Shipping Tricks for/from the EU (4 Viewers)

[maxim_666666]

lol

View attachment 1557463

This deal will definitely make America great again very quickly.

 

[Gus]

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!

 

[CDC]

Sending my first package post tariff date to US, with FedEx, declared as a gift. Will update what will happen.

 

[SwissChip]

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…

 

[LeGold]

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…

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...

 

[parazyd]

Yeah it's a risk you got to take unfortunately. But as long as it's tracked and packaged well, in Europe it's been fine in my experience.
Lived in a couple of countries, never had major problems.

 

[CDC]

Sending my first package post tariff date to US, with FedEx, declared as a gift. Will update what will happen.

Parcel reached chipper in US, by FedEx from Singapore, without interference of customs/tariffs....there is hope..

 

[Eriks]

Parcel reached chipper in US, by FedEx from Singapore, without interference of customs/tariffs....there is hope..

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

 

[CDC]

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

Oh okay.
Keep you guys updated whether the receiver will receive any invoices!

 

[cpac54]

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

This, 100%.

 

[Anthrax]

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

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

 

[Santa123]

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?

 

[LeGold]

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.

 

[arch3r]

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