MTB Socks: I think I'm addicted!

[tattiefritter]

TE has 'em! They really match a lot of things well.

Nanci

I know TE has them (and a lot of other cool things as well), unfortunately shipping and the almost inevitable customs/VAT charges that will be levied when they land here just makes it prohibitive

I've "imported" stuff from the US before (Titus frame, Fox Forks and a couple of other things) and even though I was expecting the charge it still caused a sharp intake of breath when I was told the amount - 4% import duty on bike parts plus 17.5% UK VAT, effectively sales tax, as well (robbing government barstewards )

[Nanci]

So what if "a friend" in the US bought them, and sent them to you as "a gift?" Would you still have to pay all that stuff??

Nanci

[uk elephant]

So what if "a friend" in the US bought them, and sent them to you as "a gift?" Would you still have to pay all that stuff??

Nanci

Generally no. The trick is to mark the package as a gift on the customs form when shipping. That's the solution we use (Bikeless in WI, me, and the rest of the family). We order on-line, delivered to grandma in CA who then ships gifts over. Or whenever Bikeless is in the USA, we send shopping lists and an extra suitcase.

Of course shipping packages can still be expensive, but some times less than the increase in price of buying in Norway (or even UK).

[DeniseGoldberg]

It's funny, I've ordered a couple of things from shops in the UK, and while I've expected to have to go to the post office & pay customs fees, they've been dropped at my door each time with no extra fees other than what I considered to be a reasonable shipping fee. I wonder how they managed that...

--- Denise

[tattiefritter]

Denise,

I think it depends what shipping carrier is used. I have ordered stuff from Ground Effect in New Zealand a couple of times and never been stung for anything, I think this is because it comes into the UK through the Royal Mail who aren't necessarily geared up to handle customs charges, especially with smallish and light packages. A lot of UK firms will also use the Royal Mail to send things abroad and I assume it will then get passed to the Postal Service of the country in question which may not apply the charges. FedEx/UPS on the other hand are ruthlessly efficient at presenting things to customs and are very geared up for this sort of thing (I could track on the FedEx website exactly when the government wanted payment!).

I have also misread the TE shipping policy and thought they sent things via UPS not USPS in which case there is probably a good chance of avoiding charges. So ... TE is now a serious option as they have a good range of girlie stuff (takes credit card out of wallet and hides it).

[Trek420]

uk elephant "Or whenever Bikeless is in the USA, we send shopping lists and an extra suitcase. "

as long as it's not the suitcase the airline looses.

Bikeless flys a lot, and frequently her luggage is lost. What's best is if it gets lost just long enough to be covered by the travel insurance.

Then she gets to shop....and the luggage reapears after. Sometimes it's a race.

Socks, eh?

[Kimmyt]

You can get the endo ones at REI.com. They also have these really cool ones with a biohazard signal on them. Heh.