Shipping knives Down Under - advise?

[blademan 13]

I am looking to possibly send a knife to Australia. The knife has an approx. value of $125 and is a small hunter style blade. Does anyone have any recommendations or advice to make this go as smooth as possible? What carrier would you recommend? What is involved with customs? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Knife Outlet]

Depends on how you get paid. I quit shipping abroad because we had enough credit card chargebacks to make the whole international thing unprofitable. If you get paid up front and the shipment is FOB your place then ship it any way you like. The customer needs to know it is at his risk. I've had countless knives "lost" in Australian customs. I don't do it any more. Take care.

 

[Henri]

Fred, Knife Outlet wrote I've had countless knives "lost" in Australian customs.

Oz customs should ( and have with me ) send both a registered letter telling you what they have done plus include another letter in the package if there are other items that are not confiscated.

I suppose that some people may get notified of it being confiscated and then try to claim the credit back but then I thought the credit card company wore this cost. Also there should be some way to determine if there was fraud on the part of the buyer if using credit card, otherwise there would be nothing stopping someone from recieving their order then claiming they didn't get it.

Possibly all this wastes a lot of time which is very valuable in a small business.

It annoys the hell outa me that in this day and age we still have problems like this.

We can put a man on the moon, do heart-lung transplants but we still don't have a quick, cheap, secure method of doing business with other countries.

Henri

 

[Daniel L]

I live in NZ with similar constraints but I have the following advice.

1. ALWAYS ship registered with insurance - do not be cheap with shipping. Use UPS if you have to.

2. If customs confiscate the item and you paid via credit card, then it is your responsibility. You cannot legally claim a chargeback from the vendor since they have shipped in good faith.

3. Develop a good relationship with an online vendor - send the money via wire payment for the first few times and then do credit card orders.

4. If the item goes "missing" - that is what insurance and tracking is for!!! If it is insured, then the vendor should be able to complete a claim and get the knife to you without the hassles of chargebacks.

Enjoy your online shopping!

Cheers,

 

[Ferret]

OK, here goes...
Don't send a double edged FB as it will get destoyed, no refund (you reading this Laci?)
Apart from that, send it marked as a "gift" and as a "tool" to keep down import duty (though at that price it shouldn't be an issue).
Send it USPS (possibly global priority) with tracking (for your peace of mind)...don't go with Fed Ex or another carrier as they are slower, more expensive and the package invariably gets molested.
Apart from all that, it should be smooth as the proverbial baby's bottom, with nothing to fear.