Overseas Shipping Question?

[guildzilla]

Definitely could work well for you in this instance, West.

My comments were toward the generic issue of overseas shipping and USPS size restrictions.

 

[coastie99]

Actually, I think we paid under $675 for the guitar.....and the A25 is a small guitar and might be able to be fairly securely packed and boxed in a bit smaller box. I'll have to do some checking....all contigent on Gary's approval.

West

Priority International sounds viable to me, unless it takes a lot of time. Nowhere that I've looked, can I find information on how long it's likely to take. And it's the time (Waiting, waiting, waiting) issue that causes me the most anxiety. I don't focus much on the possibility of damage.

Max. insurance coverage isn't an issue; I'm also pretty sure we paid under $675.
And yes, surely: An A25 must fit a smaller box ?

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

I recently shipped a 12 string guitar USPS Priority in the U.S. and the box dimensions, for the well packed, actually overpacked guitar, was 10x20x46 which was a total of 106 inches and met the 46 inch length limit. It CAN be done. As for time, just sent a priority mail package recently, not a guitar, and smaller, to Coastie's neighbor across the pond, forgive the expression, OZtralia....and it arrived in about a week. In good shape.

So, think positive. Looked like from that chart that it was around $200 to ship to New Zealand. Much better than what you have been talking about. :mrgreen:

 

[coastie99]

I recently shipped a 12 string guitar USPS Priority in the U.S. and the box dimensions, for the well packed, actually overpacked guitar, was 10x20x46 which was a total of 106 inches and met the 46 inch length limit. It CAN be done. As for time, just sent a priority mail package recently, not a guitar, and smaller, to Coastie's neighbor across the pond, forgive the expression, OZtralia....and it arrived in about a week. In good shape.

So, think positive. Looked like from that chart that it was around $200 to ship to New Zealand. Much better than what you have been talking about. :mrgreen:

Thank you Jane, that's encouraging. 7 - 10 days shipping isn't too trauma-inducing !

I'm sure it wont need to ship "oversize"; that's what hikes the cost. We use an oversize formula in the courier business, and I'm well aware of how shipping fees escalate when that formula's applied.

 

[kostask]

Hi,

Just wanted to say that I have had both my F212XL and F50R sent to me via US Postal Service, no issue at all. They both fit under the 108" rule. Both were quite well packed, and arrived with no shipping damage at all. I don't remember the length, but I think they were only 9" deep, and about 18-19 inches wide. My DV-52 also came up via US Postal Service/Canada post. No issue with that one either.

If those guys can make it under the limit, just about any guitar should, short of an F612, or a Stromberg 19" archtop. And if I were buying an F612, I'd fly to go get it.

Kostas

 

[jwsamuel]

The boxes that all the major manufacturers use are under the 108" rule.

You can also get these at uline.com:

http://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=S-4922&searchedkeywords=Guitar

They are 50x20x8, so they total 106 inches. I use them all the time with no problem.

Priority Mail International is six to 10 days to most locations. I have recently had it take up to two weeks to Europe and nearly four weeks to Canada. The problem has always been once it entered the other country. For example, the package to Canada made it into Canadian customs in a couple of days, but they did not move it out for two and a half weeks.

Jim

 

[Default]

FYI, we don't do surface shipping anymore in the PO. Too many problems and damage claims, so it goes over by air. Wish I could have more specific information, but I only hump the mail from door to door.
BTW, we use Fedex as an air carrier. We supply the packages and they fly em for us.
Works much better than using the airlines.

 

[Graham]

Did anyone happen to get a shipping charge....Texas to New Zealand? We may just have to go with a smaller box Gary?

West

Use two boxes West, shouldn't be a problem. :shock:

 

[Default]

Did anyone happen to get a shipping charge....Texas to New Zealand? We may just have to go with a smaller box Gary?

West

Use two boxes West, shouldn't be a problem. :shock:

Whaaaaaaa?

