[Weav]

My order of Dura Ace Wheels just shipped from Chain Reaction Cycles (Northern Ireland) for $611 USD. Does anyone have any experience ordering stuff from Europe in this price range or above. I'm wondering how much import taxes will be, if any? I've ordered Look pedals from France a couple times and didn't end up paying any import duties, the price was much lower around $80 so wonder if that has anything to do with it?

Anyone? Thanks

 

[High Gear]

It's hit or miss on duties. I think the larger packages are more temping for them to hit you up on duties. I got nailed a few years back on a wheelset. I don't remember what I had to pay, but it was still well under ordering in the U.S.

 

[ukbloke]

The tariff is something like 5% on rims, 10% on spokes and 0% on hubs. It is not clear to me how this gets applied to a wheelset! Most other components have no tariff.

 

[litespeedchick]

I got my Campy Shamals from the UK for $900. No tarrifs that I'm aware of, I paid the price I was quoted. Beware, though...unless you have one of the few credit cards that does not charge a foreign x-action fee, you'll get hit with 3% or so. (i got a capital one card before I went to FRance last summer for that reason)

 

[Weav]

I paid via paypal earlier this month so my payment went thru that same day. The xchange rate has gone up since so I gambled correctly. Getting DA 7850 SL Scandium Tubeless for $611 out the door, free shipping, I guess I won't cry too loud if I get hit with a little duty tax. Maybe I'll get lucky like you did and not have to pay any.

 

[Argentius]

If they ding you with taxes, one of the bigger charges is not the duty itself, which is often in the 5-10% range as mentioned, but the "service charge" the freight carrier adds on to collect and pay the duty.

 

[Ibashii]

If they ding you with taxes, one of the bigger charges is not the duty itself, which is often in the 5-10% range as mentioned, but the "service charge" the freight carrier adds on to collect and pay the duty.

True...but there are lots of people who have gotten out of paying those fees by petitioning the company, threatening legal action, etc., especially if the fees seem outrageously high (in some cases more than the value of the product!). It's really hit or miss though, and if I remember correctly there are state laws that vary on the subject.

 

[Dumbod]

If they ding you with taxes, one of the bigger charges is not the duty itself, which is often in the 5-10% range as mentioned, but the "service charge" the freight carrier adds on to collect and pay the duty.

The only times that I've been charged is when the vendor has used FedEx, UPS or DHL. I've only bought from the UK but I've never been charged when using RoyalMail/USPS. USPS is less likely to enforce the custom laws than the private carriers. Go figure.

 

[Weav]

My shipment went out via Parcel Force International. Upon leaving the UK the parcel is entered into the GLS network and allocated a new shipping reference for delivery by a local courier. I don't know who that courier would be?

How much did the private companies hit you up?

 

[loubnc]

Parcel Force hands off to USPS at the Customs facility when it enters the country.

Unfortunately, that also usually triggers an import tariff on larger values.

Good news, it's usually a small fee.

My Campy Eurus came from Wiggle for $612. Free shipping. Customs was $44.

Still $400-600 off the States.

I've never had to pay customs on Royal Mail shipments. Also handed off to USPS.

 

[Weav]

Parcel Force hands off to USPS at the Customs facility when it enters the country.

Unfortunately, that also usually triggers an import tariff on larger values.

Good news, it's usually a small fee.

My Campy Eurus came from Wiggle for $612. Free shipping. Customs was $44.

Still $400-600 off the States.

I've never had to pay customs on Royal Mail shipments. Also handed off to USPS.

How certain are you of that Parcel Force hands off to USPS? That's good news as I've read some horror stories when FedEx or UPS gets hold of it, they want to charge an outrageous price just to collect the tarriff, usually more than the tariff itself, sometimes more than the product.

I really hope the USPS gets my package, I don't mind the tariff since I'm getting the wheels at such a great price, but not willing to pay an offensive handling fee.

 

[loubnc]

How certain are you of that Parcel Force hands off to USPS? That's good news as I've read some horror stories when FedEx or UPS gets hold of it, they want to charge an outrageous price just to collect the tarriff, usually more than the tariff itself, sometimes more than the product.

I really hope the USPS gets my package, I don't mind the tariff since I'm getting the wheels at such a great price, but not willing to pay an offensive handling fee.

Every time I've used them for anything from the UK, it has been delivered by USPS. I could just be lucky though. The wheels I just ordered came Parcel Force-to-USPS. I did pay a small tariff, though, no big deal.

I will say every time I've used Royal Mail there's been no tariff. I do wonder if there's some "payola" happening with Parcel Force, hence the tariffs.

 

[Weav]

Well my wheels made it to the USA from Chain Reaction Cycles in Northern Ireland. Parcel Force lists the latest tracking info as "arrived in destination country Delivery Agent - NEW YORK -PTT. Don't know what this means, status hasn't changed in about 24 hours. Praying they go USPS and not UPS/FedEx.

 

[loubnc]

Well my wheels made it to the USA from Chain Reaction Cycles in Northern Ireland. Parcel Force lists the latest tracking info as "arrived in destination country Delivery Agent - NEW YORK -PTT. Don't know what this means, status hasn't changed in about 24 hours. Praying they go USPS and not UPS/FedEx.

That's exactly what happened with my order as well. They held it for a few days in Customs then handed it off to USPS. General rule - If Customs is "holding for inspection", there will be a tariff to be paid.

Give it a few days and it will probably be released to USPS for delivery. Also, my shipment was held at the local post office, so I had to come in and pay the Customs fees. Again only a small fee.:thumbsup:

 

[been200mph]

Got my D-A wheelset from Malaysia via eBay and there was no other fee involved. Saved a good amount vs. anyplace in the US.

 

[Weav]

Wow... Wheels just arrived!!! My postman knocked on my door, thought it was a salesman because it wasn't my usual letter carrier, glad I answered and didn't ignore it. There is no sign of any custom fees that were imposed. Now all I have to do is order a cassette and some tubeless Hutchinson tires and I'm in business. Can't wait to get these things on the road. I'm still in awe of the price. I essentially got a set of Dura Ace Scandium Tubeless for the price of Ultegra. My total cost to my doorstep... 408.50 Pound Sterling = $611.00. I even gambled right on the exchange rate by paying immediately with paypal instead of waiting a couple weeks for them to charge my credit card, the pound went up since then so I would have paid a little extra. Totally psyched!!!

 

[spepic]

Somebody jinxed me

My 7580 clinchers came in today, have a note to pickup at post office and pay $50 in fees. I guess thats offset by the free shipping. $700 for a $1,000 set of wheels isn't so bad.

 

[Weav]

Where did you get them?

 

[cocoboots]

what are you guys doing about warranties? anyone have any breakages and issues getting warranty work done? the only thing holding me back is my local shop says they need a receipt to warranty anything and they don't warranty stuff off ebay or foreign sales.

 

[Weav]

I called Shimano USA before I purchased and they said they can handle warranties directly or you can go through a Shimano retailer, either way. Give them a call if you are unsure. Your local shop just doesn't want to be bothered. If they did that to me I'd just go across town to their competition.

The customer service guy that answered at Shimano was kind of a jerk, he didn't seem pleased that I was going outside the country to get my wheels, but he assured me that they would be happy to warranty them directly or I could go to a authorized dealer, which he said is the quickest way to get it done. He made a snippy comment that a bike shop might not be too happy to warrant my wheels if I bought them online, especially over in Europe, but he said never the less that they would warranty them here in the USA. I think he was an LBS snob type of guy. Sorry but paying $900-$1200 in the states or $611 from ChainReactionCycles.com over in Northern Ireland, hmm, that's an easy decision.