www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Sorry for the delay in posting a reply boys!!

All of the purchases where from e-bay.

The id's are:
For Makita Lithium
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Jacks-Cool-Stu ... esstQQtZkm
For DeWalt
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/RUBYGIRLS-TOOL ... esstQQtZkm
For Paslode
http://stores.ebay.com/Paslode-Factory- ... esstQQtZkm
For Festool and Occidental Tool Belts
http://stores.ebay.com/Marathon-Tool_W0 ... 2222QQtZkm

All of which I've used in the past. Most write "Gift" on the customs notice. Don't ask though as you'll not get the service. I've spent about 1k (mostly for workmates) this year with Jacks. And they still don't cheat the customs form!! Paslode need a US address to post to. Its dead easy to get a PO-Box with a name and not a number from the net!! Be careful with this though as there are some dodgy outfits out there!

Good luck with them.

P.S Be nice to your local tool shop, so they'll service your non CE kit. Mine turns a blind eye because they know my name and I drop by a couple of times a week and spend a few notes!!

PS: Check out the Occidental Stronghold tool belt!!!!!! Its fricken lovely!!! Waiting for my Makita one to fall to bits first!!!

carhartt kid wrote: Paslode need a US address to post to. Its dead easy to get a PO-Box with a name and not a number from the net!! Be careful with this though as there are some dodgy outfits out there!

Hi Carharrt Kid - could you explain a bit more how this works with the PO-Box. do you get automatic onward shipping once the stuff arrived in your Box or is it a two stage thing? Very interested

Hey Hoovie,

I have a company I deal with called parcels2go. They explain most of it here!

http://www.parcel2go.com/mail-forwarding-service.html

There are a few other courier services that can arrange a similar service. Just have a good look around the net!

www.myus.com
www.usa2me.com
www.usps.com for PoBoxes

Some sellers won't post to PoBoxes. but if you ask prior and explain what you have planned. Often enough having a good score on e-bay and PayPal verified account will assure them they are safe!

Cheers carharrt kid When it comes to getting a parcel flagged as a Gift, will these guys do it, or is this something the original seller has to do?

Shipping costs aren't cheap, but I guess their service costs and manpower are included in that, so seems fair enough

If you spend enough with them and build up a little bit of a relationship, then yeah they will. Some of them do it automatically, but not always. If you ask, then you'll probably not get it at all. If you're unlucky they put the total value of the item including postage, meaning you pay more in import Taxes.

When the parcel gets forwarded to a PoBox, the seller doesn't have to put the value of the item on it, as its only going interstate. So when the forwarder sends it on, they ask you, to declare the value. Its often best to put a small value to it, so the customs lot don't open it and assess it themselves.

You'll find that the majority of the time the customs just let it through and not charge anything???

I think I have only had one item that got checked - got the VAT, the import duty AND the Post Office Service charge

Wondering about using one of these services, or getting it shipped to someone in US and get them to send it on (writing GIFT on box, of course )

£ so strong now, together with cheaper US prices anyway, means even if you end up paying the lot, still save money probably

There is an article of MSE which covers shipping via a PO Box and general points of legitimately buying from the US.