Overseas shipping?

[Momo5]

Guys whats the best method to ship RCs overseas? A guy in the UK is interested in my Losi XX for sale. I've never shipped overseas, and was looking at the usps website and its kind of confusting with all of its options and restrictions.

[YZ-10]

Priority Mail International? I've always asked for that option for cars to be shipped to me in the past.

[MelvinsArmy]

Priority Mail International? I've always asked for that option for cars to be shipped to me in the past.

Yep, Priority Mail International is the way to go.

[HotRodJosh]

It's a PITA.....
Find yourself a local mailing outfit that ships FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc, to be sure you get the best deal.
Everytime I've "estimated" an overseas cost, it's always ended up being more...so if someone is asking how mush to ship, estimate higher than ya think.

[Synergy]

I work on $40 ish for a complete car, it could be +-$5 but it always seems to be there or there abouts.

[treehugger]

i just sent a complete team car with motor across the pond ,box in box $44
If you can keep it under the magic 4lbs $30

Paul

[RedScampi]

I finally forked over a few bucks (about $25) and bought a postal scale then set up a free account with USPS. Now it's pretty quick and painless, the shipping labels, customs forms and all get printed at home and all I have to do is box everything up and drop it on the counter at the post office. No more guessing costs or waiting in line!

[Lowgear]

I really need to buy a postal scale myself. I currently use the weigh myself with the bathroom scale, and then hold the package and weigh myself again method.

[Bimdapogs]

I really need to buy a postal scale myself. I currently use the weigh myself with the bathroom scale, and then hold the package and weigh myself again method.

[Synergy]

I really need to buy a postal scale myself. I currently use the weigh myself with the bathroom scale, and then hold the package and weigh myself again method.

I would find that so depressing, I think I'd have to make the wife do it, no that would be worse

[lpddpd]

Isn't it funny that we spend $$$ on carbon fiber this and titanium that or mint condition new in package original pieces but have to find a reason to justify spending $$ on a digital scale at the office supply store? After years of using an old dieting scale I liberated from my parents garage I got a decent scale (on sale of course) and weigh practically every part before it goes on a car. Oh and it works wonders for calculating shipping weight too.

[treehugger]

I finally forked over a few bucks (about $25) and bought a postal scale then set up a free account with USPS. Now it's pretty quick and painless, the shipping labels, customs forms and all get printed at home and all I have to do is box everything up and drop it on the counter at the post office. No more guessing costs or waiting in line!

i had one in my hands and the PO lady talked me out of it (i see her alot )
so i took her advice $11 kitchen scale
i still have the post office shipping cd but im waiting for my windows 7 before i install it .
will be nice to walk past the 30 people in line and drop my parcels


Paul

[mrlexan]

Rule is either one of the two automatically makes the package qualify for Priority Intl

1. it's 4 lbs or over (regardless of size)
2. the combined LWH is 36 inches (regardless of weight)

Hope that helps.

[Lonestar]

All

quick comment from an overseas buyer (me ) who's done litterally hundreds of RC deals in the past few years from all over the world, US included, with individuals and pros, and who's also lived in the US himself, ie I've seen most sides of the story

There's 3 costs when we (europeans) buy from the US:
(1) shipping and handling
(2) import fees (VAT)
(3) "speed processing fees" from our national postal organizations.

obviously, shipping at the lowest cost helps (1).

(2) is dependent on the market value of the package... when buying rc gear (especially used ones, or parts) when you think about it there no such thing as market value... one day MrLexan will sell a fluorescent peace-and-love trx-1 for $130, the next day I will sell a pristine one for $50 tops Which is why a lot of times the buyer asks you to kindly write down "$50" as the value of the package instead of $125, this helps reduce the VAT, at zero zero (i insist) zero risk for the individual seller (might be different for registered businesses), because the only country that really bother about recovering some money is the receiving country... not the sender's country

(3) is a way the monopolistic overseas national postal services have found to skin their users a bit further everyday. If anything is not sent by 1st class mail, ie if it's any private carrier (EMS, Fedex, UPS, DHL, TNT, you name it), or if it's sent by Priority Mail, basically the recipient has to pay a lump sum (about $25 to $30) to have the package "examined faster", typically by another monopolistic subcontractor. Basically, the only way to avoid this completely unjustified $30 is to have it shipped 1st class by the understanding seller...

(TBContinued next post)

[Lonestar]

The icing on the cake is that there are thresholds for importing without paying VAT. usually it's in the $50 to $100 range (depending on countries). IF the value of the goods is less, no VAT. if the value is more, VAT. if the value is more and you ship other than 1st class, increase cost of shipping plus vat plus "speed processing" fee.

Say I want to buy a used gold tub (random choice ) I saw for sale on this board at $100.

The understanding seller will ship for about $18 1st class, write "value $50" on the forms sheet he fills at the customes. I receive it, no VAT (as long as it looks like the package isn't worth a lot, the customs don't have a clue of how much I paid for it... same for my wife, all for the better), no speed processing fee - cost: $118. I usually will also pick up the paypal fee when this happens as a thank you to the friendly seller.

the PITA seller will ship for $42 priority mail and write $100 on it, it will get here about one or two days faster, I will pay $15 of VAT, then $27 of speed processing (or whatever it's called) - total cost: $184...

note that the seller still sees $100 (or $97 in the second case, as I sure won't pick up the paypal fee if I don't see the seller ship for a reasonable sum in the first place). The rest of the delta goes to USPS, the customs, and the subcontractor. In the end I have less cash available for my next RC purchase, which simply means I'll purchase less...

(tbc next post)