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p moore

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I guess this is the place for this. I have shipped several pieces over seas before. Always one at a time. I may have to ship several knives at once in the near future.

What would be the best way to do this without alot of hold up..Customs, sticky fingered material handlers....

Also, for the customs decloration tag, what do you guys usually put for description when shipping knives.

BTW these are going to western Europe. I know sometimes that makes a difference.

Paul
 
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Shipping overseas sucks (IMO) and all of the shipping companies suck (again IMO) but you have to use one of them so you try to use the least sucky of them. Personally I tell people that I ship to overseas that they are doing it at their own risk, if they want the package insured I will insure it at their expense and if it get's lost I will do everything thats required (and more if possible) to recover the knife or the insurance money. However, if they want it insured for it's full value they must declare that value and then they must pay the duties and taxed on that value.

I use USPS mostly for overseas shipping of one or maybe 2 lower priced knives, you can buy insurance on USPS int. priority now but you have to go to the PO to do it. If the customer is willing to take a chance you can ship USPS express and then the package is actually tracked and therefor watched over more closely presumably.

FedEx is good in someways and bad in others. They have very good tracking and pretty much just don't lose insured packages (it can happen of coarse but i think it's much less like with FedEx) on the other hand they are expensive ($75 or more for insured). then there is the problem of paying duties. I had an account with fedex and shipped a knife and then a few weeks later they charged the duties fees to my account (i clearly checked the box that said the receiver was paying duties and taxes) so if you want to use fedex go to the office and don't use your account if you have one.

I like having stuff shipped to me by UPS but it seems when I want to ship something with them it's always more expensive and more hassle. I think they have improved greatly in the area of lost packages though.

Ok thats pretty much all I got, it's just my opinion and we all know what they say about those :)
 
I use hand tool or camping tool as a custom description. I ship everything Priority mail. I have lost two packages. One I think wasn't lost. The other came back from Italy after a 2 months journey and came back home.
 
Les makes a good point. I never ship international via UPS or Fedex for the bill back reason on customs. The Post office does not bill you back ever for customs duties.
 
Oh BTW, I think lying on a customs form is a bad idea, you can lower the value to make the customers taxes lower but if that package is lost thats all they can hope to recover. But lying about whats in the package I think is probably not good. What I do is use a less alarming word like camping tool, tool or cutlery, it's not a lie and it doesn't raise suspicions like the word knives does.
 
Those are all good points. I know I like to use USPS for most om my shipping. So far they have done a fine job. I have shipped knives to most parts of the world and so far....Knock, Knock...I havn't lost one yet.

I also like the use of the words "cutlery samples" on the decloration tag.

I guess I just wanted to see what other makers thoughts were on this. Like I said one knife no big deal, but 3-4 at one time, now sweat beads are show on the forehead.

Paul
 
I just sent a knife to Hong Kong. USPS priority mail(max limit of 4lbs If I remember correctly). Customs description was Camping Equipment. I talked to John Barker about how he had shipped overseas and did a little searching on another forum with a little more historical info to try to figure out the best method.

This is the first time I have done this so I will let you know how it turned out in the next day or so.

I did find out that the max insurance to HK is 1222.00 with the current exchange rate. Cost was about 15.00 for the insurance
 
USPS first class is half the price as Priority and will take the same time to get there. However, They(postal Employees) tend to care for Priority packages better IMO.
Camping tool it is,,,,,,,,, Or Stabbing Devise:D
 
I just shipped a knife to Romania, no ins & no value.
Customers request.
Some times I mark them as a Paper Cutter.
Have not had a problem yet - Knock on Wood...... :)

I have had some get there in a couple days - priority.
And this last one 6 -8 days?

And all of them I tell the customer, it is your risk - NO guarantee after leaves the US.

TA


.
 
Priority mail, use NOTHING else for international!
Describe as tool or pocket tool.
Insurance does work but claims at USPS are very slow.
fmg
 
Hi P Moore,

I ship between 100 -200 Packages each year overseas.

I primarily use USPS Global Express. Priority cannot be tracked.

Each package is given up to $100 insurance by the Post Office.

Camping tool is generally the best way to list the knife. An invoice inside the box is important. Value should be what your client would like...with the understanding that if something goes wrong it is on them.

The other service I use is FedEx Intl. Priority. I sent a box to England this past Friday afternoon...the package arrive yesterday at 10am. Customs fees are paid by the client...always. He received 4 knives worth several thousand dollars. So he felt the $110 was worth the shipping. Not bad for over the weekend delivery. If the knives had been sent separately they would have at least been $70 - $80 for the package. Given the knives he felt the extra $30 - $40 was worth the ability to be able to track the package from point a to point b.

I have been using USPS Global Express for over 12 years. 1 Package went missing...showed up 18 days later.

I have been shipping overseas with FedEx for almost 10 years...not one package has gone missing.

If only I had that experience with priority mail and UPS in the United States.
 
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