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

[blatherbeard1]

Basically i just want to ship 1 to 2 bottles to Germany and Australia and have no idea how to, who to use, what the cost entails, and if it will even get to the parties in the other countries.

Ive never even sent beer across the city, let alone the country

 

[Odesseiron]

Use USPS , mark it as collectible glassware or yeast samples and set a modest value ($5-10 per bottle). Yes, it's illegal to ship beer with USPS, but in most cases it will be much cheaper than using FedEx/DHL/UPS and they won't bother opening or scanning your measly little box.

Depending on the size of the bottle(s), you might be able to fit them in the smallest format category USPS offers. That should make shipping about $35 to Europe. After that, it's hard to say. Six bottle shippers with the appropriate amount of padding end up around $80-120, in my experience.

If anything, you should consider shipping at least a couple bottles more when you go international, just to make the economies of scale make some sense.

 

[HeadytheElder]

I'm considering shipping a box from Louisiana to Netherlands using USPS. However, I'm not sure what type of path it will take regarding temperatures.

Anyone have any insight? Seems kind of risky right now with the current temperatures in certain parts of the country.

 

[blatherbeard1]

Another europe shipping question,

how hard/easy is it to just put bottles in your luggage? I know from FLA to Tx it was a breeze but with customs and all, is there a downfall to bringing them over? (just found out we are going to fly to london in may, might be able to just bring the bottles over in person if the germany guy can fly over for a day to the UK)

either way, thanks for the info!

 

[andrewdrinks]

It's very easy - either wrap bottles in packaging or get a shipper that fits inside your case and use that. Make sure things are packed snugly - use tape around the caps, and ziplock bags to prevent any breakages from damaging the rest of your baggage.

 

[air]

Also declare your beer to customs. It shouldn't cost much to pay duty if they make you pay, but either way better safe than sorry when traveling that far with beer.

 

[andrewdrinks]

If you're travelling to Europe from the US, zero ****s will be given about importing beer. The allowance is 16 litres, and if you're bringing in bottles, you will struggle to bust through that given the weight restrictions. I was stopped at Luxembourg after travelling from SFO via LHR, and had 30+ bottles/cans in my luggage, but they didn't particularly care.

(But if you do somehow manage to break that 16 litre limit, then definitely declare)

 

[ASUBeer]

Pretty sure one of our office admins thought I was receiving a bomb when my Trappist Worls order arrived yesterday. It looked like they wrapped a box in a thin black body bag.

 

[LukeAleTime]

Anyone just waited for the quarter to tick over rather than asking Etre to ship? I figured I'd get an invoice for shipping this week some time but nothing has arrived.

 

[owens99]

I got an email on 3/23 saying that orders needed to be placed by 3/20. I emailed for clarification (and to ask how much room I have to fill), but have gotten no response.

 

[LukeAleTime]

I figure they got slammed with framboos boxes so I'll wait a lil.

 

[Gene1]

Repurposed this thread to include international orders (not just trades). Moved to General Beer Topics as a result of the broader topic scope.

Need moar customs war stories.

 

[MULDER1010]

War stories???

Mad a trade with a guy in Denver a few years. My box took 2 weeks to arrive with him.
The return boxes, two of them left the same day from Denver. One did Denver-LA-Australia. No issues. Arrived in 10 days.
Second box however was different. As said 2 boxes left Denver at the same time. The other went to San fran, which was a bit odd I thought when checking tracking. 3 weeks after the SF arrival I check the tracking, thinking it was in OZ. Nope. MOSCOW. I and the guy I traded with both contacted USPS and asked to have it sent to the correct place. After several months we gave up on it and he sent a second box out. This was literally 6 months later. I believe he got his money back on the second box.
The day the third box arrived at my house, the delivery driver hands me a second box. The other box was the box sitting in Moscow for 5 months. Very bizarre.

 

[owens99]

Hoping that someone could give some quick help. I currently have reserved on etre:
2 75cl bottles
5 37.5cl bottles

How much weight/bottles do I have to fill up the smallest possible box? I got an email from Jonathan that says 18lbs, but that seems wrong to me for some reasons, and communications with him have been pretty slow. (Probably due to Framboos (which I didn't get) and end of quarter, so I completely understand.)

Thanks in advance.

 

[BusinessSloth]

Hoping that someone could give some quick help. I currently have reserved on etre:
2 75cl bottles
5 37.5cl bottles

How much weight/bottles do I have to fill up the smallest possible box? I got an email from Jonathan that says 18lbs, but that seems wrong to me for some reasons, and communications with him have been pretty slow. (Probably due to Framboos (which I didn't get) and end of quarter, so I completely understand.)

