maxim_666666
Flush
This deal will definitely make America great again very quickly.
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Shipping Tricks for/from the EU (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter GreekRedEye
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I hereby announce my entry into the "Freehold" business, a-la the Geneva Freeport which is basically a giant art vault where people store their collections until they sell them to someone else who will probably just choose to keep them in the same vault.
I promise one semi-climate-and-humidity controlled basement in the American Midwest (no earthquakes, little geopolitical strife, great spot!), where I will take delivery of your chips, document them for everyone's records, and hold them until I'm instructed to send them along to the next chipper.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Freeport
If I get enough business I'll have to get some real racks... imagine how many chips these things could stack!
I promise one semi-climate-and-humidity controlled basement in the American Midwest (no earthquakes, little geopolitical strife, great spot!), where I will take delivery of your chips, document them for everyone's records, and hold them until I'm instructed to send them along to the next chipper.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Freeport
If I get enough business I'll have to get some real racks... imagine how many chips these things could stack!
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Sending my first package post tariff date to US, with FedEx, declared as a gift. Will update what will happen.
Switzerland allow gift sendings up to $100 from Sept. 2 on.
What would you do?
Declare at $100 max and take the risk, if more valueable?
Otherwise you pay taxes on the price declared.
Crazy for a second hand item that travels the world…
What would you do?
Declare at $100 max and take the risk, if more valueable?
Otherwise you pay taxes on the price declared.
Crazy for a second hand item that travels the world…
Up to the receiver to decide and take the risk.
And yes, crazy for 2nd hand items. Also, often items that were produced in the US to begin with...
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Don’t wanna sound like mr. Negative but whenever I receive packages via FedEx or UPS, they clear customs and I get invoiced for the import/custom fees later. With regular postal service I have to pay to have it released from customs.
This is not you receiving though, so who knows. Hopefully all good
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Oh okay.
Keep you guys updated whether the receiver will receive any invoices!
This, 100%.
this is funny. In germany I receive the custom fees from UPS directly after clearing clustoms and get my invoice prior to delivery with the option to pay online. DHL charges cash at my house or in their offices
Quick question. I’m about to buy chips from the US via the marketplace. As I understand it, there are currently only problems with shipping from Germany to the US, but not the other way around. Import VAT is the same as always, right?
Yeah, on this side of the pond we continue taking it as before.
I frequently send packages to Germany for @BigJ. I use USPS and MFRBs. I follow the procedure below and have never (knock on wood) had any issues.
I usually send 600-800 chips per box, which keeps the weight below 20lbs. I use plenty of packing, bubble wrap and paper, in the box to secure the chips. Chips in the box are either full racks in chip boxes securely taped with masking/painters tape. Barrels and loose chips are wrapped in cling wrap or press and seal wrap and then bubble wrap.
For the MFRB, I tape the entire box with clear packing tape. Flaps are taped, then each edge is taped and finally I circle each axis with packing tape. This keeps the box quite solid and protects it from splitting at the seams from being poorly handled.
As for the Customs Declaration, in the shipment Information section, I fill it out like this:
1. Category: Merchandise
2. Detailed Description: I'll list the contents as " ###Game Tokens" with a quantity or 1 and a value of $0.10 each
If there are dealer buttons or cards or whatever, I list them separate but with the same format:
"### of item", quantity 1, value whatever you and the individual you are sending it to decide on.
Following the procedure above, the chips arrive secure and intact, and the package almost always arrives within 2 weeks with no custom's issues.
The last few times I sent packages to Germany, it's arrived even faster. In fact, I sent a MFRB to Germany last Thursday (25-Sep-2025) and it arrived today, Tuesday (30-Sep-2025). 5 days door-to-door. That has to be a record!
https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction?qtc_tLabels1=CH240544235US
I usually send 600-800 chips per box, which keeps the weight below 20lbs. I use plenty of packing, bubble wrap and paper, in the box to secure the chips. Chips in the box are either full racks in chip boxes securely taped with masking/painters tape. Barrels and loose chips are wrapped in cling wrap or press and seal wrap and then bubble wrap.
For the MFRB, I tape the entire box with clear packing tape. Flaps are taped, then each edge is taped and finally I circle each axis with packing tape. This keeps the box quite solid and protects it from splitting at the seams from being poorly handled.
As for the Customs Declaration, in the shipment Information section, I fill it out like this:
1. Category: Merchandise
2. Detailed Description: I'll list the contents as " ###Game Tokens" with a quantity or 1 and a value of $0.10 each
If there are dealer buttons or cards or whatever, I list them separate but with the same format:
"### of item", quantity 1, value whatever you and the individual you are sending it to decide on.
Following the procedure above, the chips arrive secure and intact, and the package almost always arrives within 2 weeks with no custom's issues.
