These Terms and Conditions govern the use of shipping, freight forwarding, package clearance, storage, collection and delivery services provided by Swiitz JA Limited, trading as Swiitz Courier JA (“Swiitz”, “the Company”, “we”, “us” or “our”).
Please read these Terms together with the applicable shipping rates and any written quotation or service agreement before authorising a shipment.
Our value-based clearance fee is a private service charge. It is not customs duty or a government-imposed charge. It applies only to eligible packages that have not been officially assessed import duty by Jamaica Customs.
Where this clearance fee applies, it is one inclusive clearance charge. Swiitz will not add separate GCT, levies, customs administrative charges, brokerage, processing or handling fees on top of that clearance fee for the same clearance service.
1. Application and Acceptance
1.1 These Terms apply to services booked or authorised after the customer has been given a reasonable opportunity to review and accept them through our website, customer portal, booking process or another recorded arrangement.
1.2 “Customer”, “you” and “your” refer to the individual or business requesting or authorising our services. A person acting on behalf of another individual or business confirms that they have authority to provide instructions and enter into the relevant agreement.
1.3 Your agreement with Swiitz includes these Terms, the applicable rate schedule, the service selected and any written quotation, promotion or special arrangement accepted for your shipment.
1.4 Where a specific written agreement conflicts with these general Terms, the specific agreement takes precedence to the extent of that conflict, subject to applicable law.
1.5 Nothing in these Terms excludes a right, remedy or obligation that cannot lawfully be excluded.
2. Definitions
2.1 Package means a separately received physical parcel recorded under a Swiitz package number. An internal transfer, change of tracking reference or movement between branches does not, by itself, create another chargeable package.
2.2 Package value means the verified value of the goods contained in the package, expressed in United States dollars. Separately identified freight and insurance are excluded when selecting the clearance-fee bracket.
2.3 CIF means the cost of the goods plus the applicable insurance and freight amounts attributable to that package.
2.4 Official import duty means a positive import-duty amount assessed by Jamaica Customs and supported by an official assessment, receipt or identifiable Customs entry. A preliminary estimate or an internal invoice description does not establish that duty was officially assessed.
2.5 Clearance fee means the inclusive private service charge described in sections 4 and 5 for processing and facilitating an eligible package’s clearance.
2.6 Ready for collection means that a package has been released, processed and made available for collection, with notice sent to the customer’s recorded contact details.
3. Scope of Services
3.1 Swiitz provides or arranges the services selected by the customer, which may include overseas receipt, freight forwarding, shipment documentation, clearance coordination, local processing, storage and delivery.
3.2 We may engage warehouses, carriers, appropriately authorised brokers and delivery providers to perform parts of the service. Swiitz remains responsible for its own contractual obligations and for exercising reasonable care in selecting and instructing service providers.
3.3 Swiitz is not Jamaica Customs and does not determine or control official assessments, inspections, seizures or release decisions.
3.4 Payment to Swiitz does not guarantee that a package will avoid inspection, qualify for an exemption or be released within a particular period.
3.5 Special cargo, unusually valuable goods, temperature-sensitive items and goods requiring permits or special handling must be disclosed before shipment. Acceptance of such goods is subject to written confirmation of the service we can provide.
4. When the Clearance Fee Applies
4.1 The clearance fee applies only where:
4.2 Where official import duty is assessed, Swiitz will not charge the value-based clearance fee for the same package. The applicable official assessment replaces the private clearance fee; it is not added to it.
4.3 Where the private clearance fee applies, the amount calculated under section 5 is the complete clearance charge payable to Swiitz for that service. We will not add separate GCT, levies, customs administrative charges, brokerage, processing, documentation or handling fees to that amount.
4.4 Any tax applicable to Swiitz’s clearance service is included within the quoted clearance fee and will not increase that fee. Where a tax breakdown must appear on an invoice, it will form part of the stated total.
4.5 This inclusive pricing arrangement concerns what Swiitz charges the customer. It does not waive or alter any obligation imposed by law or bind Jamaica Customs.
4.6 A lawful exemption or zero rate of import duty does not automatically remove the private clearance fee where the conditions in clause 4.1 are satisfied.
4.7 A missing receipt, incomplete assessment or delayed system update is not sufficient evidence that no duty was assessed. Swiitz will verify the package’s clearance status before finalising the charge.
4.8 The clearance fee covers clearance-related work, including documentation, coordination and processing. It must not be represented as customs duty, a government tariff, a payment for exemption or money collected on behalf of Jamaica Customs.
4.9 Normal freight, optional delivery and applicable overdue storage are separate services. Their charges remain subject to the disclosed rates and the relevant provisions of these Terms. They will not be used to disguise an additional clearance charge.
