International Shipping & Ordering: Stories/Tips/Tricks/Advice

[mrk_d]

Anyone know how long customs in Belgium usually takes? My box has had a sort of strange tracking history, not sure if I should be worried yet or if this is normal:

April 29: Customs clearance
April 29: Processed through sort facility
April 30: Customs clearance (your item is being processed by customs in Belgium)

 

[GottaTickemAll]

So is it 10 kg or 20 kg that is the safest weight to send for $20 of collectible glassware?

 

[mrk_d]

So is it 10 kg or 20 kg that is the safest weight to send for $20 of collectible glassware?

I just sent a 20 kg box to Belgium and declared it as $30 of collectible glassware. My box was held up in customs and they had a hard time believing the bottles were worth that little, but in the end they delivered the box and didn't charge anything in terms of taxes to the recipient. It required a lot of back-and-forth and I would imagine the situation could have ended quite differently. Next time I'm going to stick to 10 kg. Keep in mind n=1 and YMMV.

 

[CruisaC]

Any general recs for shipping yourself beer home from overseas? I'm heading to Amsterdam and France next week and would be looking to bring back 6-8 bottles depending on what I can find. I'm traveling with my wife and two kids so just bringing an empty extra suitcase for the beer may not be possible if I want to stay married

 

[LukeAleTime]

Any general recs for shipping yourself beer home from overseas? I'm heading to Amsterdam and France next week and would be looking to bring back 6-8 bottles depending on what I can find. I'm traveling with my wife and two kids so just bringing an empty extra suitcase for the beer may not be possible if I want to stay married

It'd be heaps easier to just squeeze in 8 bottles than ship them. That isn't a whole heap. If you have wife and kids then you'll have loads of bags to disperse them over... no harm in stashing beer in a kids bag is there (just don't tell your wife)

 

[MULDER1010]

It'd be heaps easier to just squeeze in 8 bottles than ship them. That isn't a whole heap. If you have wife and kids then you'll have loads of bags to disperse them over... no harm in stashing beer in a kids bag is there (just don't tell your wife)

If he is on a US carrier he may only have a one bag per person limit and weight may also be an issue.

 

[bootsjohn]

I'm looking for help in shipping to Australia from the US. MULDER1010, I saw your comment about shipping from Seattle to Sydney. Anyone else have advice and estimates for this kind of shipment?

 

[MULDER1010]

I'm looking for help in shipping to Australia from the US. MULDER1010, I saw your comment about shipping from Seattle to Sydney. Anyone else have advice and estimates for this kind of shipment?

I sent 2 12 bottle shippers from Seattle to Sydney. It was about 200 for each box. Ship only by USPS as cheapest and best mode of sending. Each box took about 12-14 days to get back to me.
Shippers are more reliable than flat rate boxes

 

[SeaWatchman]

Just an FYI/PSA for anyone trading to and from France. I've done it twice now and once the incoming box from France was held up by customs and returned to its origin post and the second time it showed up. Neither time it tracked on USPS, but tracked all the way through on the French service Colisimo.

 

[mrk_d]

I'm sending a 4-pack of Heady Topper to a friend in Denmark. Should I still declare the items to be 4x collectible glassware, or do people call cans something else on the customs form?

 

[MULDER1010]

Glassware is just as good

 

[nophunk]

I shipped 47.5 pounds flawlessly to Australia! Thanks for all the tips. It was very expensive. Apparently, Australia is one of the highest USPS zones.

 

[user 306926]

I shipped 47.5 pounds flawlessly to Australia! Thanks for all the tips. It was very expensive. Apparently, Australia is one of the highest USPS zones.

Just like Cali.
From the EST anyway.

 

[gregkoko]

Looking at doing my first international trade with someone from that other site. Oh boy. I hope I'm ready for this

 

[gregkoko]

Just solidified details of the trade.

 

[Number45]

Doing a trade to Sweden (organized through RateBeer) for a bunch of lambic and this thread has been very helpful. I'm sending him a styro shipper and intend to pack the **** out of the bottles in the shipper too. First international trade and I have the nervous feels, but this is as good a way as any to get a bunch of Fou

 

[Number45]

Question: I've gone through the steps to ship the box through USPS. Now I have the shipping label and a customs label. Do I tape them both to the box? Or bring both to the post office and get a plastic holder thingy?

 

[mrk_d]

Question: I've gone through the steps to ship the box through USPS. Now I have the shipping label and a customs label. Do I tape them both to the box? Or bring both to the post office and get a plastic holder thingy?

You need to get a plastic holder thingy since customs needs to access the forms. There are multiple copies of the customs declaration (3, with a 4th for you) that you need to put in the plastic pouch. I use tape to attach the plastic pouch and make the flap slightly smaller/tighter so the forms won't fall out.

 

[Number45]

You need to get a plastic holder thingy since customs needs to access the forms. There are multiple copies of the customs declaration (3, with a 4th for you) that you need to put in the plastic pouch. I use tape to attach the plastic pouch and make the flap slightly smaller/tighter so the forms won't fall out.

