Buying stuff from the USA

[Mittymoo]

I would like to know the ins and outs of purchasing items from the USA. I see plenty of items that I can't seem to obtain here, and would like to know how (in itty bitty steps, please!) how I go about purchasing items, like yarn, from the US. Its the $ exchange rate that has got me beat! I know that the Aussie $ is currently worth about 86c US.

Just want to know how others, probably other Aussies, go about purchasing items from the US.

Jenny.

[Amy]

Jenny, it would all depend on whether the company you want to purchase from ships internationally. For most small companies, you would need to use a credit card or Paypal to purchase something on their website and pay them in US funds. Then your credit card would convert the US $ price to the price in your currency, probably based on whatever the exchange rate is that day. I'm not sure if they charge an extra fee for doing this or not.

[Mittymoo]

Thanks for that, Amy!! I am very new to this internet thingy, and have just been awestruck while looking at various websites. I should, perhaps, make enquiries of any businesses who have items that I find that I cannot live without!! You know, yarn, crochet patterns!!!

Jenny

[birdlady1]

It's the shipping that can make your head spin.

 

Here's the currency converter that I use so you can get a good idea of what the USD vs the AUD (or other currencies) can be: http://www.xe.com/ucc/.

 

International money orders are another means of paying for items in a different country, but they are expensive ....

 

If you're looking at an eBay auction, for example, but it says they don't ship outside of the United States, ask them anyway if they'll ship. More often than not, they will say yes. But ask them before you bid.

 

I buy a lot of items from Germany and international sales aren't difficult. They're just more expensive (sometimes) when you add on the shipping.

[snugsmontreal]

i agree about the credit card bit, or paypal. a paypal account is nice because if you ever sell on ebay and someone pays you in US dollar funds you can use that to buy from online retailers (not all websites accept paypal) and not be charged the 3% or so that a credit card will charge you for converting your money into american/US dollars versus aus dollars. also be ware of shipping, i have heard horror stories of the shipping price being more and even double the price of a "good deal" when it is shipped far away. just be cautious

[Amy]

The only thing with international money orders is that there have been problems with fraud. Many smaller companies will no longer accept them because of this. Just like they won't take international checks.

 

Oftentimes, with international check or money order fraud, the vendor doesn't find out about the fraud until long after they have shipped stuff out to the customer. And then they're just out the money with no recourse to recover it.

[Krakovianka]

I will add that shipping rates from the US have dramatically increased just since May. Be very, very careful to be aware of shipping charges so you don't get any nasty surprises. I used to have things shipped "surface rate" to Poland, and was accustomed to a 2-month wait (no hanging around the window waiting for the UPS man for me). That is no longer an option--everything ships via air--and the price reflects that. I have paid $10 for an item I wanted (a book)--$1 for the item, plus $9 shipping. You don't do that very often.

 

The internet makes the world a smaller place...but not a cheaper place!

[crochetsal]

Also, I'm not sure about duty in Australia.

I'm in Canada, and we get charged duty and taxes on anything over a certain dollar amount. I can't remember offhand what that amount is, and not every item gets 'caught'.

For example, once I received two parcels, both comfortghans, both sent from the same person, both sent the same day. Both with the same $ value (this was a little over 4 years ago, so I can't remember the exact $) in US funds. I wound up getting the one no problem, but the other I had to pay almost $20 to pick it up.

More recently, a package valued at about $45 US, I paid around $12, but I had previously gotten a package from the same company with pretty much the same value and didn't have to pay a dime.

 

Sally

[snugsmontreal]

Also, I'm not sure about duty in Australia.

I'm in Canada, and we get charged duty and taxes on anything over a certain dollar amount. I can't remember offhand what that amount is, and not every item gets 'caught'.

For example, once I received two parcels, both comfortghans, both sent from the same person, both sent the same day. Both with the same $ value (this was a little over 4 years ago, so I can't remember the exact $) in US funds. I wound up getting the one no problem, but the other I had to pay almost $20 to pick it up.

