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

[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.

 

[stupac2]

Ugh, mine did the same thing, earlier today it said it was being delivered, now I guess I'm still ******. Goddamnit. This sucks so much.

 

[blue_bleeder]

Mother of all ****!!! That is what mine is now saying!!!!

 

[Padraig]

Belgium In A Box have sent out an e-mail saying they are no longer shipping to a load of western states due to the amount of orders being returned by LAX Customs. No doubt this is already being discussed somewhere else on here.

 

[Roger85]

For those of you more experienced than me with this- anything to worry about here?

 

[Odesseiron]

no

 

[Roger85]

no

Thanks. The retained at customs thing had me worried.

 

[BusinessSloth]

Thanks. The retained at customs thing had me worried.

Everyone's box gets retained at customs. That's standard and to be expected. If you're in Illinois, you should be fine. The problems usually come from LAX customs, while yours goes through JFK or Chicago. I've only had one box returned to Belgium and that's because USPS said my address wasn't valid, even though Etre provided proof to me that it was correct and valid.

 

[jmarce]

Anyone had bpost not have a cross reference for USPS on the tracking page? Is there any way to look it up or get it from them?

 

[HeadytheElder]

Has anyone here used DHL to ship internationally?

 

[boogercrack]

Has anyone here used DHL to ship internationally?

hold on to your pants before you ask for a quote.