Retail

85% US Cross Border Shoppers Now Insist On Total Cost Clarity Before Buying

Landmark Global is putting numbers behind what many cross-border retailers already feel: U.S. shoppers still want international products, but only when brands can guarantee cost clarity and on-time delivery.

Published: Dec 17, 2025 4:56 AM

By Jeanel Alvarado

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85% US Cross Border Shoppers Now Insist On Total Cost Clarity Before Buying

Landmark Global is putting numbers behind what many cross-border retailers already feel: U.S. shoppers still want international products, but only when brands can guarantee cost clarity and on-time delivery. In its 2025 Holiday Cross-Border Shopping Survey, the La Mirada, California-based logistics provider shows that confidence, not discounts, is now the real conversion driver for global carts.

68% will pay more for guaranteed Dec. 24 delivery In a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, 68% said they would pay extra for guaranteed holiday delivery, and 25% would pay 6–10 USD more, especially Millennials (39%) and Gen Z (34%).

Top international categories include apparel, electronics, toys, and beauty and personal care, showing broad demand when delivery is predictable. Yet this intent is fragile: 85% say duties and fees are reshaping how they shop.

Confidence drops from 76% early in the season to just 24% one week before Christmas, underscoring how late-season uncertainty kills cross-border conversions. Cost friction shifts spending back onshore The research shows shoppers are not losing interest in buying abroad—they are reacting to unpredictable landed costs.

More than 51% are lowering budgets due to shipping fees, while 45% say duties make the total cost unpredictable. That unpredictability pushes 31% of respondents to shift spend to U.S. retailers to avoid surprise charges at checkout or at the door…

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85% US Cross Border Shoppers Now Insist On Total Cost Clarity Before Buying

Landmark Global is putting numbers behind what many cross-border retailers already feel: U.S. shoppers still want international products, but only when brands can guarantee cost clarity and on-time delivery.

Unlock the rest of this story

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