Shipping my Aero NYPD back to Scotland for a jacket mod... one question...

[Navin323i]

Hello there Gents,

Hope you all have been doing well. Have a question for you...

I'll be shipping my Aero NYPD jacket to have them modify my jacket (will reveal the specifics a bit later when I get my jacket back which shouldn't be too long according to what Amanda told me).

The question I have is regarding what I should declare the insurance value to be. I was told to keep the insurance value as low as I can to avoid customs/duty fees, and also write on the parcel, "JACKET BEING SENT TO THE UK FOR REPAIR - TO BE RETURNED TO THE USA - NO DUTIES PAYABLE".

Any idea what I should declare the insurance value to be so that neither I nor Aero Scotland gets charged any duty/customs fees? For those of you in the U.S. who have shipped their jackets back to Aero Scotland, what did you declare for the insurance value?

Thanks,
Navin

 

[1087]

Hello my friend Navin;
You must insure the jacket for the full value.
I ship to the UK and Europe every week.
Jackets or items that are for repair and return to USA do not pay customs on either Country , regardless of insurance value. but be sure to write in the Customs form "JACKET BEING SENT TO THE UK FOR REPAIR - TO BE RETURNED TO THE USA", no need to write "No duties payable"
So feel free to insure for the full value.
I hope this help.

 

[Edward]

Often folks shipping internationally will lowball the declared value to avoid taxes. This is a bit of a gamble, as should the jacket go missing, all you would be able to recover would be this declared figure. As has been stated, if you label it clearly as going for repair, noone should get charged anything (even if Royal Mail are sometimes a law unto themselves....).

 

[Ace Rimmer]

^^ Agreed, I insured it for REPLACEMENT value. I don't know how much you paid for your jacket (none of my business, really) but if you got your jacket prior to the recent price increase then you probably want to insure for replacement value. Otherwise if things go pear-shaped you will only get what you paid for the jacket -- and that may not be enough to cover the cost of a new one!

 

[JLStorm]

Actually, your somewhat limited by the USPS if you use them. I tried to insure my aero for $1000.00 and they said that international shipments were capped at around $600.00 or $800.00, I forget. Either way, make sure to insure against the current value given their new pricing and the current exchange rate.

 

[1087]

Actually, your somewhat limited by the USPS if you use them. I tried to insure my aero for $1000.00 and they said that international shipments were capped at around $600.00 or $800.00, I forget. Either way, make sure to insure against the current value given their new pricing and the current exchange rate.

I was referring to UPS and FEDEX.
They insure for full value.
USPS it's useless.

 

[PoohBang]

is it a good idea to write on the package what's inside... seems like a nice calling card for a parcel worker looking for new jacket.

 

[Edward]

I see what you're saying, PB, though with certain types of shipping isn't it obligatory on the information required?

 

[Doublegun]

Sending USPS they cap insurable value at $650. Write on the outside of the box (EVERY side). Returning goods for repair. Make sure you also indicate that on the customs forms. Keep in mind, the people processing the package are only slightly more capable (read intelligent) as your average car-wash attendant. Just went through this with my LHB, returned for alterations, and what a cluster-f. The box was clearly marked "goods returned for repair", there was a letter inside the box indicating the repairs to be made, the form I filled out at the post office indicated the jacket was to be repaired. For some reason UPS got the package to deliver back to me. They left a notice that they attempted delivery and that I owed $68 for duty, I called UPS and explained it was for repairs, was told there is no indication of that on the box or the documentation and they would not deliver without one of the customs forms being filled out. (Honestly, you would have to be BLIND or illiterate not to have seen PRINTED on the box. They told me there was no way a delivery was attempted (even though I had the delivery notice in hand with tracking and reference numbers). Bottom line I paid duty and they reimbursed me.

It does not matter how you ship (although I would go through the USPS) your jacket may or may not come back through the same service. Regardless, assume that the people who will handle the box as it travels to/from Scotland will not read any of the documentation, regardless of how well you mark the forms and box and that they posses minimal intelligence.

 

[Michael Carter]

I've shipped to and received from, the UK and greater Euope quite a bit in the past and have never had a problem. I also shipped a coat back to Wested in the UK for alterations and had no Customs problems at all.

Maybe my experience is unique? Been doing this for nearly ten years now.

Never use anything but USPS for overseas. UPS and Fed-Ex will both leave your wallet empty. At least the mindless drones at USPS can apparently read.

 

[Navin323i]

Hello Gents,
Thank you all for the info! Unfortunately I don't have internet access at home so I didn't see your responses here until now at work, and I shipped the jacket earlier this morning via UPS.

I went ahead and declared the value to be $100 based on Aero's comments for me to keep the value low (sucks because now after having read your posts here I should have declared the package to be the full replacement value).

Also UPS is EXPENSIVE to ship... I paid $181 to ship this jacket to Scotland... how much is USPS for shipping your standard Aero FQHH leather jacket to Scotland... cheaper than UPS I bet.

I was hesitant to write the word, "Jacket" on the box, but I'm going to hope and pray that the UPS workers are people with integrity and don't steal my jacket. I did make sure not to indicate "leather jacket" on the box, so hopefully they will assume that it's a jacket other than leather, lol.

