PDA

View Full Version : Anyone ever bought a frame directly from Italy?

Dr Luxurious
12-30-2014, 01:10 PM
There's an Italian frameset I want but they currently have no US importer.
The manufacturer said they can sell to me directly (which is cool b/c there's no middleman markup) but I'm worried about getting blasted with customs, taxes, tariffs, etc. and whether it will arrive in one piece.

Anyone ever done anything like this?

Any advice?
choke
12-30-2014, 01:18 PM
I purchased a frame direct from an Italian builder a few years ago. I was offered the choice of fast or slow shipping; I chose the former (approx $100) and was able to track it the entire way, which took about a week. Shipping was done by UPS once it arrived in the US. The frame I purchased was around $1k in cost and customs/brokerage fees were $31.80.
echelon_john
12-30-2014, 01:19 PM
If they ship, make SURE it's via USPS. DHL & FEDEX will both definitely hit you for duty. Postal, it's not as common.

I shipped my own bike home from Italy via a shop that used DHL; got hit for more fees than the bike was worth. (old bottecchia)
jemoryl
12-30-2014, 01:36 PM
I bought a NOS Italian frame from a guy in the UK. He preferred to us a shipper he called a 'data courier', and claimed their main business was shipping data tapes between the UK and US in a very fast and secure manner. The cost was around $100 and the frame came to my house two days later via a DHL truck. No duty. This was about 8 years ago; wonder if this type of service still exists?

BTW, I have bought a lot of stuff from the UK and agree that one should try finding someone who ships via Royal Mail/Parcel Force rather than UPS/Fed Ex. Don't know about the Italian postal service.
Dr Luxurious
12-30-2014, 07:09 PM
Assuming USPS is an option, will they do something as big as a frame box?


I shipped my own bike home from Italy via a shop that used DHL; got hit for more fees than the bike was worth.

Oi, that sucks!!
Cicli
12-30-2014, 07:16 PM
Assuming USPS is an option, will they do something as big as a frame box?




Oi, that sucks!!

Yes, I have shipped frames USPS. No issues.
I don't know about Italy though.
abalone
12-31-2014, 12:55 AM
If they ship, make SURE it's via USPS. DHL & FEDEX will both definitely hit you for duty. Postal, it's not as common.

I shipped my own bike home from Italy via a shop that used DHL; got hit for more fees than the bike was worth. (old bottecchia)


Good advice. I also got hammered with extra duty charges when I shipped via DHL.