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A current ad in the 'For Sale' section has renewed my curiosity. What are the options for shipping a tuba to Europe. I sold an instrument and had to ship it to Europe about a year and a half ago, it ended up costing over $1,100 and I've felt bad about it ever since. There should be a cheaper way. Is there?

Alex C wrote:A current ad in the 'For Sale' section has renewed my curiosity. What are the options for shipping a tuba to Europe. I sold an instrument and had to ship it to Europe about a year and a half ago, it ended up costing over $1,100 and I've felt bad about it ever since. There should be a cheaper way. Is there?

what does an airplane ticket cost?
would that be a cheaper option? Combine with a city trip in Europe and have the buyer pay part of the flight.... just an idea.
My brother bought a piccolo in New York and took it back in his pocket (I know, it's not a tuba...) but that was in taxfree... so I don't know about taxes...

Wim

Two questions about BAX,

Does the parcel have to arrive at a commercial location? I wouldn't guess so, but then I'm only a tuba player.

Does the parcel have to be shipped from a commercial location?

bloke, wouldn’t Bax do business with you, if you delivered parcels for shipping at their Memphis office? Your house may not be considered a commercial location, but I would wonder quite a bit if your business hadn’t a commercial registration ID with the tax authorities.

I have imported 4 or 5 instruments via Bax. A sound studio owning friend had researched the market and found that Bax was the only major shipping company, which would do full value insurance on musical instruments.

I fetched 3 of the instruments at Bax’s site near the Copenhagen airport. 1 or 2 came from Bax via a local courier similar to the one Schlepporello works for.

I never paid as much even for shipping the 40K as the OP paid.

One matter importers according to Bax very often are not aware of is about taxes, duties, and fees to be paid in the importing country. In all countries there is a minor duty on musical instruments from the US. Much worse is the VAT, which is calculated on the sum of buying price (from the invoice or the insurance sum) plus shipping costs plus import duty. If you don’t do the paperwork yourself, the shipping company will want a fee for doing the work.

Klaus

Belltrouble wrote: The airway ticket idea is a good one,you only need the be aware of the oversize/overweight payments perhaps.
Just my thoughts.............

I have another idea which worked in the past but that´s slightly illegal..............

Kurt

I wonder if buying a ticket for the tuba still works? It would have been cheaper at the time.

I bet current oversize baggage charges would be competitive with the FedEx shipping price of over $1100.

Hi DB Shanker (Bax Globel) Is a very good Shipping Co to work with. I have a shipping account at Bax But the co. name is DB Shanker now. Things have change they will only Ins. musical instruments up to $500.00. They will let you put a higher value on the instruments but will still only ins. for $500.00.. Putting a higher value on the horn will make the person picking it up pay more duty. Duty differs for Country to Country. I try to have the customer pick up at the airport save a little on shipping. Last week I shipped a sousaphone in a case to France with DB Shanker, shipping to the airport was $425.00
I have met Customer at the airport who came in with a empty case and took the horn back as luggage. But I live 2 &1/2 hours from Newark airport so all this adds up being a one man shop I have to charge for the time.Hope some of this helps. Thanks Harv.

Harvey Hartman wrote:Hi DB Shanker (Bax Globel) Is a very good Shipping Co to work with. I have a shipping account at Bax But the co. name is DB Shanker now. Things have change they will only Ins. musical instruments up to $500.00. They will let you put a higher value on the instruments but will still only ins. for $500.00.. Putting a higher value on the horn will make the person picking it up pay more duty. Duty differs for Country to Country. I try to have the customer pick up at the airport save a little on shipping. Last week I shipped a sousaphone in a case to France with DB Shanker, shipping to the airport was $425.00
I have met Customer at the airport who came in with a empty case and took the horn back as luggage. But I live 2 &1/2 hours from Newark airport so all this adds up being a one man shop I have to charge for the time.Hope some of this helps. Thanks Harv.