5. Clearance Fee Schedule
5.1 Only one bracket applies to each eligible package. The charges are not cumulative.
5.2 For packages valued at US$700 or more, the charge is 25% of the entire CIF value. This replaces the fixed clearance fee and is not calculated only on the amount above US$700.
5.3 A package valued at exactly US$100 falls within the JMD $5,000 bracket; exactly US$200 within the JMD $10,000 bracket; exactly US$500 within the JMD $15,000 bracket; and exactly US$700 within the 25% CIF bracket.
5.4 These thresholds are Swiitz pricing boundaries. They are not representations of the government’s duty thresholds or tax rates.
5.5 This schedule does not establish a clearance fee for packages valued below US$100. Any applicable charge for those packages must be separately disclosed in the relevant rate schedule before the service is authorised.
5.6 Where an accepted quotation expressly includes clearance, Swiitz will not add this fee a second time.
5.7 A clearance discount or written waiver applies according to the specific offer accepted for that package.
6. Package Values and Currency Conversion
6.1 Customers must provide genuine invoices and, where reasonably requested, proof of payment showing the goods, quantities, prices, discounts and purchase currency.
6.2 Gifts, used goods, samples and replacement items are not automatically treated as having no value. Where a purchase invoice is unavailable, reasonable supporting evidence must be provided.
6.3 Package values remain subject to verification and any lawful Customs valuation. Where an adjustment changes the applicable fee bracket, Swiitz will explain the basis of the adjustment.
6.4 For purchases in a currency other than USD, Swiitz will identify the conversion rate used to determine the relevant USD bracket.
6.5 Where the clearance fee is calculated as a percentage of CIF, the invoice will identify the relevant CIF amount, percentage calculation, currency conversion rate and final JMD charge.
6.6 The Company’s billing exchange rate may differ from a bank or government rate. The applicable rate or agreed conversion method will be disclosed before the service is accepted.
6.7 Freight and insurance will not be counted twice in the CIF calculation. Shared shipment costs will be allocated on a reasonable and explainable basis.
7. Official Assessments and Billing Corrections
7.1 Where official duty is assessed, Swiitz will identify the applicable official assessment separately from freight and other non-clearance services. No private clearance fee or additional Swiitz clearance surcharge will be added to that assessment.
7.2 On request, Swiitz will provide relevant supporting particulars or an appropriate extract establishing the official assessment attributable to the package. Information relating to other customers may be redacted.
7.3 Duty paid through a consolidated Customs entry remains official duty where it is attributable to the package. The absence of a standalone receipt does not make the package eligible for the private clearance fee.
7.4 If official import duty is assessed after the private clearance fee has been billed, Swiitz will reverse that fee and issue a corrected bill reflecting the applicable official assessment.
7.5 Any clearance fee already paid will be applied against the replacement amount with the customer’s agreement or refunded. Any resulting overpayment will be returned. The customer will not be required to pay both the private clearance fee and the official assessment in full for the same clearance.
7.6 Any balance payable following a correction must be supported by a clear reconciliation. Swiitz will not add its own processing, handling or reassessment surcharge to that correction.
7.7 Verified refunds will be processed within a reasonable time. An account credit will not be imposed in place of a refund without the customer’s agreement.
7.8 Nothing in these Terms authorises undervaluation, false declarations, concealment of invoices or avoidance of a lawful assessment.
8. Customer Information and Shipping Addresses
8.1 Customers must provide accurate names, contact details, mailbox numbers, shipping addresses and shipment information.
8.2 Before placing an order, customers must check the current warehouse address and mailbox instructions in their Swiitz account.
8.3 Missing or incorrect details may delay identification, processing or delivery. Customers must notify Swiitz promptly after discovering an error.
8.4 Swiitz is not responsible for a seller’s addressing error or delivery to an obsolete or unrelated address except to the extent that Swiitz caused or contributed to the loss.
8.5 A merchant’s delivery notification is relevant evidence but is not conclusive proof that Swiitz received the package. Where receipt is disputed, we will review reasonably available warehouse and delivery records.
8.6 Customers must safeguard their account credentials and report suspected unauthorised access. Account activity remains subject to investigation where authorisation is disputed.
9. Invoices and Clearance Authorisation
9.1 Customers authorise Swiitz and its appropriately authorised agents to submit accurate shipment information and coordinate the clearance services requested.
9.2 Customers must upload their purchase invoices before clearance and respond promptly to requests for further documentation.
9.3 Any identity document, taxpayer reference, permit, licence or separate authorisation required for lawful clearance must be provided.