 

[Andy Hiwatt]

Well ...I have to say that during the last 4 years I've got all of my "serious " guitars from e-bay or on-line purchasing without any trouble of any sort. I bought 6 guitars( 3 Guilds, 2 Rickenbackers,1 Gretsch) from the USA and always used USPS Global Express MAil shipment, it was very reliable, being trackable. Until 2006 it took normally 10 days for the guitar to be delivered,but 7 of these days were spent in the ultra-slow and bizantine Italian Customs Office.
Then from December 2006 a great improvement in Italian Customs procedures (if you follow the right instructions of filling invoices and declaring clearly items value out of the box) led to just 6-7 days of waiting before receiving the guitar.I usually payed around $110-120 for USPS shipping,but it's good anyway because in most cases I saved more than 50-60% on the guitar price,compared to italian or european prices.
The first Rick I bought I had it shipped via Fedex Courier for just $100 because the store had very good conditions from Fedex as a courier of choice so I payed the guitar on a friday and got it on my door next monday!!!
I never experienced problems with the box size, and my Guild D-25 was shipped in a big Jumbo hardcase...
I also bought a Fender Telecaster and a Gibson Les Paul from Japan and I have to say that also EMS (Japanese Postal Service ) is very good and reliable, guitars arrived in Italy after 4 days but then they held them in Customs offices for 10 days-here they reserve an even slower treatment to items coming from Asia or Japan-but anyway I knew what I had to expect, I have friends that had done it before and I can state that me and 2 other friends we bought no less than 25 instruments and also some pedals and stomp boxes in the last years and none of us had anything missing or damaged from the shipping.

 

[viento]

On ebay I´ve found those restrictions(="US only!") mostly with private sellers but a few narrowminded dealers occur sometimes too. Well, it´s their business if they don´t take the chance to ship abroad...
And I can´t even understand at all the limitation to ship to the lower 48 only... It isn´t the seller´s money they are trying to save, as the buyer normally has to pay additional shipping costs.
Two weeks ago I ordered a 12-string from Elderly´s that arrived 4 days later at my house. Postage over the pond to me in Germany via UPS INT WAYBILL was 180$. Packing and protection in the cardboard box was made highly professionally: no slightest nick or ding... Of course I had to pay our taxes and customs, everybody has to reckon that. It´s only 1 minute with a pocket calculator :wink: The price of the guitar + shipping was paid with my mastercard. All in one: no problems at all! If I buy with cc from a seller/dealer with good reputation there seems to be no risk at all for both of us.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

The problem isn't so much cost/risk/narrow minds..it's one of time/aggravation.

Frankly, the clerks in the Post Office don't know their own postal regulations.

To mail the box to Australia, previously mentioned, I packed the item, carefully in an official U.S.P.S. box, addressed it properly, stood in line to pick up the customs declaration form, filled it out appropriately, signed it in the required places, stood in line and presented it to the clerk who promptly informed me that I had used the 'wrong' customs declaration form' even though it was the only form they had placed out for use.

She handed me another form and back to the end of the considerably long line. Filled out the new form. Made it to the head of the line, a different clerk, postage calculated, everything stamped and affixed, and 'the clerk calculated the shipping charges incorrectly'. She did not know how to correct the error.

So, again, back to the end of the long line to wait for yet another clerk. Make it to the front of the line, the new clerk states that she can't correct the first clerks mistake, but she'll refund the payment, and I can start all over...as in...get a new box from the USPS and repack and readdress and again fill out the customs declaration and, again, stand in the lovely long line. Which I did.

At which point, FINALLY, a clerk who actually knew what he was doing, calculated, affixed, collected the payment...and the package was on it's way. This took several HOURS to accomplish. THAT IS THE REAL REASON NO ONE WANTS TO SHIP OVERSEAS.

I was only able to succeed because I had taken the time to research the actual USPS regulations so I knew I was right...but get that across to the official clerks. Plus, each countries import regulations are different, and constantly changing. And this was just a small box containing a simple shirt...took almost an entire afternoon to mail. The actual process, done correctly, including the long line wait, should have taken about half an hour. :roll:

 

[Default]

<puts head in hands>

That's way I hate my job. You provide people with the correct information and you have to rely on knuckleheads to follow through.

 

[fungusyoung]

I don't make a habit of shipping overseas, but I've made exceptions for a few people that I know at least to some extent. Shipping overseas can be a pain in the neck at the point of origin as a previous posted illustrated. It is also getting much more expensive, and I've always feared a situation where loss or damage to the shipment has to be dealt with. There's enough horror stories just about domestic US shipping damage, but to deal with this when shipping overseas... I just don't think it's worth the risk.

On top of all of this is the unfortunate scam factor. Whether we like to admit it or not, the lure of shipping overseas from the US right now is attractive given the weak dollar and higher potential sales price, but this only brings in more scammers that are able to sway some with sales that are too good to be true. I can't take credit cards directly, but I do take Paypal... many overseas folks don't want to deal through Paypal though.

