Original Post: Mon Dec 01, 2003 3:44 am
Karen, this is just some items that occured to me later: IF you decide that you are going to ship a package or two to the US, make it the cheapest clothing you can, including used shoes. The reaon being, that the value for customs of used clothing is very low, and it is easily understood that it is our used staff. Also insuring the package is cheaper.
Oh, and the most important. When you arrive home, do not forget to post a Trip Report here on BP!
BP Chuck
USER: BP Chuck
Mailing home gifts & clothing
Original Post: Mon Dec 01, 2003 1:36 am
Hi, Karen,
I can only imagine how much you must have bought by now! I was lucky to have a company pay for our containers home but we did ship a lot of presents home. I went back and read my old post in this topic and I wasn't able to read the weight stamp on the largest box we mailed but it was very heavy. It was full of all kinds of porcelain and glass and the box was huge. We did, indeed, go through the post office and on the really large box we just said we wanted the cheapest method possible and insured it for 500 euros. I got the 68.60 price of shipping it directly off of the ticket. The day before we moved we shipped off more presents and we shipped another huge box of light fixtures, and small appliances and my hair dryer and curling iron. Again, we just said we wanted to ship it as cheaply as possible and we didn't care how long it took. Nothing broke in any of our packages home. You may try to see if the French post office is on-line so you can get rates off of it.
By the way, we got the large boxes from our grocery store.
Are you glad to be headed home?
_________________
Lara Rogers
Bonjour Paris
USER: BP Lara
Hi, Karen,
I can only imagine how much you must have bought by now! I was lucky to have a company pay for our containers home but we did ship a lot of presents home. I went back and read my old post in this topic and I wasn't able to read the weight stamp on the largest box we mailed but it was very heavy. It was full of all kinds of porcelain and glass and the box was huge. We did, indeed, go through the post office and on the really large box we just said we wanted the cheapest method possible and insured it for 500 euros. I got the 68.60 price of shipping it directly off of the ticket. The day before we moved we shipped off more presents and we shipped another huge box of light fixtures, and small appliances and my hair dryer and curling iron. Again, we just said we wanted to ship it as cheaply as possible and we didn't care how long it took. Nothing broke in any of our packages home. You may try to see if the French post office is on-line so you can get rates off of it.
By the way, we got the large boxes from our grocery store.
Are you glad to be headed home?
_________________
Lara Rogers
Bonjour Paris
USER: BP Lara
Original Post: Sun Nov 30, 2003 9:43 pm
Kepenate, Depending on the airline you are using, some are more "lenient" than others about the waight of your luggage. Especially on transatlantic routes. Also it demends on the person at the checkin counter. So sometimes you get away with it, sometimes not. An other possiblity is to switch a bad that is your carry on to one of the checked one. or just transfer some item to your carry on. some airlines do not weigh the carry on stuff. You naturally can send a large package by mail (check prices out in advance at any post office), you will find it that it is not cheap, plus it takes a long time to gete there, plus it has to go through customs (and you can not claim it (at least in the US) under the allowance the allowes you tor bring in a free amount of stuff. You have other fraight sipping companies also, but until you find them tet the stuff to them you lost a, lot of time, and it will not be cheap. Soooo: your best bet may be to take your chances with the airline and pay overweight charges. I paid once on Air France about $ 70 or 80 or so, as I had 8 bottles of wine (½ liter bottles).
BP Chuck
USER: BP Chuck
Kepenate, Depending on the airline you are using, some are more "lenient" than others about the waight of your luggage. Especially on transatlantic routes. Also it demends on the person at the checkin counter. So sometimes you get away with it, sometimes not. An other possiblity is to switch a bad that is your carry on to one of the checked one. or just transfer some item to your carry on. some airlines do not weigh the carry on stuff. You naturally can send a large package by mail (check prices out in advance at any post office), you will find it that it is not cheap, plus it takes a long time to gete there, plus it has to go through customs (and you can not claim it (at least in the US) under the allowance the allowes you tor bring in a free amount of stuff. You have other fraight sipping companies also, but until you find them tet the stuff to them you lost a, lot of time, and it will not be cheap. Soooo: your best bet may be to take your chances with the airline and pay overweight charges. I paid once on Air France about $ 70 or 80 or so, as I had 8 bottles of wine (½ liter bottles).
