Anybody have any experience buying goods in South East Asia and having them shipped home? I am mainly refering to larger things such as furniture etc that cannot be carried with luggage.
I am particularly interested in wood products
Are the companies trustworthy, does it take a long time by boat, what are the procedures involved for items to clear customs?
Any info would be helpful.

they are trustworthy mostly, but it is very expensive and a 1/4 of a container is about $2500. i think...

You need to sort the last question first and that is the import regulations in your home country, for example taking wooden products into Australia is difficult, not so much from a 'customs/tax' pint but moreover from a health issue, Australia is very concerned about insects inside wood etc, you had better check your home county customs first. Then if you get that sorted I would suggest you use a shipping/freight company that has a presence in your home country, i.e offices at both ends as opposed to using a freight agent who passes p/work onto another agent.

First do a LOT of shopping at home to see prices. It is relatively easy to find Asian style furniture in the US these days, check the internet or the yellow pages. These places buy and ship in bulk and get very good prices. If you do ship, some things to consider:

1. If you live in a place with seasons, i.e., winter, your wood furniture will most likely crack over time, and cracks could be major. Most of Asia is quite humid and the wood absorbs a lot of water. This is another reason to buy at home, as the pieces will have had some time to adjust and badly cracked pieces either won’t be for sale, or you can ask for a guarantee/return if the piece cracks within the first 12 months.. Some places in Asia will tell you they can “treat” the wood in a special room for a few weeks; I have not yet seen that this works well, esp if you live in a place that has low humidity all year long.

2. Figure paying the same as the purchase cost of the item to ship it. Make sure you arrange for point to point shipping, which means it will be delivered to your home and not to the nearest dock. Bargain quite hard on the purchase price and tell them that as you have to ship it, your purchase price has to be lower.

3. Let the store you buy from arrange the shipping and pay by credit card; that way the store has an investment in making sure the item arrives. Arranging commercial shipping by yourself is not easy and is generally more expense, and I have had some bad experiences with it (as opposed to having the store ship, where things turned up every time).

4. You will mostly likely have to pay customs duty on it when it arrives in the US (I assume you live there). There is an exemption for some handicraft items. The Customs Service website may give info take a look at customs.ustreas.gov; otherwise the shipper receiving the item in the US will assess the customs duty and you will pay it as a condition to having the item delivered to you.

5. Shipping to the US by boat takes between 3-6 weeks depending on where you buy it and where you need it delivered.

My best friend, who goes to Bali often, shipped lots of furniture pieces from Bali, about 5 years ago, and it didn't cost that much.I don't remember the exact cost, although I calculated out her invoice, but it was quite reasonable. Just check your items as soon as you get them because a friend of mine who works at the harbor in San Pedro,Ca told me that water can get into the containers and then wooden items can be ruined. My best friend didn't have such a problem with water, but she did have a damaged item. The damage could have been prevented had the people who packed the items, in Bali, taken the door off of her wood and stone-carved china cabinet and packed it separately. But, they didn't and the stone work on the front of the wooden door cracked and she also ended up with a broken hinge, due to the weight of the door. If you ship cabinets or dressers then stuff the drawers with other small items bought. My best friend saved a lot of money having bought her furniture in Bali. The other pieces she bought were undamaged. I remember the three-seater wooden and stone-carved bench that she bought cost her $30.(I calculated out her invoices to dollars)and the same bench in L.A. was selling for $395.00....I have a friend who works for the company that carried the same bench here in L.A. area. I'm quite acquainted with the prices of Indonesian furniture since I know most of the stores in L.A. county and had an Indonesian friend who owned a big Indonesian furniture store in Orange County. My house is furnished with the items. Happy Travels!

Thanks for the great advice- very detailed!
I live in Canada and can ship some within my duty free limit as unaccompanied goods.
We have concerns re wood products and so they must be fumigated and checked.
What I am interested in actually are carved wood doors for a new house. Humidity and cracking is an issue here for sure.
We shall see and I will let all know of the experience!