Parcel forwarding to outside UK?

[Shovellovin]

Does anyone here (who live outside the UK) use a parcel forwarding service so that they can purchase Games Workshop products with UK FLGS discounts? If so, who do you use?

 

I worked at a FLGS in the mid 90s (back when GW used distributors to sell their product to stores; stores did not purchase directly from GW) so I knew the prices of products were different for customers outside of the UK. Since I received a 25% discount from my then job, I wasn’t bothered by the price difference.

 

Flash forward to now, since I don’t work at an FLGS my days of having a 25% discount on GW products is long gone, I’m now looking for ways to save some money when I purchase GW products. The HH box set is expected to cost £180. If a UK FLGS offer a 20% discount that drops the price to £144 ($181 USD). The USA price for the HH box is $300 before tax. With a 15% discount on eBay (my FLGS does not offer discounts) and then 10% tax added on, I’m looking at $285 for the HH box set, $104 more than the UK FLGS price. That got me thinking, there must be a way to purchase items from the UK, pay UK prices and have them shipped to the US. Even with shipping costs, I could potentially save a lot of money if I am able to purchase from the UK. I would assume some frater in the US, Australia or New Zealand are aware of such a service. If so, please share what service you use. I suspect I’m not the only frater that would like to know.

 

Summary - Does anyone have experience using a parcel forwarding service that ships from the UK?

Edited May 26, 2022 by Shovellovin

[excelite]

You need to be careful and calculate properly.

 

104 seems too little to warrant that effort. Expect somewhere around 50-60 for shipping, a proper forwarding service will take 10-15 USD a month, and the culprit: customs!

 

Forwarding services require you to provide proper information and declare it for you to pay it when it arrives in the US.

 

FYI: I had a look at this as well, as I’m relocating to the US in a couple months and was researching the cheapest solution as well.

[Axineton]

Here’s a few I’ve just searched for with Google: https://www.ukpostbox.com/services/international-parcel-service

 

https://www.forward2me.com/warehouses/united-kingdom/

 

https://www.myukmailbox.com/

 

No idea what they’re like as I’m in the UK. 

[Shovellovin]

You need to be careful and calculate properly.

 

104 seems too little to warrant that effort. Expect somewhere around 50-60 for shipping, a proper forwarding service will take 10-15 USD a month, and the culprit: customs!

 

Forwarding services require you to provide proper information and declare it for you to pay it when it arrives in the US.

 

FYI: I had a look at this as well, as I’m relocating to the US in a couple months and was researching the cheapest solution as well.

I had not thought of import fees but I don't think that the fee would be prohibitive. A couple of services I looked at had an estimate of $55 (all fees included) to ship the HH box set to me from the UK. However, I'm unsure if there is somethings I'm not considering. 

 

Here’s a few I’ve just searched for with Google: https://www.ukpostbox.com/services/international-parcel-service

 

https://www.forward2me.com/warehouses/united-kingdom/

 

https://www.myukmailbox.com/

 

No idea what they’re like as I’m in the UK. 

Thank you for the links.

 

I should have been more clear in my original post; I'm curious if anyone has used a parcel forwarding service and can share their experience.

[Sky Potato]

I’ve used myus.com to go the other direction - from the US to the UK. They also gave me a UK receiving mailbox to go the other way - so effectively the way you want to go, from the UK to the US. The import fees were also covered in their shipping fees once they’d received the items and forwarded them on.

 

OP, I’ve dropped you a PM.

[excelite]

I’ve used myus.com to go the other direction - from the US to the UK. They also gave me a UK receiving mailbox to go the other way - so effectively the way you want to go, from the UK to the US. The import fees were also covered in their shipping fees once they’d received the items and forwarded them on.

 

OP, I’ve dropped you a PM.

Interesting, wasn’t there any additional customs fees? Edited May 26, 2022 by excelite

[Sky Potato]

No, the courier they used included import fees as part of the shipping costs. Delivery took about 3 or 4 days from shipping.

 

There was an option to ship via USPS, which would have been slower and at risk of customs fees when coming through to Royal Mail for delivery.

[Halandaar]

In case you haven't thought about it; do you need to pay your local sales tax on imports too?

 

I ask because if I import something from the US to the UK, it attracts both import duty at whatever the rate is for that kind of product and VAT.