Customs? (US)

Hello!

 

I'm looking at ordering a DD head (Idk the sculpt, it doesn't say) and DDII body off of Mandarake. Looking at the responses on previous threads, I can assume shipping alone will be around $30-40. Although, I want to know if there's any customs fees for the US? If there are, how much do they tend to be usually? I'm asking because I sometimes see people get hit with fees (I don't remember which countries they were in), both here and in BJDs(Again, don't remember), and I generally know nothing of customs.

 

Also, how long is the wait typically for them to release the parcel and send it the rest of the way?

 

Any help/experiences would be appreciated! Thank you!

no, we in the US don't get hit with customs fees.

 

However, how long a box sits in customs is usually just dumb luck. I've had things breeze thru inna day or sit there for a week straight

no, we in the US don't get hit with customs fees.

 

However, how long a box sits in customs is usually just dumb luck. I've had things breeze thru inna day or sit there for a week straight

 

Ah, that's great to hear! Although the luck part.... I have poor luck sometimes, but hopefully when I do eventually put in the order, it's the rare moment where I'm lucky and it breezes through quickly.

 

 

Thank you for the response!

I would maybe expect slightly longer waits for customs too because of the time of year it is. But I've never had them take a very long time or anything. Even in busy times.

Living in Chicago, most of my many orders from Japan fly directly into O'Hare airport. Most things past through customs there in a couple of hours. The longest wait in customs I've experienced (according to tracking) is about 6 hours, 2-3 hours being about average.

Living in Chicago, most of my many orders from Japan fly directly into O'Hare airport. Most things past through customs there in a couple of hours. The longest wait in customs I've experienced (according to tracking) is about 6 hours, 2-3 hours being about average.

 

This. Chicago seems to just blow packages through. When I lived in Alabama though, a lot of my packages went through New York, and some went through LA. In my experience LA takes the most time. I've had packages held in New York, but LA... ha!

Yeah, the US doesn't charge customs for hobby items. Yay! Do be careful ordering things like T-shirts though; apparently textiles/apparel are where customs fraud occur the most often in this country, so are likely to get held up.

 

As for speed, since you're probably ordering from Mandarake, I say: use DHL shipping if you can. I used that when I got Nanoha from Mandarake; shipping for her was about $45 at the time (and the exchange rate was horrid, so it's probably less now). The real beauty of DHL is that their shipping forms include extra information specifically for customs, so things with DHL tend to go through more quickly. Between the DHL and the fact that Nanoha hit Ohio customs, she cleared in 10 minutes according to the tracking! Fastest customs clear I've had. (Think the longest was Homura: she got stuck in LA overnight because they thought her box was suspicious. >.< She came FedEx, and I don't know if that was a factor, or her miniature gun. )

I'm in WA and all my packages tend to go through San Francisco. Usually they are held a couple hours at most, I did have one get stuck for four days once though

As other folks said, for hobby/personal items there are no customs charges

I would maybe expect slightly longer waits for customs too because of the time of year it is. But I've never had them take a very long time or anything. Even in busy times.

 

That is true, it is a busier time of year, but good that it still doesn't take a very long time like a month or something. Dx

 

Living in Chicago, most of my many orders from Japan fly directly into O'Hare airport. Most things past through customs there in a couple of hours. The longest wait in customs I've experienced (according to tracking) is about 6 hours, 2-3 hours being about average.

 

This. Chicago seems to just blow packages through. When I lived in Alabama though, a lot of my packages went through New York, and some went through LA. In my experience LA takes the most time. I've had packages held in New York, but LA... ha!

 

Does it depend on where you live on which one they send it to? If it does, LA is probably the closest one to me.

 

Yeah, the US doesn't charge customs for hobby items. Yay! Do be careful ordering things like T-shirts though; apparently textiles/apparel are where customs fraud occur the most often in this country, so are likely to get held up.

 

As for speed, since you're probably ordering from Mandarake, I say: use DHL shipping if you can. I used that when I got Nanoha from Mandarake; shipping for her was about $45 at the time (and the exchange rate was horrid, so it's probably less now). The real beauty of DHL is that their shipping forms include extra information specifically for customs, so things with DHL tend to go through more quickly. Between the DHL and the fact that Nanoha hit Ohio customs, she cleared in 10 minutes according to the tracking! Fastest customs clear I've had. (Think the longest was Homura: she got stuck in LA overnight because they thought her box was suspicious. >.< She came FedEx, and I don't know if that was a factor, or her miniature gun. )

 

I'll keep that in mind, I get shipping is still probably going to seem like it costs an arm and a leg either way to me, but that certainly does help to know. And I'll also keep the shirt thing in mind, although at the moment the only other thing I'd probably order from there are anime figures, which I might also do since it looks like they have one or two I'd like to get. Or maybe like, 10... Poor Homura though! Thankfully she cleared through without trouble.

 

I'm in WA and all my packages tend to go through San Francisco. Usually they are held a couple hours at most, I did have one get stuck for four days once though

As other folks said, for hobby/personal items there are no customs charges

 

Aha, so it goes for personal items also? Neat! Nice to know in case there's something in the future I want to get other that doesn't count as a hobby item.

 

Thank you for your responses y'all!