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

[HenrikO]

No!!!!!! That's why I put it in quotes! There is no one one here that should get compared to Tawd... well not many at least but you're certainly not one of them!

I can do this all night, you're too easy

 

[MKtheGeneral]

I can do this all night, you're too easy

Is this my cue to post a picture of Candice?

 

[user 306926]

Is this my cue to post a picture of Candice?

inb4 internet break

 

[daniel1]

"Hold up, we're on TB here and not on my webpage."

 

[Padraig]

Wow, I just got a package from the UK delivered in just under three days. It arrived at Customs, was cleared in just an hour, and was delivered six hours later (about a 140 miles away). I don't think this is normal, but I hope my next shipment is as easy! Still need to complete my end of the trade when I get back into town.

Yeah that is exceptionally fast. Mine usually take 4 days.

(to the east coast at least).

 

[sacrelicio]

OK...shipping a box to HenrikO this week or next and going the USPS route. Can I get the label at the post office, fill it out at home, and then drop off the box? I'd rather not schlep it up there and potentially deal with probing questions. What form do I ask for? Can I prepay? What's the rate that I ask for?

 

[mrk_d]

OK...shipping a box to HenrikO this week or next and going the USPS route. Can I get the label at the post office, fill it out at home, and then drop off the box? I'd rather not schlep it up there and potentially deal with probing questions. What form do I ask for? Can I prepay? What's the rate that I ask for?

Do it online (including customs forms), weigh it accurately and throw in another ounce for good measure on the paperwork. Bring box + paperwork to usps and get a sleeve for the documents and drop it off. It's cheaper to do it online by ~10% and no questions asked.

 

[sacrelicio]

I'm going to threadshit and not talk about HenrikO dealings.

Mailed two boxes to US from Canada using the Canada Post/USPS handoff.
I'm astounded as tracking is working at both ends and both are moving without interuptions (albeit a bit slower than I'd like in this weather). I am much excite. Gone are the days of me smuggling beer in me bottom through customs only to wrap up and box on the streets of the D outside UPS.
Of course I've never heard good things about beer coming into Canada from the US so I'll keep my Detroit mailbox.

tl;dr USPS (like the US) trusts its northern little brother (Canada Post) to give them stuff thats on the up and up.
But little brother is oddly a rat when it comes to big bro sending stuff.

I got pinched shipping to Canada in my BA days and I had no idea what to do. Ended up just paying cash for what he sent me.

 

[HenrikO]

OK...shipping a box to HenrikO this week or next and going the USPS route. Can I get the label at the post office, fill it out at home, and then drop off the box? I'd rather not schlep it up there and potentially deal with probing questions. What form do I ask for? Can I prepay? What's the rate that I ask for?

The rate should be International Priority (this is in fact the only choice possible if you go over a certain weight - I don't know exactly what but it's low, unless you're sending just one bottle it won't work), that much I know.

 

[user 306926]

I got pinched shipping to Canada in my BA days and I had no idea what to do. Ended up just paying cash for what he sent me.

Yeah, seems like nothing gets through our asstight customs up here.
But you guys seem loose as goose... just sent 2 boxes down. Both landed (albeit one a lot slower than the other).

Just glad I can see my Detroit mailbox from my office window.

 

[Head-high]

Appreciate all the info ITT. Revving up to attempt one of these. Just need to find my Anne Bancroft now.

 

[blue_bleeder]

There is no one one here that should get compared to Tawd

After this weekend with the Survivor LIF, I know you are wrong. Trady should get all the comparisons.

 

[MKtheGeneral]

After this weekend with the Survivor LIF, I know you are wrong. Trady should get all the comparisons.

He's going to start being the asterisk to everything, isn't he?

 

[blue_bleeder]

He's going to start being the asterisk to everything, isn't he?

You have no idea....

You wait, you hang out with him, you have all the sympathy from me.

 

[MKtheGeneral]

You have no idea....

You wait, you hang out with him, you have all the sympathy from me.

I'll just leave this here...

And heck, while I'm at it...

 

[blue_bleeder]

This picture, the possibilities.

 

[MKtheGeneral]

This picture, the possibilities.

New LIF Opportunity?

 

[Head-high]

Looking for a international trade. Should I go to RB to post one? Have heard there's a larger international community over there. TIA.

