Parcel forwarding from France to Australia: what it really costs
Australia is the longest route we serve, and we'd rather tell you what that means before you order than after. Here's how the price is built, the one thing that changes the bill more than the distance, and what the Border Force collects at your door.
There's no shortage of Australians who'd like to buy from France — the brands, the secondhand luxury, the pieces that never make it to Sydney or Melbourne shelves. There's a real shortage of French sellers willing to ship there. Seventeen thousand kilometres, a customs declaration and a two-week transit are enough to make most of them tick "France only" without a second thought.
This guide explains how the price of a shipment is built, how to keep it reasonable, and what awaits you on arrival. It's a long route and a dear one; we'd rather you knew how it works before you order. The exact price of your parcel is calculated live on our estimator, from its weight and size.
Two ways to get a parcel to you
You order yourself. On French sites that accept your card, you enter your FrenchShopper address at checkout. The shop sees a French customer and ships domestically; the parcel lands at our warehouse, and we handle the long leg.
We buy for you. On Vinted, Leboncoin, and any seller who only ships within France or rejects an Australian card, you send us the link. We check, quote, and once you've paid, buy with our own French account and card. The details are here.
Both routes end with your items waiting free for 45 days in our warehouse — and on this route in particular, you'll want to use those days.
How the shipping price is built
Our price covers transport, packaging and insurance, and it depends on the weight and size of the box. Australia is our longest route, and its grid is priced accordingly. You see every offer, with its price and delivery time, before you pay — and you can estimate your parcel from its real weight before you order anything.
The box matters more than the distance
Two kilos and five kilos, in the same box, cost almost exactly the same. That's not a mistake — it's how every international carrier prices. They charge on whichever is higher: the real weight, or the volumetric weight, which is the volume of the box divided by a fixed factor. A 40 × 30 × 20 cm box counts as about 4.8 kg no matter what's inside. Put two kilos of knitwear in it and you're billed for nearly five.
Two consequences, and they cut in opposite directions:
- A half-empty box is money thrown away. If you're paying for five kilos of space, fill it. Wait for the other order. Add the pair of shoes. This is exactly what the 45 free days of storage are for.
- A bigger box costs disproportionately more. Moving up from the 40 × 30 × 20 box to the 50 × 40 × 25 one raises the price far more than the extra volume suggests. If your finds fit in the smaller box, we keep them in the smaller box — we weigh and measure every parcel ourselves, and quote on what it actually is.
What we'd honestly advise
Australia is not the route for a single small item. A lone garment shipped alone costs almost as much as five garments shipped together. Treat your French address as a holding point: buy over a few weeks, let it accumulate, and send one full, mid-size box. That's the version of this service that makes sense from Sydney.
The delivery times we see
On our measurements, Colissimo International shows delivery fourteen days after handover, customs clearance included. It's the longest transit of any destination we serve, and faster express options exist at a higher price — each one displays its own time before you pay.
What the Australian Border Force collects
A parcel from France is an import. Australia applies GST to imported goods, and duty where the goods and value call for it, assessed on the declared value when the parcel arrives. The carrier pays these on your behalf and collects them at delivery, usually with a handling fee. The thresholds and the way GST is collected on low-value goods have changed in recent years and may change again: check the Australian Border Force's current guidance before a large order.
What we do, and what we don't
- We declare the real value of your items, from your invoices. It's the law, and it's what protects you: our insurance covers the declared value.
- We never under-declare, even on request. Held, reassessed or seized is a worse outcome than a tax.
- GST, duty and handling fees are never in our price. They depend on Australia, not on us — and can only be known on arrival.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a 2 kg parcel cost almost the same as a 5 kg one?
Because carriers charge on whichever is higher: the real weight or the volumetric weight of the box. A 40 × 30 × 20 cm box counts as about 4.8 kg whatever you put in it. Two kilos of clothes in that box are billed as nearly five — so you may as well fill it.
Are Australian GST and duties included in your price?
No — they can't be. The Australian Border Force assesses GST, and duty where it applies, on the declared value when the parcel arrives, and the carrier collects them at delivery with a handling fee. Our price covers transport, packaging and insurance, never Australian taxes.
How long does a parcel from France to Australia take?
On our measurements, about fourteen days from handover to the carrier to delivery, customs clearance included. It is the longest route we serve, and the exact time for each offer is shown before you pay.
Does French Vinted ship to Australia?
No. Vinted has no Australian version and French sellers almost never ship outside France. For anything on Vinted or Leboncoin, we buy it for you with our French account, then ship it with the rest of your finds.
