Overview:
Firstbase now offers order fulfillment and returns from our Berlin warehouse to select non-EU countries in the EMEA region via an export/import service. Currently, this service is available for Norway, with plans to expand to additional countries in the future.
This service enables us to extend our Tier 1 service capabilities in the EU to non-EU countries where we don’t have local warehouses. However, please note that fulfillment times may be longer due to customs clearance requirements.
This differs from our US-based export service, which is export-only and supports order fulfillment to most regions worldwide but does not provide a return service.
How It Works:
1. POA Setup:
- To enable this service, you will need to sign Power of Attorney (POA) agreements with our shipping partners. This will authorize them to handle customs clearance on your behalf for both outbound and inbound shipments. The POA documentation will be provided to you during the implementation phase and is only required once during the initial setup, not for each individual shipment.
2. Placing Orders:
- Proceed with your order as usual. When placing an order in the destination country (e.g. Norway), available stock in the Berlin warehouse will be displayed.
- Once the order is placed, the Firstbase operations team will generate the necessary commercial invoice and shipping documents required for customs clearance. No action is needed from you. Note that this step is not needed for shipments within the EU and may require additional processing time. Please refer to our Service Level Objectives (SLOs) in Firstbase Capabilities for specific shipping times in each country.
- If you purchased equipment from Firstbase, we will declare the purchase price of the item on the customs documents. For equipment supplied by you, we will declare an approximate MSRP value. Any VAT or local charges assessed will be collected from you on your monthly invoice. These fees will be in addition to the Standard Order fee.
3. Processing Returns:
- Returns will follow the usual process. When a return is submitted through the platform, we will ship an empty laptop box to the destination country, declaring a nil value for customs purposes.
- Inside the box, we will include a return label and the necessary shipping documentation and commercial invoice for re-importing the used device back into Germany. Any VAT or charges assessed by German customs will be included in your next monthly invoice, and will be in addition to the Standard Return fee.
For more information, please contact support@firstbase.com or reach out to your CSM.