OT: International Shipment

[shreddr]

I bought a nice piece of jewelry for my R12S over in the Nederlands, and the seller wants me to arrange shipping. So I need to set something up here to pick it up there and bring it on home.

It looks like its gonna cost me $100 to do a FedEx pickup, which feels a bit pricey considering the cost of what I bought.

I have used DHL in the past, but it takes a fricking month, and the shipments are untrackable from the point they leave the country until they get to your door.

Any thoughts?

[JonyRR]

buy american

[AZ-Twin]

Ups

[twodear]

I've bumped into this roadblock several times, and recently kept me from buying bits off of that broken HP2S that was mentioned in another thread. Choices are few and as, or more, expensive. I hope you let us know how you worked it out,

[Markus from Oz]

Shreddr,

What size and weight is the "piece of jewellery"? This is crucial info to weigh up (no pun intended ) your choices.

If it's not too big and heavy, why can't the seller stick it in a box, tape it up and send it to you via the normal mail service?!? I've had heaps of stuff sent this way from the States via USPS to Australia for a reasonable cost and it arrived usually in 7-10 days.

Netherlands to USA is a lot closer and one mail flight...

[feisty]

+1 on the domestic mail service as an option for freight. As Marcus said it's sometimes better than you think. (much better now than when my great great great great great grandfather got 'freighted' here.... Although shipping was free in his case)

[RoLoo]

Originally Posted by shreddr

I bought a nice piece of jewelry for my R12S over in the Nederlands

...what did you bought...?
...such a ABD torque arm perhaps... ?

[Chris Canning]

Well i've had various stuff shipped from the States over the last couple of months,seems strange the guy won't post the otherway,I can understand them wanting pickup if it's a motor or the like,but anything else is just straight post,regardless of how much you paid,for a decent sized parcel $100 is about the going rate,but i would certainley use a carrier that allows you to track the parcel.

Out of interest when you guys buy from outside the US do you have to pay import duty??.

[shreddr]

it's small, about 2 lbs, 12x6x6" I don't know their resistance other than perhaps some duties that they may get hit with when they are the shipper, that has to get backcharged.

[Chris Canning]

Originally Posted by shreddr

it's small, about 2 lbs, 12x6x6" I don't know their resistance other than perhaps some duties that they may get hit with when they are the shipper, that has to get backcharged.

There isn't any,who ever you are dealing with is either being awkward or a complete numbty,all they have to do is parcel it up and post and include the postage in the price of the article end of.

[Rick Lee]

I personally dropped off a watch for repair in Germany two weeks ago, which could not be repaired in the US. They said UPS wanted 130 Euros to ship it back to me, which was outrageous and they wouldn't ship it any other way. Turns out they were able to repair it the same day, so I picked it up before they closed that night. When I shipped it to Germany years ago for repair, I called my homeowner's insur. and they said they'd cover it as long as I had some kind of tracking #. So I shipped it USPS registered mail. And it took six weeks before the shop said they received it.

[twodear]

Originally Posted by Chris Canning

Out of interest when you guys buy from outside the US do you have to pay import duty??.

I've had to pay import duties but it is inconsistant...on a Remus Exhaust from the USA, none, on an Akrapovic from the USA, about $80.

A friend and I took a chance on each buying a set of leathers on fleabay, me from the US and he from the UK. I paid no import duty on a set Fieldsheers, he paid a huge amount of $180 of import duty. Mine were more expensive (and fit) his were two piece (and made for a midget, part of the learning curve about non-standardized global size definitions.)

I think it has a lot to do with the words used to describe the shipment. A device I used to import for use as a barrier between an electric motor and a centrifugal pump was called a "seal" and it attacted a huge duty. The competitor called theirs a "protector" and attracted no duty, although it was the same device.

[Markus from Oz]

This parcel arrived yesterday from East Coast USA (a long way) - it took 7 days, weighed 7 lbs and cost US$59. Any western country has similar boxes that you can use to post items, including Holland. Or you can use your own box. This is nothing new; people have been posting parcels around the world for 100 years or more...

There is NO duty to be paid by a sender! Just the postage charge. Duty may have to be paid at the receiving end - again nothing new. TwoDear, in Australia, anything under $1000 Aust in value is duty exempt; I have never paid duty on anything I have bought overseas (and in he last 4 years I have bought a lot of stuff; from Mikuni carbys to a set of skis and bindings) - if the value was more than $1000, I split it into 2 despatches, a week apart.

As for Customs, again nothing new (although yes, things have been stepped up since 9/11) - unless the parcel contents are prohibited, flammable, poison, etc, customs checks, scans, X-Rays shouldn't slow things down that much.

Shreddr, the guy you bought this small 2lb "farkle" from is just plain LAZY! He can walk (or in Holland, probably ride his bicycle) to his local Post Kantoor (Post Office), place the item in a box, take it to the counter, the clerk will weigh it, check he has filled in the customs declaration and say "that will be 20 Euros (or whatever the charge), Mijneer". IT IS THAT SIMPLE!!!!

To pay for a door to door courier service like DHL is crazy. Of course, they are way expensive - it's a door to door service but totally not necessary for small, private purchases. The guy is not a nice guy. Hey, RoLoo & ThrottleMeister, I thought the Dutch were friendly, helpful people Ha! Ha! I can say that (take the micky) - I'm Dutch too!

Shreddr, Good Luck with the purchase...

[RoLoo]

Originally Posted by Markus from Oz

Hey, RoLoo & ThrottleMeister, I thought the Dutch were friendly, helpful people

...yep ; dat zijn wij ook...! (uitzonderingen daargelaten natuurlijk)

[throttlemeister]

+1

where is your seller located. I am sure that if it is near either one of us (we're on separate parts of the country), we would have no problem picking it up and dumping it in the mail for you if that is the quickest way to deal with it.

[shreddr]

the seller, Boonstra Motoren, has indicated they are 4 hours away from the nearest FedEx office, and have offered to ship it to someone else within the country who might be able to help for free. Although, I am sure many of the regular post methods would work, I get the feeling FedEx will get it to me the quickest with the least anxiety. If I can get the cost down to a reasonable fee, that is what I will pursue. Perhaps the reason the FedEx pickup was so expensive is because there is no terminal near them.

[RoLoo]

...OMG...; Boonstra, Groningen...
...not really my friends...


...but, what did you bought ; if I may ask ?
...I live some 70 kilometers from Groningen (or did you bought it in Ureterp ?)...

[shreddr]

yes in Ureterp, a special piece of Bling!

[RoLoo]

...how much time do you have ?...
...because I visit Groningen/Ureterp on a regular basis ; so...


...or else ; PM me...



.

[throttlemeister]

There's also something like TNT Express, which is the same service as FedEx, UPS, etc. But the kicker is, TNT also happens to be our local postal delivery service so it can be arranged from any postoffice.

Anyway, Roloo is close and I am sure he will sort you out.