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Subject: 
Seeking the Ultimate Truths on International Shipping
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.market.shipping
Date: 
Tue, 9 Mar 1999 21:41:08 GMT
Viewed: 
845 times
  
I don't check this newsgroup very often.  Please send any responses to
my email address as well as the newsgroup.

I've just finished up my first auction, and I'm having trouble getting
adequate shipping rates for my non-US bidders.  It seems that the small
packets rate is the best one available, but exactly what is a "small
packet," and how big can a shipment get before it's called a "large
packet"?  If a bidder has won a couple pounds of Lego, does anyone think
that I should try to split it up to keep it at the small packet rate?
(Will this help with customs?) I've spent a lot of time at www.usps.gov
trying to get any useful information out of their international shipping
calculator, but so far I haven't gotten anything I'm satisfied with.  I
need to send shipping information to my auction winners, but I want to
offer them the best rates available.

As another note, I had absolutely not considered any customs fees.  I
thought that tariffs were abandoned years ago, and anyway this is all
post-retail Lego.  I have winning bidders from Canada, the UK, Germany,
and Italy.  Does anyone know what precaution I might take so as to avoid
unnecessary customs interference in those countries?  (I'm not implying
that I wish to break the law.  I simply don't want officials to waste
their time with my stuff. :-) )

Also, suppose that I just bought a large collection of items on eBay
(not Lego related), and they are in the mail right now to me from the
UK.  Am I going to be met by customs officials at my post office when I
pick them up?  They are all definitely second-hand items, as they were
published in the early 80s.

I appreciate any help/suggestions/thought that I might receive.

Thanks,
Naji
n (dot) norder (at) utk (dot) edu



Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: Seeking the Ultimate Truths on International Shipping
 
(...) Dream on ;=( (...) Tell them it's a "gift". That (usually, but not always) works. (...) You probably won't be met by officials. You might not get the package till you pay a certain fee, though. Of course, the few times I've had to pay customs (...) (26 years ago, 11-Mar-99, to lugnet.market.shipping)
  Re: Seeking the Ultimate Truths on International Shipping
 
Small Packets are generally limited to less than 2Kg. It is usually cheaper to send larger lots as separate 'small packets' each less than 2Kg. From the UK, above about 500g, the charge per 100g is linear. As for customs fees, mark it as a gift, and (...) (26 years ago, 15-Mar-99, to lugnet.market.shipping)

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