I've read several threads on here about overseas shipping, most having to do with complete cars, and still don't have a handle on it. So, I read the USPS specs on international shipping and they don't allow anything over 108" around the girth of the package. Seeing as 36 wishbones are almost 6 feet long, that isn't going to work. The closest international shipping broker is 40 miles away and , no offense to anybody on the other side of the world, the money I'm asking for the wishbones isn't worth all the time it's taking to get myself educated about the do's and don't of overseas shipping, packing and paperwork. Along with everything else, the buyer wanted to have some other parts delivered to me so that I could package them up along with the bones. I don't think I want to be responsible for stuff he buys from someone else. He's said he still wants the bones but I'm seeing nothing but headaches. Is my attitude wrong? I know we're getting more and more into a global economy but I'm just not comfortable with this.
may want to look around for guys that do parts buying/selling and ship stuff overseas that you could include with his shipment - used to be guys from overseas that would hit big swap meets and ship stuff home - but, with the world situation now likely slowed or stopped that from going on -
You might look into DHL that has several shipping drops spots within 30 miles of you. Looking at their website DHL gives a number of shipping options at a number of price points. The can haul it by air either fast or a bit slower or stick it in a container for probably a far friendlier rate. They were in international shipping long before they started deliveries in the US. Global Logistics - International Shipping | DHL Home | United States of America Reading though their website they can walk you though a lot of it. I'd contact the company and tell them what you are doing and ask which shipping station close to you they suggest. Usually there is one that has their crap together a lot better than the others around and should be the one that they prefer you deal with to save them hassles. If you go ahead and ship the other pieces for him REQIRE packing slips/'receipts with his name and details and the prices he paid on each item. He may whine as he won't be able to skip paying the customs duty on the parts but it saves you a lot of headaches at the shipper. His saving is having everything in one package and paying one shipping fee. I've got accounts with UPS and Fedex from when I was selling and shipping a lot of parts but don't have one with DHL to know what they need for an account, Most of the time it is a Business name =Alenp561 Automotive and a credit card number to bill to. The Post office has beat up on me with the last two packages I shipped and I lost money on both so I am not too inclined to say find a way to stick with them.
You may have better response here if you mention which country it’s going to. I think that there are firms like kiwi shipping that would possibly handle that for you , if say, shipping to New Zealand. Personally, I wouldn’t sort his other stuff out, - whenever I do something helpful like that, - it always goes wrong......
There is no way I would get involved with handling his other purchases. Way too many things could go wrong with that. Unfortunately I wont ship out of the country at all anymore. I have been burned too many times when it came time to take the item to the shipper.....extra paperwork, having to unbox the item, and unforseen charges have made it not worth it to me.
Ask him if you can cut them in half it may make it easier and cheaper to ship. Make sure you pack them well and insure them, I've shipped overseas with Fed Ex, UPS. and USPS and have never had a problem.
I'm with clem and Corn Fed ,You try to be nice and it backfires . Tell him you will ship it as far as the end of your driveway . For an extra " AGG" Charge you will put it on a pallet . RL Trucking or the like are great .power-lift gate and a fork truck ,see ya later .I have also given th we overseas buyer the phone number of m y local UPS store .did the credit card over the phone ,I just dro.pped it off and THEY handled the rest Sent from my SM-A215U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Its a real pain for us on the wrong side of the Atlantic to get big stuff shipped. I bought a prop shaft that I knew would need shortening and fortunately the seller agreed to cut the middle out before posting it. Not all sellers want to get involved in that sort of thing. Can't really do it anyway with long things like stainless side trim. I've had this turn up before now bent L shaped where it poked out the end of the packing. Added to the enormous cost of postage these days, there's also the add ons this end, like a ridiculous high customs duty payment that adds the cost of the shipping to the cost of the item before taking their percentage, and then on top some admin fee by the UK post office for doing what I'm not quite sure. It really isn't getting any easier and I have to say we really appreciate those in USA who help by going the extra mile to make shipping possible. A Big sincere 'Thank You' to you all!
Alright, I just got an education in overseas shipping. I have a set of 36 rear wishbones for sale here in the classifieds for $100. Package size is 55# and 74" x 8 " x 4 ". USPS and DHL won't ship the package because the dimensions are outside of their parameters. After trying to get information from different shipping companies around my local area and getting nowhere, I went to the FedEx website and used their calculator. The cheap rate for a package weighing 55 pounds, 74 " long x 8 " wide x 4 " high going to Dresden, Germany is $636.52. If it gets there day after tomorrow, it's $914.80. I would imagine that numbers like that would tend to scare off a lot of people, me included, trying to sell something overseas. Combine those rates with whatever customs duties there are on the buyer's end and the cost of parts goes way out there. If this was what I did for a living, I'd be much more knowledgeable about international shipping but I'm spending a lot of time on what is a losing proposition for me. In future, I'll restrict my sales to the U.S. only.