So, there are legitimate reasons for this to be a risk and hassle... enough for me to steer clear of it at least for the time being.

 

[coastie99]

Must say that I've long suspected the "aggravation" factor to be a very significant part of the reason why sellers don't want to ship internationally.
And I certainly don't blame them !

Jane's experience reminds me very much of that which my first Ebay seller had; namely postal clerks not knowing their own regulations.
Plus which, there was a banking snafu with his (English) bank, and a Python-esque exchange of communications with his bank's customer-service dept. based somewhere in India ! I had a lot of crazy, mental visions of that process ! "Oh, my goodness gracious; oh blimey sahib !" (In best Spike Milligan Indian inflection.)

I should be grateful to good old Newsyland post. In I go, parcel at the ready; fill out the most rudimentary of forms, cross the counter-jerk's palm with silver, and outsky. 5 minutes, tops ! Every time.

 

[john_kidder]

I should be grateful to good old Newsyland post. In I go, parcel at the ready; fill out the most rudimentary of forms, cross the counter-jerk's palm with silver, and outsky. 5 minutes, tops ! Every time.

I've consistently had exactly that experience with USPS, at small-town or rural POs. Quick knowledgeable service.

 

[JerryR]

The problem isn't so much cost/risk/narrow minds..it's one of time/aggravation.

Frankly, the clerks in the Post Office don't know their own postal regulations.

Watch 'Men in Black 2' - all will be explained :mrgreen:

 

[Andy Hiwatt]

I really do understand the reasons why some people prefer to avoid shipping abroad from the stories I read on this postf course it's really a put down facing unskilled or confused clerks at the local post office,or other hassles that some described.
But from the other point of view ,the one of a non american guitar lover or working musician who many times doesn't have any other chance to try to buy "That" special guitar the he probably will never see(or many times had never seen) in the store in his own town..it's very sad and frustrating when despite having 100% positive feedback and offering to pay Paypal he gets a refusal just because he lives in Europe. As I already wrote here days ago, I bought a lot of instruments because sometimes I found the right people or stores that were inclined to ship abroad, but also found and constantly find many more e-bayers that don't want to even think about it. I left my heart on a dozen of beautiful guitars in the last years...instruments that were good priced for me, but more important was the fact that it was THE ONLY chance I ever had to buy them, I could never find many models here in Italy, they were never imported and no other way is possible for me to dream of trying or buying one except for e-bay or searching on line for the right stores,that normally are much more expensive than e-bay sellers.
If everyone took a little time trying to get the right info about shipping abroad, filling the right papers, getting the right shipping rates from the USPS or UPS sites it would be fine. Of course the same should be expected from the person who receives the item in the foreign country..After my first purchase I always give info to the seller: what to write on the box besides Name and address, how much value to declare, and so on..because I've learnt that Italian Customs are very slow and picky, so I learnt how to try and make everything smooth and a bit faster...still many people here in Italy complain when thay don't receive an item for months when it's their own fault or responsibility because they didn't provide the right information to the person who sent them the package,missing data, wrong codes, ultra low and suspect value that brings Customs inspections and so on...

 

[kostask]

Hi,

I don't really know what the US Postal Service outlets are like in the US, but I do know that the paperwork that goes with a UPS shipment is insane. I had a Dell Laptop hard drive die. Called up Dell, they shipped out replacement drive in a special box, with the right kind of packaging for a hard drive, and a pre-paid return label. I very carefully place the drive into the packaging, following the instructions closely. Take the box down to the local "UPS Store". They look at the label, check the account name and number; they all check out. Great right? No, I need to fill in the UPS paperwor, all 18 pages worth, with two other separate pieces of paper.
I point out to the person behind the counter that this is staying within Canada. He says UPS told them that all packages must have the documents filled in, regardless of destination. I filled in the first 3, and just told the person behind the counter that this was all I was doing, and walked out. Dell got their package, they credited me with the cost of the drive.

I read everybody's horror stories with the US Postal Service, but I still think they are easier to deal with in terms of paperwork. Smaller packages arrive with the little green stick on labels that list the contents and value; larger packages just have the white multipart form, which just seems to be 1 page.

Could be that people are either too lazy, or too far away from the US Postal Service Offices, so they just get UPS or Fed-Ex to pick up the package, Maybe that explains some of it.

Kostas