9.4 Swiitz may hold processing pending adequate documentation and may refuse instructions that would require an inaccurate or unlawful declaration.
9.5 A late invoice does not guarantee that an assessment can be changed. Customs objections and reassessment requests remain subject to the applicable official procedure.
9.6 Swiitz will correct its own documentation errors and cooperate reasonably with a lawful enquiry. Routine clearance work and correction of our own errors will not attract an additional charge on top of the inclusive clearance fee.
10. Restricted Goods and Packaging
10.1 Customers must comply with the import, export, transport and safety requirements applicable to their goods and selected shipping route.
10.2 Dangerous goods, batteries, liquids, medicines, food, agricultural products and goods requiring special approval must be disclosed before shipment.
10.3 Acceptance at a warehouse does not establish that an item is legally admissible or suitable for the selected transport service.
10.4 Swiitz may refuse, isolate, suspend handling of or report goods where reasonably necessary for safety or legal compliance.
10.5 Any return, surrender or destruction must have a lawful basis or appropriate customer authorisation.
10.6 Customers must ensure that goods are packed suitably for their nature and expected transport conditions.
10.7 Swiitz is not the seller or manufacturer and does not guarantee product authenticity, compatibility, performance or freedom from manufacturing defects. This does not exclude responsibility for damage caused by Swiitz or an applicable package-protection promise.
11. Inspection and Repacking
11.1 Packages may be opened, scanned, inspected or repacked where reasonably necessary for identification, safety, clearance, damage prevention or compliance with lawful instructions.
11.2 Swiitz will exercise reasonable care and record material damage or discrepancies that come to its attention.
11.3 Routine receipt does not include a complete inventory, functionality test or verification of every item inside a sealed package.
11.4 Routine inspection, documentation and processing forming part of the agreed clearance service are included in the clearance fee.
11.5 Any customer-requested service outside the agreed shipping and clearance service requires separate instructions and disclosure of its terms before it is performed.
12. Freight and Other Services
12.1 Freight is charged under the accepted shipping schedule, including any disclosed minimum charge, weight-rounding rule or volumetric-weight calculation.
12.2 Customers may request the recorded weight, dimensions and calculation supporting their freight charge.
12.3 The inclusive clearance fee does not itself include freight, optional islandwide delivery or overdue local storage.
12.4 Optional delivery, returns or other customer-requested services must be clearly identified and authorised. They are not compulsory additions to the clearance fee.
12.5 No charge may be imposed under another name merely to recover a clearance-related amount already included in the clearance fee.
12.6 Estimates depend on the information provided, including value, weight, dimensions and service requirements. Material changes will be explained before avoidable additional work is undertaken.
13. Payment and Package Release
13.1 Unless a written credit arrangement has been approved, all amounts properly due for a package must be paid before collection or delivery.
13.2 Payments must be made only through Company-approved payment channels. Customers should retain receipts and include the appropriate account or invoice reference.
13.3 A transfer screenshot does not, by itself, confirm receipt of cleared funds. Swiitz may verify payment before releasing a package.
13.4 Partial payment does not automatically authorise release or waive the remaining balance.
13.5 Swiitz will provide a receipt for payments received and correct verified payment-allocation errors.
13.6 To the extent permitted by law, Swiitz may retain possession of the affected package pending payment of properly due charges relating to it. This does not give Swiitz unrestricted ownership of the goods.
14. Collection and Delivery
14.1 Customers collecting packages must provide reasonable identification and payment verification.
14.2 A person collecting on the customer’s behalf must provide acceptable authorisation. Swiitz may withhold release where identity or entitlement is reasonably in doubt.
14.3 Delivery requires an agreed address, contact details and delivery arrangement. Customers must ensure that an authorised recipient is available.
14.4 Any charge for a failed delivery attempt or redirection must have been disclosed and must be reasonably attributable to the customer’s absence, incorrect information or changed instructions.
14.5 Unattended delivery requires specific authorisation.
14.6 Customers should inspect the external condition of packages at handover and promptly report visible damage or shortages.
14.7 A signature, collection code or delivery record may establish handover but does not automatically defeat a claim involving concealed damage or remove a statutory right.
15. Transit Times and Service Disruptions
15.1 Shipping, clearance and pickup times are estimates unless Swiitz expressly agrees to a guaranteed service in writing.
15.2 Delays may result from Customs inspections, airline or vessel disruptions, weather, port equipment failures, industrial action, government restrictions or other circumstances outside reasonable control.
15.3 Swiitz will take reasonable steps to reduce the effect of a disruption and communicate material updates available to it.
