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I'm most likely in with this so long as we don't have to pay VAT.

I'd go for that too (no VAT).

Jim

_________________
Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Just to clear stuff up: if there's VAT to pay, I'll just have Rivolta ship the stuff direct to you, which means guaranteed no VAT. If I get a better discount (taking VAT into account) not doing it that way, I'll do that.

That sound good?

[QUOTE=Mattia Valente] Just to clear stuff up: if there's VAT to pay, I'll just have Rivolta ship the stuff direct to you, which means guaranteed no VAT. If I get a better discount (taking VAT into account) not doing it that way, I'll do that.

That sound good?[/QUOTE] Sure, that's great.

I'd like to hear more about it--I'd probably get some.

   I import a good deal of wood and the importing can be expensive. The Custom Fees can be rather high so if you need to go through a broker you may find it too costly. Find out now as if you have to do this , my lst order was over $850 in broker fees.
   Depending on the amount ( I think it is 43 lbs ) have it shipped air parcel. ( $160 or so ) If you have to ship to a port your custom fees and dock fees can add up.
   You can also sheck into having it shipped to Balt or Philadelphia . That way you can clear it through customs yourself.
   To be honest , you can get about 70 tops in a 43 lb carton so air shipping may be your best option. Call me if you have question.
john hall

You're not importing as such; I'm shipping via the post office, private individual to private individual, and the post office will levy brokerage fees and the like.

Uh, no. The way we're doing it, whether I ship, or whether Rivolta ships direct, will cost shipping (probably the 20-40 bucks, depending), plus whatever import and/or sales tax the US postal service charges. Here, it's high, because we have 19% VAT, but I tend never to be hit with any import duties on top of that. DHL and the like charge private individuals here about 4 bucks for doing the paperwork associated with clearing stuff through customs (which technically, everything that crosses the border has to do).

Seriously, someone just call/drop by a post office and ask what kinds of duties there are on regular mail from europe, containing non-trade restricted (processed) wood parts. I've never had problems sending stuff to the US, and people over there order things from Europe with some regularity; it's the shipping costs that are higher than ordering locally, not anything else. It's not hugely different from ordering something from Canada.

I'm probably out. I saw that Mattia posted that we needed to order by tomorrow, and that he was about maxed out on quantity. I was thinking of ordering in the tens. In retrospect that's too much work to ask somebody to do for you gratis.

   When you order a few tops , there is seldom import duties applied in the US. If you do get where your value is over $2000 then you may be in for some. It is the shipping carrier that can cause you the headache.
Wood coming into the country legally will need to have fumigation papers ETC. A few tops at a time through regular postal service will be ok. It is when you have to use a shipper , this is where customs will be used. The goods need to be cleared. USPS or regular mail won't usually be a problem. If you exceed what the postal service can handle , this is were you can get into trouble.
john hall.

[QUOTE=rlabbe] I'm probably out. I saw that Mattia posted that we needed to order by tomorrow, and that he was about maxed out on quantity. I was thinking of ordering in the tens. In retrospect that's too much work to ask somebody to do for you gratis.[/QUOTE]

Roger, I'd factored in 10 tops for you already, and honestly, it's 'work' only in that it takes time. Mostly it's an excuse to sift through wood, and get an ever better education in variation within a species.

Mattia

I'll pass. I'd love to have some but I'm in economizing mode these few months.

Jim Kirby

_________________
Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

[QUOTE=jtkirby] I'll pass. I'd love to have some but I'm in economizing mode these few months.

Jim Kirby

[/QUOTE]

If this goes well, I may repeat the exercise in a couple of, um, years. So...yeah.