Ask The Expert - International Shipping

International Shipping
Dear Readers,

One of the most common questions I get at Sonigo concerns what is worth shipping.
Of course, shipping is expensive and (fair disclosure) I have an interest in your shipping more…however, I remind my clients that pressed wood furniture, like that found at Ikea, weakens every time one disassembles and reassembles it.
I usually recommend against shipping this kind of furniture.

However, good, well made furniture is probably worth shipping.
Feel free to ask your shipping agent for the cost per cubic foot or cubic meter for your shipment. You should also ask for a copy of your pre-move survey form.
This form will list everything you are shipping, along with the item’s approximate cubic footage.
Once you know the approximate volume of a particular piece of furniture or appliance, you can calculate the cost of shipping it and decide if the shipping cost is justified.

You should also look at the cost of the same items at your destination.
If you are moving to Israel, you can look at www.zap.co.il which is a price comparison web site. Compare the cost of buying new in your new home to the cost of shipping.
If you are moving to the US, there are a number of web sites which compare prices such as www.froogle.com or www.bizrate.com. In the UK, there is www.pricerunner.co.uk among others.

Use this information to help you decide what is worth bringing and what is worth leaving behind.
Besides price and cost, you want to consider the size of the item.
Will that big Maytag fit through the door to the service porch? Will your beds fit in a smaller Israeli bedroom? Are you moving into a large new apartment or an older and smaller apartment? Answering these questions will guide your decision making process.
Please write me with your questions and I will answer them in the next Newcomer’s Guides newsletter.
I look forward to hearing from you.

All the best,
Shmuel

Customs Clearing

A Customs Broker, sometimes call a Customs Agent, is a professional, licensed to represent importers and exporters to the Customs Authority in all matters related to international shipping.

The Customs Broker, officially, facilitates all the complicated processes involved in importing and exporting. He or she acts as a responsible trustee for the importer or exporter with Customs. The Broker prepares all the paperwork and insures it will be acceptable to Customs.

An experienced Customs Broker can even influence companies’ strategic financial decisions and assist in developing a successful import or export business.

Your Customs Broker can oftentimes help with international shipping, overland freight, marine insurance and certainly in categorizing the goods you are importing or exporting.

Customs brokerage requires a high level or professionalism in order to do the job well. Most countries have a very intense and relatively long training program. Obtaining a license for Customs Brokerage” is a sign or seriousness and reflects on the quality of the company.

Your Intl move

The decision has been made – an international move is in the works.

From this moment, the entire process begins: finding a new home, making new friends and a new life in a new home.

Moving your house hold goods is one of the most stressful parts of this process and picking the right moving company is one of the most important decisions that will make your move successful or … not.

So what do you need to know when picking a moving company?

To start the process, call two or more moving companies (if possible, based on recommendations) and invite the company representative or salesperson to your home to perform a pre-move survey. This way, you can judge the company’s professionalism, knowledge and the company itself.

You should insist on this pre-move survey and distance yourself from any company who does not want to do a survey.

As a rule, the sales person will accompany you throughout the moving experience. He or she should advise you on available shipping options, packing needs, crating requirements, tax and customs issues in your destination country and the time line of your shipment.

Try to start this process as early as possible so you can get your preferred packing date and a timely arrival at your new home.

A few points to check:

• Does the moving company have licensed customs brokers to handle both the export customs formalities and the import customs clearing at destination?
• Does the moving company have trucks to handle your shipment or will they rent a truck on the day of your move?
• Does the mover have a warehouse in case your goods must be stored until they are ready to load on the boat?

Insist on good communication with the movers. Who will be packing? What is the name and phone number of the crew chief? When will they arrive? When is your shipment scheduled to sail? On what vessel? Is it changing boats on the way? When is it scheduled to arrive? ETA?

Today, with the availability of internet and the web, modern moving companies are even providing on-line updates so you know where your shipment is while en route.

You are entitled to be informed and updated throughout your move.