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How To Safely Ship Cartridges For Retip

Now I am not worried about securing them in the box, I got that part down.

What I am worried about is safe and timely arrival. I am shipping a Transfiguration Proteus and ZYX 4D for replacement diamonds, probably to VAS. The MSRP of these two cartridges was $10k when new, in used condition certainly the value is lower. But if they are lost I would essentially spend equivalent to MSRP for like replacements.

How do you ship and insure high dollar items such as this? Given the recent news about USPS I am hesitant. Although I was thinking of using a registered parcel, but I don’t think I can insure for a significant amount. FED EX is what I typically use, but their capacity seems to be maxed out these days, and packaging takes some odd routes.

Anyone have any tips they are willing to share about sending a small and light but high value package these days?
neonknight

Showing 3 responses by chakster

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
I have shipped and received thousands of uninsured packages over the years (international shipping) and never lost any of them! 

Stop your paranoia and ship your worn cartridges with any available shipping method. Your chances for “lost in transit” is near zero. 




chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
The more important is a return shipping from your retipper :)

In my county you can’t insure a cartridge to whatever value you want, you must prove the real cost with real/valid documents. For example you can’t ship a $500 cartridge (or a piece of junk) with $5k insurance pretending you will get $5k if it’s lost :) 

For international shipping (not your case) insurance must be equal to declared value, so the import tax will be charged by custom, in Europe import tax is extremely high (can be over 20%) and it’s better to declare as low as possible without any insurance. 
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@nandric What is the import tax in the Netherlands if you got an incoming parcel not from the EU ?

You will immediately pay import tax once your shipper declares the real value of the cartridge (for example if your EUR 1300 cartridge is insured to full value you will pay import tax from the full value, so you will pay at least 260 EURO tax which is 20% I believe).

The insurance will cost you not only the modest price of insurance itself, but in addition it will cost you 20% of the total value. Of course you do not pay import tax if you bought it from the EU, but if you bought it from the USA you will pay import tax and the reference for your custom control in declared value on your custom declaration. The import tax in the EU is extremely high in every country and in some countries they will summaries the cost of shipping and the cost of goods to change tax from the total.

If your parcel is not insured your custom has no idea of the real value and your shipment can declare $20 instead of $2000, so there is no tax at all.

In my country no one drops a parcel by the door like in the USA, I pick up my parcels from the post office myself and they are fully trackable.

So in my opinion insurance for international shipping is nonsense.
For domestic shipping insurance is a good option.
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