Tips for shipping from EU to US wanted

[00wyk]

I avoid private carriers like the plague. They are infamous for hidden charges and regularly endure customs fees.

I go simply with the postal service and fill out the customs documents so the items appear as a gift.

US customs doesn't usually grab packages according to their contents...they only seem to levy taxes on merchandise.

I mark the item as "Chainsaw Parts", "Gift" and I use the real value (for insurance) when shipping to the US.

Make sure you use a private address also and don't give any inclination of a business shipping the item.

I had a business partner that used to work for another company that let him use their FedEX#. He let me use it once for shipping a few items to the UK. Customs charged nothing as it was mostly clothing and other personal goods. But it was definitely a heavy package. FedEX charged $120 as a 'handling fee'. Postage was $400! But it got there in 18 hours...

 

[00wyk]

You will use deutsche post or DHL international paket they are the best option
You shouldn’t have any problems if you list it as garten werkzeug ersatzteile
And for the customs document list it in good detail and realistic costs for the parts

The secret is keep plenty of information on the outside too stop them looking
On the inside
Use regular coloured boxes , parcel tape , don’t draw attention to the parcel
Keep it plain

Also, absolutely do not enjoy a lil bump of the white stuff to make time fly by whilst packaging the parcel.

 

[av8or3]

Hand carry it to the post office. (Do not entrust ebays “Global Shipping”). Do not ship in a chainsaw box unless you’ve covered it up with a plain one. If coming from the UK, they will detain a chainsaw as dangerous goods if they find it. And neither of you will ever see it again.
I have experience with this.

 

[AlfA01]

I've shipped a few saws in the last year and a half. 95-97% of these receipts were to the US. All made it without customs duties......

 

[shadco]

I've shipped a few saws in the last year and a half. 95-97% of these receipts were to the US. All made it without customs duties......

View attachment 200277

Troof in my case.

.

 

[00wyk]

I've shipped a few saws in the last year and a half. 95-97% of these receipts were to the US. All made it without customs duties......

View attachment 200277

What was the typical declaration like?

 

[AlfA01]

What was the typical declaration like?

Most of those were between $600 and $1200 declared as gifts at the post office--mostly 462's and 346's. Some of the guys from other countries had me adjust their #'s for customs there.

 

[qurotro]

But I have to declare my stuff again even it's said gift...

 

[old_sir_henry]

Thanks all, I'll try my and notably the receiver's luck.
Item declared as chain saw parts, gift and 120 EUR value.
Shipment will be handled by DHL, we'll see whats gonna happen...

 

[Wonkydonkey]

Care to expand a bit more ?

Hand carry it to the post office. (Do not entrust ebays “Global Shipping”). Do not ship in a chainsaw box unless you’ve covered it up with a plain one. If coming from the UK, they will detain a chainsaw as dangerous goods if they find it. And neither of you will ever see it again.
I have experience with this.

 

[qurotro]

Care to expand a bit more ?

Ebays global shipping works here. They hire recipient's country private shipping company (specified for importing) to do all the custom works and handling. At lease that's how it works here.

 

[davidwyby]

How about shipping to Scotland? I tried my UPS biz account and the price was ouch. @SOS Ridgerider @AlfA01

 

[Wonkydonkey]

I had a GB 25” bar that JimBear shipped to me from IA to the uk it cost me about $80. The bar and cardboard was 4lb 1 oz

it’s not cheap.
so maybe an option is to do as some others have done before, ie just send the cylinder and a squish measurement. And then reassemble when you get it back.

If the cylinder is cheap enough, you could get crocky to buy one and port it and send it. As I believe that’s what been done before but from the USA to other places in the world. It maybe a cheaper option ? Or it may not…?

 

[davidwyby]

Might do just the cylinder.

I had pretty much decided to forego the port job once I saw the price…but I still have to get him his 630.

 

[Woodslasher]

Might do just the cylinder.

I had pretty much decided to forego the port job once I saw the price…but I still have to get him his 630.

Forego? Send me the dimensions and weight, I've got a local guy who gives me pretty good prices so I'll see what number he tosses at me. There's no way in heck I'd pass up a free port job, unless shipping was really bad.

 

[Wilhelm]

Ship over Greece through a trusted member!

Even with one shipping fee added it was much less expensive to get my EA5000XS from the US routing her over Greece than shipping her directly to Croatia.

Maybe things have changed since, so take this post with caution!

 

[Wilhelm]

How about shipping to Scotland? I tried my UPS biz account and the price was ouch. @SOS Ridgerider @AlfA01

You tagged the members that made it happen to get me my Makita EA5000XS.

Also needing being thanked:
@166
@huskihl

 

[av8or3]

Care to expand a bit more ?

The problem is with eBay’s “global” shipping centers. The used saw I purchased on eBay from a fellow in the UK was impounded as “restricted” and I was refunded immediately. I stayed in contact with that fellow and as far as I know he was never refunded and the saw was destroyed (by his account). Do not use the EBay global shipping! They apparently have plenty of time to go thru this stuff under the guise of “correct packaging” and they will not let a used saw thru. Not sure about new.

 

[SOS Ridgerider]

Shipping it with the mail is probably the cheapest. That's what we did with @Wilhelm saw. I just contacted a friend of mine back home to see what he can do to help me get a saw over here for @cuinrearview
I'll report back with what he says.

 

[cuinrearview]

Shipping it with the mail is probably the cheapest. That's what we did with @Wilhelm saw. I just contacted a friend of mine back home to see what he can do to help me get a saw over here for @cuinrearview
I'll report back with what he says.

I'm not hurting for saws