u.s members: buying from whiskybase?

[mongo]

a question for other usa based members: do you have any feedback on purchases/shipping from the whiskybase shop? are they quick and reliable? do they package the bottles securely? is shipping from the e.u any more or less scrutinized by us customs than shipping from the u.k?

[bpbleus]

I haven't, but I would have got a couple of their own bottlings if my Budget had allowed so. I never had problems receiving stuff from the continent. I've had a few boxes from the UK intercepted, but never had to pay more than 8% of the value stated on the invoice.

Just make sure that they declare collectable glassware on the documents.

[Aidan]

I do not know about the USA but they are vrrry efficient for Europe. And I got a nice sample with the orders I put in.

[ras mazunga]

I'm not an USA based member but I think I can answer your questions.
Sofar we've send to the USA without any problems/delays even during the busy month of December.
Bottles are wrapped in bubble plastic and then packed in special cardboard boxes that protect the bottles with three layers of think cardboard. We declare collectable glassware on the documents.
US customers don't have to pay vat. Our webshop is not able to handle orders witout vat yet. Please send us an email with your order and we make sure you don't pay vat. Our email is: info@whiskybase.com

[mongo]

does anyone know if shipping from the netherlands/eu to the u.s routinely takes much longer than via parcelforce from the u.k? the tracking status of my parcel hasn't changed in 6 days. it seems to be stuck on "your parcel has been sent to the us" (and on the usps ems tracking site--which is usually very accurate--it is stuck on "origin post is preparing shipment"). from the u.k things usually arrive within five days of clicking on the "purchase" button, and usually a day or two after the usps site displays that message, so this makes me a little nervous.

[RegularChumpington]

Hey Mongo,

I've got a package coming from Germany that has been taking much longer than usual (I've dealt with the seller before). USPS is similarly absent info - perhaps it's a USPS backup or issue with tracking? I know it's so hard to believe our postal service would be anything less than fast and efficient...

[mongo]

yeah. well, every order i've made from the u.k has arrived within 5 days, with constant tracking updates from parcelforce and usps. in fact, usps's tracking has always been far more detailed and prompt with the updates than parcelforce. so i'm inclined to think that this may have to do with netherlands post rather than usps.

this is what it says on their site:

Status: shipment sorted.

Your shipment is en route to United States. For this destination there is a transit time of 5 - 7 workdays.
New status information will be available once the parcel has been received in United States.

i think this means not that it's actually en route to the united states but that it will be in 5-7 days from the time it was sorted for delivery there (jan 26). i guess if nothing changes by thursday i'll ask the seller to take a look.

[mongo]

a day later, no new movement.

[Mr Tattie Heid]

Have a dram, mongo. Good things come to him who waits.

[mongo]

can't do that either: nose still clogged up.

[mongo]

good news: there's movement in the usps tracking

bad news: it is of a kind that has never showed up before (for packages from the u.k): "inbound into customs", followed by "inbound out of customs". my only solace is that based on the tracking time-stamps it was only in customs for a few minutes.

netherlands post's tracking is still not showing anything new--which leads me to say again that usps is often unfairly maligned.

[BigMac]

good news: there's movement in the usps tracking
bad news: it is of a kind that has never showed up before (for packages from the u.k): "inbound into customs", followed by "inbound out of customs". my only solace is that based on the tracking time-stamps it was only in customs for a few minutes.

Mongo, I have sometimes seen T&T like that too when getting parcels from abroad...
In my experience, when it says in/out of customs within a few seconds, you're in the clear

Although dunno if different conditions apply in the US...

[Pete Smoke]

Misread post

[Aidan]

The aurora borealis is delaying shipments at the moment. And Orion is in the Capricorn quadrant.

I've had shipments from all over the world - sometimes they take days, sometimes weeks.

[mongo]

granted, i'm always paranoid about overseas shipping, but in this case it's largely because the package represents a rather large amount of money (some unbudgeted end-of-year money).

[Aidan]

Is it insured by the shipper?

[mongo]

not for the entire amount.

[mongo]

on the whole, i prefer the usps's tracking updates to those of the netherlands post, which has now caught up. what cheery news do they have for me?

Status: Sorting - Parcel intern. processed incorrectly

[bpbleus]

Mongo, once you've ordered something abroad, it is best to assume a stoic attitude. If it goes wrong, it will do so regardless of your blood pressure. Moreover, most retailers are very forthcoming, unless they suspect they're dealing with a free-loader.

That said, I've shipped and have had shipped well over a hundred packages to and from The Netherlands. In the late 90ies packages shipments from NL tended to disappear at an alarming rate. Nowadays, with all this computerized tracking, theft doesn't seem to be an issue any longer. With the notable exception of shipments from Islay to NL, but I believe the problem here lies closer to the source than to the recipient.

I've had vacuum packaged meat impounded and spices thoroughly checked, but boxes with bottles have always gone through US customs unopened. I suppose they have dogs sniff incoming boxes (I mention this for those of you still in college and planning for a trip to Amsterdam for the wrong reasons).

Shipping times are very variable both ways. They depend strongly on weather conditions and security issues. My speed record from NL is less than 5 days (Mon-Fri), but last year I received Xmas presents in mid February. I'd say 10-12 days is the most common duration.

Sleep well! After all, it's only whisky.

[mongo]

my paranoia/blood pressure is only high for the first order, because i don't know the parameters. it was through the roof for my first twe order back in 2010 but i've been ordering at a steady clip since then and it's always been the exact same experience--package in hand 5-6 days from the moment i clicked "purchase", and never any mention of customs in tracking.

this is my first order from the netherlands/eu, and i have no idea what is normal. hence the worry. it hadn't occurred to me that there might be other reasons why packages from the netherlands might go automatically into a "sniff test" in u.s customs.

[Peat Sampras]

I mention this for those of you still in college and planning for a trip to Amsterdam for the wrong reasons

There are no wrong reasons for a trip to Amsterdam, only bad ideas of how to artificially extend that special Amsterdam feeling once your trip is over

[Pete Smoke]

I mention this for those of you still in college and planning for a trip to Amsterdam for the wrong reasons

There are no wrong reasons for a trip to Amsterdam, only bad ideas of how to artificially extend that special Amsterdam feeling once your trip is over

The gaps between those 'Dam trips, i must say, i managed to fill them in ok.

[mongo]

that special amsterdam feeling could really help me now as i wait patiently for this package to at least make it to minnesota.

[mongo]

did i say "patiently"? i meant "impatiently".

[mongo]

i'm very pleased to report that the package arrived today. very nicely packaged, and no customs bill.

it was a total of 12 days from order confirmation, which is in line with what bpbleus reported as normal from the netherlands.

all in all, this is very bad news for my bottom line.