 

[Odesseiron]

Looking for a international trade. Should I go to RB to post one? Have heard there's a larger international community over there. TIA.

I've completed several here. Don't worry about it.

 

[sacrelicio]

OK.....weighed box at Fedex: 33.4 pounds.

Round up to 34? Or 33 1/2? Or calculate the ounces exactly?

 

[claaark13]

OK.....weighed box at Fedex: 33.4 pounds.

Round up to 34? Or 33 1/2? Or calculate the ounces exactly?

what mrk_d said is legit. do this all online and round up. i generally add a couple ounces because id rather not be off and have them tell me to go home, fix it and wait like a week for the transaction reimbursement from your shorted website label. also, i get a stash of those covers they give you and tape mine down because the last thing i want is for that thing to fall off. write the tracking number and HenrikO address clearly on at least one obvious place on the box as well if you havent already. when you drop it off, they may not say ****, especially if theyre busy. i can actually drop mine off now in the prepaid section, which my spot tends to prefer. if they ask, just tell them its some cool steins or some **** or a late christmas gift for your cousin. ive been known to leave notes in boxes saying merry christmas, or sorry for the late birthday gift, hope your family is doing well. not ******* kidding. i also used some old t shirts to pack a box for Jeffo. still not exactly sure if he wears them to the gym like they were intended to be worn.

 

[sacrelicio]

what mrk_d said is legit. do this all online and round up. i generally add a couple ounces because id rather not be off and have them tell me to go home, fix it and wait like a week for the transaction reimbursement from your shorted website label. also, i get a stash of those covers they give you and tape mine down because the last thing i want is for that thing to fall off. write the tracking number and HenrikO address clearly on at least one obvious place on the box as well if you havent already. when you drop it off, they may not say ****, especially if theyre busy. i can actually drop mine off now in the prepaid section, which my spot tends to prefer. if they ask, just tell them its some cool steins or some **** or a late christmas gift for your cousin. ive been known to leave notes in boxes saying merry christmas, or sorry for the late birthday gift, hope your family is doing well. not ******* kidding. i also used some old t shirts to pack a box for Jeffo. still not exactly sure if he wears them to the gym like they were intended to be worn.

So they don't care if you go over on weight, just don't go under.

 

[sacrelicio]

inb4 internet break

 

[claaark13]

So they don't care if you go over on weight, just don't go under.

in the interest of clarifying so you dont annoyingly have money tied up in an untimely usps website refund, you absolutely want to add safety ounces to your label. the extra dollar or whatever will give you a safety net if the scales are not all calibrated the same. they will send your ass home or tell you to cancel your online transaction later and to pay them for a new label without the 10% discount if your label weight is lower than actual parcel weight.

 

[Odesseiron]

34 it

 

[andrewdrinks]

Looking for a international trade. Should I go to RB to post one? Have heard there's a larger international community over there. TIA.

RB's server is wheezing like an emphysema sufferer at the moment, so I'd keep it here...

 

[sacrelicio]

So I created a label, but I got confused when describing and adding "items" since they kept adding onto the total package weight and going over the total. So I declared 12 items that were 1 pound and worth 1 dollar each, so that is what is listed in the item description area. The total weight is still accurate, but will this cause a problem?

 

[Jeffo1]

i also used some old t shirts to pack a box for Jeffo. still not exactly sure if he wears them to the gym like they were intended to be worn.

That Indiana greyboy is still my no.1 go-to Deadlift shirt. As intended.

 

[andrewdrinks]

I have a package in transit at the moment but am not sure if it's still at customs or not. Here's what Post Lux have on their T&T:

31-01-15
21:12
ISC New York NY (USPS)
Departure from inward Office of Exchange

31-01-15
21:11
ISC New York NY (USPS)
Held at customs

30-01-15
16:14
ISC New York NY (USPS)
Arrival at inward Office of Exchange

So does that mean it's left NY and is now with USPS? Or is it likely that those top two are the wrong way round and it's still with customs at JFK? Trade partner has heard nothing and his porch is empty. My main concern is the box sitting around in transit somewhere and freezing up.

 

[domtronzero]

I'm in the midst of an international trade with Ednolb and this just updated on the bpost tracking site:

Does that mean it is being held at customs (in a bad way)? Or is that just typical wording for still having to clear customs?

Oh man. I'm so bummed right now.

stakem?