I’m located in the US and see some great pieces offered for sale overseas but I’m unsure of how to gauge shipping costs. Is there a rule of thumb to factor in international shipping rates/customs fees? I have no idea what to expect or what I’m responsible for paying. I feel like I’m missing out on some beautiful watches if I narrow my focus to US sellers only but I also don’t want to be slammed with unexpected fees. Finally, will an international purchase be delivered sometime during the Obama administration or is this wishful thinking? How long does the process usually take? Thanks.
Shipping costs depend on how fast you want it and what carrier is used. There are no unexpected fees if you and the seller communicate, which most of the sellers here are good at. The longest I've waited for something is when it comes from Australia and I asked for regular old postage. That's 2 or 3 weeks.
Fedex delivery times are the same both in and out of the US. It doesn't need to be more than a couple of days unless you want it to be or have agreed it.
If regular mail (i.e. USPS or foreign equivalent) is used, there are rarely any fees. Why? They are apparently unable to handle the volume that come through customs, and are ill-equipt to do the calculations. There will be charges when FedEx is used, but they are very modest, especially when contrasted to some countries in the EU. Contact FedEx before importing if you haven't used them previously, as they require a particular document. Also, you'll need to use a third-party insurer, as FedEx won't insure watches.
Inbound or outbound? On inbound shipments, if an overseas postal service is used (i.e. EMS or Air Mail) and the proper Form CN-22 is completed by the shipper, there shouldn't be a problem. http://about.usps.com/forms/ps2976.pdf I've never had a customs charge coming into the US this way, regardless of the declaration on the form. Private services like FedEx and UPS are going to be charged most of the time, since they get a fee for their additional customs brokering service. With DHL it depends on the level of service, particularly if coming from Germany, as they are the post office there. I think you would use the same Form CN-22 for outbound shipments, and then it's up to the receiving party's customs to charge them. gatorcpa