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Attention AUSTRALIANS + anywhere other than USA: SHIPITO freight forwarding review

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I have the unfortunate predicament of loving vintage drums (ludwig in particular) and living in australia. The market in australia for vintage drums is pretty much bone dry. There's a few things here and there every now and again but they're normally pretty damn expensive.

So i usually buy my drums from america and ship them over to me. So i wanted to review my experience with www.shipito.com to hopefully save some other australians the hassle.

So shipito has a service that allows you to send packages anywhere from america to them, then they'll forwad it on to you. good idea, and works pretty well. They also have pretty low shipping rates. For example, to ship an early 60's 22" 12" 14" 16" ludwig kit with shipito was gonna cost $676 (that's seriously just a price australians have to pay) whereas other freight forwarding companies were around $750. So it all seems pretty good at first

Problem is, I have to pay shipping to their warehouse, which was $250.

Then because the drums are big (a 30" x 30" x 30" package) you have to pay a $32 dollar fee. If you want insurance with the package, you have to get photos taken first, that costs $5. Because the shipping is so high you have to verify your account, that means uploading documents, sending, scanning blah blah blah: pain in the backside. But my spending limit is $540 dollars, but the shipping is $676. Uh oh. That means i have to "wire" them money. There's a bank fee of $22 dollars. They also charge me $10 to recieve a wire transfer. Its also an additional $1 every day the package is in their warehouse because its so big. Wire transfers take 5 business days. So thats $7.

So what originally looked good meant:

676(shipping) + 250(shipping to warehouse) + 32(size fee) + 5(photo fee) + 22(bank fee) + 10(bank fee) + 7(time fee) = $1,002

I wish i went with another freight forwarding company :((((((((((((((( jeez louise, even USPS would have been cheaper

Posted on 12 years ago
#1
Posts: 1725 Threads: 135
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Wow, that's good to know. I've never shipped a kit to here because I figured it would be too expensive. Seems I was right. I stick to snares and the occasional cymbal using USPS. That's manageable and not too expensive.

So when the kit arrives in Aus, what duties, fees and GST is there to pay? Over here musical instruments attract no duty but GST (15%) gets charged on purchases over about $400NZ including the shipping cost. So $1000 shipping alone would attract $150 in GST plus the GST on the purchase.

Hey, I'm sure you'll love the kit though.

Andrew

Golden Curtain
www.myspace.com/garagelandnz
Posted on 12 years ago
#2
Posts: 958 Threads: 138
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I wish i went with another freight forwarding company (((((((((((((( jeez louise, even USPS would have been cheaper

Can not ship to you USPS a 60's kit....even if it is taken apart. Has to be 79 total inches, where almost everywhere else is 108" and possible. Ran into this in the past. Easier to have someone at the airport and pay baggage fee's to get to you.

Posted on 12 years ago
#3
Posts: 1017 Threads: 349
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Unfortunate about USPS, because they've really raised their game on international shipping. I use them a lot to ship cymbals, snares, pedals...so far, no glitch.

But I MAY be shipping a kit to Shanghai. I plan to use Fed Ex. There really aren't a lot of choices.

Unless others have a better idea -- I'd love to hear about it.

Posted on 12 years ago
#4
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I paid about $1000 for my Rogers. I shipped it directly with a stateside company and it was looking great at $600 until all the fees this end arrived. It's a rort. I should have used Fedex. Importing via shipping is for those who do it as a living, imo.

Home Of The Trout
YouTube Channel
Posted on 12 years ago
#5
Posts: 307 Threads: 26
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I had a Sling kit shipped from Canada a few years back via UPS. From memory

it cost about $580, which thought wasn't too bad. Until it got here and i had to

pay 10% GST on the kit value and the postage! What a rip off,bloody government,they get you coming and going.

I guess it's what we have to put up with living here.

But I feel for you hisdudnes, that total cost is over the top.

Thanks for the warning man.

Stevo

"It's Charlie Watts' band
Without him we wouldn't have a group"

Keith Richards
Posted on 12 years ago
#6
Posts: 3467 Threads: 116
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You can spend a small fortune on shipping..

If you shop around you can pick up a return air fare for under 1200 au..

Think about a US holiday/ And haul back what you want on your return flight. Or while in US Pack/ ship it USPS yourself... SIZE is the problem,, You have to fit (everything) inside that BD..

Cheers

'77 Slingerland 51N,Super Rock 24,18,14,13.. COW 8,10 Concert toms
'69 Slingerland Hollywood Ace
'75 Rogers Dynasonic 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'77-78 Slingerland 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'78-79 Slingerland 5 1/4 x14 8 lug COB
'79 Biman 5 1/4, Acrolite
'82 Slingerland 5 1/4 x 14. Festival COS
'84 Tama MasterCraft Superstar 6.5 x 14, 10 lug Rosewood
'98 Slingerland (Music YO) 6" 10 Lug Maple.. NOS
Zildjian, Sabian , UFIP & Paiste mix.
Posted on 12 years ago
#7
Posts: 3467 Threads: 116
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And While I think of It..

Happy Australia Day Y'all

John

'77 Slingerland 51N,Super Rock 24,18,14,13.. COW 8,10 Concert toms
'69 Slingerland Hollywood Ace
'75 Rogers Dynasonic 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'77-78 Slingerland 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'78-79 Slingerland 5 1/4 x14 8 lug COB
'79 Biman 5 1/4, Acrolite
'82 Slingerland 5 1/4 x 14. Festival COS
'84 Tama MasterCraft Superstar 6.5 x 14, 10 lug Rosewood
'98 Slingerland (Music YO) 6" 10 Lug Maple.. NOS
Zildjian, Sabian , UFIP & Paiste mix.
Posted on 12 years ago
#8
Posts: 1273 Threads: 22
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Sheesh!! I feel for you guys. Shipping costs are astronomical and then the greazy Gvt fingers have to touch it, too. Aye!

B

Vintage Drum Fan (Not a Guru)
Posted on 12 years ago
#9
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From surface

I wish i went with another freight forwarding company (((((((((((((( jeez louise, even USPS would have been cheaperCan not ship to you USPS a 60's kit....even if it is taken apart. Has to be 79 total inches, where almost everywhere else is 108" and possible. Ran into this in the past. Easier to have someone at the airport and pay baggage fee's to get to you.

Even Priority is 79"?....they allow larger sizes with that I have found...

"Always make sure your front bottom BD lugs clear the ground!"
Posted on 12 years ago
#10
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