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FedEx launches Global Trade Navigator, a set of digital tools aimed at surfacing customs, duty, and tax information earlier in the shipping process
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New FedEx Trade Planner offers free, login-free lookup of Harmonized System codes and estimated duties, taxes, and fees before a shipping label is created
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Rollout comes as FedEx data shows 68% of small and mid-sized businesses see customers surprised by duties at delivery
FedEx Corp. has introduced Global Trade Navigator, a set of digital tools intended to give businesses more visibility into customs requirements, duties, and taxes earlier in the international shipping process.
The tools are meant to help shippers understand international requirements, review shipment information, and flag customs issues before they turn into clearance delays, FedEx said. The rollout spans several points in the shipping process, from initial planning through checkout and post-shipment reporting.
According to FedEx’s 2026 Small Business Trade Index, 68% of small and mid-sized businesses regularly see customers surprised by duties at delivery, and 60% report losing revenue through refunds or abandoned purchases tied to those surprises. Global Trade Navigator is FedEx’s response to that gap, aiming to move trade information earlier into a shipper’s workflow.
The suite includes several new and enhanced features:
- FedEx Trade Planner, a free, self-service tool on fedex.com that does not require a login. Businesses can look up Harmonized System codes and get estimated duties, taxes, fees, and document recommendations before creating a shipping label.
- Enhanced FedEx Ship Manager capabilities, which let customers review product Harmonized System code classifications, customs values, and country-of-manufacture details as part of shipment preparation.
- A FedEx Duty and Tax app for Shopify, which allows merchants to display estimated duties and taxes at checkout.
- Improvements to FedEx’s Import Tool and Reporting products, giving customers visibility into clearance activity, required actions, payments, and import/export data.
“International shipping requires businesses to make complex decisions long before a package begins its journey,” said Jason Brenner, FedEx senior vice president, digital portfolio. He said the tools draw on FedEx’s trade expertise to make that information more accessible as businesses expand internationally.
READ: FedEx beefs up Asia Pacific customer support amid tariff, trade shifts
FedEx said the tools are designed to serve both small and mid-sized businesses shipping internationally for the first time and larger enterprises integrating trade data into existing workflows.
The launch comes alongside separate changes to FedEx’s fee structure: the carrier is adjusting demand surcharges for U.S. international services starting September 21, with new demand fees also applying to certain non-standard international shipments.
READ: FedEx launches new facility at APAC Trade Facilitation Center in Clark
