You’ve been putting a lot of effort into your online store. You’ve optimized your website, improved the shopping experience, and refined your social media strategy. Little by little, orders are increasing and you start receiving messages from outside Spain asking: “Do you also offer international shipping?”
That’s when excitement… and uncertainty kick in. Shipping abroad sounds like growth, but also like paperwork, customs, tariffs, and complications. Where do you even begin?
Don’t worry. At GLS, we work every day with e-commerce businesses taking this step, and we know the most common mistakes—and the decisions that make the difference. That’s why we’ve prepared this clear and practical guide to help you manage your first international shipments without wasting time (or losing customers).
What should an ecommerce consider before offering international shipping?
Expanding into new markets is a great opportunity for growth, but it also requires planning. Before activating the “international shipping” option in your online store, it’s essential to be clear about:
- Your current logistics capacity. Assess whether you can handle longer transit times, potential international returns, or incidents.
- The real shipping costs. Consider rates, duties, taxes, and fees depending on the destination country.
- Taxation at destination. If you sell regularly to an EU country, you may need to register for the VAT One-Stop Shop (OSS) or obtain a local VAT number.
- Regulations for selling your products in the destination country (labeling, controls, etc.).
- Customer expectations. Do you have a clear idea of the experience you want to offer in terms of delivery speed, tracking, and customer service?
💡 Tip GLS: start gradually, focusing on nearby countries and markets similar to yours to minimize risk.
How to manage international shipments from your ecommerce in Spain
Organizing international shipments from Spain is easier when you have an optimized logistics structure. These are the key pillars:
Choosing the ideal logistics operator for your online store
Your logistics partner is your ally at this new stage. Look for one that:
- Has proven experience in international shipping from Spain, with a strong distribution network in destination countries.
- Offers real-time tracking.
- Provides integrated customs services and personalized support.
- And very importantly, offers reverse logistics solutions for international returns, with accessible drop-off points, process visibility, and clear conditions for both you and your customers.
GLS offers its own European network with delivery times of 24–72 hours in most destinations, access to more than 85,000 drop-off points, and solutions tailored to your ecommerce needs.
Essential documents for exporting from Spain
Here it’s important to distinguish:
- For shipments within the European Union: no customs procedures or EORI are required, but you must issue a commercial invoice and keep records. Additionally, if your sales volume in a country exceeds certain thresholds, you may need to register for tax purposes or apply the OSS scheme.
- For shipments outside the EU (for example, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the United States, etc.):
- EORI number required to operate as an exporting company.
- Commercial invoice with product description, value, and country of origin.
- Tariff code to correctly classify the goods.
- Customs formalities.
Your logistics operator can help you automate part of these processes or even generate them directly from their platform.
Which countries should you ship to first? (common zones and delivery times)
To start, it’s best to focus on EU countries:
- Portugal and France: fast delivery times (24–48h) and low logistics costs.
- Germany, Italy, Belgium, or the Netherlands: large markets, highly digitalized, and consumers accustomed to shopping online.
In these countries, shipments do not require customs procedures if the destination is within the European Economic Area, which simplifies logistics.
How to offer good international shipment tracking
One of the main concerns when shipping internationally is the lack of order visibility. For customers, this can lead to frustration or complaints. That’s why it’s essential to provide:
- A reliable international shipment tracking system from the very first click.
- Real-time updates on the order status (in transit, in customs, delivered…).
- Proactive communication in case of any issues.
Ready to cross borders? Making your first international shipment doesn’t have to be complicated if you have the right partner and a solid plan. If you want to dive deeper into the key aspects of ecommerce internationalization, GLS Spain has published a free downloadable guide with practical tips, real examples, and useful tools to help you plan your international expansion step by step. Download the guide Start selling globally for free and begin preparing your international shipments today with a solid foundation.