Insane Brokerage Fee from UPS Importing Savinelli Pipe to USA

[Ser Puffsalot]

Hi everyone, new poster here looking for advice. I just ordered a Savinelli 611 ks Miele pipe from the Savinelli website and had to pay $20 for UPS shipping. Now that the pipe is in the USA they sent me an email saying I had a $6 import fee from the government and a $42 brokerage fee from UPS for getting it through customs. This seems ridiculous that I’ll be paying $62 to UPS for shipping. I’ve read something about self clearing online but it all seems to be advice if you’re in Canada and I’m in California, USA. Anyone know a way to avoid paying these outrageous brokerage fees? Thanks."

 

[seanv]

You can't avoid it. It is luck of the draw

 

[Chasing Embers]

Anyone know a way to avoid paying these outrageous brokerage fees?

Order domestically or have a licensed distributor order them for you.

Savinelli Miele (611 KS) (6mm) | Buy Savinelli Tobacco Pipes at Smokingpipes.com

Smokingpipes.com is your one stop shop for Savinelli Miele (611 KS) (6mm) Tobacco Pipes and all your tobacco smoking needs. From new tobacco pipes and estate tobacco pipes to tin pipe tobacco and bulk pipe tobacco, we have everything you need

www.smokingpipes.com

 

[coming to_falling too]

Why did you buy it from Savinelli, if you don't mind my asking? Any particular reason?

 

[mawnansmiff]

I'm no exert on the American postal system, but if things are as you write, then that just sounds like robbery to me.

Everyone seems to want a slice of everyone's pie these days, not good.

Regards,

Jay.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Order domestically or have a licensed distributor order them for you.

Savinelli Miele (611 KS) (6mm) | Buy Savinelli Tobacco Pipes at Smokingpipes.com

Smokingpipes.com is your one stop shop for Savinelli Miele (611 KS) (6mm) Tobacco Pipes and all your tobacco smoking needs. From new tobacco pipes and estate tobacco pipes to tin pipe tobacco and bulk pipe tobacco, we have everything you need

www.smokingpipes.com

That’s what I was going to say. Call smokingpipes and ask them to import it. Trying to save a buck by doing it yourself never works out that way.

 

[JOHN72]

Order domestically or have a licensed distributor order them for you.

Savinelli Miele (611 KS) (6mm) | Buy Savinelli Tobacco Pipes at Smokingpipes.com

Smokingpipes.com is your one stop shop for Savinelli Miele (611 KS) (6mm) Tobacco Pipes and all your tobacco smoking needs. From new tobacco pipes and estate tobacco pipes to tin pipe tobacco and bulk pipe tobacco, we have everything you need

www.smokingpipes.com

Same...............

 

[telescopes]

That’s what I was going to say. Call smokingpipes and ask them to import it. Trying to save a buck by doing it yourself never works out that way.

Amen to that. As someone who travels a lot, having a product shipped home is no guarantee you won’t pay double upon receipt of the product.

 

[STP]

I agree that there is no consistency, and it’s certainly a lot easier, and in many cases cheaper, to just purchase domestically, partially if the desired pipe is available…

 

[TheIronMonkey]

As others have mentioned above, if ordering a pipe that is readily available domestically and there's nothing particularly special about it, get it from a dealer here—if you've found a common pipe overseas that has unique grain that you must have, you're going to have to pay the duties. I've gotten one off Autographs from Savinelli directly, and have had to pay fees upon delivery.

 

[mso489]

SP has a really large inventory of Savinelli pipes, and Savs are carried by most larger online retailers, so to avoid the unpredictable and abusive treatment from customs etc., I'd seriously consider keeping your orders domestic. If there is something you'd particularly like that can't be found on the many online pages of U.S. retailers, they might be able to order it for you.

Customs brokers have quite a racket. I ran into that shipping health research publications to Toronto, but we were told if we didn't use a broker, they would take months to arrive, much too late to use at a meeting.

 

[sablebrush52]

I'm no exert on the American postal system

That makes you the equal of everyone who works at the USPS.

 

[captpat]

Stories like this have me shying away from the likes of Al Pascia, Danish Pipe Shop, Altinok and others. I've never had an experience like the OP's and I'd like to keep it that way.

 

[Ser Puffsalot]

Why did you buy it from Savinelli, if you don't mind my asking? Any particular reason?

It seemed convenient to me in my ignorance. I just found it on the site and ordered it from there without much further thought, thinking the $20 shipping fee I paid would be enough to get the pipe to me.

 

[PipeIT]

Stories like this have me shying away from the likes of Al Pascia, Danish Pipe Shop, Altinok and others. I've never had an experience like the OP's and I'd like to keep it that way.

All the shops you listed are fine, businesses pay import fees not consumers, not sure what nonsense Savinelli is trying to pull.

I paid only $15 USD FedEx from Al Pascia and LePipe.it for shipping, nothing else.

Import Fee LOL

On their website Savinelli also charges different countries different prices for their pipes. ?

Savinelli ?