Thread: youshop etc

Originally Posted by hotbarrels

What I have found with YouShop is that they seem to scrutinize the value of the package at custom's way more than a package sent directly from a supplier. Hence, if you are not careful, you will get smacked with import and gst. It is almost like YouShop flag the shipment for customs and they pick it up on the way through.

Also look at B&H for direct shipping. They do optics as well and their shipping is reasonable and very fast.

Don't know how the extra scrutinizing can be the case. To date I have brought in over 30 parcels via YouShop. Virtually all of those parcels have required me to designate a value b4 YouShop would process them. Items purchased in the USA and shipped to a USA address (even a freight forwarder like Youshop) don't usually have a declared value - there is no need. So, unless porkies are told when nominating a value at YouShop there should be no issue at NZ Customs. I have had my moments with YouShop though - long fight over an item that they declared to be dangerous goods/firearms parts. It wasn't and they eventually cleared it for shipping. I don't use them if a supplier has reasonable shipping costs to send direct to NZ - to bloody expensive. I do use them for cases where the seller has free shipping within USA or the seller will not ship to NZ (they don’t deal with aliens). YouShop are super sensitive to anything THEY perceive to be a firearm part, and they have idiots there who obviously are not trained to recognise non firearm parts as such.