Posting Jewellery Abroad from the UK

[daisyvjewellery]

Hello!

I'm almost ready to launch my website, however I'm getting stuck when it comes to postage so just wondering if anyone can help?

It looks as though I can't send jewellery to Australia, but are there other countries that I can't post jewellery to? I was going to have worldwide shipping but it looks as though I won't be able to... Does anyone have a list of countries that I can/can't send jewellery to from the UK? I've tried looking on the Royal Mail website but there's so much information!

Any info would be greatly appreciated, thank you in advance. Daisy

[pearlescence]

Why not to Aus?
The problem generally isn't sending it off, but in it actually getting there. Unless you want to get into the courier companies we are stuck with Royal Mail and you need to be aware that their signed delivery only covers for costs of ingredients, not your work or profit. Some countries have signed and tracked, some have no track but a signature and some have just signature, no tracking.
Shipping to any EU country is a doddle. Just wrap and post - no need to worry about customs forms and all that stuff (at least for now!) Everywhere non-EU will need a customs form and the world customs code

[LydiaNiz]

On the Royal Mail site it states it is forbidden to send jewellery in the post to Australia. I checked. Lots. Fed Ex will do it, but you are looking at between £50-£70 Infuriating. Canada is tricky, everywhere else is ok but customs charges can be high.

[daisyvjewellery]

Thank you Pearlescence! On the Royal Mail website it says that jewellery is a prohibited item to send to Australia. I'm not sure why though, so wasn't sure if there are other countries where sending jewellery is prohibited..

I think I mayl go for worldwide, except to Aus, just to be on the safe side.

[daisyvjewellery]

Thanks Lydia. Why is Canada tricky? In terms of customs charges?

[LydiaNiz]

I just went to check Aus - jewellery is listed as prohibited still, on the list just above nuclear reactors!
Canada I could not get a straight answer as to whether jewellery was allowed or not. The people orderibg from me came to the UK later in the year so collected it. You might have better luck getting an answer from royal mail!

[ShinyLauren]

Yes, as Lydia said, Australia is a definite no. The post office will just refuse to send it.

I've posted to Canada before with no problems, but it was a while ago so ruled may have changed.

[ShinyLauren]

http://www.upu.int/en/activities/customs/cds-list-of-prohibitions-and-restrictions/2007-list-of-prohibited-articles.html

This says it's a list from 2007, but I use it as a guide, then look up restrictions on each country's postal service website. I think I got as far as F...

[Unhindered]

I never knew this! I am posting something to america today, do I need to do anything additional or will they go through it all with me? Was planning on using the self service machine but maybe i should go to the counter

[ajda]

I don't know what the Royal Mail is up to, but there is no prohibition on the Australian side for jewellery per se. There are certain restrictions - eg, bullion, or diamonds not properly certificated under the Kimberley process. See https://www.border.gov.au/Busi/Impo/Proh - no mention of jewellery. I send stuff to Australia - I don't write "jewellery" on the CN22 but do declare honestly using words like "metal chain and pendant", "metal bangle", etc. If a problem is going to arise, I imagine it would be in the event of a loss and insurance claim, as I assume the Royal Mail would not pay out, so I would think twice about sending items of high value.
Alan

[LydiaNiz]

US should be fine - I always send International tracked & signed and you need to put a customs declaration on it - they'll talk you through it :-)

[enigma]

There is some kind of issue with jewellery and bullion everywhere from what I can tell.
Fed ex quoted me £50 from the UK to Portugal but that was uninsured so do check.
Royal mail do a fully insured service to Europe although has just cost me £84 to include £1500 worth of cover on gold and silver items.
TNT I think do a worldwide service for bullion and jewellery from the UK but you need to tell your customers there may be customs to pay outside the EU.
I also couldn't find an insured service for bullion/jewellery with DHL so this does need looking into carefully before you decide.
In the end I have gone for sending tracked but covering my stuff myself if it goes missing generally, just wasn't prepared to take the risk on the £1500 parcel.

[daisyvjewellery]

Thank you for the info everyone! :-)

[Ceri]

It may be to do with this http://www.border.gov.au/Busi/Impo/Impo
If the product is valued at $1000 AUD (about £500 today) it is liable for taxation via import duty.
If you consider that in this country import duty is calculated on the value of the item, Royal mail wouldn't want to police that or insure it where as DHL etc.. do

[ajda]

Tax/duty on imports is normal for most countries, based on value + shipping above a certain threshold - and the normal thing is for the postal service within the country of import (or the courier) to charge those taxes and pay them to the tax authorities before they'll deliver (while also levying a handling charge themselves). It's the same here if you bring anything in from outside the EU that's above our thresholds for duty (variable, depending on what it is and where it's from) and VAT (20% on item value plus shipping). So that's not unique to Australia, nor to jewellery. I've not heard a reasonable explanation of why the Royal Mail have jewellery on their prohibited list for Australia yet the Australian customs authorities don't...
Alan

[pearlescence]

Odd since I've shipped loads, and I have a fellow pearl seller in Aus who sends and receives. They have a !k Ad threshold for tax too, lucky them,. as against our measly £18.
I know canada is expensive but again, I have several regulars

[pearlescence]

