USA to UK re-mailers to buy a bike

[TheEasyLife]

Afternoon Team,

I've found a bike on ebay.com that I absolutely must purchase but the vendor won't ship internationally. Nightmare!!! They will ship locally (ie in the USA) but not to me in the UK as the package is larger than their carrier will accept.

By the subject line, you can see I've done a certain amount of my due dilligence and know of at least one company who will give me an 'address' in their warehouse in the USA for me to get goods posted to from ebay.com, amazon,com etc upon which they receive it and just post it on to me in the Uk (no doubt not before I've paid for the international postage..). I'm also expecting to be stung for import duty at this end and pay royal mail handsomely to hold it for me/send me a letter telling me I owe them import duty/admin fees but that is standard sadly.

Is this kind of remailing service my only sensible and legal choice? I'm not interested in trying to evade the tax man at this end nor trick anyone in the US. I'm generally a law obiding citizen. I have asked of they could split the bike into multiple boxes but had no answer so am assuming that is a no...

Anyone been in a similar scenario? Do anything different from the above? Please let me know as I'm probably going to sign up with this remailer this weekend and purchase it before Monday. I really really want the bike in question.

Thanks

James

 

[Once A Hero]

Re:

Can't help unfortunately, but I've run up against the same problem before - sellers not prepared to ship internationally - but its not been for something that I must have, so have just let it go.
That said there is a set of wheels on ebay.com that I'd buy if they were prepared to ship, so I'd be interested to know about the retailer service you've identified...

 

[ishaw]

Re:

The eBay global shipping program is set up to help in this scenario. All the seller has to do is sign up for it, and ship to the eBay warehouse and they take care of the rest.

 

[TheEasyLife]

In an ideal world, the vendor would have signed up to the global shipping program. But they clearly haven't as they aren't thinking of potential customers like me outside of the US.

The place I'm probably going to sign up to tomorrow is MyUS.com as it ticks all the boxes I need to get this bike under the above scenario.. Should also work for you, Once A Hero. I think their free membership actually covers all I need. Or can take out a 30 day free trial..

HTH

James

 

[Once A Hero]

In an ideal world, the vendor would have signed up to the global shipping program. But they clearly haven't as they aren't thinking of potential customers like me outside of the US.

The place I'm probably going to sign up to tomorrow is MyUS.com as it ticks all the boxes I need to get this bike under the above scenario.. Should also work for you, Once A Hero. I think their free membership actually covers all I need. Or can take out a 30 day free trial..

HTH

James

Did you do this, and if so how has it worked out?
I looked at another called 'shipito.com' which seems similar, but am thinking that if I do it, I'll go for one that offers package consolidation at the best price - so I can buy little things to throw in the package at the same time.

 

[themountie]

Re:

I do have family in Canada if the usa sellers will ship there who can then forward it to you if anyone's interested

 

[player]

Re:

I really don't know what the difference is sticking a bike box on a plane domestically in the usa or sticking a bike box on a plane and it going overseas! The buyer just pays the extra shipping and there isnt any extra risk.

 

[13]

Re:

I’ve used shipporter.com pretty sure us-uk is available.
Goes via boat or air, boat is cheap if you can handle the wait.
eBay seller can post to their warehouse then they take care of the rest

 

[TheEasyLife]

Re:

So. Thread revival as life got in the way in recent months. I signed up to myus.com and it appears pretty straightforwards. I’ve now bought a, drumroll, another KHS, surprise surprise but with a twist as it is a 20” wheel Montana Super for my boy once he is old enough in a few years.

I’ve sure paid way over the odds with two lots of postage and import duties to come but the seller was adamant their packages were too large for posting to the uk so I had no other choice. I’ve also bought a few other, low value items, and myus.com are holding on to them to ship as one package (not to avoid duty/taxes on them). Having a US address on eBay also allows you to find those items where they are for us postage only which is how I found the other items...

So my boy had better like this bike after all this effort and great expense..

Will let you know more when it all lands.

James