More recently, a package valued at about $45 US, I paid around $12, but I had previously gotten a package from the same company with pretty much the same value and didn't have to pay a dime.

 

Sally

for canada the "free" duty is up to 40$ canadian declared value, but if you go with UPS FEDEX etc ou pay private brokerage fees which will REALLY make your head spin i bought something, paid shipping and when i received it from ups the charge for the private brokerage plus the duty/taxes on it were literally just a few dollars less than the selling price of the item

[ava]

Here in the UK we're limited to £18 of imported goods per package - about $35. (If it's a gift, double that, but commercial goods from sellers aren't gifts.)

 

Annoyingly, when I get a package that's slightly over the limit the charge is often something like £4 duty and £8 for getting told by Royal Mail that I have to pay duty. I wish there was a way I could pre-pay it and avoid the Royal Mail surcharge..

[sail149]

Paypal, Mittymoo - it's by far the easiest way.

However,for crochet supplies, you can't do any better than Crochet Australia - they have EVERYTHING!

Yarn etc. is bulky, and so you can expect high postal charges. Have you been to Spotlight recently? - they seem to be stocking American yarns and threads this year, if that's what you are trying to find. I've noticed Lion brand and Aunt Lydia's - probably more.

Happy shopping!

[Mittymoo]

I'm really taken with the variegated yarns that are available in the US, and would REALLY like to have a go at getting some!!!

Jenny.

[Amy]

I'm really taken with the variegated yarns that are available in the US, and would REALLY like to have a go at getting some!!!

Jenny.

 

You could try one of my local yarn shops that's really mainly mail order. They do lots of international shipping: KnittingZone. They do accept Paypal.

 

There are quite a few yarn stores that ship internationally. Just do a google search for "yarn international shipping" and you'll get lots of hits.

[Shell]

However,for crochet supplies, you can't do any better than Crochet Australia - they have EVERYTHING!

Crochet Australia barely carries yarn, nor does it carry some of the bigger names in thread. So no, Crochet Australia sure doesn't have "everything" becase I have never purchased from them. There are things I want from them but things I want more from USA.

 

I have been lucky enough that through Crochetville I have made a couple of great international friends. They allow me to paypal them and they buy and ship whatever it is I wanted, which is so handy when a lot of stores don't ship overseas. Yes the postage can be a killer. US$37 for a flat rate 3lb (i think) parcel isn't too bad so long as you can jam it full!! Sometimes they want things from Aus too like papaw ointment or deepheat (only a different brand but i forget it's name lol) so we trade off.

 

 

You would have to be careful to not exceed the import limits or you will have to pay customs, but I have no idea what any of that is, most things I get are totally undervalued on the label. And if you can get the sender to mark it as a gift it's less likely to be inspected for tariff reasons. Though 7/10 of my packages are inspected by customs anyway (be it RAoK's or other). Funnily enough customs haven't opened any of the envelopes (or puffies as our American friends like to call them) but any box has been fair game!

 

In this thread people keep talking credit cards and paypal. My paypal is linked directly to my bank account, not a cc. If I had a cc I likely wouldn't need paypal! Almost any company will accept a Visa. I send all of my money through Paypal as US funds, saves me converting anything. Can't have cost me much to do it as I've never noticed. I do use an online currency converter first to get an idea of how much I am looking at in AU$

[sail149]

Well, I suppose it depends on what you are looking for, after all; I've always found everything I want there

[Mittymoo]

I have bought a lot of stuff from Vicki and Kym, but, as Shell said, they do not carry a lot of yarn (I mainly crochet in pure wool out of loyalty to the Aussie Merino sheep farmers in our area!!!), but there are a few designs that I want to have a go at, and would like to complete them in the yarn suggested, all of which seem to be US based. I find it difficult to obtain the colour cards for many companies, and none seem to have the variegated yarns that I love so much!!

Jenny.