The last few times I sent packages to Germany, it's arrived even faster. In fact, I sent a MFRB to Germany last Thursday (25-Sep-2025) and it arrived today, Tuesday (30-Sep-2025). 5 days door-to-door. That has to be a record!
https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction?qtc_tLabels1=CH240544235US
UPS has started destroying packages from outside of the US that they don't know what to do with. So be weary sending things this way. (I know it's EU shipping tricks, but it's somewhat relevant)
The timeline doesn't add up. If it's been destroyed on the 26th, have they un-destroyed it to scan it again and re-destroy 4 days later?
Yeah, I won’t be sending anything to the U.S. anymore. Worst case, I’ll bring chips with me to the U.S. and ship from there directly. The whole tariff/customs situation is an absolute nightmare for private shippers now.
Exactly - a nightmare!
Some items pass but most won‘t…
I got 2 small packages returned a third(!) time. I give up now and refund the buyer.
Garbage
Some items pass but most won‘t…
I got 2 small packages returned a third(!) time. I give up now and refund the buyer.
Garbage
THere is an article on NBC. Ups doesn't know what it's doing and that's the tracking people are getting. It's a mess. They aren't even getting requests for the money and it's going directly into "we're sorry, but we had to destroy".
In the Reddit comments it is saying from workers at the hubs that items arnt being destroyed, but sent back blindly and not processed. Just cycling them out as they come in
maxim_666666
Flush
Actually, it’s so awful that there are no words for it.
But! I’m glad that there are enough quality chips on the European continent for me to have “spent enough” on my hobby — enough to start “parting” with chips and cards at reasonable prices… and to buy them at reasonable prices as well.
It makes no difference to me whether I paid the chip price plus shipping and customs, or someone else did — the price remains the same. I even sometimes, just for fun, buy chips or cards in the U.S. and sell them here at cost. Yes, it’s just a drop in the ocean, but it makes me happy to help liven up the local market a bit.
I tried shipping some chips to @jstyle last month and last week it was sent back to me:
I did pretty much the same thing that I’ve done sending chips to @grandmeme @Newenne and others in Australia, listing the chips as “Tabletop Gaming Tokens x###” and the qty as 1, just like you did @arch3r.
This time the chips never left the States but was instead sent back to me after sitting at a Los Angeles facility for 1.5 weeks.
Can’t get a refund on the shipping cost and need to figure out what might have caused this before I try to reship again.
A bit worried about using UPS now based on the stories above…
(I just read something about USPS requiring the customs forms to include way more detailed descriptions of the items, so maybe I need to be more specific, like “Obsolete poker chips, no cash value” or “KEM brand plastic plating cards”.)
I used to classify the chips as "obsolete gaming tokens" but switched to just gaming tokens like 18 months ago and no difference in the shipping or time it takes. 
But thanks for the update/warning. Keep us informed on how the next attempt goes.
But thanks for the update/warning. Keep us informed on how the next attempt goes.
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I’ve bumped into this thread while wondering whether to order from US or not, due to 23% value tax I’d have to pay. How is it with lowering goods value? I’m considering buying single racks rather than huge sets but still if I’d buy sth for 400$ it’d mean 100$ tax for me which I could spend on even more chips 
I’ve read that the risk is on receiver but are there really any chippers at USPS which seek for Terribles fracs on eBay and notice they actually cost 400$ and not 50$?
I’ve read that the risk is on receiver but are there really any chippers at USPS which seek for Terribles fracs on eBay and notice they actually cost 400$ and not 50$?
ExileExistence
High Hand
Also interested in how this updated in 2026. I'm currently looking to buy ~2 racks of chips from the US. Any experiences on the shipping costs to EU/Germany these days?
Last edited:
Gojira777
Pair
Sorry if I‘m missing the point, I didn‘t read the whole thread, just saw your post.
I‘ve ordered twice on this site from USA to Germany. Both times via USPS, worked very well, can recommend.
One order was 2 barrels, shipping cost was around $30. the other order was one rack, cost around $56. I assume if you order 2 racks in one parcel it would cost something between $50 and $100.
I did not have to pay any extra fees for borders.
Hope my info helps!
I think you’re talking only about shipping cost itself. While USPS has little to no extra fees for small packages, DHL or UPS might have, so I’d avoid them. We also pay some extra taxes at local post, I’ve paid ~2$ for a 58$ (barrel + shipping) package, but I guess it was below minimal taxable value.
I expect to pay 23% Vat for packages over 45€ value, but haven’t confirmed that yet. That’s why I’m asking about lower value tricks
Btw. has anyone used MyUS? I guess it’s a service I could use if I’d like to combine packages, f.e. buy a barrel, next week a rack, next week another one, and ship them all together, so I pay US -> EU shipping price only once, correct? How is it with packages storage and pricing?
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