I Need Help

BladeGoblin

BladeGoblin

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I did a deal with a member in Russia.

The knives were mailed over 30 days ago and they haven't reached their destination as of yet.

I always ship global priority, the postal worker told me global priority was not available for that country(Russia)

I was also told packages could not be tracked once they were outside of the U.S.

I've done countless deals outside the U.S. and never needed a tracking number and until now, the package has always reached it's destination.


Can knives legally be shipped to Russia?
Am I liable for this?

What should I do?

Please don't say "that's why I never deal outside the U.S."

I need some educated responses please.

Thanks,
Anthony
 
I also did a deal with a fellow in Russia (maybe the same guy) and my knife took a long time to arrive. I had Ins of course because of the rep that Russia has right now of being corrupt. It eventually got there but I sent it Global Priority and it took over a month as well.

I say, give it at least a few more weeks and let the guy who bought know that he is just going to have to wait until you think it is either lost or stolen. Tell him he may have to wait as much as 60-90 days before you can do anything.
 
I've sent knives to Russia at least a dozen of times. The answers to your first two questions are yes and no respectively. If you've done your part and have receipts to prove it - you're clean. USPS is only responsible for delivering your parcel to Moscow. Its fate henceforth is solely in the hands of Russian postal service, which is spotty at best.

Honestly, I have never had any problems with shipping knives there, yet in the past month or so folks on Russian forums started talking about customs intercepting the packages. Whether it's true or not - I can't tell.

I any case, if you are to deal with people in that part of the globe again, I suggest limiting your outreach to Moscow. That way there are fewer hops your parcel has to make, which means less exposure and this has a direct relationship to success of delivery.

What to do next:

Nothing. You did your part. Now, I've been here long enough to know that you're an honest person and I can vouch for you should the need arise. It may be helpful since I frequent Russian version of bladeforums and may know the person you're dealing with.
 
I'm not sure if this is what you meant by liable, but if the person in Russia doesn't get the knives, you are responsible for either a refund or getting him the knives he paid for. Was the shipment insured?
 
When I ship overseas, I get ins and I make sure the guy (or gal) knows that there is a risk. As long as they accept the risk and are willing to wait, I will ship to them. There are too many risks for me to take them on myself. Beyond getting them insured and getting tracking numers, I can't worry about that stuff too much. If they want the knife and are willing to pay all shipping costs, I will send it but I am not going to be calling the Post Office every couple of days when the package doesn't arrive on time. They basically have to sit and wait because once it is shipped, it is beyond my hands.
 
You could try tracking the US Customs number through USPS. It will tell you when it left the US and possibly give you more information. Hope this helps.
 
Whenever I do an overseas deal I always let the person know that once it leaves my hands it's out of my control and any loss/theft etc etc is on them! If they don't agree to these terms than we have no deal period. Regardless of the other guys rep There's too many horror stories out there of loss or theft by other countries postal employees not to insist on this disclaimer.
 
Take the customs number and have your customer start with Russian customs. Also, you will find that insurance on many overseas shipments is no good once it leave the US. For example, a $600 shipment that I insured and sent to Japan never arrived. The postmaster then tells me that since it was going to Japan, due to their theft rate, it was only insured for $46 once it ;eft the US.

Checking on the customer's end is always the best place to start.

Gene
 
Gene Martin said:
Checking on the customer's end is always the best place to start.

Gene
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, that other end is in the country were things tend to disappear en route. I once sent a $250 pen which hasn't arrived yet. It's been 2 years:)
 
Russia has the opposite of our borders. Nothing comes in. Not even Bibles. They are very controlled. Every neighbor you have is a potential spy that will kill you or have you sent to the worst prison you can imagine. An American could barely survive the normal Russian life, not to mention thier prisons. The knife is Stalins now.
 
Gene Martin said:
Also, you will find that insurance on many overseas shipments is no good once it leave the US. For example, a $600 shipment that I insured and sent to Japan never arrived. The postmaster then tells me that since it was going to Japan, due to their theft rate, it was only insured for $46 once it ;eft the US.

Gene
Click to expand...


Great point, that's exactly what they told me when I shipped the 2 knives.
I also wasn't required to fill out a customs form.

Thank you for the replies gentlemen, much appreciated.
 
Anthony,
What Kriggs8 said,just about wraps it up.If you did what he said,and are paid,I think all you should do is wait.I sold a guy in Russia,a Dozier,but his buddy in NJ shipped it to him ,(I think),I shipped it to Jersey.
The fellow said he'd be talking with me in a month,sure as shit,a month went by,he got it.Hope it works out for you,
-Vince
 
From experience,,always tell International buyers that you are not responsilbe for the item arriving as there are just to many hands handling International stuff ranging from postal people to contract carriers to customs people. Basically,,no one gaurantees international packages but you gotta tell the buyer upfront.
The good news is that it's also common for International packages to take a while. I'll bet it's stuck in Customs on his end.

P :)
 
knifer333 said:
Russia has the opposite of our borders. Nothing comes in. Not even Bibles. They are very controlled. Every neighbor you have is a potential spy that will kill you or have you sent to the worst prison you can imagine. An American could barely survive the normal Russian life, not to mention thier prisons. The knife is Stalins now.
Click to expand...

When you don't know what you're talking about, pozhaluysta, molchi.
 
knifer333 said:
Russia has the opposite of our borders. Nothing comes in. Not even Bibles. They are very controlled. Every neighbor you have is a potential spy that will kill you or have you sent to the worst prison you can imagine. An American could barely survive the normal Russian life, not to mention thier prisons. The knife is Stalins now.
Click to expand...

Wow, do you actually know anything about life in modern day Russia?
 
knifer333 said:
Russia has the opposite of our borders. Nothing comes in. Not even Bibles. They are very controlled. Every neighbor you have is a potential spy that will kill you or have you sent to the worst prison you can imagine. An American could barely survive the normal Russian life, not to mention thier prisons. The knife is Stalins now.
Click to expand...

uh, stalin died in the '50s, the head guy is now vladimir putin FWIW, he's ex-KGB though IIRC, might be putins huh??
 
I am waiting on a package actually myself from another bladeforums member. It has been about 1 month so far but almost everything I get sent here from the states takes about 7 days. He has offered me a refund and is a very honest bloke but I will hang out for a bit. I think if 6 weeks passes though it is probably cactus (lost) because land/sea mail takes about 6 weeks to get here. Fingers crossed because I want this knife much more than a refund.
 
Bravado said:
Whenever I do an overseas deal I always let the person know that once it leaves my hands it's out of my control and any loss/theft etc etc is on them! If they don't agree to these terms than we have no deal period. Regardless of the other guys rep There's too many horror stories out there of loss or theft by other countries postal employees not to insist on this disclaimer.
Click to expand...
That's what I do too.
 
knifer333 said:
Russia has the opposite of our borders. Nothing comes in. Not even Bibles. They are very controlled. Every neighbor you have is a potential spy that will kill you or have you sent to the worst prison you can imagine. An American could barely survive the normal Russian life, not to mention thier prisons. The knife is Stalins now.
Click to expand...

WOW, what a strange post but we have shipped to Russia and the breakoff countries many times and product always gets there. I haven't lost one yet but same as Bravado and the others have said, once it leaves the US and is scanned by the postal service it's in the hands of the other country and I'm not responsible. It's the customer's responsibility to know whether they're allowed to receive a product or not. I can't keep track of all the international laws. That said there are some countries that I know I can't or won't ship to like Belarus and some of the Republics that are wrought with fraud. We just even accept orders from there.
 
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