International Ordering

[lowrey]

depends entirely on the shipping method, but I would say generally (and very roughly) europe-US is 3-7 days with EMS/express/equivalent, 4-10 days for priority etc, 1-5 weeks for economy / other snail mail. customs etc can of course affect the time a bit.

[docintheory]

depends entirely on the shipping method, but I would say generally (and very roughly) europe-US is 3-7 days with EMS/express/equivalent, 4-10 days for priority etc, 1-5 weeks for economy / other snail mail. customs etc can of course affect the time a bit.

Thanks lowrey^^^ I couldn't get any solid information via google search. Gives me a decent timeline to anticipate the shipment.

[nictan]

i know of EU stores that do VAT deductions from their prices when selling to non-EU customers.

is there something similar for US stores?

[docintheory]

i know of EU stores that do VAT deductions from their prices when selling to non-EU customers.

is there something similar for US stores?

If you're a non-US customer or a non-resident of the state that the store is located, you should be exempt from sales tax, automatically. I think most stores in the US are cognizant of excluding sales tax for customers that are not residents of their locale.

[MikeN]

i know of EU stores that do VAT deductions from their prices when selling to non-EU customers.

is there something similar for US stores?

If you're ordering from out of the country, you'll be exempt from US sales tax, but US sales tax isn't included in the price of the item anyway like it is in the EU.

For example, if you buy a coat at Atelier that has $1,000 on its tag, when the item gets rung up at the register it will come out to approx. $1,089.00 because of the 8.875% sales tax in New York. When you buy a coat at L'Eclaireur for €1,000, then at the register you pay exactly €1,000 because the tax is already included in the price.

Now in terms of tax exemption, if you live out of state/country, and you have the item mailed to you at your home, then there should be no sales tax. The US price will never be lower than what's marked on the tag because tax has not yet been included on that price. EU prices have the tax already included, which is why if you order something from out of the country, the price will actually lower when the tax is removed. Or if you are a US citizen and you buy something in Europe, you can fill out a detaxe form and get the tax back at the airport.

I do not purchases items from stockists who refuse to do VAT reductions, period.

[nictan]

Thanks Mike, that was informative and all i needed to know.

Now to wait for D@Atelier's reply on something i've been eyeing

[line.theory]

I've no idea if anyone can offer much of an opinion on this, but: I'm getting a damir doma jacket sent to me in Australia from the US via USPS, and as I understand it it was sent on the 2nd of september.

I guess what I'm wondering is: how likely is it that it's just been held up? Normally parcels reach me much more quickly than this, and yesterday I received something else via USPS that was sent a week or more after the one I'm still waiting on.

So in sum: how worried should I be? I've contacted the seller but I'm still waiting on a reply, so I don't really know what to do except sweat profusely. :/

[sshum88]

It might be held up. Do you have a tracking number and have you entered in the number on the Australian Post site? My experience is that the tracking system in the receiving country will be updated with more current info faster than the country that it was shipped from.

Not directly related to your questions, but I just noticed that Canada Post has put up a disclaimer about customs:

"Some items may be delayed if held by customs for additional inspection. Canada Post has no information on specific items awaiting customs inspection. Once an item clears customs, it is handed over to Canada Post for delivery. Delivery time depends on the product and the distance to its destination."

I guess what I'm wondering is: how likely is it that it's just been held up? Normally parcels reach me much more quickly than this, and yesterday I received something else via USPS that was sent a week or more after the one I'm still waiting on.

So in sum: how worried should I be? I've contacted the seller but I'm still waiting on a reply, so I don't really know what to do except sweat profusely. :/

[line.theory]

Yeah, I have a tracking number but, having just tried it out on the Australia post website, it might only have provided tracking within the US; it just says "Product Not Trackable." According to the USPS tracking, it left the US on September 8th.

Thanks for the suggestion, in any case. I guess all I can do now is hope!

[shah]

depends how it was sent.
Express Mail International is fully trackable and should arrive in 3-5 business days, and I believe there is even a "guaranteed date" for Australia (some countries have agreements for this, Aus is one).

Priority Mail is trackable but not well updated as it travels from lock-box to lock-box until delivered. There is the option of adding an extra layer of tracking using Registered Mail and that might include something like delivery confirmation, and this can take around 10 business days, sometimes longer.

First Class mail is the slowest, can take from 10-17 business days, not tracked, and really susceptible to delays.

Any of these options can be held in customs for indefinite periods of time, but without tracking you can't know if it is in the customs office or floating in the pacific ocean.

edit: looks like you have tracking, but only shows departing the US, my guess is Priority Mail and being held up in customs, because yesterday would have marked the 10th business day since departing.

[line.theory]

Thanks for the detailed responses, guys, makes me think there are many alternatives to the horrifying thought that it is "floating in the pacific ocean."

I'm not so sure on the tracking, honestly, Australia post seems to think it isn't trackable at least within Aus. But yeah, hopefully it's just been held up somewhere, in customs, perhaps, and it'll find its way to me this week.

[eckblk]

If it came from the USA it has CP, customs number. Starts with CP just stick that number into the Australia Post website's tracking- that should work.

[line.theory]

^ Thanks for the suggestion. I tried that and it recognised the number as an International parcel, but didn't have any information. Instead it just said "No events found."

That seems a bit odd to me, but could it mean it's still on a ship on its way to Australia?

[eckblk]

try it @ usps.com

[line.theory]

Hrm, that's giving me the following: "Your item was accepted at 10:31 am on December 11, 2009 in CINCINNATI, OH 45211."

That makes me suspect I misunderstood you; I thought you meant that the customs number was CP and then the numerals from the tracking number. In actual fact (and I should've figured this), it appears the number I put into the Australia Post website (and now usps.com) is just a different (very old) tracking number.

I'll contact the seller and ask for the customs number. Haven't got a response to my previous messages, but hopefully they'll see this one.