Opinions about shipping from US to Europe, how safe is it?

[PaoloGilberto]

Hi,

I would be glad to know your opinion about this subject. It woould be very helpful to me
as many others I have the same concern about shipping from US to Europe
I am from Romania and I want to buy a guitar from US - Music Man JP with piezo - reason? simple: price

there are now 2 and a half months since I've started to search for shipping solutions.

this guitars come as you all know with hardshell case and most guitar players told me that should not be a problem regarding risk of damage.

USPS does not accept the package because they say is to big for Romania to ship it.

so my other choices : UPS, Fedex.
UPS: around 800 $
Fedex: around 500 $
so...I will chose Fedex, I'll have a tracking no also.
Fedex said that even for full insurance - declared value 2000 $ they guarantee that guitar will not be lost when shipping to Romania , but if will get damaged I'll get 10 % of total value. THAT IS STRANGE! then why declare it and pay the insurance at the purchased price if they give you back 10 % if something happens?
after a long debate (if Fedex is right about insurance) I think I've decided to not declare it at the real price , to avoid local VAT and customs - around 400 $
it is a major risk because in case of damage or lost --- I'm ****ed )

one of the next weeks I'll buy it I think...

by the way...is ebay safe to buy?...I'm buying it from a musical instruments ebay store with 100 %positive feedback (250 ratings).
it might happen to pay the guitar and not get it or the seller send other cheaper guitar??
it is my first time shopping on ebay..

thx a lot

paul

 

[ShaneV]

I think the answer to both of your questions (the safety of shipping and the reliability of ebay) is that both are probably relatively safe, but that doesn't mean much if you're in the small percentage where it goes wrong.

If you have trouble on ebay you can report the seller and there is a safety net there. Be advised though that EB dealers from the US are not allowed to export guitars, so if they're selling this guitar as new and are willing to ship to Romania they're already showing themselves as somewhat dishonest folks. If the guitar is used then them shipping it is fine.

I'm also a bit baffled about FedEx's insurance policy, seems like there may be a miscommunication somewhere because that doesn't seem right (only paying 10%). If it was me, I'd probably spring for the extra import fees and get it fully insured, cause as you said if it gets damaged and you low balled the value you're basically out a guitar and out the money.

Good luck getting the guitar, I'm sure you'll enjoy it once yu get it!

 

[francric]

Try USPS, many times way cheaper than the other. I've used them twice, UK and Japan. No issues.................

 

[PaoloGilberto]

thx a lot shanev and francric for the quick reply
I did not knew there is a policy of EBMM for sellers about not selling outside US...

the thing with Fedex - giving back only 10 % it shocking for me too if is true..
any other opinion on this thread would be highly appreciated

 

[Sweat]

Like Shane said US EBMM dealers cannot ship new guitars out of the country, used is different or I beliieve if its a limited edition out of production for more than 2 years they can ship overseas as well.

Now onto shipping, first after a little googling, you are correct, Fed Ex no matter how much you insure for will only pay out 500.00.

Also no matter who you chose to ship with if the item becomes damaged, it better have been packed within thier requirements or they wont pay, case point I had a BFR case damaged by UPS that Pete sent me, his claim was denied because there was not one inch of padding inside all sides of the box.

Now I have alot of experience shipping both US and international, only used Fed Ex once, was OK but did not know about there limits on damage claims till now, not my favorite carrier.

i prefer UPS but yes it is pricey, but if item is properly packed, and lost or damaged they will pay for what it is insured, plus they track it all the way to the door.

USPS is by far the cheapist but they have limits on what you can insure for varies by country and never is enough to cover full value of an expensive item, they also have length limits so cant send to some countries with them. Plus once it leaves US customs they dont track at all until its delivered, plus form a shippers stand point o mine anyways USPS is a big hassle, long lines, paper work and clerks that dont have a clue but if I am aske to ship USPS I will.

Anyways good luck on getting a new EBMM, you may want to look at the used market, cheaper and lots of nice mint guitars out there.

 

[MrMusashi]

i have bought a cpl of used basses and have shipped them from us to europe. my experience is that proper packing is not always packing it too well. ive had 2 cases broken and those were packed inside an extra box with that cheesedoodle thingies in 2 inches all around.
on the other hand i got a case only wrapped in the original cardboard shipping box over just fine.
i suspect that packing should be tight instead of allowing the box to move inside the outer box. maybe an inch of extra cardboard..

i would also advice against knocking off the value to save taxes. the customers do this for a living and will find out if they want to. ive had to supply the customs with a receipt from my credit card company for the amount charged by paypal...

hth

MrM

 

[PaoloGilberto]

thx a lot fingbeagles, very helpful your advices too.
So I was right with Fedex about insurance hmmm
in this case 500 $ or nothing "is the same" in case of damage....

at the BFR shipping with UPS only the case was damaged? guitar was fine?

any other opinion on this thread would be highly appreciated

 

[Sweat]

thx a lot fingbeagles, very helpful your advices too.
So I was right with Fedex about insurance hmmm
in this case 500 $ or nothing "is the same" in case of damage....

at the BFR shipping with UPS only the case was damaged? guitar was fine?

any other opinion on this thread would be highly appreciated

Your welcome, yes only case was damaged, guitar was perfect, the damage was somewhat minor on the case, but damaged none the less, that is the only UPS issue I have ever had, either sending or recieving.

 

[Vly]

Hi!

