PSA: USPS New Customs Rules, US to EU (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Tommy
- Start date
BlueChipSpecial
Straight
Thanks @Tommy, important info for all of us internationally chippers (and those who are kind enough to ship/re-ship to us)
I've always used the following description, thanks to @Windwalker. Always seems to do the trick with customs:
Non-fungible, vintage obsolete gaming tokens.
Non-fungible, vintage obsolete gaming tokens.
Undream
Two Pair
I've also been told by my multiple shipping companies that I work with that we need to list the appropriate HS code in addition to the full description. We started doing so approx 4 months ago and saw successful deliveries go up.
Harmonized System code search tool: https://uscensus.prod.3ceonline.com/
9504.90.6000 should be the correct one for "Poker chips and dice"
I've been hearing from my sources that parcels *WILL* start being returned without this information listed in your customs forms!!
Harmonized System code search tool: https://uscensus.prod.3ceonline.com/
9504.90.6000 should be the correct one for "Poker chips and dice"
I've been hearing from my sources that parcels *WILL* start being returned without this information listed in your customs forms!!
Can anyone confirm if that has also changed for shipments to the UK ? I had noticed that Royal Mail was also asking for more detailed information for a shipment I sent to Germany recently but usually, unless you declare the goods to be for commercial use, the code is not needed (although im glad that someone else went through the trouble of figuring out what it is)
My advice to anyone sending chips cross border, describe them as « obsolete board game tokens/coins ». Any other description that could be confused as electronics (« gaming » « chips » etc) etc will get extra scrutiny (and might not be shipped by air - not joking)
ArielVer18
Flush
I'd like to know how specific EU is looking for too. The USPS examples like "computer," "mobile phone," or "television" don't seem that specific. I think they don't want us to write "toys" for poker chips.Collectible clay/plastic discs? Or are they looking for more details, like 43mm 8v, base color: arc yellow; Spot colors: Hawaiian flower, salmon.
Thanks for looking out for us, @Tommy!
I recently sent some racks and described them as "plastic containers." Luckily it was before March and not to EU, but for future reference perhaps that's not specific enough?
Undream
Two Pair
I'd probably write something like "Expired clay gaming tokens" or "Expired clay game chips", or something along those lines. Indicating they have no actual value.
Customs inspectors are often underpaid, overworked, and sometimes have sticky fingers - especially in the shadier countries. Granted I have probably sent 20,000 parcels internationally in the last 9 years, but I've had merchandise stolen in customs and a box of random nuts and bolts forwarded off to my customers. Had another package stripped of contents and replaced with an old phone book.
Not a lot of people know that poker chips are worth significant $, so, just be as descriptive as possible on the form IMO.
I’ve always done “small round plastic toys”.
I guess this needs to change.
I guess this needs to change.
AlbinoDragon
Flush
I've used "novelty poker chips" on customs forms for many years when shipping overseas and have never heard a complaint from the folks on the receiving side.
I figure it says what the item is and is clear that it isn't live in a casino so it doesn't represent the value that's on the chip. I have a hard time imagining a case where that wouldn't work here.
Not to thread-jack, but I've been using pirateship for most of my shipping recently and discovered that their UPS shipping rates to Europe are extremely competitive and many times even cheaper than USPS. You still have to fill out the customs form, and you can use many of the advice given above on HS code + description... But UPS gets your packages through customs much faster than USPS and many of the packages arrived within days vs. weeks for USPS (FedEx might even better/more reliable, but considerably more expensive).
I did some UPS quotes for international and they offered a cheaper service but it was simply processing thru USPS. That’s not what your mentioning correct?
That's probably Pirate Ship's Simple Export Rate. If it's Canada, it uses USPS which transfers to Canada Post. If it's other countries, Pirate Ship has you send your parcel to one of their centralized locations, then collects a bunch of packages destined for the same country and ships them in bulk then uses the destination country's national postal service for delivery. I think that's how they can offer a discount.
The issue is Simple Export Rate is only good up to 4 pounds, so not great for shipping more than a rack of chips.
Pirate Ship does give good discounts on UPS for international, certainly better than retail, if you need to ship more than 4 pounds.
I don't know if USPS does the actual handling/shipping for them or not... but doesn't sound like it... As much as USPS has done well for me all these years, they are never that speedy..these shipments literally get to Eutope in 2-3 days and sometimes pass through customs 24 hours after shipping.
good info..
my shipments have been 4-25 lbs...
And I never sent the shipments to a centralized locations...I print the label, tape it on the box, and drop it off at the local UPS store around the block.
This is true. Goes for all shipping services. We primarily use USPS and FedEx at work. Mainly use FedEx to ship internationally so we are putting all the correct harmonized codes onto all products. Chips, cards, dice and everything will have their own harmonized codes on the customs paperwork.
Yup, if you specifically choose UPS or USPS, it uses the service you chose. It's only this Simple Export Rate, which isn't offered unless the package is 4 pounds or under, that it has you ship to a central processing address and then gets shipped to your destination country in bulk before being split up again. At least that's how it worked when I had to ship something oversees (to @mattross1313 if I remember correctly).
ArielVer18
Flush
Depending on the country, UPS tack on a brokerage fee without warning on top of whatever import tax the recipient has to pay. Most of the time it's still cheaper than the USPS equivalent, but it's an unexpected hidden cost. I haven't been able to figure out for which countries UPS will charge a brokerage fee and which won't.
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