10470 Parcel to America

[QUOTE=Persephone;97459]This is for any american forum members. I want to send a large parcel to the states. I am about to start some searching on the internet, but in the meantime, if anyone already knows of some good couriers perhaps they could let me know. Might save me some time.

modestly we have become experts in this...and it is depressing.
my friend sent me a bottle of expensive highland single malt whiskey from USA(?!),he paid freight or any duties (or so he thought) when federal express weeks later decided to come to our area i had to pay Euro 85. to receive this "unknown" gift (which turns out to cost around Euro 40. in a store in italy) when one of our guests from brooklyn lost her designer prescription sunglasses here in italy i got info on what it would cost to get them back to her (including freight/us.customs etc)
always assuming that they wouldn't destroy them as a presumed al quaeder artifact
you could buy several pairs for that cost so we gave them to someone trusted from NYC to take back to the u.s. for us sent a mail to the owner and everything worked out fine.i'm not saying don't send anything but if you have the chance to do it an alternative way...di it, they make such a big deal about sending anything to the states it's usually not worth the hassle involved.

Blimey!

I am an artist and I have been warned that if I try to send anything outside of Italy it could be a problem. My surname comes from neither the Michaelangelos or Van Gogh's!!

All I am sending is an old glass demijohn (I make them into lamps) and I found it at the rubbish bins, so by definition I am sending something with no value. But, watch this space...

Thanks for the warning.

Hi
As a courier my advice would be to ship it via the UK, there are more and easier ways to do from there .

Don't you have a Mail Boxes outlet near you? They usually deal with a selection of couriiers and you can pick and choose which one, check the drop down list at [url=http://www.mbe.com/]Welcome to MBE.com[/url]

What's wrong with UPS
Here's a link;

[url=http://www.ups.com/content/it/en/index.jsx]Welcome to UPS[/url]

Thank you PAS 55 and Villa Sampaguita.

My problem, so far, with couriers has been the cost. 617 EUROS has been a quote from one of the big guys. I am sending an old (hand made) glass demijohn which I picked up at the rubbish tip. It hurts to spend that much money on something that (arguably) has zero value!!!!

I was looking for creative solutions and someone has suggested putting it on a ship. This involves building a special wooden crate and I have been told there is little chance of it getting to the states in one piece regardless.

I will try out UPS and the Mail boxes to see if they can do it for a reasonable price, so thank you very much. If I have success I will let you know.

Eva

The main part of the cost of this is the volume, once its boxed, they will measure the H/W/D multiply these together and divide these by 6000.
So a one kilo box that is 35cmx35cmx35, will volume to 7.14 kilos. so you pay for 7 not 1 kilos

hope thats of helps...............

Persofone, no wonder they quoted you so much, shipping a demi-john is no easy task, they are very fragile as although the glass is very thick at the neck, it is extremely thin at the bottom, I have broken a couple by dropping them only a few inches, and even though they were in the basket. I think you will need to have the DJ professionally packed. I would try a furniture mover, maybe they can add it into a shipment been sent to US, or try an art shipping company. are you anywhere near Venice? They should know how to ship glass objects at Murano island. But I don't think its going to be cheap.

Some guests staying with us now are shipping their BMW (bought at factory) back to USA, it would be a snap to put it in the trunk or back seat :-).

NOW we are getting creative!!! Shipping a glass bottle is one thing, but in the back of a car!!!! I can only imagine that customs would be a NIGHTMARE. But do you think your guests would do it?

I've thought about art shipping companies but have been told that the paperwork is stupid. They are also, understandably expensive.

To be honest, by the time I have had it specially packed, delivered it to wherever it needs to go at this end, then found out where it has to go the other end etc. The courier company prices might start to look reasonable!!!!!

I'm not giving up yet. Thanks for advice.

I don't think our guests would be up to it, they are debating whether to fill the trunk with wine, but BMW shippings advises against this (someone may steal it it) and the logistics to hard, but it was an idea only.