"Ordering from Studio Bergstrom to Europe" Topic

I'd really like some of the starfighters from Studio Bergstrom, but having had to pay hideous prices in customs fees and especially extortion (fees to the post office), I'm now reluctant to purchase anything from the States, so I'm wondering if about others experiences of ordering from Studio Bergstrom to Europe and whether they've been got by customs or not

I feel your pain. A solution can be to order for a limited amount (USD 35.00 or so). And do inform the sender that the cost of mail should NOT be included in the total amount on that green stamp… This is what I do when ordering from (for instance) Hinterland. For the other way around (I sometimes send to the States, because people have won an auction of mine on eBay) I always limit as much as possible the mentioned worth on the outside (that green stamp again). Adding "Gift" or "Sample" does not seem to work.

I order smallish amounts (£15-20)and have never had a problem.

Two great peoples separated by uncommon bureaucracies. *sigh*

Keep in mind the amounts Porthos and Stealth are quoting are close to each other. About $1.66 USD to the pound, of late. Maybe, £20.00 GBP about $34. USD

Thanks to Porthos for that tip about leaving out shippage as part of value. Damned obvious, and I'd probably miss it.

Doug

Ok, I'll probably put in a smaller order and hope it gets through ok.

I've not had problems with orders from the US………keep 'em relatively small an they seem to pass thru' any customs checks……..$50 is my unofficial 'safe limit'……

The UK limit before VAT needs to be paid is £15.00 GBP, for import duty I think it is about £135.00 GBP I don't know what the limits are for other European countries, so it is probably best to check with your local mail service.

I try to keep the limit on my Customs Forms under $10.00 USD value, and I always mark them as gifts. The only real problem I've had so far in shipping Internationally is that sometimes the "Postal Pirates" get them instead of their intended recipients, and the fact that there is no real tracking beyond the Customs Form Number to find them when they go astray due to a bad address that the delivery person cannot find (simple clerical errors like "125" instead of "123" for an address can botch a delivery.) These packets then sit at the local post office until someone comes in to claim it (with an ID), and then after a month it is sent back across the pond to me by slow boat (kiss +2 months for THAT to happen.) The best bet is to go with the USPS Flat Rate Small Box for $24 USD which is high enough profile to keep most pirates at bay, but a botched addy won't fly sadly (and they have no imagination in order to correct them like actually consulting a phone book!)

I do agree that in just the past year the postage has gotten completely out of hand…