Royal mail can be slightly bonkers but I have shipped lots there, and handed over the counter at my local office, insured too.
My regular office knows me well, but the other office here insists on asking for each item what is in it, which is horrific when the person working the other side of the counter is deaf. I usually ask if she can't read since there is a customs declaration form there... they are real jobsworths
It does help if you have the correct international code (https://www.gov.uk/finding-commodity-codes)
You need a customs declaration form for America, Unhindered.
Royal mail will pay out if you send insured - but only, as with special delivery, the basic cost of the materials used, not the cost of your labour or profit. I've ended up sending in receipts in Mandarin before now and invited them to pay the airfare for me to replace them, They will take your money to insure at price but then pay out a fraction. So only insure for the cost of your materials.
Of course shipping to other EU countries is (at least for now and hopefully for ever) so much eacher. No need for all this nonsense, just put in envelope and post. no customs, no duty no nonsense

[LydiaNiz]

They have never been able to satisfactorily answer the 'why', but I have never wanted to risk something being lost and then being unable to claim for sending prohibited goods.

[ShinyLauren]

I don't know what the Royal Mail is up to, but there is no prohibition on the Australian side for jewellery per se. There are certain restrictions - eg, bullion, or diamonds not properly certificated under the Kimberley process. See https://www.border.gov.au/Busi/Impo/Proh - no mention of jewellery. I send stuff to Australia - I don't write "jewellery" on the CN22 but do declare honestly using words like "metal chain and pendant", "metal bangle", etc. If a problem is going to arise, I imagine it would be in the event of a loss and insurance claim, as I assume the Royal Mail would not pay out, so I would think twice about sending items of high value.
Alan

I did actually email Australian customs dept to clarify and you are right, there is no prohibition on jewellery entering the country by other means, but it is prohibited to enter the country via their postal service. Bonkers!

[ShinyLauren]

I never knew this! I am posting something to america today, do I need to do anything additional or will they go through it all with me? Was planning on using the self service machine but maybe i should go to the counter

I ship to the US regularly using International Tracked and Signed with no problems at all.

[china]

must be something to do with made up items I regularly have stones posted to me from all over the world

[metalsmith]

I did actually email Australian customs dept to clarify and you are right, there is no prohibition on jewellery entering the country by other means, but it is prohibited to enter the country via their postal service. Bonkers!

Mebbe we should chip in and recruit a mule...[[]]

[Unhindered]

It was much cheaper than I was expecting after checking online, and I managed to do it using a self service machine :D


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[pearlescence]

Re-Aus. in that case it's a bit of a swizz that they allow made items to be exported, which they do.

[Edhelien]

Jewellery is allowed to Australia. I am 100% sure.
You can check their customs website for restricted/prohibited items. This problem is known among Etsy jewellery sellers - some even contacted Australian authorities and had confirmed in writing that it is allowed.
Problem is that Royal Mail refers to different document (some postal union restriction list where almost everything is restricted). Result is that they won't reimburse any lost package claim (to Australia containing jewellery). Ask me how I know :)
I ship jewellery to Australia with Royal Mail, but another problem is tracking. Tracked and signed is not available to Australia, only signed (tracking stops after leaving UK).
For more valuable jewellery I recommend couriers (always through 3rd parties for best rates, but possibly lower insurance).

More info in this thread: https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/7718/questions/discuss/16268560/

[ShinyLauren]

Jewellery is allowed to Australia. I am 100% sure.
You can check their customs website for restricted/prohibited items. This problem is known among Etsy jewellery sellers - some even contacted Australian authorities and had confirmed in writing that it is allowed.
Problem is that Royal Mail refers to different document (some postal union restriction list where almost everything is restricted). Result is that they won't reimburse any lost package claim (to Australia containing jewellery). Ask me how I know :)
I ship jewellery to Australia with Royal Mail, but another problem is tracking. Tracked and signed is not available to Australia, only signed (tracking stops after leaving UK).
For more valuable jewellery I recommend couriers (always through 3rd parties for best rates, but possibly lower insurance).

More info in this thread: https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/7718/questions/discuss/16268560/

Unfortunately I have been to several post offices and as soon as they see 'jewellery' written on the customs label, they refuse to take the package, so I'd rather not take the risk of adding Australia to my list of countries to ship to, only to then have to tell the customer that I can't actually ship the item.

I had also contacted Australian customs about this and they said that there was no problem with importing jewellery into Australia, just that there were restrictions on importing it via mail.

[enigma]

Yes the main problem seems to be getting the mail companies to insure it.
Ive sent stuff all over- australia, US Canada etc but when I actually went into the details of tracking and insurance for either bullion/stones or finished pieces most won't cover you.
I did just use a fully insured fully tracked service from the UK to Portugal for £1500 worth of bullion and that cost me £84 and took 10 days to arrive ( Royal mail)

[caroleallen]

I send jewellery to Australia and America all the time though its not insured. I've not had a problem yet but I figure I'll have to bear the loss if it doesn't arrive.

[Edhelien]

Unfortunately I have been to several post offices and as soon as they see 'jewellery' written on the customs label

I don't write jewellery on customs label, it's way too risky. I started with "handmade jewellery", moved to "handmade accessories" because of high lost packages rate, but it is probably too vague. So I use HS tariff codes - clear, exact and not theft inviting.
I am lucky, my post office worker (only one woman working there, same every time) doesn't ask and doesn't care (she did, when I was there for the first time, but now she knows me).