Afraid of overseas trades?

Don't have to cross much water to have trouble sometimes! Right now I have a package that is held up in Canadian Customs, the fellow I sent the knife to...instead of receiving my package, received a letter from Customs asking to explain the contents of the package before they would release it into the wilds of Canada...not very handy. The label declared it as a Gift and as Cutlerly, not a big box, nor heavy, but they deemed it necessary to retain it! Boy do I hate that! So the person has responded to the Customs folk and hopes to have the knife soon...

As to overseas deals, I've sold to Belgium with no problems and have dealt with some great people in Finland, Holland, England, Scotland, Switzerland, Australia, Borneo and right now working with a person in Thailand, things take a little longer but taking a zen approach sortof as once you get the knife/item you'll have it a long time so not to get overly concerned with time. I'd say in responce to your initial question, you being an unknown would certainly make people think twice before taking a chance as that would be what it would appear right now, a chance, until you get some posititive feedback about your dealings, which is a catch22 sort of thing, you need some one to start to give you a chance and report the results here so we'd have some history to check on.

G2
Canada still makes me mad a little, one other deal I had with BillyJoeBob took forever to get him his knife, he didn't get a letter, but the box took weeks to get to him! whereas his box to me arrived in less than a weeks time I think...but he did get it safely...finally! ;)

ps
Just read that you and Sid have a deal in progress...outstanding! Best of luck with both of you!
 
Thanks for all your honest replies, guys. I sincerely understand the reluctance that many of you feel. The economical side of the matter is reason enough, and the distance makes it a whole lot more difficult to take action against a dishonest trader/buyer/seller. Of course, the same goes for us on the other side of the pond (whichever pond :)). Well, maybe not quite the same, as there really isn't much of a knife community here outside of traditional Scandinavian cutlery. If I want to trade, buy or sell, I need to come here :D

Thanks for the thumbs up, Gary! Sid's new blade is in the mail, mine will be next week. I hope they'll both arrive safely. My first US trade :) (Bought from a couple of dealers before though.)
 
Since I was mentioned I'd share a story that had a bad beginning and a happy ending:

I traded with a member for a Trace Rinaldi knife.

My knife arrived safely - but his never made it.

We are talking months here.

I never doubted the knife was sent...

The communication was kept, even when snow storms disconnected power and email access, said member made it to the Starbucks cafe to email me...

Eventually (like a couple of months later or so) the knife was returned to him! So he emailed me saying- it has been around the world and he can't read the stamps...

He sent me a scan - and of course the stamp was in Hebrew....

I also had a chance to take a look at the outside of the package he used...he forgot to write my street address.....LOL

It is funny now...but the good part is that the Israeli post office employees opened up the heavily packed package - reviewed the contents of it and shipped it back to him!

The knife arrived to me shortly after - when properly marked.

The lesson? Always keep your hope! and dealing with BF members you are usualy safe and sound!
 
I've sold to Belgium with no problems and have dealt with some great people in Finland, Holland, England, Scotland, Switzerland, Australia, Borneo and right now working with a person in Thailand
Click to expand...

Hey, all you need now to complete your dance card is a transaction with someone in Italy. ;)
 
Originally posted by Nathan S
Hey, all you need now to complete your dance card is a transaction with someone in Italy. ;)
Click to expand...


Well, someday maybe ;)
Actually the company I work for has a sales office in Italy;

Emhart Glass Srl.
Localita Colletto
Casella Postale n. 35
IT-17058 Dego (SV), Italy

Check the website out, some of the pictures on the site are ones I had taken, such as the group shot of bottles on this page here;

Emhart Glass

That was a fun shot to setup and take! I used a large strobe with a soft box set above and one behind and another strobe coming up from beneath the Plexiglas table that I made with some white backdrop paper rolled down on it, so it is an unretouched photo...a lot of work lemme tell ya!

G2
 
I normally don't cross the North American continent, but I made a buy with Tracer-san (he's in Argentina), which surprisingly, registered mail arrived within two weeks.
Sometimes I saw interesting deals that I would've gone for, but since they're like in Singapore or like in Asia (I'm from there initially), I reconsider. I know that shipping is going to be long, and being unfamiliar with their laws may get the package delayed or confiscated.
 
AB,
Know your problem well. I have quite a few knives now, almost all shipped from the states. Never lost one of them. Have used UPS, USPS, and regular mail. No delivery times greater than 9 days, including weekends. No problems other than once having to go to the post office to get a delivery. So shipping out of the US, no problem...but like you say, shipping back? No one wishes to deal.
So now I want to clean up my collection, but as you have found out, it is almost impossible to sell back to the US. Am thinking the only way is to box up 20-30 knives and ship the lot back to someone in the States who could do the shipping for me as each was sold. Only other way is to send them to a dealer, but a dealer would take way too much off the price, 25% to 40%, I have checked. Still a big pain in the butt either way.
If someone else has a solution for overseas expats, would really like to hear about it. I know one person here in Thailand who constantly sold back to the US or Europe without problems, but this was before the WTC and US customs lockdown.
Rad
 
rad148, I see that could be abit of a problem. As in Norway, I suppose there is not a large enough knife community where you live who would appreciate the type of knives you own, or understand the value of them.

A pleasant turn of events: The package I shipped on the 15th, arrived in Tucson the 22th. Now that's pretty good. Sid has not found the time to pick it up yet, but I hope the package and contents have survived the trip. Now I'm just crossing my fingers in hope of my new Sebenza making it across without glitches.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top