Pack them with a set of skis and go on a vacation in the Alps. Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The guys I have dealt with KNOW it's going to cost them more to have the items shipped and they are always been good with that, knowing what country it's going to and work with them to find someone that is a regualr shipper to that country, sometimes there are shipping containers lined up just for that type of deal. Kewi Steve does this on a regular basis, a pm to him might help enlighten you to the way it's do. It can be a PITA for you to help a fellow hot rodder overseas but think of all the BS they go through, We got it easy. HRP
Well said Danny. There are alot of shipping companies in the States that will fill containers at a shared cost.
The buyer should have all the shipping arrangements sorted so that as a US seller it feels just like a sale within the US. It's not hard to do! Please don't get a downer on us folks not in the USA by refusing to sell to us! It's tough enough as it is! Chris
Have the buyer do some networking. Folks overseas that I have sold to always have me ship to a person somewhat local close to some port. Seems they fill a container up with parts and cars, etc. They save money at the cost of time. Thing is if they need it tomorrow, then they are willing to spend a grand to get it shipped. But I understand your frustration, a 100 dollar part and you’ve spent that much in your time and effort to try to help out. But don’t let it discourage you from selling to overseas folks, just tell them “make all the arrangements and I can drop it off there”.
For the heck of it I looked at USPS international to the UK. .....IF you cut them to 40 inches,and figure 8 inches high by 10 inches wide{ shipped side by side} at 55 lbs the price for 2 week service is 251 bucks.It doesnt take a rocket scientist to weld them back together,and finish the out side so no one can tell. He could also buy just the back 10 inches where they bolt to the housing,and fab up the rods using local steel that he tapers for looks. I bet guys like Mort build things like this alot due to limited 80 year old American parts.
Hell we just shipped a 40' container from Houston, Tx to Toulon France. That included a truck bringing the empty container from Houston to New Orleans. Waiting 3 hours while we loaded it. Then driving back to the Port of Houston and dropping it off. The total price. $2300.
i sent a wheel to Ireland this summer, and the buyer did all the work. had the papers filled out and emailed to me, all customs shit payed, and fedex arranged to pick it up. all i did was box it up. easy as can be, with that buyer anyway
I have bought nearly all of my build parts from HAMB people and have never had a problem getting them down under ...... thanks very much to all those involved. My difference is that I have my parts shipped to CA where my Aussie shipper collects them and consolidates them with other cars that he imports into Australia. It takes longer than a regular shipping company but it usually a lot cheaper too. I totally understand the hassles involved with an individual having to go through the international shipping BS so this is my best strategy ...... maybe your customer should investigate a similar method.
I live 15 miles from the USA border so I always get my parts shipped within the US and then go pick them up. It's far easier for the shipper and far easier for me to track, cheaper and way faster and more reliable than going through customs by courier or postal. However with the border closed right now, it's curtailed my buying☹. I'm pretty lucky to live so close though unlike others that don't have my option easily.
Goofy idea: list on eBay with their Global Shipping option. Buyer buys through there, you ship it to eBay and eBay ships it to them. Still too big unless you cut it. Grabbed this off the net: The package must not weigh more than 66 lbs. The package must not exceed 66 inches in length. The package must not exceed the maximum dimensions of 118 inches. Dimensions = length + girth (the length of a string wrapped around the 2 smaller sides) The package must not exceed the maximum dimensional (DIM) weight of 66 lbs. Dimensional weight = (length x width x height) / (dimensional factor) where the dimensional factor = 166.
Seeing the simplicity of a set of wishbones , why don't you make some CAD drawings of the part and send him that as a PDF file VIA E-Mail ? Then he could just build a set with material over there. Just make sure you get your money before sending the files.
Global Shipping through Ebay is a rip off for the overseas buyer. Rates are plain bloody ridiculous and all over the place. After buying two items that Ebay re-packed to save some weight and get into a lesser postage rate ( twice seller made a real good package but Ebay package resulted in broken parts ) i will only buy if seller uses USPS himself. Avoid Global Shipping option. Ebay won,t refund on their own Global Shipping . Eventually someone else will offer the same part.
That's the shipping quote that I expected. Shipping massive metal pieces that are 74" long by post or whatever other parcel service is expensive even within Europe, let alone overseas. I would cut them in three pieces, not two because even 37" would be too long and expensive IMHO or the buyer needs to hire some container space to bring the parts to Europe, which is also not exactly cheap. Ask me how I know, I am from Europe.....
The way I do as a buyer from France, I have a shipping forwarder in Cali (Goodies and Family) , so for the shipper it's real easy and no headache. I pay for the shipping to California then via container to France then to my address or go to their warehouse if it's a big order. As a buyer it's more complicated and takes way more time but in the end it is cheaper and makes the life of the seller easy, as an added bonus I can purchase stuff that people don't want to sell outside the US. I got some wishbones that way.
You must have ate a lot of Turkeys for t-giving to get 36 wishbones. . Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
On side trim items - I'm using PVC - which is pretty light but doesn't bend to easy here in the states.
My bad. 42# packaged but weight isn't the real problem. Still have the over length problem and I wouldn't consider cutting them until the money was in my account and it was understood by the buyer there would be no returns if they were cut.
Did you call an airline to see how much to ship? I used to do old Motorcycles. It was the cheapest way to ship them. And you knew exactly when it was coming. It just involves going to the airport to pick it up. I only did domestic.
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