Thanks in advance.

Calculated it using 3lb 750's and 1.7lb 375's. And you have no room for extra anything really except a 1lb glass. If you go over 18lbs, your shipping bumps up from 60 euros to the max 78 euros, which you might as well fill out the box at that point.

 

[boogercrack]

tomers are lighter than 3f/cantillon for the calculation too. barely, but if you're getting weird sometimes you can fit something more than expected.

 

[BusinessSloth]

tomers are lighter than 3f/cantillon for the calculation too. barely, but if you're getting weird sometimes you can fit something more than expected.

He is correct. Fantomes are 2.75lbs. Hence why I stipulated that I used 3lb's for my calculations. Not sure what you have on reserve OP.

 

[owens99]

One of the 75s is a tome.

Sorry, I'm slow on the uptake, but is it:
2*75cl. = ~ 6.8 + 5*1.7 = 8.5, total of about 15.3, so I have room for maybe one 37.5 bottle to stay within 60€ for shipping?

Jonathan's email said room for 6 75cl bottles for a 78€ shipping charge, but I'd be happier with a smaller box, I think. Or at least my wife would be.

 

[boogercrack]

works out better with less money per bottle for shipping if you fill the 78€ one, but that's a personal choice. I usually do.

 

[Padraig]

USPS as a whole seems to be erratic lately whether domestic or international. I think this winter is causing more problems/delays than they're used to.

Most recent box took 4 days from London to Atlanta (via NYC) and 5 days going the other way (via Miami). Looks like things are getting back to normal.

 

[thrashD]

Having never had anything form etre shipped before...will they contact you for shipment payment at the end of a quarter? Or do you need to do personally email them (like BIAB) for shipping? Totally forgot the end of the quarter was up earlier this week.

 

[Shakedwnst]

One of the 75s is a tome.

Sorry, I'm slow on the uptake, but is it:
2*75cl. = ~ 6.8 + 5*1.7 = 8.5, total of about 15.3, so I have room for maybe one 37.5 bottle to stay within 60€ for shipping?

Jonathan's email said room for 6 75cl bottles for a 78€ shipping charge, but I'd be happier with a smaller box, I think. Or at least my wife would be.

Think you're a pound high...your 75cls are only 5.8 (3+2.75). You have 14.3 lbs, so it sounds like you can go for another 75cl or 2 375s and still come in under the limit of 18 lbs. That probably doesn't include packaging though so not sure where that leaves you.

I'm only here for the math though, can't help with the shipping from overseas advice. Haven't waded into those waters yet.

 

[owens99]

Having never had anything form etre shipped before...will they contact you for shipment payment at the end of a quarter? Or do you need to do personally email them (like BIAB) for shipping? Totally forgot the end of the quarter was up earlier this week.

I got an email from etre reminding me. I decided to just ship the box as is, knowing I'm taking a suboptimal approach on the shipping costs. I think I'm superstitious about the idea that large boxes are more likely to get flagged by customs or by my mail carrier.

 

[thrashD]

I got an email from etre reminding me. I decided to just ship the box as is, knowing I'm taking a suboptimal approach on the shipping costs. I think I'm superstitious about the idea that large boxes are more likely to get flagged by customs or by my mail carrier.

Haven't heard from them yet...maybe they'll add some more inventory beforehand

thanks for the reply.

 

[ineedbeer1]

Talked to both USPS and customs today as one of my boxes just got rejected and is heading back to Belgium. The USPS guy was actually very nice and said tried to help as much as possible. Customs was pretty rude and basically said they return all alcohol they catch, no option to hold for pick up. They also are actively looking for alcohol shipments in LAX.

 

[blue_bleeder]

Talked to both USPS and customs today as one of my boxes just got rejected and is heading back to Belgium. The USPS guy was actually very nice and said tried to help as much as possible. Customs was pretty rude and basically said they return all alcohol they catch, no option to hold for pick up. They also are actively looking for alcohol shipments in LAX.

Well this doesn't bode well for me. I have a box in customs from Etre right now. It's been there since the 22nd. Which isn't that long at this point. :fingerscrossed:

 

[stupac2]

I was so excited when my box "cleared" customs on Saturday, but nope it was actually being bounced back to Belgium. I have another one sitting in customs too... If anyone who gets boxes through JFK wants to be my proxy, I'd appreciate it. I don't do too much ordering any more, really just want to get these two boxes after a month of futility.

