Ordering equipment from Spain to USA

[Hasbi]

Hi friends,

I couldn't be sure where to open this thread. I think moderators will move it to a more appropriate tab if needed...

I want to make an order from Scubastore, whose warehouse is in Spain. Most probably there are people in this forum who shopped from this site from USA. I want to learn if you had to pay any kind of taxes or fees for customs or anything else.

When I checked cbp.gov, it is written that there is just a 5-9 $ fee for informal packages. And as far as I know, scuba equipment is free of duty.

Does that mean, I will pay only an additional fee of 5-9 $ for a 1900 $ (including shipment) order from Spain? I just want to be sure of that before purchase.

Thanks a lot!

 

[jswantek]

...let the games begin!

 

[Hasbi]

Oops! Did I do something wrong?

 

[Ana]

I don't know if there are special rules for scuba gear from Spain. When I purchased from Spaniard stores I just had to pay ridiculous shipping rates and usually takes very long to get to me.
Just like sometimes I purchase things from US sites to be delivered to relatives in Spain and again the shipping kills me.

 

[rstofer]

Yup! You just restarted the Internet vs LDS argument. Better buckle up!

Richard

 

[diversteve]

No, what the other poster is probably referring to is that buying from Scubastore has been discussed here multiple times. The issue mostly seems to center around warranty claims for Scubapro, Aqualung or Apeks gear. As ScubaStore is authorized to sell only in Europe, any warranty claims must go through them, not your local LDS.

If you type ScubaStore Warranty in the Search box in the top menu, you'll see multiple threads about it.

As far as your question, I would contact them directly as they're probably in the best position to explain the fees involved in the import process. I think it varies by value/type of gear also.

 

[Hasbi]

@Ana: Hmm... Infact, even if I add the shipping costs it is still cheaper than most sites. But of course I am talking about a nearly full scuba gear purchase, not just one piece. So shipping cost is not a concern for me. It is just the import fees or taxes I am thinking about.

@diversteve: Thanks mate! Since I am living in Turkey, it is not an important matter if my warranty is valid in Europe or America. In both cases, I am on my own if an equipment fails in Turkey. But when you think that all these equipment (especially dive computers) is more than twice the price in Turkey, you can understand why I choose to take the risk.

These are the pieces that I will purchase: a dive computer, a regulator+octopus, a BC, a wetsuit, a bag. Total amount is 1950 $ including shipping costs.

BTW, this type of order may seem pointless cuz I forgot to tell that I have friends in USA who will bring the equipment to Turkey with them a few months later. So this is the plan: My order goes from Spain to USA, then comes back to Turkey via a friend

 

[redacted]

I ordered a scubapro Mk20/S600 from Scubastore almost 10 years ago. It was about half the price of one in an LDS. It was on my front porch about 5 days later and no taxes or import fees.

 

[Hasbi]

Oh, that's good news Thanks awap.

Now I'm waiting for Scubastore's answer to be absolutely sure. Hope they will answer soon...

 

[Luis H]

About a month ago, I ordered a Cressi Pinocchio mask from ScubaStore. Cressi has been making that mask since the 50’s, but is now not available in the US. DHL attempted to deliver the mask three days after I ordered, but I wasn’t home that Friday so they delivered the following Monday (which was just fine with me). There were no import duties or anything like that.

In my experience, there are normally no import duties when it is shipped with that type of carrier.

One interesting thing was that I was able to track the DHL package and it went from: Barcelona, Spain to Germany, then to England, and then to Cincinnati, Ohio; from there it went to the distribution center in New Hampshire, to finally be delivered in Maine… it is a well traveled mask (and all that in just three days).