International Shippng Costs

Pat Kelly · From: Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia

This topic is prompted by an off topic discussion elsewhere. I thought it would be useful to get down some info on what are fair prices for Steel Guitars in other countries whdn compared with the US market. So how much was you guitar in $US? How much was the total cost of landing in you country?

I'll kick off

Steel Purchased mid 2004.............US$1200
Air Freight to Australia.............US$ 399
Import duty..............................nil
GST (levied on cost and freight @10%)US$ 160

Total................................US$1760

Conversion @ US$0.75c = AUS$1.......AUS$2350

So in this case, the US$ purchase price was virtually doubled in AUS$ terms by the time the steel was at the door.

Damien Odell · From: Springwood, New South Wales, Australia

Pat, I had a similar experience getting my guitar to Australia....and it's gonna be repeated when my new one is ready, not good....
Damien

Joseph Barcus · From: Volga West Virginia

I think someone ripped you on the shipping. I ship all the time international and pretty well have it figured out. I looked at frieght for a 40 pound package and its right at 195.00 you can see the figure here http://ircalc.usps.gov/intl_speed.asp?CID=10013&MailType=package&Pounds=40&Ounces=0
after 40 pounds it goes up, now I dont know if you got a single neck or double but it all depends on weight a 50 pound package would be 324.00 check your weight and also check your own shipping by using the link I posted.

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

hey Pat I have brought in 2 new steels in the last 2 years using BaxGLobal --- it was a lot cheaper than your quote and included insurance. I had them sent "collect" and paid for the freight and gst etc at this end. It was a pretty reasonable deal.

Pat Kelly · From: Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia

Thanks men.

The intention here was to get something down as to what is a reasonable price for steel guitars in various countries. The market is pretty well framed in terms of the US (the biggest) market. Also most steels originate from the US.

i don't really want to get into whether or not someone got a "good deal."

The shipping for my steel was arranged in US by my sister who was resident in California at the time and was the best available to the "layperson." That was a personal decision giving a delivery in 5 days. BTW, my guitar was in excess of 80lb packed. Shipping included insurance (FedEx).

What is a fair value in other countries for steel guitars given that most originate in The States and have to be shipped, insured and taxed en route to the end user?

Per Berner · From: Skovde, Sweden

When I bought my $2,999 Legrande II in 2004 the shipping was about $350 door to door with BAX Global. Apparently they only deal with business clients, not private individuals, and UPS/Fedex costs a bit more.
3.6 per cent Import duty added another $125, various handling fees another $20, and finally VAT(sales tax) on everything; 25 per cent = $ 875. Final cost = $4,370, or up 45 per cent...

Sales taxes would be a bit lower in some other parts of the EU, but not by more than a couple hundred dollars.

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´75 Emmons p/p D10 8+4, '96 Emmons Legrande II D10 8+5, ca '72 AWH Custom D10 8+3, Peavey Nashville 1000

Hans Holzherr · From: Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland

The guitar in question was a S-12 Carter, a light-weight guitar. Shipping incl. insurance to Switzerland was around $245 (shipped by UPS, if I remember right).

Hans

Jan Jonsson · From: Gothenburg, Sweden

When I wanted to ship my Fulawka D-10 from Austin, TX to Gothenburg, Sweden, I found out that the only shipper who wanted to deal with private individuals was DHL. All other companies told me I needed to have a business account. Insured shipping with DHL of the 75+ lbs package cost me close to $500. And, as Per has already reported, there were customs charges and VAT on top of that.

-- Jan

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Janjo's home page
Gear: Sho-Bud Pro II Custom 8+6, Fulawka D-10 8+8, Fender Deluxe 8, Marrs/Fluger Cat-Can, Fender CS Nocaster

[This message was edited by Jan Jonsson on 20 February 2006 at 07:12 AM.]

Allan Thompson · From: Scotland.

A few years ago I ordered a SD12 Carter from the Carter company. They shipped it to Aberdeen airport via Bax Global. When I went to pick the guitar up they would not let me touch it until I paid £605.81p customs and shipping which is $1056.94. This figure still sticks in my throat.

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

i just got my new Zum D10: 4600 $
300 $ shipping : Bax Global
250 $ Customs duties
total : 5 150 $

i've had a few steels & amps sent over to Europa from the good Ol'
i've found that Bax Global was the cheapest & quite a good service
round 300 $
otherwise i've used Fedex which was more expensive : 350 $
& then the brownies who were the most expensive: 400 $
in any case i have found that it is wise NOT to send collect !
so make sure the buyer pays the shipping up front to the seller so he can pay & ship it out
as fer the customs duties, it varies acording to countries now don't it ?
some are costly.
i'm always tryin' to fandangle my way out of payin' too much
& sometimes i succeed

why not just take a trip to the US, pick up yer steel

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 20 February 2006 at 09:24 AM.]

