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

[sunnrider]

I've done this, more than a few times. Just suck up the cost of an extra checked bag. It actually works out better sometimes if you upgrade your flight, since it usually comes with extra bags.

 

[andrewdrinks]

That volume of bottles will need more than an extra bag. 12x75cls takes you to around 22kg (48.5lbs) in a standard suitcase (20.5kg in a Lazenne). Even when I've had extra weight bags (72lb allowance), it's tough to pack more than 12 75s without risking damage. His best bet is probably to head to a post office.

 

[2plums4one]

lolololololol

Who buys 47 bottles of lambic in Belgium without having a ******* clue how they are going to get it back to the US?

Yes this seems incredibly odd. You'd think he would at least have a friend who could help him, unless this is a nonchalant way to get an inbox explosion and spend two full week auctioning trades on messenger while the rest of his life fades into nothingness.

 

[kscaldef]

Yeah, I always assume it's a given that I'll overbuy a bit and end up domeing a couple bottles in my hotel room to get my weight under the limit, but this is ridiculous.

If you can get to Antwerp, Kurt at Belgium in a Box has been know to package and ship beer home for people at a better price than you'll get as an individual at the post office.

 

[IndianaJones]

No, they just told me the same information that I can already see. TrappistWorld replied and also told me the same thing and sent me the link saying "you can track your package here". Haha, I already know that and that's why I'm emailing because it hasn't moved. It's irritating. They said they would open a incident with Bpost in the email but said that normally they just reply back saying they couldn't find anything on it. I'm not holding out much hope these days.

Did this box ever make it bigda83?

 

[2plums4one]

So...
My shipments almost always go through NYC. This time the one I sent went to Miami, West Palm, Louisville, and is "in transit to the destination". Anyone ever seen this?

We shipped on Firday/Saturday

Also, his shipment just says "processed through facility " in Amsterdam, and he shipped Friday morning.

Anyone else experienced the crazy route? I'm in NC.

 

[2plums4one]

UPDATE: NC>miami>west palm>louisville>philly>NY>overseas. Great job USPS, we should let the government control more things........
In other news the one heading to me cleared customs in less than a day and looks good to go.

Just posting for anyone who experiences this in the future and gets concerned.

 

[Ziggy]

Anyone know what shipping, maybe a like a 12 bottle box (750 mL), would cost from etre to east coast?

Thinking about putting together a fantome box.

 

[daniel1]

Anyone know what shipping, maybe a like a 12 bottle box (750 mL), would cost from etre to east coast?

Thinking about putting together a fantome box.

Etre says €156 so about $170.

 

[Ziggy]

Etre says €156 so about $170.

How did you get the estimate? I looked around the webshop for a shipping calculator, but couldn't find anything.

Also, $170, **** that noise.

 

[owens99]

How did you get the estimate? I looked around the webshop for a shipping calculator, but couldn't find anything.

Also, $170, **** that noise.

<$15/bottle seems, ummm, quite reasonable.

 

[daniel1]

How did you get the estimate? I looked around the webshop for a shipping calculator, but couldn't find anything.

Also, $170, **** that noise.

Add twelve bottles to your cart and put in your country, state and ZIP on the cart screen. Twelve bottles puts you in the more expensive shipping tier. Eleven bottles is €78.

 

[Ziggy]

<$15/bottle seems, ummm, quite reasonable.

$15 per bottle on $7 dollar (average) bottles.



Seems legit

 

[daniel1]

$15 per bottle on $7 dollar (average) bottles.



Seems legit

It costs the same to ship 22 bottles as it does 12. You'd be better off getting 11.

 

[owens99]

I'm so confused. Ziggy, you realize that we're talking about total cost, not shipping cost, right?

I just put 12 bottles of Brise Bonbons in my cart. €78.00 for the bottles at €6.50 each. On top of that, I'm quoted €78.00 for shipping (37.26lbs). So total cost of €156.00, or about $167 at current euro rate. That $167 comes out to $13.92 per bottle. That sounds completely fine to me for bottles of Fantome shipped to my door, and I don't think I could get them for much cheaper from stores. But I don't live in a world of $7 Fantome bottles, so it's a price I'm happy to pay. I didn't think Maryland was that world, either, but maybe I'm wrong.

Anyway, I'm completely baffled by this conversation.

 

[daniel1]

It really depends on the weight Etre uses for the bottles. They use 2.7 pounds for Bonbons. I used 3F OG in my initial post, which are 3 pounds and that tipped the shipping into the next tier. No Fantome bottle is listed at 3 pounds so shipping for 12 would be €78.

 

[Ziggy]

I'm so confused. Ziggy, you realize that we're talking about total cost, not shipping cost, right?