Done. The postal dude was great. Went in this morning wearing my Pats jersey and he was a fan too. Good times.

Box is on the way to Scandanavia, now we wait...

 

[gregkoko]

Six bottle shipper in a box taped to **** and saran wrapped inside another box taped like crazy which will go in another box after work.

 

[blue_bleeder]

Good luck and godspeed to your boxes fellas!!

 

[gregkoko]

$125 for 6 bottles (triple boxed) to the Netherlands. Wowzers

 

[mrk_d]

$125 for 6 bottles (triple boxed) to the Netherlands. Wowzers

That's more than it cost me to send 14 bottles/cans to Belgium double boxed! Did you use USPS online? For reference it's ~10% cheaper than in-store.

 

[gregkoko]

That's more than it cost me to send 14 bottles/cans to Belgium double boxed! Did you use USPS online? For reference it's ~10% cheaper than in-store.

I did not use it online. Went to my local third party USPS joint but they said it's the same price as if I went to the post office. It was 26lbs.

 

[mrk_d]

I did not use it online. Went to my local third party USPS joint but they said it's the same price as if I went to the post office. It was 26lbs.

Who knows maybe rates have gone up again. Mine was ~40 pounds and $110.

 

[gregkoko]

Who knows maybe rates have gone up again. Mine was ~40 pounds and $110.

Well I think if I go international again it will not be to the Netherlands hah

 

[7clutch]

$125 for 6 bottles (triple boxed) to the Netherlands. Wowzers

It cost me $90 double boxed, 16x16x16 FL to the Netherlands and it was something like 22, 23 lbs (6-shipper). I'm guessing the third-party USPS is lying; who knows. Maybe the extra few lbs increased the rate?

 

[gregkoko]

My box sat in customs in the Netherlands from October 15th til today. God I hope it all makes it in one piece

 

[gregkoko]

It all made it. Huzzah. My box is on it's way. Arrived in the US last night. Such excite

 

[SourBrewer]

I am about to ship a box to Brussels. The receiver just completed a trade for 2 750s and 4 12oz bottles from the US. Bpost wanted to tax him €100 for it. Not sure if the sender marked as a gift and valued low enough. He had to print some online prices to convince Bpost the tax was too much.

Either way, he has asked me to include some small receipts or PS'd receipts to make it look like less than $30 in value. I have no problem with this, just something else to keep in mind for trades to Belgium.

 

[TheFarmBoy3]

Box to Norway successfully landed to pop my international cherry!
The stats: USPS. $115. 30 lbs 9 oz. Declared as a Gift / Collectible Glassware / Value $30
Did box within box for beer and glassware. Also had a six bottle styro shipper in there.

 

[SourBrewer]

Box to Norway successfully landed to pop my international cherry!
The stats: USPS. $115. 30 lbs 9 oz. Declared as a Gift / Collectible Glassware / Value $30
Did box within box for beer and glassware. Also had a six bottle styro shipper in there.

What route did it take? Does USPS fly it direct or do they truck to NY before crossing? I am concerned about freezing temps before I ship mine.

 

[TheFarmBoy3]

unchi I just looked at the tracking and all it shows is LA in 11/14 and then customs clearance 11/19 in Norway. Not much information out of USPS. Hope that helps.

 

[SourBrewer]

My box made it Brussels unharmed.

Details:

3 750s and 4 375/12oz. Double boxed, 18.5lbs, $75 online, took 8 days from Los Angeles with USPS priority.

 

[blue_bleeder]

When I posted this thread I never thought it would get stickied. Pretty cool. Doing my second one of these with HenrikO again. Even after the original going smoothly, the nerves are starting to ramp up. His box is on the way. I will be shipping soon. It's scary when these things are in transit. It's good to see so many successful stories in this thread.

 

[MKtheGeneral]

When I posted this thread I never thought it would get stickied. Pretty cool. Doing my second one of these with HenrikO again. Even after the original going smoothly, the nerves are starting to ramp up. His box is on the way. I will be shipping soon. It's scary when these things are in transit. It's good to see so many successful stories in this thread.

Agreed. HenrikO is the only trader who makes the juice worth the squeeze. That being said, these 7-10 day intervals are nerve racking between updating USPS and Swedepost websites.

 

[gregkoko]

Agreed. HenrikO is the only trader who makes the juice worth the squeeze. That being said, these 7-10 day intervals are nerve racking between updating USPS and Swedepost websites.

Sadly HenrikO already has an NYC area hookup. I had to go looking elsewhere for my fix. Would totes bang in the future though.

 

[MKtheGeneral]

Sadly HenrikO already has an NYC area hookup. I had to go looking elsewhere for my fix. Would totes bang in the future though.

 

[chaggy5]

well thanks to some info from MKtheGeneral my 12 shipper back to HenrikO has departed Copenhagen this morning. I shipped it Tuesday, so thats good right?

 

[HenrikO]

Agreed. HenrikO is the only trader who makes the juice worth the squeeze. That being said, these 7-10 day intervals are nerve racking between updating USPS and Swedepost websites.

Aw, stop it guys, you're making me blush.