Mailing a watch to China

[TheMace]

I have sent a wrist watch without any problems.

 

Yes, I see you sent it Fedex. This watch is worth $186. How much duty tax do you think it will be?

 

 

The one I sent was under $100 and I declared the value as $25.

She had to pay a duty of 150RMB but that was becoz of the cell phone; not sure if part of that was for the watch.

 

 

 

Thanks Sam......I will alert the receiving party about the duty tax potential.

 

They just asked if any thing inside was hazzardous or fragile, I said no, just personal letters, baby clothes, english language cd which was all I could fit in the little space they give you to write in. Never asked if there was any thing else. So kinda like "Don't ask Don't tell" they only asked if I wanted it insured. I think I told them for $30 dollars.

[HongKong2LA]

It sounds like the solution might be to send it Fedex instead of USPS. I don't know why it would different but USPS would not have sent it to mainland China. Also, a healthy dose of discretion in listing the contents might help too.

 

 

I am not a big fan of Fedex however I will check them out. The watch is going to a fairly remote village therefore I have a tendency to trust DHL more although they are very expensive.

 

 

It sounds like the solution might be to send it Fedex instead of USPS. I don't know why it would different but USPS would not have sent it to mainland China. Also, a healthy dose of discretion in listing the contents might help too.

Yep have not used Fex-EX, always the post office even with so-called prohibited items, not an issue.

 

A watch or Camera in the mail should not be an issue.

 

But yes you can note on the customs declaration "Gifts"

 

Yep, USPS is the cheapest method. UPS and Fedex are usually about the same but higher than USPS and DHL always costing the most in my experience.

[chilton747]

It sounds like the solution might be to send it Fedex instead of USPS. I don't know why it would different but USPS would not have sent it to mainland China. Also, a healthy dose of discretion in listing the contents might help too.

Yep have not used Fex-EX, always the post office even with so-called prohibited items, not an issue.

 

A watch or Camera in the mail should not be an issue.

 

But yes you can note on the customs declaration "Gifts"

 

Wife told me that her friend's husband (works for USPS) sent a camera via USPS with no problems. I am leaning towards the "gift" thing. My only worry is that it goes to a small village and could be stolen. So is life, right?

 

So, a gift worth $25 sounds good!

[TheMace]

The only thing the post office asked me was it hazzardous or fragile.

I said no, it just some letters, gifts baby clothes for my new nephew, English language CDs and those type of things. That's all I said because that was all I could fit in the little box they give you to write in. They never asked if there was any thing else. Kinda like Don't ask Don't tell" They asked if I wanted it insured and say yes for $30 and that was it.

[Sam and Fen]

For China USPS uses FedEx to ship packages with "guranteed delivery" and the prices are pretty much the same.

 

I checked into it last CNY when I sent my package.

[george lee]

it is always best idea to put down the telephone on the bill so carrier and customs can call the person.

 

one more thing, i know you are sending a watch but NEVER NEVER NEVER SEND A CLOCK AS A GIFT TO A CHINESE FAMILY.

 

I REPEAT, NEVER NEVER NEVER SEND A CLOCK AS A GIFT TO A CHINESE FAMILY.

[chilton747]

it is always best idea to put down the telephone on the bill so carrier and customs can call the person.

 

one more thing, i know you are sending a watch but NEVER NEVER NEVER SEND A CLOCK AS A GIFT TO A CHINESE FAMILY.

 

I REPEAT, NEVER NEVER NEVER SEND A CLOCK AS A GIFT TO A CHINESE FAMILY.

 

Yes I know about the clock thing. This watch is for my stepson. He designs bridges and is in remote areas quite a bit. The watch is a Casio pathfinder and is a very useful tool for his line of profession. Only problem, the instructions are not in Chinese. He is a smart lad and he will figure it out.

[chilton747]

The only thing the post office asked me was it hazzardous or fragile.

I said no, it just some letters, gifts baby clothes for my new nephew, English language CDs and those type of things. That's all I said because that was all I could fit in the little box they give you to write in. They never asked if there was any thing else. Kinda like Don't ask Don't tell" They asked if I wanted it insured and say yes for $30 and that was it.

 

 

Sounds like a plan to me.

