm doesn't change the cost; it changes who arranges it
This is the misunderstanding that leads to the most disputes. Regardless of the Incoterm chosen, equipment, transportation, customs clearance, customs duties, and taxes are all part of the cost you incur. The difference lies in how these costs are handled: either we organize the operations and pay the amounts up front, which are then included on our invoice; or you pay certain fees directly to the carrier, freight forwarder, or local authorities.
| Incoterm | What We Organize | What You Pay Directly |
|---|---|---|
| DDP | Delivery to the agreed-upon location, including import customs clearance. Transportation, customs clearance, customs duties, and taxes are paid or advanced and then included on our invoice. | Nothing directly. You cover the costs, but we handle the administration centrally. |
| DAPfrequent | Shipping to the agreed-upon delivery location. Our invoice includes the equipment, export formalities, transportation, and services provided up to that destination. | Import customs clearance, customs duties, and local taxes—through the authorities or your freight forwarder. |
| Frequent DPU | Transportation to the agreed-upon location and unloading of the equipment at the destination. Our invoice includes the equipment, export, transportation, and unloading. | Import customs clearance, customs duties, and local taxes. |
| CIP | Shipping and insurance to the specified destination—for example, the nearest airport cargo terminal. Our invoice includes the equipment, shipping, and insurance. | Import customs clearance, customs duties, local taxes, and final delivery, unless otherwise specified in the bid. |
| FCAfrequent | Preparing the goods, completing the export formalities, and handing over the shipment to the carrier of your choice at the agreed-upon location. | Main transportation costs, insurance, import costs, customs duties, and taxes. |
| EXW | Preparing the materials and making them available, typically at our warehouse or our supplier’s warehouse. Our invoice includes the materials and their packaging. | Pickup, loading, transportation, insurance, export and import formalities, customs duties, and taxes. |
“Covered” means “organized by us,” not “paid by us.” When we “cover” a cost in a logistical sense, it means that we handle the organization and, in some cases, provide an advance payment. Making this clear before the order is placed avoids any confusion when the invoice is issued.
The tax is never automatic
It does not depend solely on the recipient's country or the rate listed on an invoice. A single order may be subject to multiple tax treatments, and this is most common when the order includes both goods and services.
Hardware, software license, or service: the process differs
Hardware, software licenses, subscriptions, remote services, and on-site service are not processed in the same way. An order that includes all five will be processed in five separate steps.
The point of departure is just as important as the destination country
The storage location, source, customs origin, and final destination all affect the process. A server shipped from Switzerland does not follow the same tax procedure as equipment already available in a European warehouse.
How We Deal with This Complexity
We analyze each shipment before it is dispatched, and we coordinate with carriers, freight forwarders, and local representatives as needed.
No rates are quoted on this basis without verification. The rules vary by country and year: the rules that apply to your shipment are verified specifically for your shipment.
Sometimes, buying locally is cheaper
Shipping, customs clearance, taxes, and lead times can make sourcing locally a more viable option than international shipping. We compare the two options before recommending one to you, and the result isn’t always what we’d like.
The price of the equipment is only part of the cost
In addition to the price, there are shipping costs, customs duties calculated based on the product’s classification and country of origin, processing fees, and—depending on the country—local taxes that the supplier does not charge.
It is this total that is compared, never the equipment line.
Tax rules vary from country to country
In the United States, for example, there is no federal value-added tax comparable to the European system, but there are sales and use taxes that vary by state and local jurisdiction.
The mechanism is changing, not just the rate.
An American brand does not guarantee that the product is made in the U.S.
The country of origin of a product has nothing to do with the brand’s headquarters, and it is the country of origin that determines the applicable customs duties—which may include additional duties depending on the country of origin and the time period.
It's the product's origin that matters, not the logo's.
Same destination country, three levels of support, three budgets
An international shipment requires specific documentation, regardless of the carrier: a commercial invoice, a packing list, customs classification, and, depending on the country, a certificate of origin. What varies is the level of support you receive when something goes wrong.
A standardized and cost-effective service
General carriers provide fast, affordable shipping to common destinations. The shipping documents remain essential: it is the documents—not the carrier—that determine whether the shipment clears customs.
The right choice whenthe destination is a common one and there's some flexibility in the schedule.
More information during transit, and on-site assistance
Specialists provide greater oversight, visibility, and support for complex destinations. That’s what makes the difference when an expedition is selected and someone is needed on the ground.
The right choice whenthe destination is challenging or the arrival date is set in stone.
When an Authorized Importer Is Required
Some countries require an officially registered importer to receive the goods. Using an importer involves significant costs due to the legal and tax responsibilities they assume on your behalf.
The right choice when youdon't have a local entity and regulations require it.
We'll let you know which of the three applies to your destination before we provide a quote, because the difference between the three is greater than the difference between any two equipment providers.
What We Ship
The equipment has its own pages. Here's where to find them.
The entire Dell product line, from computers to datacenter
Servers, storage, networking, hyperconvergence, and preparing hardware before delivery.
View the entire collection Dell WorkplaceWorkstations and Their Monitors
Laptops, desktop computers, workstations, docks—the hardware most commonly shipped to your overseas locations.
View the workstation ServersServers and Their Compatibility with the Destination
The four product lines PowerEdge. Power requirements and certifications are verified before shipment, not upon arrival.
View serversLet's talk about your shipment
Please let us know where the equipment should be delivered and by when
The destination, your planned arrival date, and whether you have a local entity. With these three pieces of information, we’ll let you know whether shipping is the right choice or if purchasing locally is a better option.
What we offer is a meeting with the people who will be handling the case. The analysis of the project, the assessment of compatibility, and a comparison with local sourcing are all part of the scope of work. The preliminary discussion, however, is free of charge.
Renens, Sion, Châtel-Saint-Denis
The same point of contact from the quote through to delivery. We coordinate carriers, freight forwarders, and local representatives, and we maintain the file.
Renens VD +41 21 806 37 15
Sion VS +41 27 552 00 22
Châtel-Saint-Denis FR +41 26 322 59 05