The first order from abroad feels like an achievement. Then the customs and returns questions arrive, and you realise you never settled them.
Who pays the customs duty?
The first thing to decide and state plainly. If it falls on the customer, say so on your shipping page and at checkout — a customer surprised by fees on delivery may refuse the parcel outright, leaving you with both legs of the journey.
Start with a limited set of countries
Do not open shipping to the world. Begin with the Gulf, where distance and regulation are closest, and expand once the process is stable.
Prohibited items differ by country
Some products — liquids, cosmetics, batteries — carry different restrictions. Check the prohibited list for each destination before enabling it, not after your first rejected shipment.
Cross-border returns are expensive
Returning a parcel from abroad can cost more than the product. Set a clear policy: do you accept international returns, and who pays? Ambiguity here ends in a dispute.
Currency and price
Show the price in the customer's currency where you can, and make clear that settlement may occur in another and that their bank may apply a conversion difference. Put it in the FAQ rather than receiving it as a complaint.