Buying from US and shipping to UK - need advice please

[disneypharm]

I live in the US and would like to buy a Build-a-Bear for my 2-year-old niece living in London. I went to the Build-a-Bear US website where it mentions that UK charges customs for anything above 18 pounds. I don't want my brother to pay any charges for this gift. I thought that if I buy on the UK Build-a-Bear website, the shipping is probably less and they don't have to pay customs. Well, all the prices on the UK website is in pounds and I am not sure how to pay with my US-issued credit card. So, does anyone have any experience shipping overseas.
Thank you in advance

 

[ukstitch]

You should be fine to just order it with your credit card - we certainly don't do anything special when ordering from a US website with a UK credit card so I would imagine this to be the same. You will normally be charged a currency conversion fee by your credit card company for doing this.

It's also worth noting that you're actually allowed up to £36 (about 55 dollars currently) before having to pay customs charges, IF the package is a gift (which yours would be). It has to be clearly marked as a gift, so the best way would possibly be to order it from Build a Bear to your house, re-package it and mark it as a gift (wrapping paper would make it even clearer should they choose to open and inspect your parcel) and then send it to your niece.

 

[jockey]

As already mentioned you will have no problems paying with your card!

 

[disneypharm]

Thank you both. After adding my post last night, I realized that it was probably 2 or 3 am in the UK! I decided to also add my original post to the US community boards. Anyway, I received some great advice there as well.
I think I will go ahead and order from the UK site. The shipping from the US site was $43
Thanks again

 

[BrerVixen]

Could you get her a gift card for BAB instead of shipping one over?

 

[disneypharm]

Could you get her a gift card for BAB instead of shipping one over?

I thought about getting a gift card instead but my brother has been sending my kids gift cards (eg, American girls, Amazon) for their birthdays recently. I just wanted this to be different. My niece is only 2 years old and she would be excited to just open her gift and see a cute birthday bear.