Shipping stuff to the US ?

[Dicehunter]

As my trip to the USA has been put back until early January I want to send some stuff over to the US, Mainly presents but was wondering what US customs are like, I heard they generally tend to rip packages apart regardless of contents.

Anyone sent stuff to the US from the UK before ?

 

[Warchild]

As my trip to the USA has been put back until early January I want to send some stuff over to the US, Mainly presents but was wondering what US customs are like, I heard they generally tend to rip packages apart regardless of contents.

Anyone sent stuff to the US from the UK before ?

Yes they are quite brutal if you are excessive on the packaging. They dont have time for finess.

If you have mild use of tape, a simple blade will suffice to open it. But if you go crazy and wrap it like you are smuggling celotape across the border, then excessive force can be used.

I've sent many things and most have arrived in good condition. Only once did it arrive like the box in the intro to Ace ventura. Because they couldn't see the box seams. I wrapped it too much.

 

[Dicehunter]

Yes they are quite brutal if you are excessive on the packaging. They dont have time for finess.

If you have mild use of tape, a simple blade will suffice to open it. But if you go crazy and wrap it like you are smuggling celotape across the border, then excessive force can be used.

I've sent many things and most have arrived in good condition. Only once did it arrive like the box in the intro to Ace ventura. Because they couldn't see the box seams. I wrapped it too much.

It's a shame they couldn't use sniffer dogs and x-ray machines instead of vandalising peoples stuff.

 

[hmmblah]

My wife regularly gets packages from the Netherlands without any issue and the boxes haven't been opened or messed with. They can be large boxes too as they are picture frames and wood blocks, things like that, she's a photographer.

The worst I've seen is some friends went in on some knock-off Chinese NFL jerseys. The packages never arrived as customs seized them.

 

[Dicehunter]

My wife regularly gets packages from the Netherlands without any issue and the boxes haven't been opened or messed with. They can be large boxes too as they are picture frames and wood blocks, things like that, she's a photographer.

The worst I've seen is some friends went in on some knock-off Chinese NFL jerseys. The packages never arrived as customs seized them.

Sounds good thanks for the info, I am only shipping over some ear pads for a mates headphones so the whole package literally weighs 200 grams.