[chilton747]

For China USPS uses FedEx to ship packages with "guranteed delivery" and the prices are pretty much the same.

 

I checked into it last CNY when I sent my package.

 

I take it that once in China, the package is turn over to Chinese post workers to do the final delivery?

[Sam and Fen]

For China USPS uses FedEx to ship packages with "guranteed delivery" and the prices are pretty much the same.

 

I checked into it last CNY when I sent my package.

 

I take it that once in China, the package is turn over to Chinese post workers to do the final delivery?

 

 

Not sure about this.....

I assume it would be Fedex China and if they do not deliver in certain areas it will be turned over to China Post.

My package was delivered by a Fedex worker.

[TheMace]

yes, I put my wife's phone number on the address lable, the China post just called and told her to come pick up her package.

[weiaijiayou]

Country Conditions for Mailing ¡ª China

 

Prohibitions (130)

 

Manuscripts, printed matter, photographic negatives, gramophone records, films, magnetic tapes, video tapes, etc., which could do political, economical, cultural, or moral harm to the People¡¯s Republic of China.

http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/ce_009.htm#ep1400280

 

Now that being said, I have sent digital cameras twice without issue, but perhaps the prohibition stated above applies to film not digital cameras.

I interpreted the "printed matter, records, films, video tapes, etc." as all fine unless they "could do ... harm to the PRC."

 

I've also sent a digital camera and wrote "digital camera" specifically on the customs form, without any problems. I sent the memory card in a separate package several days earlier to avoid any curiosity about our pictures.

 

Just recently my wife and I had an odd experience sending packages to China. We sent 2 packages of similar sizes, both to Nanyang, on the same day about 2 weeks prior to Christmas. One arrived in a little over a week. The second one arrived about a month and a week later, after both we and the recipients had given up on it. Both packages had kids' books and some toys, but the one that was delayed also contained nicotine patches and "icy-hot" patches. The late package also had the recipients' phone number which was never called.

[Shanghai John]

The last time I sent something via FedEx to my lady in Guangzhou, it was stuck in Customs for a week also, and they ended up calling her to hassle her about it. She had to write down what everything was, and fax that in, even though I had already done so on the manifest/shipping slip (which got taped to the package???!?!?!).

 

All in all, it was a nuisance, for both of us.

[dnoblett]

The last time I sent something via FedEx to my lady in Guangzhou, it was stuck in Customs for a week also, and they ended up calling her to hassle her about it. She had to write down what everything was, and fax that in, even though I had already done so on the manifest/shipping slip (which got taped to the package???!?!?!).

 

All in all, it was a nuisance, for both of us.

Yep sounds much like a few years ago when my wife and her sister dreamed up an enterprise of shipping some jewelery from China to The USA to sell. Sister-in-law used a import export company to ship a box containing about $500 worth of costume jewelery. It arrived at JFK and got stuck in customs, when I attempted to get it picked up by a freight forwarder, we ran into a snag with the manifest not being correct, some of the jewelery was made using seashells, and the manifest needed description of what the shells were and where they came from using scientific names per the blasted Fish&Wildlife department, needless to say we did not have this info so we abandoned the shipment. My wife and her sister came up with this idea without involving me.

 

When this happened to her she was quite angry with Customs, and Fish/Wildlife over this.

 

Live and learn.

[fineart]

I used EMS mailing 24 lbs clothings to Wuhan, China, costing me $137. It only took three days for the clothings to reach its destination.

 

My cousin who worked for Changjiang Committee has been very busy everyday. She said, sister, I liked your clothes, your taste, will you buy me some clothes from there, I will give all the cost to Aunt(my mom).

 

Of course I would love to do that. We are so proud of my cousin and I would love to help dress her well when she doesn't have time to do it by herself. She started to make over £¤100,000 annually from the third year of her working. She designs electronic circuit underground, goes on business all the time when she is still so young a girl!

 

The clothing I posted most are Ann Taylor Loft, including hats, belts, shirts, pants, scarfs, sweaters, skirts...etc. I wrote "gift", cost "$49" on the surface of EMS box. Luckily it is safe and very fast to reach her. Of course, the clothing inside cost much more than $49. Post office sent the EMS box to her door! Very convenient. Didn't cost her a penny and take her more than one minute to get the EMS signed.