BP Chuck
USER: BP Chuck
Original Post: Sun Nov 30, 2003 8:22 pm
Lara:
As you know I am heading home in a couple of weeks and I've no idea how to bring all of this stuff back.
I was right on the limit when heading here and of course I've purchased lots of stuff (including pans for cooking) that I'd like to take back. I've looked online at some courrier companies and they are coming up with some ridiculous quotes.
Did you just ship it at the post office?
Was it cheap because of how long it took to get there?
I don't mind it taking months. I was thinking of shipping back mainly books that way.
Do you remember how much it weighed?
I will go to the post office tomorrow and ask but would appreciate any help!
Thanks
USER: kepenate
Lara:
As you know I am heading home in a couple of weeks and I've no idea how to bring all of this stuff back.
I was right on the limit when heading here and of course I've purchased lots of stuff (including pans for cooking) that I'd like to take back. I've looked online at some courrier companies and they are coming up with some ridiculous quotes.
Did you just ship it at the post office?
Was it cheap because of how long it took to get there?
I don't mind it taking months. I was thinking of shipping back mainly books that way.
Do you remember how much it weighed?
I will go to the post office tomorrow and ask but would appreciate any help!
Thanks
USER: kepenate
BPLara (elf9@club-internet.fr)
February 17, 2003 06:54 AM
Barbara,
we mailed a Christmas package to the U.S. from Paris this year that was bigger than most trunks. It was so big it wouldn't fit through over the counter and they had to open up a door to take it. We couldn't find a list of size restrictions so we just took it in and acted like we knew what we were doing. It took about 6 weeks to get there. It weighed a lot (it was full of dishes, bottles, clothes, etc.) and it took about 2 weeks longer to arrive than the smaller packages we mailed to the same city on the same day. The post office sells some small boxes but we've gone to the grocery store and asked for boxes and they were more than happy to give them to us. I've got the receipts for each package and for that one we insured it for 500 euros and the total cost of shipping was 68.60 euros. I can't read the weight stamp. Have a great time!
February 17, 2003 06:54 AM
Barbara,
we mailed a Christmas package to the U.S. from Paris this year that was bigger than most trunks. It was so big it wouldn't fit through over the counter and they had to open up a door to take it. We couldn't find a list of size restrictions so we just took it in and acted like we knew what we were doing. It took about 6 weeks to get there. It weighed a lot (it was full of dishes, bottles, clothes, etc.) and it took about 2 weeks longer to arrive than the smaller packages we mailed to the same city on the same day. The post office sells some small boxes but we've gone to the grocery store and asked for boxes and they were more than happy to give them to us. I've got the receipts for each package and for that one we insured it for 500 euros and the total cost of shipping was 68.60 euros. I can't read the weight stamp. Have a great time!
Chuck (BPChuck) ( (ckdeak@aol.com))
February 17, 2003 06:11 AM
I belive you have several choices. If you can pack it into a reasonable size carton, you may be able to send it by mail (Check the max dimensions with the post office over there (also if you can insure it or not). It will take a long time to get here. 2) You can go to an airline and check with them about their air freight. Aagin check dimensions and cost). 3)you can go to a local freight forwarding company and check with them on price, packaging requirement and time. BPChuck
February 17, 2003 06:11 AM
I belive you have several choices. If you can pack it into a reasonable size carton, you may be able to send it by mail (Check the max dimensions with the post office over there (also if you can insure it or not). It will take a long time to get here. 2) You can go to an airline and check with them about their air freight. Aagin check dimensions and cost). 3)you can go to a local freight forwarding company and check with them on price, packaging requirement and time. BPChuck
Barbara ((belie@jps.net))
February 17, 2003 06:09 AM
I am about to embark on a trip to Paris, Amsterdam & India. Has anyone a suggestion how to send 1/2 my clothes home along with purchases before I leave for India? Thanks.
February 17, 2003 06:09 AM
I am about to embark on a trip to Paris, Amsterdam & India. Has anyone a suggestion how to send 1/2 my clothes home along with purchases before I leave for India? Thanks.