Navin

 

[deluxestyling]

I have my brother send me packages from the States to the UK often with low values on them. This is all okay but the custom duty is based on the combined figure of item value plus shipping cost.
Got a duty invoice from Fedex the other day for £26 on a combined value of about £100 due to the postage cost being £85.
Based on what you've sent Navin, Aero will pay duty on a combined total of £173 if you're unlucky.
I did once hear someone having auto parts sent from the States as faulty returned items. This apparently skips the duty trap and would kind of apply in this case as you're returning an item to the factory for repairs. If this is the case I'm surprised Aero didn't know about it and advise you.

 

[Michael Carter]

Hello Gents,
Thank you all for the info! Unfortunately I don't have internet access at home so I didn't see your responses here until now at work, and I shipped the jacket earlier this morning via UPS.

I went ahead and declared the value to be $100 based on Aero's comments for me to keep the value low (sucks because now after having read your posts here I should have declared the package to be the full replacement value).

Also UPS is EXPENSIVE to ship... I paid $181 to ship this jacket to Scotland... how much is USPS for shipping your standard Aero FQHH leather jacket to Scotland... cheaper than UPS I bet.

I was hesitant to write the word, "Jacket" on the box, but I'm going to hope and pray that the UPS workers are people with integrity and don't steal my jacket. I did make sure not to indicate "leather jacket" on the box, so hopefully they will assume that it's a jacket other than leather, lol.

Navin

It's too bad you didn't see these posts until today. To be quite frank, you got screwed on shipping with UPS.

I paid around $35 about 18 months ago to ship 9 Lbs worth of leather to just outside of London via USPS.

 

[Navin323i]

I have my brother send me packages from the States to the UK often with low values on them. This is all okay but the custom duty is based on the combined figure of item value plus shipping cost.
Got a duty invoice from Fedex the other day for £26 on a combined value of about £100 due to the postage cost being £85.
Based on what you've sent Navin, Aero will pay duty on a combined total of £173 if you're unlucky.
I did once hear someone having auto parts sent from the States as faulty returned items. This apparently skips the duty trap and would kind of apply in this case as you're returning an item to the factory for repairs. If this is the case I'm surprised Aero didn't know about it and advise you.

Thanks for the info, my friend. So based on what you said, if I'm even more unlucky than I've already been thanks to the high shipping costs I paid earlier today, then Aero could potentially pay anywhere between 26 and 52 pounds in duty fees, which of course they will charge to me. At this point, all I care about now is that my jacket comes back to me safely with my modifications completed.

It's too bad you didn't see these posts until today. To be quite frank, you got screwed on shipping with UPS.

I paid around $35 about 18 months ago to ship 9 Lbs worth of leather to just outside of London via USPS.

Thanks Michael... yeah, I got severely screwed... so painful.

At least I'll know better the next time around... thanks again for the info.

 

[Twit]

Our VAT regs are a pain... But I think you may be Ok, actually.

You pay VAT on items imported into the country, but your jacket is not being imported - its just in and out. The only experience I have with this is motorbikes (surprise). As a UK resident if I import a bike in, to stay here, then its VAT'able (ish!); however, if the bike was just coming in to go out then it isn't, it comes in under different regs. So this is a long-winded way of saying that if the revenue even pick it up, Aero could argue it was in for repairs and out and therefore, not imported; they won't charge you VAT on the repair / change as you are overseas! Utter nightmare, the best way to get round this is to declare the cost as low (bit of a risk but it reduces the liability in the event of it being picked up) and mark the item as a 'gift'. I've had the odd thing come in that way and it seems to be fine... ;0

Obviously you missed the most foolproof way, buy a plane ticket, wear it here and go visit Aero in person for the modifications! From the sound of it, it wouldn't have much more expensive!

 

[HighandDry]

Navin,

You did get screwed. I tried to send a coat back to Aero via UPS and was quoted 240 bucks!

Definitely USPS is the way to go- 45 bucks. They have those special boxes that if you can fit what you're shipping into them, then it's a flat rate. Also didn't have any problems with customs.

 

[Navin323i]

Our VAT regs are a pain... But I think you may be Ok, actually.

You pay VAT on items imported into the country, but your jacket is not being imported - its just in and out. The only experience I have with this is motorbikes (surprise). As a UK resident if I import a bike in, to stay here, then its VAT'able (ish!); however, if the bike was just coming in to go out then it isn't, it comes in under different regs. So this is a long-winded way of saying that if the revenue even pick it up, Aero could argue it was in for repairs and out and therefore, not imported; they won't charge you VAT on the repair / change as you are overseas! Utter nightmare, the best way to get round this is to declare the cost as low (bit of a risk but it reduces the liability in the event of it being picked up) and mark the item as a 'gift'. I've had the odd thing come in that way and it seems to be fine... ;0

Obviously you missed the most foolproof way, buy a plane ticket, wear it here and go visit Aero in person for the modifications! From the sound of it, it wouldn't have much more expensive!

lol Haha! You are so right that it wouldn't have been much more expensive to just fly there and do everything in person versus shipping via UPS.

Thanks for the info, my friend.

Navin,

You did get screwed. I tried to send a coat back to Aero via UPS and was quoted 240 bucks!

Definitely USPS is the way to go- 45 bucks. They have those special boxes that if you can fit what you're shipping into them, then it's a flat rate. Also didn't have any problems with customs.

Wow... $240!!! This is definitely the last time I use UPS. How much did you declare the insurance costs to be for your Aero jacket that you shipped back to Aero? Full value?

 

[HighandDry]

I insured it for 600 bucks.