 

[BusinessSloth]

Well this doesn't bode well for me. I have a box in customs from Etre right now. It's been there since the 22nd. Which isn't that long at this point. :fingerscrossed:

Had that happen before several times. The box usually gets delivered without any prior notice because the box wasn't scanned properly or something.

 

[spykeratchet]

After a week in customs at LAX, my loons were shipped back to the motherland. Here's hoping the shop will refund me and not make me go through paypal claims.

 

[tripsforjoe]

I recently had a box inbound into customs at LAX 6 days after ordering. It said it was still there after 3 days, then it was delivered. It updated like 15 tracking results, but only AFTER it was delivered.

 

[bsc]

After a week in customs at LAX, my loons were shipped back to the motherland. Here's hoping the shop will refund me and not make me go through paypal claims.

ALWAYS complete online transactions with a credit card (including ones through paypal).
Having the ability to chargeback transactions is your friend.

 

[spykeratchet]

ALWAYS complete online transactions with a credit card (including ones through paypal).
Having the ability to chargeback transactions is your friend.

Of course, AMEX via Paypal. I usually try to resolve with paypal before pulling the big guns but AMEX has yet to fail me.

 

[ineedbeer1]

After a week in customs at LAX, my loons were shipped back to the motherland. Here's hoping the shop will refund me and not make me go through paypal claims.

My only experience so far was with Etre and they offered to refund the cost of the beer without me asking. They would not refund the shipping costs.

 

[blue_bleeder]

Well this doesn't bode well for me. I have a box in customs from Etre right now. It's been there since the 22nd. Which isn't that long at this point. :fingerscrossed:

Box cleared customs and is currently in transit to it's destination!!!

 

[csano]

Box cleared customs and is currently in transit to it's destination!!!

LAX?

 

[Xul1]

From Belgium in a Box email newsletter:

Dear US West Coast customers,

Customer satisfaction and happiness has and always will be Belgiuminabox' top priority.


It has risen to our attention that lately more and more shipments are seized to the US West Coast and being resent by customs service at LAX.


While we are searching for a solution, we can not offer our service at the level the Belgiuminabox customer is accustomed to. Therefore we will temporarily not sent any boxes to customers located on the US West Coast.

This Monday, a new Belgiuminabox.com newsletter will go out. We sent you this writing to let you know about the current West Coast issue at hand.

Currently, the only option for US West Coast customers is to use an alternative shipping address (friend, family or business on the East Coast, the North East, the Mid West or the South).

The temporally disabled states are: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

Belgiuminabox.com regrets these developments in the shipping process greatly. Though we assume that many customers will understand why we made the decision to disable the affected states as delivery address.

We will keep you up to date as soon as we have more news at our disposal. In case you have any info or feedback regarding this subject, feel free to let us know.

Glad the US Government doesn't have anything better to do...

 

[EliotRosewater]

My only experience so far was with Etre and they offered to refund the cost of the beer without me asking. They would not refund the shipping costs.

This is fairly typical with other online retailers I've dealt with as well. They're willing to refund the beer cost but not shipping. Or you can pay shipping again to reship the box.

 

[stupac2]

I was so excited when my box "cleared" customs on Saturday, but nope it was actually being bounced back to Belgium. I have another one sitting in customs too... If anyone who gets boxes through JFK wants to be my proxy, I'd appreciate it. I don't do too much ordering any more, really just want to get these two boxes after a month of futility.

I'm all set on this, people on here sure are nice!

 

[tzach]

Got notice that a box that had been sitting in LAX customs since the 22nd cleared customs yesterday, but the latest tracking updates gave me pause:

April 2, 2015 , 6:51 pm - Processed Through Sort Facility ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS)

Your item was processed through our ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS) facility on April 2, 2015 at 6:51 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination.

April 2, 2015 , 6:50 pm - Arrived at Sort Facility ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS)

April 2, 2015 , 10:01 am -Departed USPS Facility LOS ANGELES, CA 90009

April 2, 2015 , 6:12 am - Arrived at USPS Facility LOS ANGELES, CA 90009

April 2, 2015 , 4:34 am - Picked Up LOS ANGELES, CA 90009

April 1, 2015 , 10:55 am - Inbound Out of Customs

Am I the victim of a USPS April Fool's prank and my box is heading back to Belgium?

 

[Xul1]

Most likely going back to Belgium, unfortunately.