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Cautions to US shipping to UK
Recently I mailed a small package to a Bratabaser in the UK. Not hardly the first time; I've swapped or sold bras to a half-dozen countries by now including the UK a handful of times with no issues whatsoever. But I wanted to share this experience as a caution to other US shippers! First off, I got sticker shock. Standard international mail for the 9 ounce box containing 1 bra was $22.50. Surprise! US postal prices went up Jan 2016 and again Aug 2016. It used to be around $6-$8. Also, you can't use an envelope anymore for international from the US if its over 1/4" thick.
Caution #1: 8 ounce and under is $13.50, go over 8 oz and its a hefty mark-up. Keep it under 8 oz. if possible in a box.
Caution #2: Be very, very, very careful how you fill out the customs form! Write slowly and carefully and use large print. Of course you always check "gift", and say "lingerie" or "clothing" in the description. The US is picky about that. But I'm talking about what happens on the other end with the VAT and Customs Taxes. Where it asks for the value DO NOT put $10! Put $8, or $23 or some number that cannot be misinterpreted, misread, distorted or changed. US "1" does not look like a UK or Euro "1".
On this particular box, which was marked value $10, as it bumped around in the belly of a plane and jostled around on the floor of a truck en route, the customs form acquired a fat gray smudge across the middle. That was enough to convince someone in UK Customs that the value was actually $70, not $10. It is blatantly a smudge, it extends way past the "1", but that doesn't matter to UK Customs. The package was held for over three weeks, and when it was released, the recipient had to pay a ridiculous amount of taxes; way in excess of the value of the bra. We've been working on both ends to get it resolved, but she won't get all her money reimbursed (you have to pay up front to get the package released) due to service charges and whatever. The US Postal Service can do nothing, even with the original receipt. It is a horrible, unfair situation. Its not what Bratabase is about.
So, please take this caution to heart. If you are shipping from the US to the UK (or any other country), let's help each other out by just being careful with that Customs Form!
Filed under Bras ups and downs
17 comments
I'm sorry that happened! After a lifetime of living overseas from at least some part of my family I've learned to spell out dollar amounts in tiny letters below or to the side as if in a legal doc ($12 ---> twelve USD) as long as there is room. Those plastic pockets for all the labels going on your package/letter are also a GREAT investment.
So frustrating. I HOPE Brastop is as helpful as you have been. They have been silent regarding my return issue and the VAT. Thanks for the warning!
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