Postage for a longbow from the US

[matt61]

What does it cost and who transported it as I have heard UPS won't take parcels over 48 inches long.
Thanks
Matt

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Howard Hill Archery send their longbows for US$115 via FedEx to your door. Black Widow will send their longbows for US$95 via UPS to your door. How these two companies do it for this price is beyond me, because anyone else (public) trying to send via these two is looking at around US$250. UPS will ship anything; it's USPS that has the length restriction. It's a tough situation, but gives a good reason to go with BW or HH.

[greybeard]

Hi Matt,

I do not know who you are buying through but the following may help you through the postal maze.

http://www.3riversarchery.com/Policies.asp#shipping

Daryl.

[muntries]

Chekmate quoted me around $150 via UPS (recurve) but I got another recurve from Archery by Mail just north of the border for $100 via DHL.

[matt61]

Thanks for the replies guys
At least I have a bit of an idea now, that info from 3rivers was good Daryl reffering to parcels over 60", as the bow
I am thinking about buying is a Cascade Brushhawk at 56" long.I will send them an email and see what they have to say.
Matt

[jcm]

Depends on the USA Suppliers and their local post office.
3 Rivers have got some 64" and 68" bows to me fo my customers at US$65-$80.00
These did come via USA Air Parcel Post.
Regards
John

[bigbob]

Interesting. I have been corresponding with several bow makers 'bout either staves or unfinished long bows in full length. Some said they wouldnt do it because of cost involved , some quoted up to $150 US. This one maker has a price of $39.99 for shipment to Australia. I have quizzed him several times and he says thats right. One maker said I might have to consider cutting it in half! Apparently some post offices seem to ignore the max. length rule.It is true that USPS has a maximum length, and having bought 3 bows in the last year [compounds ] and not all for me , some had one limb dropped off to get under the limit.So the answer from me is that there is no answer, seems it is in the lap of the gods. By the way , the compounds all averaged out around $55 Aust.
Bob

[Stickbow Hunter]

Matt,

It may be worth looking into these folks. Although I have not used them yet I have heard good reports about them in relation to shipping motorcycle parts etc.

http://www.shipito.com/

As an aside I will not use UPS ever - from dealings in the past they are straight out crooks IMO.

Jeff

[Hamish]

You also need to be aware that when importing stuff into the country via courier, that you will need to make a formal customs entry. From memory that is an extra $100-150 you pay for the privilege, of paying for any GST, and or duty on the item, and the cost of the shipping.
When something comes in via post, you don't need a formal customs entry, unless the goods are valued over A$1000.
With post you are supposed to get charged gst if the items value means you need to pay at least $50 for gst or duty. Often they don't seem to bother. I have only been charged once for an item worth over A $500. I think many people mix up that $1000 postal limit, for GST and a formal customs entry, mainly because it doesn't seem to be applied uniformly.

The only times I have not been charged for a formal customs entry with a courier, was with UPS. The items were considered Low value because it was under $US 100, even though the shipping was another US $150. The same low value item situatation with Fed Ex, I was charged formal customs entry and GST.

Its a really murky area for the uninitiated. The first time I got stung I was furious, because I had thought I followed all the requirements to avoid having to pay GST, but was slugged Gst, for the item, and the shipping and a formal customs entry.
Hamish.

[Mick Smith]

There is a way of posting bows from the States to Australia. You must send them by International Priority mail. They must be in a cyclindrical tube. The maxiumum length is then 72 inches, not 48 inches as with ordinary airmail. It costs a bit more than airmail but it's still heaps cheaper than UPS, etc. This is all outlined in the official USPS website, for those people with the time and the inclination to check it out.

The reason why big companies like 3 Rivers manage to get away with posting oversized parcels to Australia is that they're not posted individually over the counter like most others are. When a bulk lodgement arrives at the local post office, the company is charged as per their information as supplied. Individual parcels are not scrutinised by post office staff.

You're much less likely to be charged import duty and tax on items that arrive into this country through the postal system. This is because there's much much higher volumes of articles coming into the country through the mail and the customs officers simply don't have the time to assess each one. They're flat out just looking for illegal imports, etc. It's a different story with the private couriers though.

If you can manage to get any oversized parcel into the postal system, it will reach its destination without any problems, including ones posted overseas.

Mick

[muntries]

One of the problems I had when getting my last bow was that UPS were refusing to take a 60" bow because they said they were a restricted weapon in Aus the supplier tried three times with different offices before going via another courier. Its sure a crazy process in North America.

[bigbob]

I will be waiting anxiously to see what happens when the unfinished bow I 've ordered is shipped. I've asked 3 times if the shipping cost was right and received an affirmative response each time . The amount quoted was $39.99 US and that is a one piece bow of 72''! Bet I'll get a request for additional shipping costs.