I just put 12 bottles of Brise Bonbons in my cart. €78.00 for the bottles at €6.50 each. On top of that, I'm quoted €78.00 for shipping (37.26lbs). So total cost of €156.00, or about $167 at current euro rate. That $167 comes out to $13.92 per bottle. That sounds completely fine to me for bottles of Fantome shipped to my door, and I don't think I could get them for much cheaper from stores. But I don't live in a world of $7 Fantome bottles, so it's a price I'm happy to pay. I didn't think Maryland was that world, either, but maybe I'm wrong.

Anyway, I'm completely baffled by this conversation.

I was talking shipping separate from bottles.

I thought you meant $170 just for shipping. That would have been ridiculous to say the least.

My bad.

 

[boogercrack]

It really depends on the weight Etre uses for the bottles. They use 2.7 pounds for Bonbons. I used 3F OG in my initial post, which are 3 pounds and that tipped the shipping into the next tier. No Fantome bottle is listed at 3 pounds so shipping for 12 would be €78.

Why'd you use 3F when he mentioned Fantome in the original post?

with 3F/cantillon it's 11+a glass, with Fantome you can fit 12, or 11 and a 375 and a glass. in my experience.

 

[daniel1]

Why'd you use 3F when he mentioned Fantome in the original post?

with 3F/cantillon it's 11+a glass, with Fantome you can fit 12, or 11 and a 375 and a glass. in my experience.

Because I'm an idiot.

 

[Ziggy]

Pulled the trigger on the tome box. The tulips on etre gave me an excuse to do it.

Fingers crossed no issues in shipping.

 

[CTFalcon]

So I just had my first hiccup in an international shipment and I'm wondering if anyone has any similar experience. I had a box out for delivery to my buddy in The Netherlands, the box got rescanned at the post office a few days in a row then disappeared for a week. Odd. It finally shows back up yesterday and is out for delivery for a fourth time today only to get rejected as damaged and flagged for return to sender.

So a couple things, first, should I expect the Dutch post office to make sure the box is safe for transit back to me? I'm nervous they'll just send it in its busted state only to make it to the US and get confiscated. Second, do I have any recourse to recoup shipping cost since they damaged the box? I'd be more worried about the shipping reimbursement than the value of the box since I did the usual low value to avoid customs taxes.

Any advice would be much appreciated. At this point I'm writing off the box and just praying it doesn't make it to my small town post office only to be discovered as beer and arouse suspicion with my mailman or post office clerk.

 

[Maakun]

The Dutch post office will sometimes pack it in a big plastic back or tape it up, but don't count on it.

 

[Ziggy]

The tome box came in yesterday. Ordered it on the 17th. Had to change the delivery address on the 20th, and it came in on the 24th. That was ******* fast. I got a box in the mail yesterday and had no idea or expectation that it would be the box i ordered from etre, totally caught me off guard. I was expecting at least 2 weeks like the last time i ordered from belgium.

 

[jbeezification1]

My last box left Belgium on a Wednesday and arrived Monday morning.

 

[stupac2]

Is LAX still a problem? My last few boxes went through JFK, but this one hit LAX and now I'm worried.

 

[IndianaJones]

Is LAX still a problem? My last few boxes went through JFK, but this one hit LAX and now I'm worried.

Just had one go through LAX last week, no problems at all, just a bunch of green customs tape on the boxes

 

[MooseLang]

First time ever ordering from BIAB. Is this good?


08/04/2017 17:28 Departure from office of exchange INBOMB India
08/04/2017 08:23 Arrival at international office of exchange INBOMB India
08/04/2017 08:23 Retained at customs : reason unknown INBOMB India
03/04/2017 00:32 Departure from office of exchange BEBRUA Belgium
03/04/2017 00:20 Item information registered manually
02/04/2017 20:28 Your item has been sorted NEW ANTWERPEN X
29/03/2017 09:56 Confirmation of preparation of the shipment received

 

[chefduff2]

First time ever ordering from BIAB. Is this good?


08/04/2017 17:28 Departure from office of exchange INBOMB India
08/04/2017 08:23 Arrival at international office of exchange INBOMB India
08/04/2017 08:23 Retained at customs : reason unknown INBOMB India
03/04/2017 00:32 Departure from office of exchange BEBRUA Belgium
03/04/2017 00:20 Item information registered manually
02/04/2017 20:28 Your item has been sorted NEW ANTWERPEN X
29/03/2017 09:56 Confirmation of preparation of the shipment received

That doesn't sound good at all.

 

[boogercrack]

Lol why on earth would it have gone to Bombay

 

[Ziggy]

First time ever ordering from BIAB. Is this good?


08/04/2017 17:28 Departure from office of exchange INBOMB India
08/04/2017 08:23 Arrival at international office of exchange INBOMB India
08/04/2017 08:23 Retained at customs : reason unknown INBOMB India
03/04/2017 00:32 Departure from office of exchange BEBRUA Belgium
03/04/2017 00:20 Item information registered manually
02/04/2017 20:28 Your item has been sorted NEW ANTWERPEN X
29/03/2017 09:56 Confirmation of preparation of the shipment received

I would definitely contact the shop. Ask why the **** it's in India. Might be an error with tracking.