Introduction to ePAL

Read about how ePAL's features can help you address challenges for your business.

Tip:
If you are a WooCommerce plugin user, you can find specific information in the Getting Started (WooCommerce) section.

What is ePAL?

ePAL is an application that helps you sell your goods to customers in foreign markets. It does this by helping you gather information for things like tax, customs, shipping and product classification.

The following graphic shows how ePAL helps create a positive cycle for international sales that benefits you and your customers. ePAL is there to provide information at each step, from providing tax and customs information to your buyer before, during and after their purchase, to ensuring required information is on your shipping labels when they are reviewed by customs.

Figure 1. ePAL Integration with Sales Cycle
ePAL Integration with Sales Cycle

For a complete list of features, see the Features Matrix topic.

Business Benefits

ePAL helps address these challenges by providing the following solutions:
  • Easy Integration: Whether you connect to ePAL using the REST API, portal or plugin, it provides a streamlined experience designed to help you to start using the solution quickly and easily.
  • VAT Calculation and Reporting: ePAL identifies the correct VAT rate (including reduced- and zero-rated goods) for the source and destination countrie, calculates the correct VAT for each product, and generates compliant reports for the remittance of VAT in each country. For more information, see the Taxes (WooCommerce) topic.
  • Customs and Excise: ePAL automatically identifies product classification codes for the destination country, calculates the correct customs and excise duties, and provides you with verifiable and audit-ready proof. For more information, see the Customs Duty and Excise (WooCommerce) topic.
  • Shipping and Labelling: ePAL provides easy access to hundreds of shipping companies to give your customer the best options and rates, and generates shipping labels and documentation that is compliant with the customs requirements for the destination country. For more information, see the Shipping (WooCommerce) topic.
  • Product Classification: Product classification is an essential ingredient of successful compliance screening and accurate Fully Landed Costs (FLCs) calculations. ePAL includes a number of features to help you with this. For more information, see the Product Classification (WooCommerce) topic.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Audit logs and reporting on your ePAL transactions.
  • Customs Pre-Clearance: ePAL allows you to ship goods to your overseas buyers knowing that everything that is needed to clear customs has been provided by ePAL and integrated with your shipping provder's labels. In many cases, ePAL helps ensure that can take advantage of pre-clearance in customs to help goods reach your buyers more quickly.
  • Coverage for IOSS, non-IOSS, B2C and B2B: There are a number of distinct tax schemes and variations such as B2B that need to be accounted for. ePAL helps you with these. For example, Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) is a scheme to help importers sell goods into the Eu. ePAL allows you to specify your IOSS if you have one. For more information, see the Import One Stop Shop (IOSS) (WooCommerce) topic.
  • Refunds and Returns: Easy international refunds and returns process, pre-printed labels and documentation, automatic calculation of VAT and Duties reclaims.