[Trad Bound]

In recent weeks I have been quoted $150 (bow value $300 us) to $250 ( two bows one box bows $400 us) from two different companies that just adds 50% to the cost as a famous Australian said " His Dreamin".
cheers Tony

[muntries]

certainly makes you think twice about ordering overseas. I think I'll be buying local next time.

[bowskin]

Matt, those prices sound about the same they have been quoting me to ship, I just thought that was an abnormal amount of cash to ship a longbow. maybe I should set up shop in australia....

Joshua

[Hamish]

Hi Mick, I had another look on the USPS site but I couldn't find the 72" rule thingy. Do you have a link, or is it more of a relationship between the supplier and USPS?
Hamish.

[Mick Smith]

Hi Hamish,

I suspect the Priority Paid / 72 inch thing was simply a loophole. I have just spent about 30 minutes trying to find it again on the USPS website without success. It was there, about 6 to 12 months ago. It appears the loophole has been removed.

It's a real pity, especially for us longbow fanciers, that the Australia Post maximum length requirements are so out of kilter with other countries, where 72 inches is pretty standard.

Mick

[bigbob]

It appears that in the US there are different conditions depending on where one lives, or at least how lenient the postal service is in that area. I've had smaller lighter compound bows cost more than longer heavier ones. Suppose which coast its coming from might also be a factor. After reading others experiences I am not at all confident that the bow I ordered is going to get here for the shipping costs I paid, in fact I think it will be a miracle.

[Hamish]

They seem to change stuff around on their website quite a bit. I have got some stuff larger than the allowable length through post from USPS occasionally. As far as I'm concerned its been all downhill since they dropped surface mail. Sure it took a long time to get here but I used to get some sweet, heavy pieces of wood, for joined bows. Now with airmail only its a real luxury, just not cost effective.
In many occasions, its worth paying extra for a takedown model, and getting it shipped via post rather than paying extra for a courier, and paying the rest in taxes.
Hamish.

[littlejohn]

Any bow I have bought in from the US has always been under or around USD$50.00 for me...
longest tube was 66" long and a bit oversized in diameter and that was about USD$57.00.

[Mububban]

Littlejohn, who was that posted through and what sort of postage option was used?

[littlejohn]

All of my bows have come thru general post which I think is United States Postal Service(UPS).
Most of my bows are around 62 - 64 long ....one even around 66 long came for $50.00
Having said that I did get a medieval bow which was 76" and that was about $130.00. Once it goes over their limit the price skyrockets. But for standard size bows as long as they are packed properly and dont weigh a ton they should be around USD$50.00 to Sydney. I cant speak for other parts of the country.
I have taken photos of the tubes and postal receipts but I can never remember how to reduce size
so they can go thru system...
regards....pete

[littlejohn]

here is a copy of the postal receipt on a 62" long bow that came from the states via UPS to Sydney

[Stickbow Hunter]

here is a copy of the postal receipt on a 62" long bow that came from the states via UPS to Sydney

Pete, You actually mean USPS (United States Postal Service) and not UPS which is a shipping company.

Jeff

[littlejohn]

OH>>>>>>sorry about that....yes I just use the general postal service

[matt61]

Has anyone had Australian Customs hold their longbow from the US and had to pay excise tax etc to get it because of the price of the bow.
Thanks
Matt

[bigbob]

I have had bows with a value of over $300 go through without a worry. I think the limit is way up there, like $500 or $1000 but I could be entirely wrong.It seems to be a hodge podge with their postal service. I will see what happens with the long bow I have on order.

[Mick Smith]

You're supposed to be alright if you keep the total value (bow and postage) under $1000.

I once had a bow that was caught up in customs. I ended up having to make a trip to the Tullamarine airport to pick it up. I can't remember how much they slugged me, but that was many years ago. The method of assessing import duties have changed since then (1972), as that was back in the days of protecting local industries, etc by using import tarrifs. I think all you pay these days is a small fee plus the 10% GST, if anything at all.

Mick

[AndyD]

In regards to the customs excise the last bow I bought I had to pay.

I bought a 2nd hand (in prefect condition) Border Black Douglas with Hex5 limbs and extras.
I paid $1100 USD. As this was considerably over the $1000 AUD amount allowed, I had to pay the excise. Fair enough.
It meant another $200 or so but what really ****** me off was the delay.
It added 3 weeks to the whole transaction!

Next time I will have the riser and limbs shipped (and declared) separately. One to home address and one to work.

[matt61]

Just got an email from the bowyer in the US saying that he will ship two bows to me for $65.00 US.
Matt