15.4 An external disruption does not excuse Swiitz’s own unrelated negligence, failure to exercise reasonable care or obligation to provide a legally required refund.
15.5 Customers shipping for a specific event, resale commitment or deadline must disclose that requirement before booking. Swiitz does not assume responsibility for a special deadline or commercial risk unless expressly agreed, subject to applicable law.
16. Storage Fees
16.1 Customers receive seven calendar days of free local storage after the package is ready for collection and notice has been sent.
16.2 The first free day is the day following the ready-for-collection notice. From the eighth day, storage is charged at JMD $250 per calendar day per package until collection or an agreed alternative disposition, subject to applicable law.
16.3 Storage is a separate charge for leaving a package uncollected after the free period. It is not an additional clearance fee.
16.4 Local collection storage does not begin while a package remains unavailable because of Swiitz’s processing delay or an unresolved Customs hold.
16.5 Customers must maintain current contact details and monitor their notifications. Swiitz will make reasonable efforts to notify customers that their packages are ready.
16.6 A storage waiver applies only to the packages and period expressly covered by that waiver.
16.7 Where a substantiated billing error prevents collection, Swiitz will review and correct storage charges attributable to its own error or unreasonable delay in resolving it.
17. Uncollected Packages and Disposal
17.1 Packages remaining uncollected for more than 30 calendar days after the ready-for-collection notice may be considered for lawful recovery, return, sale, auction or disposal.
17.2 The passage of 30 days does not automatically transfer ownership to Swiitz or remove any legally required notice.
17.3 Before a sale or auction, Swiitz must have a lawful right to dispose of the goods and provide the notice and opportunity to collect required by applicable law.
17.4 The notice will identify the package, amounts claimed, proposed action and final response deadline. A longer notice period required by law takes precedence over a Company deadline.
17.5 Any permitted sale will be conducted reasonably, with records of proceeds and costs.
17.6 Proceeds will be applied only as lawfully permitted to reasonable disposal expenses and amounts properly due. Any remaining balance will be accounted for to the entitled owner.
17.7 Hazardous, perishable or unlawful goods may require different handling under applicable law or official instructions. Swiitz will document the action taken and provide notice where practicable and lawful.
18. Cancellation, Returns and Refunds
18.1 Customers should submit cancellation requests promptly. Cancellation may not be possible once a shipment or clearance process has reached a stage that cannot reasonably be reversed.
18.2 Customers remain responsible for agreed services properly performed and reasonable, documented third-party costs irrevocably incurred on their instructions, to the extent permitted by law. This clause does not authorise an additional clearance surcharge.
18.3 A clearance fee properly earned for a completed service is not refundable solely because the customer changes their mind or no longer wants the goods.
18.4 Duplicate billing, incorrect fee application, non-performance, subsequent duty assessments and statutory refund rights remain grounds for correction or refund.
18.5 Returns and re-exports require separate instructions and an agreed arrangement. Swiitz cannot guarantee that a seller will accept a return or issue a refund.
18.6 Swiitz will not promise a refund of an official government assessment without a basis for doing so.
19. Package Protection and Claims
19.1 Any insurance, package-protection or money-back promise expressly applicable to a shipment forms part of the agreement according to the terms disclosed when that shipment was booked.
19.2 These general Terms do not override an applicable express protection promise made to the customer.
19.3 Customers must notify Swiitz promptly of loss, damage, missing contents or incorrect delivery and provide reasonably available supporting information, including the package number, purchase invoice, proof of value and photographs.
19.4 Damaged goods and packaging should be preserved while reasonably required for assessment.
19.5 Swiitz may request proportionate additional evidence or inspection to investigate a claim.
19.6 Delayed notification may affect the ability to investigate or establish a loss, but does not automatically extinguish a statutory claim. Any mandatory notice or limitation period applies according to law.
19.7 Compensation depends on the applicable protection, proven loss and legal entitlement. A customer may not recover more than once for the same loss from a seller, carrier, insurer and Swiitz.
20. Responsibility and Liability
20.1 Swiitz will exercise reasonable care and skill in providing its services.
20.2 Responsibility for a loss depends on its cause, the agreed service, any applicable protection promise and governing law.
20.3 Swiitz is not responsible for a seller’s failure to supply, incorrect goods, manufacturing defects or inaccurate product descriptions except where Swiitz’s own conduct or a separate undertaking makes it responsible.
20.4 To the extent lawful and reasonable, Swiitz does not assume liability for indirect or consequential commercial losses, including lost resale profits, missed business opportunities or losses arising from an undisclosed special purpose.
