shipping
 

When we go to Europe this fall we plan on bringing home dishes and souvenirs. Is it way out of line to think about shipping anything home from London or Paris? I don't want to spend a fortune but if it was reasonable it might be worth it?

We were in Venice and had some beautiful blown glass sculptures shipped home. They shipped them free (as part of our negotiation). I remember in Paris looking at some china and they definitely shipped - but I didn't go far enough to know if the price was reasonable or not. I guess the answer is "it depends" - possibly it could be something you negotiate. I try to ship home as much as possible so I don't have to carry it. Also, I've had things shipped from Austria, Switzerland, Mexico - and they pack the stuff so well, it arrives safely.

Hi, Debbi, <BR>It's fairly easy to arrange from shops or stores large enough to do their own shipping; on the other hand it can be a hassle when you have to do it yourself. Check prices with the shop to make sure they're not gouging you on the shipping - take note Corte Ingles shoppers (Spain). <BR>Of course there are shipping services and FedEx, UPS et al - your hotel can often arrange these things. Be aware of the prices and how they compare to the same article at home. Many's the time we've purchased something unique and just so, paid for packing, shipping, insurance, the works, and got home to find out we could get it mail order for $10 less. That's not to say the shopping's not fun, but being aware doesn't hurt.

We just returned from Paris and shipped some items home via UPS. We had purchased Gien faiencerie at the outlet, and therefore didn't have the option of shipping from there. We had it done at UPS in Paris, and got the job done, but it was quite expensive, and they do not provide packing materials. Also, be aware of what you are getting-- the box we were offered was usable ONLY for two-day express shipping, which was ridiculous since we weren't going to be home for another week! <BR> <BR>In retrospect, the only reason to have done it is to avoid carrying the stuff on the plane, but I guess in the end that's a pretty good reason!

What about paying custom duties on the items you ship? Do you declare them when you reenter the country? Or do you pay custom duties when you receive the stuff at home?

I've had limited experience with this but both times it was a hassle and very expensive. It's only worth it if what you are getting is really unique (meaning you can't buy it elsewhere) and very cheap. Waterford crystal in Ireland doesn't fall into that category (my first big mistake, buying that there and finding it cheaper in the states for the exact same thing and having it arrive broken and taking a year to get what I really ordered out of the store). I just bought some crystal wineglasses and unusual vase in the Czech Republic and had them shipped as they were so cheap, it made it worth it (ie, $5 per crystal wine glass vs. maybe $30 here)-- they finally arrived okay after about two months. I have no idea what took them so long, do they still send things by ship? Anyway, I travel lightly so did not want to carry this stuff around (although in retrospect, I probably could have the vase) and couldn't have carried the wine glasses aboard anyway. However, it cost as much to ship this stuff as it cost for the items (about US$40), and I sent it by the cheapest shipping method possible (which is why it took 2 months). France shipping charges are rather expensive, at least the French postal service is, as I've ordered books and CDs from French stores online and I would presume they're using the cheapest method possible--it can cost about $8 to ship one book (about $5 per CD) and DHL express costs about $30 per order from those French stores.

The shipper will attach a value receipt to the package listing the contents and the value. You will pay customs when the package is delivered in the U.S. but most times nobody bothers to collect it if the package looks reasonable. I've only shipped one of a kind Italian pottery that I was sure I couldn't find in the States and everything went without a hitch. For a few small things, I carry bubble wrap and put them in my carryon.