Buy in Denmark, Shipped to Switzerland
Your Danish purchase, sent on to Switzerland. New goods with a receipt, received in Copenhagen, checked, repacked and tracked to your ground floor.
In short
GIA ships brand-new furniture, lighting and design pieces bought from Danish shops to private buyers and companies in Switzerland, including from shops that will not deliver there themselves. Your goods need their original packaging and a receipt. GIA receives or collects them in Copenhagen, inspects and repacks them, and ships them on, and you follow the shipment on giaservice.dk. Swiss import VAT and customs clearance are paid by the receiver, and delivery is to the ground floor.
Before you buy
What we can ship, what we cannot.
We ship
- Brand-new furniture, lighting, design pieces and home goods
- Goods in the manufacturer's box or original packaging
- Purchases with a receipt or invoice from the Danish shop
- Fragile items such as glass, ceramics and mirrors, after review on request
We do not ship
- Used goods, or goods without a receipt
- Liquids, aerosols, perfume, food, plants, alcohol, tobacco and medicines
- Batteries, unless built into a product and declared
- Weapons, or anything restricted or illegal to export or import
- Art and antiques: these go through our special transport team for art and antiques
The journey
From the Danish shop to Switzerland.
Order in Denmark
You buy from any Danish shop and keep the receipt.
Goods reach GIA
The shop delivers to GIA, or GIA collects from the shop.
Inspected and photographed
We check the boxes against the receipt and send you photos.
Repacked and secured
Boxed or palletised, wrapped and labelled for the journey.
Shipped
Sent through GIA's international network with the export documents.
Tracked on giaservice.dk
Follow the shipment with your GIA reference.
Delivered to the ground floor
Handed over at street level at your address.
Pricing
How the price is set.
Every shipment gets a fixed price in writing before anything moves. The price depends on:
Importing your Danish purchase into Switzerland
Switzerland is outside the EU customs area, so a parcel or pallet from Denmark goes through Swiss customs. For new furniture, lighting and home goods, the picture is simpler than many buyers expect.
| Customs declaration | Every consignment from abroad is declared to Swiss customs and cleared. The costs of clearance, duties and taxes are generally billed to the receiver. |
|---|---|
| Import duty on furniture and lighting | Since 1 January 2024 Switzerland charges no import duty on industrial goods, whatever their origin. This covers customs tariff chapters 25 to 97, which include furniture and lighting. Agricultural products can still carry duty. |
| Swiss VAT on import | Swiss import VAT applies. The standard rate has been 8.1 % since 1 January 2024. The costs of getting the goods to their destination in Switzerland form part of the value VAT is calculated on. |
| Pallets | Shipments leaving the EU, including to Switzerland, travel on heat treated, stamped Euro pallets. |
| Documents | The shop’s receipt or invoice serves as the commercial invoice. GIA prepares the export documents in Denmark. Swiss customs or the clearing party may ask the receiver for further details on arrival. |
Typical Danish purchases for Switzerland
The gateway service suits Danish design for the home: sofas and armchairs, dining tables and chairs, pendant and floor lamps, shelving and storage, and smaller design pieces bought as a set. These are typically bought from a Danish design shop or a brand’s own Danish store, in the manufacturer’s boxes.
Delivery to the ground floor in Switzerland
The shipment is handed over at street level at your address: at the building entrance, in a courtyard, a garage or a ground floor room you point us to. Carrying the boxes upstairs or into the flat is arranged by the receiver, for example with the building’s caretaker or local helpers. If your building has narrow access or a long walk from the street, tell us in the request so the delivery can be planned well.
What catches buyers out
Two points are worth knowing before you buy. First, the clearance costs: VAT is not the only line on the bill, because the company that clears the goods in Switzerland, not GIA, also charges for its work. Second, restricted goods: Switzerland restricts or prohibits some imports, such as weapons, cultural goods, counterfeit goods and medicines. None of these belong in a gateway shipment.
Questions from buyers in Switzerland
Do I pay import duty on furniture shipped from Denmark to Switzerland?
Switzerland abolished import duty on industrial goods on 1 January 2024, and furniture and lighting are industrial goods. Swiss import VAT still applies, and the receiver pays it together with the clearance costs.
Who pays the Swiss VAT and the customs clearance?
The receiver in Switzerland. GIA prepares the export documents in Denmark but does not handle or pay anything in Switzerland.
What pallets does GIA use for Switzerland?
Shipments leaving the EU, including to Switzerland, travel on heat treated, stamped Euro pallets.
What do I need to show to Swiss customs?
The Danish shop’s receipt or invoice serves as the commercial invoice, and GIA prepares the export documents. Swiss customs or the clearing party may ask the receiver for further details on arrival.
Will GIA carry the sofa into my flat in Zurich or Geneva?
Delivery is to the ground floor. Carrying the goods upstairs or inside is arranged by the receiver.
Can I send a vintage piece from a Copenhagen shop to Switzerland?
Not through the gateway service, which is for brand-new goods with a receipt. Antiques and valuable older pieces go through GIA’s special transport team.
How long does shipping to Switzerland take?
The expected timing depends on the goods, the packing and the address. We confirm it in writing together with your fixed price.
Sources
- Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS): Receipt of letters and parcels
- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO): Abolition of industrial tariffs
- FOCBS: Abolition of industrial tariffs, 1 January 2024
- FOCBS: Customs info for private individuals (restricted and prohibited goods)
This page explains general rules for private buyers. It is not legal or tax advice. Rules can change, so check the official sources above before you buy.
Thank you!
Your request is with Get It All Service ApS. We reply with a fixed price in writing. Keep your reference for tracking later.
More about the service
The GIA gateway service.
How the GIA gateway service works
Other destinations