[Shell]

I have bought a lot of stuff from Vicki and Kym, but, as Shell said, they do not carry a lot of yarn (I mainly crochet in pure wool out of loyalty to the Aussie Merino sheep farmers in our area!!!), but there are a few designs that I want to have a go at, and would like to complete them in the yarn suggested, all of which seem to be US based. I find it difficult to obtain the colour cards for many companies, and none seem to have the variegated yarns that I love so much!!

Jenny.

Have you ever tried Bendigo Woollen Mills? Their colour cards have say 1" of each fibre attached, in every colour! It's simply the best because you can see and feel what you're after!! They recently went online http://www.bendigowoollenmills.com.au/ I have their 8ply cotton on my "buy as soon as I can, when I have the $$" list, only this year I didn't like their colours too much. No variegates in wool, cotton or others they offer.

 

The thing with US and Au yarns is that their standard is worsted weight, ours is 8ply. Their ww and our 8ply are not the same, ours being much thinner. WW is more like a 10, maybe even 12ply. Those sizes just aren't common here. If you aren't a mid level crocheter, using some of these patterns in our yarns just wont work as you'd have to adapt them to suit.

[Shell]

I forgot, spend something like $30 with Bendigo Woollen Mills (probably in Aus only) and postage is free Plus they offer good ply choices, not just the 8 and 4ply which are most common in stores

[Mittymoo]

LOVE, just love Bendigo wool, Shell!!! Also have bought from Superfine Wool Australia on a regular basis. Its just that there doesn't seem to be much variegated yarn about (though I did get some brightly coloured yarn from Lincraft at the February Stitches and Craft Show in Sydney). Also came across a bit in the local Go Lo Shop and transferred it to my "stash"!! Needless to say, the variegated yarn was acrylic, as I guess the US variegated yarn would be.

Jenny.

[frogrockr]

If you try the yarn store "stitch'n'time" in Mawson, ACT, Dale has some really great yarns. She also gives fantastic advice and she does do mail order.

 

Her store is just around the corner from my parents place so when I do make it home I'm usually around there as soon as possible!!

 

Manda

[MaryPat]

Here in the UK we're limited to £18 of imported goods per package - about $35. (If it's a gift, double that, but commercial goods from sellers aren't gifts.)

 

Annoyingly, when I get a package that's slightly over the limit the charge is often something like £4 duty and £8 for getting told by Royal Mail that I have to pay duty. I wish there was a way I could pre-pay it and avoid the Royal Mail surcharge..

 

I got a practical experience with the UK import fees quite by accident. My daughter lived in Taiwan, had ordered a wedding dress in Hong Kong, had it shipped to Washington DC where she was visiting to get it tailored. When the tailoring was done, I shipped it to England for the wedding. I had a trainee at the Post Office and didn't pay attention to what I checked off. It wasn't exactly a gift, it wasn't mine, I think I checked Other and Merchandise with a value of $1000 for insurance purposes. although she had only paid $120 to have it custom made in Hong Kong, if it got lost, I thought the $1000 would be a good start for replacing it.

 

I had been mailing stuff to her in Taiwan for years -- duty was never charged.

 

In England, they parents of the groom had to pay £ 182 to pick it up. They explained, and the best they could get was an agreement that she could apply for a refund when she left England after the wedding. I felt awful and ended up sending them the ££ which was over $400 once I got gouged by a money changer.

 

At the end of the wedding, I was flying back to DC, so I took the paperwork with me to show the VAT Refund folks at the airport. But at Stansted the VAT office isn't staffed, so I had to write an explanation on the letter and drop it in the box. Somehow I'm supposed to get a refund mailed to me. It's only been 4 weeks, and 8 weeks is the norm.

[Feliciter]

I noticed that you were after all the variegated yarns. You often can't get them in places like Spotlight and Lincraft and even fancier shops like Tapestry (in Sydney) but there are lots of and lots of internet shops based here in Australia that stock some awesome yarn. Even lots of Etsy shops.

 

I've tried searching for the rules on posting shop addresses but I can't find whether I can or not so I'll PM you with a huge list.