4channel, when I have items sent to my US parcel forwarder, the parcels will be unpacked and the invoice/packing slip will be checked - for three reasons that I can immediately call to mind:
- they must be sure that there are no dangerous goods. For instance, they won't even forward perfume (but my UK mail forwarder will, thankfully);
- they will declare the cost/value of the goods on my behalf; if no invoice, then it's my responsibility to fill in the value of each respective parcel on the page of items that have arrived at my US mail address so that the forwarding company can accurately fill out the Customs Declaration;
- they will check that the items are not damaged, and they will also let me know when they recommend repacking (if there's a saving on the shipping cost with repacking or if my purchase can only be transported safely after being repacked).
Thankfully, I am not buying anything embarrassing or illegal, and I don't mind if the forwarding company knows that I am buying mediaeval atlases, US Hush Puppies styles that I can't get here, a cezve, CDs of Bartoli and Jaroussky and Piau, aromatic cedar basics, long out-of-print romance & sci-fi and mystery novels from the 1960s, some Folkmanis hand puppets, hard-to-find slippers by Haflinger, Apple Pencil lightning cable adapter, Moshi iVisor screen protector, Cuisipro nylon turner for non-stick cookware, gold Milanese loop for my Apple Watch, two copies of Landmark edition of Herodotus' The Histories, Marcato Atlas pasta wheel in red, the only compression arthritis gloves that I consider worth getting for my mother, BluRay of Handel's Saul, Cooking in Europe (by the best historical chef in the UK, Ivan Day), some additions to my Wedgwood Edme dinner service, Kingston brass pedestal toilet roll holder, a Melitta porcelain coffee maker, and a partridge in a pear tree - for my most recent transactions. There would have been a Kohler Stately toilet there too, but for various reasons there wasn't.
(I have to use other methods to smuggle in my collection of rare big cats, of course...)
(Have you ever seen a margay?)
@countessalmirena wrote:4channel, when I have items sent to my US parcel forwarder, the parcels will be unpacked and the invoice/packing slip will be checked - for three reasons that I can immediately call to mind:
- they must be sure that there are no dangerous goods. For instance, they won't even forward perfume (but my UK mail forwarder will, thankfully);
- they will declare the cost/value of the goods on my behalf; if no invoice, then it's my responsibility to fill in the value of each respective parcel on the page of items that have arrived at my US mail address so that the forwarding company can accurately fill out the Customs Declaration;
- they will check that the items are not damaged, and they will also let me know when they recommend repacking (if there's a saving on the shipping cost with repacking or if my purchase can only be transported safely after being repacked).
That may be so countessalmirena . But I call it just going through the motions. I believe Pitney Bowes / Global Shipping was never set up as a service to help buyers or sellers for that matter. It may masquerade as a service to preotect sellers. I believe it's sole purpose is to make money in inserting itself into a chain where never warrented, never asked for or required. A bit like a protection racketeer or even a Chopper Reid. Even similar to the privately owned, run Federal Reserve in the US.
BTW: The re-pcking caused irrepairable damage to a rare dvd box set. Lickily the seller had a spare and sent me replacement. The other time ultra rare irreplaceable sealed unplayed VHS tapes were put at risk by shoddy re-packing. and the problems didn't end there either.
@countessalmirena wrote:
Thankfully, I am not buying anything embarrassing or illegal, and I don't mind if the forwarding company knows that I am buying
@countessalmirena wrote:
Thankfully, I am not buying anything embarrassing or illegal, and I don't mind if the forwarding company knows that I am buying mediaeval atlases, US Hush Puppies styles that I can't get here, a cezve, CDs of Bartoli and Jaroussky and Piau, aromatic cedar basics, long out-of-print romance & sci-fi and mystery novels from the 1960s, some Folkmanis hand puppets, hard-to-find slippers by Haflinger, Apple Pencil lightning cable adapter, Moshi iVisor screen protector, Cuisipro nylon turner for non-stick cookware, gold Milanese loop for my Apple Watch, two copies of Landmark edition of Herodotus' The Histories, Marcato Atlas pasta wheel in red, the only compression arthritis gloves that I consider worth getting for my mother, BluRay of Handel's Saul, Cooking in Europe (by the best historical chef in the UK, Ivan Day), some additions to my Wedgwood Edme dinner service, Kingston brass pedestal toilet roll holder, a Melitta porcelain coffee maker, and a partridge in a pear tree - for my most recent transactions. There would have been a Kohler Stately toilet there too, but for various reasons there wasn't.
Some nifty things you're buying.
@countessalmirena wrote:
(I have to use other methods to smuggle in my collection of rare big cats, of course...)
(Have you ever seen a margay?)
I had to look it up on youtube . I knew it was somthing like an ocelot. Didn't realise it was such a beautiful cat. Leopards are my thing actually. But I just have to settle for the average run-of-the-mill house moggy tabby.
@marwi5023 wrote:
4channel, because I'm unemployed and as everyone keeps telling me it isn't my money anyway
Hi marwi5023 , it sickens me when people judge people like you. It's your money and if you want a little indugence in your life then who the heck are these people to judge you like that !They need to get a life themselves.
@marwi5023 wrote:
I just pay the extortionist shipping and just forget it until I receive the next instalment of not my money.
Obviously if I can avoid the GSP I will.
I never bother asking if the seller will consider more reasonable shipping because it often causes offence, especially to yanks
You hit the nail on the head with "extortionist shipping" because that's what it is. The set-up behaves just like an extortionist. (That's a good theme and title for another discussion)
Yes, asking even so humbly and nicely invokes a negative reaction. There's a reason why this is. It's the same reason why people who have believed a certain thing all their life react negativly when confronted with the truth. Pride is one problem.