As often stated I like Harv’s inventive mind. Even his spelling is creative from time to time, which has to be noted this time, as some may go in vain for the shipping company mentioned. I am fairly sure this leads to the successor of Bax Global:

http://www.dbschenker.com/

Klaus

bloke wrote:Yes see Klaus, most everything in your post regards the RECIPIENT'S perspective. Sure, ANYONE can RECEIVE a parcel from Bax Global, but in the U.S. only a BUSINESS with a COMMERCIAL LOCATION (unless they've relaxed that) may SHIP by Bax Global. Further, the shipper is not concerned at all with any of the possible duties/taxes/VAT/whatever assessed to a recipient at a destination country. A shipper is only concerned with the cost of getting a parcel TO that country. If a recipient wishes for any of it's own country's fees to be lowered, probably some very different political situations...or maybe some sort of revolt - as here about 235 years ago - might be in order.

One time (due to all of his country's jack-*** fees and duty) a Canadian returned a bass trombone to me claiming that I "misrepresented the price". I told him that I was glad to have the bass trombone back (and would re-sell it after 90 days) but that had no intention whatsoever of refunding his money...He eventually asked me (at his expense) to re-ship it. Someone in another country should not expect an American vendor/shipper to know anything-in-particular about his countries fees, duty, and other taxation regarding the importation of goods. Further, it behooves any person to know in advance approximately how much in fees, duty, and other penalties (all IN ADDITION TO shipping/insurance costs) they will be expected to pay prior to engaging in international commerce.

In theory a business can have a PO-address here. It needs to have a registration # with the tax authorities, and that # shall be on its invoices. The responsible person shall provide an address for him/herself. This would do for broker-type businesses only doing drop-shipping.

As I understand US advertising, all prices are without VAT or sales taxes. Stores in some states then have a disclaimer about residents of the given state having to add a certain percentage to the advertised price. All prices here shall be advertised including VAT, if the business is directed towards end consumers. Shops only supplying other businesses may advertise prices without VAT. Some retail stores selling to foreigners from outside the EU, advertise prices with as well as without VAT, as the foreigners get the VAT refunded, when they leave the EU.

One friend is a former customs agent, another imports regularly for his sound studio, so I had easy access to knowledge. Sadly many amateur importers don’t investigate the tax-traps before ordering from abroad. I have had such sample close to me. A grand nephew called me late night about importing leather jackets from the US. He was so stubborn in his ignorance, that I pulled the phone plug. Especially because he wanted me to pay the sums which might surprise him.

One point, where I have found sellers misrepresenting prices, is when professional UK sellers only in the smallest fine print tell, that EU-residents shall pay VAT on top of the winning auction sum.

As shipping is a major cost factor, I will repeat my standing, that trade across the Atlantic only makes sense for goods not available on ones own side of the water. I have bought 3 European made instruments, which have been owned in the US, but they all are very rare here.

Klaus

imperialbari wrote:

Harvey Hartman wrote:Hi DB Shanker (Bax Globel) Is a very good Shipping Co to work with. I have a shipping account at Bax But the co. name is DB Shanker now. Things have change they will only Ins. musical instruments up to $500.00. They will let you put a higher value on the instruments but will still only ins. for $500.00.. Putting a higher value on the horn will make the person picking it up pay more duty. Duty differs for Country to Country. I try to have the customer pick up at the airport save a little on shipping. Last week I shipped a sousaphone in a case to France with DB Shanker, shipping to the airport was $425.00
I have met Customer at the airport who came in with a empty case and took the horn back as luggage. But I live 2 &1/2 hours from Newark airport so all this adds up being a one man shop I have to charge for the time.Hope some of this helps. Thanks Harv.

As often stated I like Harv’s inventive mind. Even his spelling is creative from time to time, which has to be noted this time, as some may go in vain for the shipping company mentioned. I am fairly sure this leads to the successor of Bax Global:

http://www.dbschenker.com/

Klaus

After 9/11 Bax Global sent a investigater out to my shop .He was nice guy we had coffee and talked a little. After he saw that Harvs Happy Horns was a brass repair shop my Horns could be shipped on domestic flys...Bax Global also told me That I was Luckly having a account with them before 9/11.After 9/11 they would not take on a small business like Harvs Happy Horns..I still think the world would be a better place if it were run by Tuba & Sousaphone Players (Sorry about all the bad spelling)
Happy Harv.