International Seller Disclaimer

Cross-Border Commerce Guidelines  |  Effective: January 2025

Understanding International Sales on Blaque Net

Blaque Market welcomes sellers and buyers from around the world. However, international commerce involves significant complexities, risks, and regulatory requirements that domestic transactions do not face.

This disclaimer explains:

• Your responsibilities as an international seller or buyer
• Common risks and challenges of cross-border transactions
• What Blaque Net does NOT do for international transactions
• Best practices for successful international commerce

What Blaque Net Does NOT Do

Blaque Net's Role: We provide the technology platform that connects buyers and sellers globally. We process payments in USD and facilitate communication. That's it. All international compliance, shipping, customs, and risk management is YOUR responsibility.

International Seller Obligations

If you sell products or services to international buyers, you are legally and financially responsible for:

1. Export Compliance

• Determining if your products can be legally exported from your country
• Obtaining required export licenses or permits
• Complying with your country's export control laws
• Avoiding prohibited destinations (sanctioned countries, embargoed regions)
• Verifying items don't violate international treaties (CITES, Montreal Protocol, etc.)

2. Import Compliance (Destination Country)

• Researching if your products can be legally imported into buyer's country
• Understanding destination country restrictions, prohibitions, and quotas
• Ensuring products meet destination country safety/quality standards
• Verifying products don't require special import licenses
• Checking if items face special duties or tariffs

3. Customs Documentation

• Preparing accurate commercial invoices with item descriptions, values, and HS codes
• Completing customs declaration forms (CN22, CN23, etc.)
• Providing certificates of origin when required
• Including all required documentation (permits, licenses, safety certificates)
• Declaring true value of goods (under-declaring is customs fraud)

4. Duties, Taxes & Fees

• Clearly stating in your listing who pays import duties and taxes
• Understanding DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) vs DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid) terms
• Collecting and remitting VAT/GST if required by destination country
• Registering for foreign tax collection if exceeding thresholds
• Providing buyers with estimated duty/tax amounts (or disclosing you won't)

5. International Shipping

• Choosing appropriate international carriers (USPS, DHL, FedEx, UPS, EMS)
• Using tracked, insured shipping for valuable items
• Understanding carrier restrictions on prohibited items
• Packaging items securely for international transit
• Providing realistic delivery timeframes (2-6 weeks typical)
• Understanding customs inspection can delay packages significantly

6. Returns & Refunds

• Establishing clear international return policies
• Deciding if you accept returns from international buyers
• Stating who pays return shipping (often very expensive internationally)
• Handling situations where packages are seized or destroyed by customs
• Understanding that return shipping may incur additional duties

7. Currency & Pricing

• Pricing in USD (Blaque Net's transaction currency)
• Understanding buyers' banks will charge foreign transaction fees
• Accepting that currency conversion rates fluctuate
• Providing local currency estimates if helpful (use tools like XE.com)

8. Tax Compliance

• Declaring international income to your tax authority
• Understanding tax treaties between countries
• Maintaining proper records for tax and customs purposes
• Consulting tax professionals about cross-border tax obligations

International Buyer Obligations

If you purchase from international sellers, you are responsible for:

1. Import Duties & Taxes

• Paying ALL import duties, VAT, GST, customs fees, and taxes assessed by your country
• Understanding that these fees are IN ADDITION to the purchase price
• Researching your country's duty rates and de minimis threshold
• Being prepared for unexpected tax bills upon delivery

Example: You buy a $100 item from a U.S. seller. Your country may charge 20% VAT ($20) + 10% duty ($10) + handling fee ($15) = $45 in additional costs you must pay to receive your package.

