Shipping to the UK?

[jenmomof5]

Hi everyone
What do you think of shipping to the UK? Specifically England. How long does it usually take, and what kind of risk level is involved? Thanks so much,
Jen

[Pat in Alabama]

I have shipped many packages to the UK. Never had a problem. Express usually takes five days and priority usually takes ten days. Some packages have gone quicker at times. I try to ship on a Monday because they don't usually move on the weekends.

[georgeanne]

I have bought and sold a lot from the U.K. and in 13 years have only had one issue. I really have been very lucky buying and selling all over the world. Tracking is a good thing to get or offer when it is possible just in case.

[jenmomof5]

Thanks ladies!
What method do you ship, and does it come with insurance? I would definitely want to send it insured and tracked.
Anything else I should know?
Your help is invaluable, and I really appreciate it
Jen

[Annette]

If you're sending something expensive, make sure to get insurance, and that your buyer knows that they will have to pay high customs charges on the declared value. They are pretty high over there.

[Dion]

If you send it Priority or Express you automatically have tracking. As far as insurance the postal workers have told me twice now that they are only insured to the US border now, and after they leave the US they aren't insured anymore . I asked them why, as they were insured the whole way awhile back, and I was told that it was a decision that was made on Great Britain's end of things and they didn't know why they did that. My post office is a very tiny one on top of a mountain, so maybe they don't know what they are talking about, but I sent the last 2 packages to GB with only the insurance that automatically comes with the package, which isn't very much . If we have any postal workers here on DF, maybe they could enlighten us.

I only had a problem one time with a package and it got stuck in Custom's for over a month. Usually it goes very smoothly. I have sent a lot of dolls to England!

Hugs, Dion

[Renaissance Babies Tracey]

We do sometimes pay high import fees here in the UK, but they are percentage based on the declared price of the item. I have recently discovered something interesting about import and custom fees into the UK. If the item is art, it is exempt from tax. Worth checking out, before sending the parcel.

[EmilyJ]

We do sometimes pay high import fees here in the UK, but they are percentage based on the declared price of the item. I have recently discovered something interesting about import and custom fees into the UK. If the item is art, it is exempt from tax. Worth checking out, before sending the parcel.

That is so interesting Tracey! I will have to remember to describe dolls I send as Art Dolls. Do you know if any other categories are like that? I was once told that in the UK doll PARTS are exempt from tax if put under the right category number, but that dolls were taxed. I don't know if that is true or not. In the US all toys are exempt.

[Mark_Haysman]

If it's an expensive doll, use a courier like UPS or FedEx. Yes, it will cost a little more, but balance it out with how much the doll costs vs how reliable do you want the delivery to be?

Mark.

[EmilyJ]

Oh, don't use FedEx. I have heard too many stories of international shipments going wrong with them. Also, Global Express through USPS is contracted out to FedEx so don't use them either! Personally, I use EMS or Priority. Never had a problem shipping to the UK.

[jenmomof5]

Hi Mark,
So you think it is better to ship with FedEx? I called them today, and didn't like the answers they gave me, but it sounded like a fellow who wasn't too sure himself. I need a shipping service that will have the full value of insurance, tracking, and signature. Since you are in the UK, what do you think is best? This buyer sent payment quickly, and I would like to get her baby to her as quickly as possible, and without any trouble for her.
Thank you,
Jen

[jenmomof5]

Oh so confusing!
So, I should go with USPS Priority shipping then?

[EmilyJ]

Oh, about insurance, you can only insure through the post office up to a certain amount based on the country - $650 I think it is for the UK. If you need more than that you can get extra insurance with a third party like insurepost.com. Your other option is to look into a courier like Mark said - UPS and DHL have both been very reliable for me when I have received international packages. But I've never sent one out of the country with them just because it is so expensive. It will run you nearly 3 times the cost of USPS. Overall in my experience UK is a very easy country to ship to and you shouldn't worry too much about it.

[Mark_Haysman]

Hi Mark,
So you think it is better to ship with FedEx? I called them today, and didn't like the answers they gave me, but it sounded like a fellow who wasn't too sure himself. I need a shipping service that will have the full value of insurance, tracking, and signature. Since you are in the UK, what do you think is best? This buyer sent payment quickly, and I would like to get her baby to her as quickly as possible, and without any trouble for her.
Thank you,
Jen

Lots of people will have different experiences. I'm not saying the post office is as bad as My Hermes (UK people will know what mean!), but they're just slower, with non-realtime tracking, and tend to take less care of parcels. I've used both UPS and FedEx to ship my computer stuff around the world, and in 15 years of doing it, have never had one loss, and only had one breakage, which was compensated for immediately. US to UK should be handled by the same company throughout, and not be passed to 3rd party.

Yes, they are more expensive, but don't just go onto the couriers website for a quite, you'll be charged full whack, use a shipping service. I'm not sure of any in the US, but in the UK we have the likes of interparcel and Parcel2Go.

Thx, Mark.

[Marteemp]

Purchased on Sunday will be receiving package on Wednesday from UK. UPS will be delivering tomorrow. That's three days travel time amazing.

[MelissaAnn]

Hi Jen...
I had checked on shipping a doll last week to the UK.. The only way to insure for a higher amount is using Global Express Guaranteed. You can insure up to $2499 & it is amost double the price of Priority mail Express. I say it is worth it if you are sending an expensive baby. Hope this helps..

Baby Huggies
Meli

[Delbra]

I just shipped a package to the U.K. form South Carolina. I used Fedex Global Express. No problems at all and it made it there in 3 days.

Dolly Hugs,
Delbra

[jenmomof5]

Yes, I did end up using Fedex Global express, and it is supposed to be delivered today! I first inquired about Priority mail, and it is true they will only insure up to $650.00! I was like, no way! So hopefully new Mommy will get her today, as promised, and will love her! Thank you so much everyone for all the helpful advice, and taking the time to help, I really appreciate it!
Jen

[Renaissance Babies Tracey]

We do sometimes pay high import fees here in the UK, but they are percentage based on the declared price of the item. I have recently discovered something interesting about import and custom fees into the UK. If the item is art, it is exempt from tax. Worth checking out, before sending the parcel.

That is so interesting Tracey! I will have to remember to describe dolls I send as Art Dolls. Do you know if any other categories are like that? I was once told that in the UK doll PARTS are exempt from tax if put under the right category number, but that dolls were taxed. I don't know if that is true or not. In the US all toys are exempt.

These may help you: https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff/sections https://www.gov.uk/finding-commodity-codes

I'm not sure about other items Emily.