Olive Oil to US
 

I wish to send 6 bottles of oil to San Diego and three to Austin, Texas. Oil from Tuscany (near Florence).

Has anyone shipped oil? Which shipper do they recommend? Any problems? Shipping requirements including packaging? Any particular paperwork required?

Thanks

Pack 'em and send 'em yourself since I guess you are there.

I live in Italy and wish to send them to friends for Xmas.

I am looking for shippers who have done this at a reasonable price and are reliable.

Poste Italiane, FEDEX, UPS .. others?

Who to choose? What are the packaging requirements (minimum and recommended)? What documents are required? Are there any charges State side (as it would be a present I wish to pay these myself)?

Do you have any Mail Boxes etc in your area? When I travel, I always look for Mail Boxes etc as I do ship packages home. I know they don't like to mail liquids (they had bottles of wine set up one time) but have done it anyway. The people there most of the time are nice and provide boxes, tape etc. They will pack the items for you even though I know what you are sending is much smaller than what I send.

You will have to fill out a form for value etc but once in the US they just drop the package off at the location. No other fees etc.

Thanks sassy27

there are MB depots in Como (where I am) but I want to be sure regarding the progess of the package from Italy to the US both concerning documentation as regards handling (breakages etc).

I always pack my stuff with bubble wrap, etc and just have them put it all in a box when I get there. Nothing so far has been broken but something leaked once but I think it was the bottle not how it was wrapped and didn't do any damage to the other items in the box. I also never had to report any damages and the packages are delivered in a timely manner. I one time used a different service in Scotland and was very unhappy with them. The paperwork with this other company was just awful.

There are restrictions on shipping liquids from Italy. I found this out when I shipped some cosmetics to my daughter in the US and they never arrived. I would use a service who understands what's necessary.

When I carry olive oil from Italy to friends and relatives I always buy it in stainless steel tins. Most producers sell it in tins, and these are also the best containers to conserve the oil.

As far as customs, you're allowed to send a gift of a certain value without the recipient paying customs. It was at one time $50, but may be more now. You need to write on the package, "Gift, value < $50", or whatever it is now.

I am not taking it myself but sending.

I want names of shippers.

I want to send bottles (they are of a special design) not tins.

I am not really "getting" this. You live there. You have shippers. The olive oil producers would probably do it for you.

Gretchen - you are not really "getting" this.

I want feedback from those who have already done this so I can choose a shipper which is reliable both with regard to paperwork and handling.

Ask your Italian neighbours who they would use. Local expertise would win out over asking random strangers on a travel forum.

I wouldn't ask my Italian neighbors how to ship bottles of olive oil overseas. Most would know nothing about it. I think you should ask a producer of olive oil, who ships his own oil overseas.

<i> I think you should ask a producer of olive oil, who ships his own oil overseas.</i>

I think probbaly not. Such a person ships probably large volumes for commercial sale, not small quantities for personal use. Unless of course they also ship to residential addresses in the U.S.

I think the OP is way overthinking this. Wrap in bubble wrap, pack in box with wadded paper or more bubble wrap, then take to the local post office, UPS, FedEx, DHL, Hermes, etc. and get quotes. If the pricing in Italy is anything like the pricing in the UK, Spain, or Germany, the post office will be cheapest.

The only paperwork you need to fill out is the customs form.

Thanks sparkchaser.

I have thought of the PO but my concern is that maybe they do not handle items with appropriate care.

What I am really after is feedback from people in the US who have done this.

Being the week of Thanksgiving perhaps this is not the best of occasions to hear from those on the other side of the pond!

Unless you hand carry it to the recipient, you should count on a package being thrown or dropped. That's why you wrap it up in bubble wrap and pack the box with crumpled paper or other padding. I have used this method for years to ship beer and alcohol from Europe to the U.S. and have never had a bottle break.

I think Sparkchaser has it EXACTLY.
OR go to a gift shop and ask what they do and who they use.

Gretchen - please stop commenting.

I want feedback from the US from Fodorites who have actually shipped oil to the US.

I DO NOT want answers from the sending end but the receiving end.

Is this so hard to understand?

How does the recieving end know who handled the packing/shipping? You would get more useful responses if you stopped lecturing those trying to help you. We have shipped wine from Italy and have used the producer to send it. I would think an olive oil producer would provide the best assistance/advice. Or, the place where you purchased the olive oil. Can't they ship it for you?

Sorry, nochblad but you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. It's not rocket science. People ship bottles of liquid all over the world, every day.

1) The store where we purchased olive oil shipped it for us - all we had to do was give them the reciepients' addresses and pay the bill. They took care of the rest. The bottles were packed properly (the company had "custom" styrofoam boxes) and all arrived in perfect condition - no real "effort" on our part.

2) Now, we've also ship liquids (including a bottle or two of olive oil) ourselves so if you wanted to buy the olive oil and ship it yourself - that's OK too. Since you probably won't have custom designed boxes - use common sense - purchase an appropriate size box, bubble wrap the olive oil bottles and use lots of styrofoam peanuts to take up the remaining space & cushion your bottles in the box. Don't put too many bottles in the same box - better to send two or 3 smaller boxes than 1 larger heavier box.

If shipping your own then you'll have to choose the shipper - Post Office, UPS, Fed-Ex or DHL are the obvious choices - each nows how to handle packages and will advise you of any necessary paperwork and one is not better than the other - they are just different shippers who charge differently for their services. You'll pay based on weight/size of package and how quickly (or slowly) you want the packages to reach their destinations.