2. Customs Clearance

• Facilitating customs clearance if contacted by customs authorities
• Providing additional documentation if requested
• Paying customs storage fees if packages are held
• Understanding that refused packages may be destroyed (no refund)

3. Legality in Your Country

• Verifying purchased items are legal to import and possess in your country
• Understanding your country's prohibited and restricted items lists
• Accepting risk that packages may be seized by customs
• NOT blaming the seller if customs seizes a legal item

4. Delivery Delays

• Understanding international shipping takes much longer (2-6 weeks typical)
• Accepting customs inspections can add 1-4 weeks of delay
• Not filing disputes immediately if packages are delayed
• Tracking packages through international carriers and customs systems

5. Currency & Payment

• Understanding payments process in USD
• Accepting your bank's currency conversion rates
• Paying foreign transaction fees charged by your bank/card
• Understanding exchange rates may fluctuate between purchase and charge

6. Returns

• Understanding international return shipping is VERY expensive
• Accepting seller may not offer international returns
• Paying return duties/taxes if returning items
• Understanding return shipments may also be inspected by customs

Common International Transaction Problems

High-Risk International Categories

These product categories face severe restrictions in international trade:

Recommendation: If your product falls in the extreme or high-risk categories, consider restricting sales to domestic buyers only.

Best Practices for International Sellers

Best Practices for International Buyers

Dispute Resolution for International Transactions

Resolving disputes across international borders is extremely difficult:

Legal Challenges:

• Different countries have different consumer protection laws
• Enforcing judgments across borders is difficult or impossible
• Legal costs often exceed the value of disputed items
• Language barriers complicate legal proceedings
• Small claims courts typically don't handle international cases

Blaque Net's Arbitration Clause:

Our Terms of Service (Section 13) require binding arbitration in Los Angeles County, California for all disputes. This means:

• International users consent to U.S. jurisdiction
• Arbitration conducted in English in California
• Travel to U.S. or remote participation may be required
• Legal representation costs are your responsibility
• Translation costs are your responsibility

Practical Recommendations:

• Try to resolve disputes directly with buyer/seller first
• Use payment provider dispute resolution (PayPal, credit card chargeback)
• Accept that some international losses may not be recoverable
• Consider international disputes as a cost of doing business
• Maintain good records and documentation

Resources for International Sellers

Government Resources:

• U.S. Customs & Border Protection: cbp.gov
• International Trade Administration: trade.gov
• Export.gov: export.gov (U.S. export assistance)
• Universal Postal Union: upu.int (international postal regulations)
• World Customs Organization: wcoomd.org
• Your Country's Customs Authority: Search "[Your Country] customs authority"

Useful Tools:

• HS Code Finder: hts.usitc.gov (harmonized tariff codes)
• Duty Calculator: simplyduty.com (estimate import duties)
• Currency Converter: xe.com (real-time exchange rates)
• DHL TradeAutomation: dhl.com/trade (free customs documents)
• FedEx Trade Networks: fedex.com/trade (customs information)

Educational Resources:

• U.S. Small Business Administration: International trade guides at sba.gov
• Your Chamber of Commerce: Often provides export training
• SCORE Mentors: Free export mentoring at score.org
• Shipping Carrier Resources: DHL, FedEx, UPS all offer free international shipping guides

When to Avoid International Sales

Consider restricting your Blaque Market listings to domestic buyers ONLY if:

• ✋ Your products face complex export regulations
• ✋ Your products are food, supplements, or pharmaceuticals
• ✋ Your products are fragile or perishable
• ✋ Your products require installation, setup, or technical support
• ✋ Your products need local warranties or after-sales service
• ✋ You cannot afford to lose money on seized or returned packages
• ✋ You don't have time to research international regulations
• ✋ You cannot provide customer support across multiple time zones
• ✋ You're uncomfortable with customs documentation and compliance
• ✋ Your products are low-value items where shipping costs exceed item value

How to Restrict Sales: In your Blaque Market seller settings, you can specify which countries you ship to. Consider offering "U.S. Only" or limiting to a few familiar countries (e.g., U.S., Canada, UK).

Contact & Support

For questions about international selling on Blaque Net:

Important: Blaque Net Support can answer questions about using the Platform but CANNOT provide legal advice, customs assistance, or international trade consulting. For regulatory questions, contact your country's customs authority or consult an international trade attorney.

Last Updated: January 2025 | © 2026 Blaque Net, Inc. All Rights Reserved.