How to arrange used parts shipping Internationally

[Mathis Lefebvre]

A friend of mine in Italy knows of a parts guy who disassembled
a similar piece of equipment who would be willing to give me
the disassembled parts for my use.

These are small parts, any one of which is just an ounce or
two, so the entire shipment would likely be under a pound.

I can wait forever for it, but I called UPS and Fedex who
said it would cost $120 (Mailbox etc) and $100 respectively
for them to pick it up in Italy and ship it to me in the USA.

Plus there are customs declarations to figure out.

Just curious if you have experience in this type of shipping?

There must be more than UPS/Fedex/DHL, right?

The location is Catania but I don't know what couriers might
be cheaper but is there any way to get the shipping down to
a reasonable cost?

 

In sci.electronics.repair Mathis Lefebvre <Mathis_Lefebvre_555spam@gmail.com> wrote:

I can wait forever for it, but I called UPS and Fedex who said it
would cost $120 (Mailbox etc) and $100 respectively for them to pick
it up in Italy and ship it to me in the USA.

I second the recommendations to check out the post office. UPS and
FedEx tend to hit you with a bogus "customs brokerage" charge when you
ship internationally. Based on shipping some stuff USPS from the US to
Germany, the minimum you are looking at is probably $25 to $30, but
it'll be hard to go over $50 for several pounds of stuff.

> Plus there are customs declarations to figure out.

From US to Europe, this is a simple form that you can get at the post
office, fill out, and stick on the box. You always have to say what's
in the box and give an approximate value, but something like "used
electronic parts, $20" or "used machine parts, $20" is sufficient. The
leading dodge is to mark it "gift", which means there are no duties.
Or, if the parts really aren't worth much, don't mark it "gift" and
pay the few bucks duty.

Matt Roberds

 

In sci.electronics.repair Mathis Lefebvre <Mathis_Lefebvre_555spam@gmail.com> wrote:

mroberds wrote, on Thu, 03 Apr 2014 18:06:07 +0000:

from the US to Germany, the minimum you are looking at is probably
$25 to $30, but it'll be hard to go over $50 for several pounds of
stuff.

It has to go /from/ Italy to the US.
I didn't realize the US Postal Service does that.
Do they?

I've only shipped things the other direction. I give it to the USPS,
they fly it to Germany, and then Deutsche Post delivers it to the
recipient in Germany.

I'm pretty sure that if somebody in Italy gives it to Poste Italiane,
they will fly it to the US, and then the USPS will deliver it to the
recipient in the US.

Poste Italiane will probably pick up the box at the person's house or
work, but it will need to be already boxed up, with the customs forms on
it, and have postage. If you want somebody to go to the person's house,
pack loose items into a box, and take it to the post office, then the
quotes of $100 and up that you were getting seem entirely reasonable.

In unrelated news, your newsreader appears to be damaging the
References: line, by inserting an un-needed tab character. This breaks
the threading.

"References: <459ac$533d8ad4$43da7656$2905@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com> <
lhk7ud$ih$1@dont-email.me>"

Matt Roberds

 

[Pilgrim]

In article
<459ac$533d8ad4$43da7656$2905@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>,
Mathis Lefebvre <Mathis_Lefebvre_555spam@gmail.com> wrote:

A friend of mine in Italy knows of a parts guy who disassembled
a similar piece of equipment who would be willing to give me
the disassembled parts for my use.

These are small parts, any one of which is just an ounce or
two, so the entire shipment would likely be under a pound.

I can wait forever for it, but I called UPS and Fedex who
said it would cost $120 (Mailbox etc) and $100 respectively
for them to pick it up in Italy and ship it to me in the USA.

Plus there are customs declarations to figure out.

Just curious if you have experience in this type of shipping?

There must be more than UPS/Fedex/DHL, right?

The location is Catania but I don't know what couriers might
be cheaper but is there any way to get the shipping down to
a reasonable cost?

If it is as light as you say it can be shipped via the post office with
a simple customs declaration. I don't know all the details. But I receive
several packages a year this way. Have your friend check at the local
Italian PO.

CP

 

[Frank]

On 4/3/2014 12:22 PM, Mathis Lefebvre wrote:

A friend of mine in Italy knows of a parts guy who disassembled
a similar piece of equipment who would be willing to give me
the disassembled parts for my use.

These are small parts, any one of which is just an ounce or
two, so the entire shipment would likely be under a pound.

I can wait forever for it, but I called UPS and Fedex who
said it would cost $120 (Mailbox etc) and $100 respectively
for them to pick it up in Italy and ship it to me in the USA.

Plus there are customs declarations to figure out.

Just curious if you have experience in this type of shipping?

There must be more than UPS/Fedex/DHL, right?

The location is Catania but I don't know what couriers might
be cheaper but is there any way to get the shipping down to
a reasonable cost?

I don't know about sending stuff from Europe but I've mailed stuff to
the UK using simple USPS without problem. There was a toy for a
coworker's son available on Amazon but he could not get it shipped to
him so I bought it, repackaged it and sent it for maybe $30 and it
weighed a couple of pounds.

 

[Ed Pawlowski]

On 4/3/2014 12:22 PM, Mathis Lefebvre wrote:

I can wait forever for it, but I called UPS and Fedex who
said it would cost $120 (Mailbox etc) and $100 respectively
for them to pick it up in Italy and ship it to me in the USA.

Plus there are customs declarations to figure out.

Just curious if you have experience in this type of shipping?

There must be more than UPS/Fedex/DHL, right?

I get parts from Italy and Austria frequently. Small packages are
typically in the $50 range. But that is from a FedX or DHL regular
pickup, not the Mailboxec that has to bet a commission on the deal.

I'd just go with regular mail. They probably have a simple customers
form at the PO and the cost should be much less than the big carriers.

 

[Mathis Lefebvre]

mroberds wrote, on Thu, 03 Apr 2014 18:06:07 +0000:

from the US to
Germany, the minimum you are looking at is probably $25 to $30, but
it'll be hard to go over $50 for several pounds of stuff.

It has to go /from/ Italy to the US.
I didn't realize the US Postal Service does that.
Do they?

 

[Mathis Lefebvre]

Ed Pawlowski wrote, on Thu, 03 Apr 2014 14:36:16 -0400:

I'd just go with regular mail. They probably have a simple customers
form at the PO and the cost should be much less than the big carriers.

How do I set up, from the US, a courier for the regular mail in Italy
to go the guy's place and then stamp and box the package in Italy,
and then ship it to me in the US?

 

[Ed Pawlowski]

On 4/3/2014 3:18 PM, Mathis Lefebvre wrote:

Ed Pawlowski wrote, on Thu, 03 Apr 2014 14:36:16 -0400:

I'd just go with regular mail. They probably have a simple customers
form at the PO and the cost should be much less than the big carriers.

How do I set up, from the US, a courier for the regular mail in Italy
to go the guy's place and then stamp and box the package in Italy,
and then ship it to me in the US?

You don't. You can't. You send the guy some Euros and ask him to do it.

If he is willing to take it to the Post Office in Italy, it is a fairly
simple transaction.