I`m in same situation like PaoloGilberto. Last week, my friends from Ohio send me a Axis Super Sport via USPS to Serbia(Europe). That cost me about 120$ with insurance. I expect that sweet package in next week come to me. Will see. Of course, risk exist, but i have optimistic view.

 

[PaoloGilberto]

finbeagles, if there is only a minor damage to case I can live with that if the guitar is intact. (but you are right...)
Vly, hope it get's safe to you too. at USPS is not fully insured, at 120 $ shipping fee, the insurance goes up to 100 $, but hope it will be no pb.

Mr. Musashi, can you explain because I am not sure I understood right
"i would also advice against knocking off the value to save taxes. the customers do this for a living and will find out if they want to. ive had to supply the customs with a receipt from my credit card company for the amount charged by paypal..."

for customs you had to show them the invoice for buying that guitar???

any other opinion on this thread would be highly appreciated

 

[maddog]

after a long debate (if Fedex is right about insurance) I think I've decided to not declare it at the real price , to avoid local VAT and customs - around 400 $

I wouldn't advertise the intent to perform an illegal act in a public forum.

Not sure of Romanian Customs laws but might end up in confiscation and fines.

Also, if you are buying this new, circumventing EBMM's dealer agreements is in a bit of poor taste as well.

Whatever you decide, I hope you get the guitar of your dreams.

 

[Gerones]

I think I'm gonna face that problem too, I ordered an LUKE BFR from bass central then they would ship it in san francisco CA, then my friend in CA will send it here in the Philippines,... the price is $2,400, that is a very big money if you convert it in peso it is P115,000.00..... if the customs here found out that my guitar is expensive, they'll charge me a big money...(sorry to say, lots of custom officers here are corrupt!)

How much would be the shipping cost?

got an idea?
thanks!

 

[Jimmyb]

I wouldn't advertise the intent to perform an illegal act in a public forum.

Not sure of Romanian Customs laws but might end up in confiscation and fines.

Also, if you are buying this new, circumventing EBMM's dealer agreements is in a bit of poor taste as well.

Whatever you decide, I hope you get the guitar of your dreams.

Yup, I agree with this.

 

[PaoloGilberto]

Jimmyb & maddog, thx for reply, I agree somehow ... but if you consider legal to pay twice VAT - once in US price , second in RO, hmmmm
It is a dream guitar for me as you said, and the price in Europe is 6 X my monthly salary as a psychologist...so I do not consider very unethical my intention to buy from US and all this story

any other opinion on this thread would be highly appreciated
Pls reply only if you have good advices, experience reguarding how to ship safe the guitar from US

PS: Gerones: your friend in US can call the shipping companies that deliver to your country and tell them the exact package dimension - they will tell for sure the exact cost and all

 

[Coffeemug]

Paolo,

I am not exactly sure what you want the people here to write...shipping a sensible item such as a musical instrument always involves a certain risk of it being damaged, no matter where you ship it. As for internat. shipping it just takes a little longer, therefore your guitar will be eposed to that risk a little longer. I personally have shipped quite some guitars internaltionally and never had a problen, be it DHL, UPS, USPS or FedEx and I consider myself lucky! Others might have a story or two at hand where thing didn't work out smoothly.
Declaring the price you paid for it isn't a matter of "unethical intention" but a legal issue and I'd strongly advise you to not go that route! Chances are that your local customs office will demand a receipt, invoice of what you really paid and that's exactly where a lot of trouble might await you. On the other hand, a serious dealer would always declare the correct amount on the customs slip as well.

 

[PaoloGilberto]

cofeemug, thx a lot for reply.
What I want to hear are others opinions who were in the same situation facing the need to buy from US and ship to EU, like you for ex

any other opinion on this thread would be highly appreciated
Pls reply only if you have good advices, experience regarding how to ship safe the guitar from US

 

[Jimmyb]

I have shipped a couple of guitars from the US to the UK, both used.

I didn't have a problem with either of them.

As far as paying tax twice, as far as I'm aware, you don't pay state sales tax unless you're actually in teh shop (or you're shipping to the same state).

As to whether I consider it 'legal' well, unfortunately it is.

Your intention to bypass the local distribution means you will have no warranty and the dealer is breaking the form of their agreement with EBMM.

I do sympathise with you plight.

 

[PaoloGilberto]

jimmyb , thank you for the answer.

I heard the other day about some fraud on ebay.
a friend of a friend from US paid 7000 $ for a car, but the ebay account from where he wanted to buy is was hijacked and another web page was shown over the actual real ebay page (something like that).
so the user can not tell if is a fraud or not in that case...

is this frequent on ebay?
is I pay with paypal do they give the money back if is a fraud on that item/account?

I would really appreciate your opinions ;-)

 

[blind_fly]

Hi guys
don't want to create new thread, so decided to write it here.
Could anybody tell me, why a lot of peaple from US don't want to ship internationaly?
For example, ebay. I saw nice guitar, affordable, but the comment is NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING. and there is maybe 80% of all sellers that dont ship internationaly.
What's the problem? buyer will pay The shipping price, custom fees and etc. so why dont you ship to Europe or somethere else? Is it harder to write the longer address or what? I DONT UNDERSTAND?

 

[TheBassGuy]

If it's a new guitar, EBMM restricts sellers from selling the guitars to Europe. This because else EU importers and sellers would be passed. Search for europe pricing, and you will find some interesting threads...