20.5 This limitation does not exclude direct recoverable loss, a liability expressly accepted in writing or a remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded.
20.6 Nothing excludes liability for fraud, deliberate misconduct, death or personal injury caused by negligence, or any other liability that applicable law prohibits the Company from excluding.
20.7 Both parties must take reasonable steps to prevent or reduce loss.
21. Customer Responsibility for Breaches
21.1 To the extent permitted by law, customers are responsible for reasonable, evidenced losses directly caused by their fraudulent declarations, unlawful goods, lack of authority or other material breach.
21.2 Any reimbursement must be limited to loss fairly attributable to the customer’s conduct. It must not operate as an undisclosed routine clearance fee or penalty.
21.3 Customers are not responsible under this provision for Swiitz’s own negligence, misconduct or breach, or for a penalty that cannot lawfully be transferred.
21.4 Swiitz will provide notice and supporting particulars of a relevant claim and take reasonable steps to limit the loss.
22. Complaints and Billing Disputes
22.1 Complaints may be submitted through the support contact displayed on our website or customer portal, or in writing at a Swiitz branch.
22.2 Customers should provide their account name, package number, disputed charge, explanation and available supporting evidence.
22.3 Swiitz will acknowledge and investigate complaints within a reasonable time and provide a decision or meaningful progress update.
22.4 Payment, collection or failure to immediately challenge an invoice does not make an incorrect charge conclusive.
22.5 Verified calculation errors, duplicate charges and incorrect fee applications will be corrected.
22.6 Customers may be asked to pay undisputed amounts while a dispute is investigated. This does not remove their right to pursue a lawful card dispute, regulatory complaint or court remedy.
22.7 Informal settlement or mediation may be agreed but is not a compulsory barrier to a statutory remedy.
23. Personal Information and Communications
23.1 Swiitz processes personal information reasonably necessary to operate accounts, identify shipments, perform services, verify payments, prevent fraud, handle claims and comply with law.
23.2 Relevant information may be provided to service providers and authorities where there is an appropriate lawful basis and required safeguards.
23.3 Our privacy notice provides further information about processing purposes, recipients, retention arrangements, overseas transfers and the exercise of data rights.
23.4 Acceptance of these Terms does not constitute unrestricted consent to unrelated marketing or unnecessary disclosure.
23.5 Service notifications may be sent using the contact channels supplied by the customer. Marketing preferences are handled separately where required.
23.6 Electronic records may be used as evidence of instructions, payment or delivery but remain open to correction and challenge.
24. Promotions and Business Accounts
24.1 Discounts, business plans, introductory offers and other concessions apply according to the specific terms disclosed with the offer.
24.2 A freight discount does not automatically apply to the clearance fee. A clearance discount applies to Swiitz’s eligible private clearance fee and does not alter an official assessment.
24.3 Accepted promotions will be honoured for eligible shipments according to their stated terms.
24.4 An all-inclusive quotation or written fee waiver will be honoured within its agreed scope.
24.5 A one-time concession does not automatically amend the standard rates or create an entitlement to the same concession on future shipments.
25. Account Suspension and Termination
25.1 Swiitz may reasonably suspend new bookings or close an account for unlawful use, fraud, threats, material non-payment or repeated material breach.
25.2 Where practicable, the customer will receive notice and an opportunity to remedy the issue. Immediate action may be necessary for urgent safety or legal reasons.
25.3 Suspension does not authorise confiscation of goods, cancel an accrued refund or claim, or remove Swiitz’s obligations for packages already accepted.
25.4 Existing packages will be handled under the applicable agreement and law.
25.5 Customers may stop using the service, subject to settlement of amounts properly due and arrangements for packages already in progress.
26. Changes and Governing Law
26.1 Changes to rates or these Terms will be communicated before they apply to new bookings. They will not retrospectively increase an agreed charge or remove an accrued right.
26.2 A change imposed by law or an authority that affects an existing shipment will be explained. Any billing adjustment remains subject to the inclusive-clearance and no-double-charging provisions of these Terms.
26.3 Jamaican law governs the agreement, subject to any mandatory law or international transport regime applicable to the shipment.
26.4 The courts of Jamaica may hear disputes without removing any jurisdiction or remedy that mandatory law provides elsewhere.
26.5 If a provision is unlawful or unenforceable, it is ineffective to that extent. The remaining provisions continue where legally possible.
26.6 A delay in exercising a right or a one-time concession does not automatically waive future rights.
26.7 Any agreed variation must be properly authorised and recorded, without excluding legally binding representations or mandatory customer rights.
27. Customer Acknowledgement
By accepting these Terms and authorising the relevant service, you acknowledge that: