Mailing Packages to U.K.

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

After prodding from my husband, I went ahead and listed those renewal invitations/collectors pins on eBay... but I have never shipped anything to the U.K., so I need some help from my fellow DIS'ers! Can anyone tell me which shipping company is best for shipping lighter packages to the U.K. (with a small number of wedding invitations)? Also, what is involved with this process? (Customs forms? Length of time? All that good info!) Any help would be very appreciated! Thanks! ~Ev

 

[groomtb]

Good ol USPS or DHL should do fine. you can get estimates on prices and stuffs from their websites
www.usps.com
www.dhl.com
www.fedex.com
www.ups.com

 

[JonetteA]

You can also send airmail via USPS. You will need to fill out a customs form though for everything. Usually, post takes about 2 weeks.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Is there a method that gets packages there faster or more reliable? Does anybody have a clue about cost? Is duty paid by me, or by the recipient? Argh, so many details! I've mailed to Russia a few times (big headache) and to Australia, but it was so long ago, I can't remember the procedure. Plus, it was ridiculously expensive back then with less options, so I think there must be a better way. Thanks for any help! ~Ev

 

[groomtb]

there are express services, tracking, delivery comfirmation avaible with all the carriers.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

I have a lot of friends in the States who very kindly ship my favourite U.S. things to me, Take 5's, Redbook magazine, crystal light, you know all the important stuff

But I'm also lucky and have gifts sent to me.

The fastest and best way to track is with FedEx or UPS.

My friends usually put a negligible amount for value on the goods as that way I don't have to pay customs tax here in order to pick up my gift, which let me tell you, I have had to do.

I don't believe that they as the "senders" have had to pay customs tax or anything when shipping.

Anything through the US postal service can take it's pretty little time, let me tell you and on average it has been about 2 weeks, like Jonette said

 

[groomtb]

wow is that custom fee a UK thing then? sorry for my informations.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Yup we have to pay customs duty on anything over a certain value that comes to us from the States. We also have to pay duty when we come back from somewhere out of the E.U. on any goods that we purchased in total of about $240.00 - so any goods over that total we are supposed to declare so that we can be charged duty on them!!

And I checked and my regular U.S. shippers do not pay customs on things they send to me, just the shipping fee.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Sam, thanks for the info. I knew duty would be charged at a certain amount, but I was unsure how high that had to be. I don't think I'll need to worry if someone purchases a few invitations. I doubt the total would be enough for customs to worry about. I thought my invites were so great, but nobody's bought one yet, so perhaps my own ego overinflated them! Or maybe people just don't realize how much those collectors' pins cost and think I'm overcharging. Iiiiii dunno! *sigh*

When we were shipping to Russia, we had to be careful, because we were sending materials to be used for a service project (helping set up an orphanage) and we didn't want to spend more in duty than it would cost to purchase the materials over there! It was tricky, because anytime they saw an American, the price for whatever you wanted to get (even hotel rooms!) skyrocketed. Seriously, they have tiered pricing. We took some friends to Moscow for a weekend, and their hotel room was $37.00/night, and ours was $370.00, for identical rooms! I don't know if we had beacons on us or what, but even trying to get a cab, saying NOTHING and letting Ira do the talking (a Russian friend), we still got a higher price. Somehow, they automatically knew we were Americans, even when we were wearing clothing we purchased over there! How does that happen?! ~Ev