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Shipping USA --> Germany
Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 6:12 am
by BlueHelmet
Hi guys,
I'm located in Germany and another member of this forum, located in the US, has a small collection of hardware parts (the biggest one is pickguard-sized) he would like to send me. Do any of you have experience with international shipping and can suggest a cheap shipping method?
(I know, I know. I googled it, but didn't really come up with good results

)
Re: Shipping USA --> Germany
Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 6:15 am
by electrofaro
As it's not that big, it should be possible to send it as small package through the regular mail - couriers will mean customs, and you might end up paying duties for the items.
Re: Shipping USA --> Germany
Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 6:25 am
by BlueHelmet
AFAIK even a normal/small package means customs and tax. Perhaps no VAT as the items are used and not new. Still, checking out USPS sounds like a good idea.
Re: Shipping USA --> Germany
Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 6:39 am
by electrofaro
I wrote a bit about the duties here:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=398811
So far I've bought dozens of times in the US over the internet - the small packages were all marked with value somewhere 9 to 30 USD.
I didn't even ask for them to do that. It was quite weird to get an expensive CD box set listed on the green customs declaration as New CD, value 9 USD!
I asked the seller, a decent small record company, and they said they do that to avoid stuff being stolen!
In the regular mail they simply don't have the manpower to check every small package - at least here in Holland.
"2nd hand metal/resin toy parts" with a value of 25 USD might be something to try.
Re: Shipping USA --> Germany
Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:38 pm
by johnallg
I have had great luck and speed using the US mail. I've sent to England, Norway, Portugal, Israel, with the same success.