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What does DDP “door to door” actually include?
DDP usually ends at an address, not in a room. Nine last-mile steps decide whether your furniture is delivered, carried in, assembled and cleared up.
- DDP means duty and import tax are bundled into the price to a named place.
- DAP and DDU leave duty and tax for the consignee to pay on arrival.
- Neither term says anything about tail-lifts, stairs, unboxing or assembly.
- Nine steps decide the real end point. Each needs exactly one answer.
DDP “door to door” usually ends at an address with the duty paid, not in a furnished room. Whether the goods are unloaded, carried in, unboxed, assembled and the packaging removed is a separate scope that has to be written down.
Sources: our freight partner’s shipping and delivery guide for the two quoting bases, and our own delivery records in California and Australia for the photographs.
What do the terms cover?
Under a tax-inclusive (DDP) quote, import duty and VAT or GST are bundled into one all-in price and there is nothing further to pay at destination. Under a tax-exclusive (DAP or DDU) quote, freight and delivery are quoted and the consignee pays duties and taxes on arrival. That is the whole difference. The term describes who pays the border costs, not what happens on your driveway.
Which nine steps decide the end point?
| Step | Question to settle |
|---|---|
| Customs clearance | Who is the importer of record? |
| Delivery appointment | Who books it, and with whom on site? |
| Tail-lift or forklift | Does the vehicle need one at this address? |
| Kerbside unload | By the driver, or by a crew? |
| Carry-in | How many floors, is there a lift, how wide is the door? |
| Unboxing | Who opens and inspects on arrival? |
| Assembly | By whom, with what instructions? |
| Fixing to wall | Who is responsible for the wall and the fixings? |
| Packaging removal | Who takes the crates and cartons away? |
Each row gets one of four answers: included, by a local team, to confirm, or excluded. A quote that answers fewer than nine has left something to chance.
What does a full scope look like on the day?
On 22 August 2026 a 40 ft container was opened outside a house in Orange County, California at 09:41. Crates were photographed inside it at 09:54. The last room was photographed finished at 21:47. That is unload, carry-in, unboxing, assembly and clear-up in one day, and every one of those was in the agreed scope for that order. The full sequence is in our US delivery records.
What this means for an overseas buyer
Before accepting a “door to door” price, ask for the nine rows. Our own version is the door matrix. If carry-in and assembly are not included, name the local team who will do them before production starts, not after the ship sails.
FAQ
Does DDP include installation?
Usually not. Installation is local labour and is quoted, or excluded, as its own line.
Who is responsible if the truck cannot reach the door?
Whoever the scope names for the delivery appointment and access check. If nobody is named, it becomes an argument on the day.
Is door-to-door delivery possible to every address?
It depends on the destination, the floor, the lift and the access. A forwarder needs the address and postcode to say.
Next stepWorking through this for a real order? Send the item list and the destination.