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Pat, my new Carter cost about $250 US (Carter always use BaxGLobal) which included freight and insurance to my door ...I then had to pay GST based on the "stated" value of the goods.

My Zum came via BaxGLobal as well for about $270 I think (it was heavier), same deal door to door -- and this was a private deal, not from a business so Bax do send stuff for individuals !

I have been very happy with their service and the costs (we know we're going to get lumbered with gst) -- and you can track the goods online which is very helpful. Both guitars took about 6 - 7 days to get to me.

Ron ! · Posted 20 Feb 2006 3:11 pm

Here are a couple of tricks.

One of the tricks to get down some of the costs is that you have to insure the steel for a lower amount of money.Next is to ask the seller or builder to send it and put a lower amount of money on the form that he has to fill out when shipped.For example....if the builder normally builds for $3000 he has to fill out $2000.There are a lot of things that can be done to lower the costs.

Pat Kelly · From: Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia

Ronald, you are right on the money here. By lowering the insured amount it means we cover some of the insurance ourselves. Some owners may not wish to do that. However there is a further saving in those countries with some variation on sales tax and/or import duty. These will usually be levied on the insured value.

Either way, I guess we are getting some idea of why a $US500 maverick can list on e-bay in Australia for $1200 with obviously similar markups in other countries. Seems free trade ain't all its cracked up to be!

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Pat I agree with Ronald regarding the book value the sender puts on the doco -- hence my reference to the "stated" value ... anything to lower the GST liability is welcome down under mate....but at the end of the day these extra costs are something we all have to live with when importing goods from the US ! We just have to be flexible in minimising the overheads.

Pat Kelly · From: Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia

Yes paddy. And count our blessings I suppose. I can't get over the $1000+ payed by Allan Thompson (above). What the hell is the tax rate over there. Seems like he's paid well in excess of $600 dollars in import duty and VAT. Incredible. Any other English comments on this?
BTW that's my kind of word -- "flexible."

[This message was edited by Pat Kelly on 21 February 2006 at 03:32 PM.]

Chippy Wood · From: Elgin, Scotland

I agree and sympathise with Allan on this point, I was in a similar situation a few years ago.Over here they take your eye balls and come back for the sockets.

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Ron (Chippy) Wood
Emmons D10
Emmons D12

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

Here in the UK we have long been resigned to being ripped off by having to pay much higher prices for imported goods than most countries. It's not just the VAT (currently standing at 17.5%), its the so called 'handling charges' and other hidden charges that bump up the price of importing instruments from outside of the European Union.

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

There is only one answer guys !! All come to Dallas with me and buy as much gear as you can cram on to the plastic, then take it home with you and claim you have been away "touring" with some big name artist!! Put a couple of stickers on the guitar case to make it look as though it's not quite new.
Ha!

Allan Thompson · From: Scotland.

Paddy,
Do you think we haven't thought about that. See you in Dallas.

Ron ! · Posted 22 Feb 2006 4:24 pm

Tax and shipping is to high if you want to import to Europe.Shipping a steelguitar cost ya about $300 for a D-10.Getting it in the country is another 20cents on the dollar.Crazy.....
Governments just know how to play the people and jet let them do exactly what they want them to do.I recall buying a Emmons LeGrande SD10 4x6 in 1996 I think.I ordered the steel in The Netherlands and I had to pay 6900Guilders for that steel back then.Which was the same as $3500 back then.And that was a SD10.Easy to figure out how much taxes I had to pay to get it in here.

But what I don't understand is that players in Europe don't use local builders.I know of several builders in Europe that build great steelguitars.
Take WBS in Germany for example or Promota Music Sales(DEVIS) in The Netherlands.Both of them build darn good steelguitars.And yet people do not buy them.

Ron

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Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Your right Ron, those WBS guitars looking really great - although I have only seen photos.

Unfortunately no one down this way is building steels except for Noel Anstead (Anapeg) and they cost an arm and a leg and a 5 year wait..if your lucky.

Looking forward to meeting up with all you UK/Euro guys at Dallas !! Do they serve Guinness in Dallas ??

Greg Simmons · From: where the buffalo (used to) roam AND the Mojave

Paddy, greetings from another former colony

Chris Langman · From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

All sounds frighteningly familiar....just a tip for anyone who might be importing to OZ....don't get caught like I almost was.....there is no import duty on a steel (because it has pedals, it is not deemed a guitar by customs, but a harp???) The duty on a regular guitar is to protect the local guitar industry I presume....so much for free trade!

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

So Chris whats the duty on a harp into OZ ?? Over here in our little Slice of Heaven there is no duty on harps !

Tore Blestrud · From: Oslo, Norway

You're right Paddy, see you in Dallas.

(My 3500 USD Fessy costed me 5000 USD afther shipping and VAT (23%))

[This message was edited by Tore Blestrud on 22 February 2006 at 11:51 PM.]

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