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USPS requires an extra form for shipping over $2500.00 overseas. I learned that because I had a package returned a couple of years ago. All builders around here simply undervalue their shipments to avoid the paperwork. We tried to complete the process in the past, which requires taking a really online idiotic quiz to receive a shipper's number. There were enough computer glitches in the process that we just gave up. The local P.O. knows nothing, as usual. They will accept your package as normal, and it gets returned weeks later from customs. Undervaluing means you can't insure things for their full value, which does not bother me too much. However, I have a customer now that wants the full value put on his shipment. I am having trouble locating that paperwork online again. Since it's the weekend and many offices are closed, I thought I'd see if I could get a quick pointer here. Need to know the name of that over $2500.00 form, or the government office it comes from. Thanks, Bob

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“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

I think this is something the customer must pay extra for. You can undervalue the shipment for the customer's convenience but they must also know that you will not be responsible should something happen to it.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

No, this is not a customer related thing, although the customer will probably have to more customs duties in their own country. This is a U.S. Government, post 9/11, requirement. I was not aware of the requirement, and the local P.O. knows nothing, until one of my instruments on it's was to China last year was returned from customs after several weeks. The local P.O. could not figure out why it was returned and we had to decipher the AES problem on our own. Since my first post, I have found out that it's an AES # that I need for shipments over $2500.00, and then I need to apply for a special tracking number for the package. None of this can be done at the P.O. It all has to be done online. I had actually gone through the application process for the AES # last year, but the government online forms had so many problems that I never got through. Have to figure it out this time around.

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“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

Bob, if you want, I can forward a local contact that may be able to assist, but she won't be in until Monday.

Thanks. If it is a postal contact, that would be great. I know that I can do this through a customs broker that I used to import through, but this is supposed to be a free user friendly online registry and it's high time I figured it out. As I recall, you tried to help us out then too. Biggest issue seems to be we are partially in the system because we started out on it in early 2014. Were not able to finish the registry due to computer glitches on the government side. Computers don't like it when you answer questions currently differently than what they have in their memory banks and that is causing current issues. AES was originally handled through the Census Bureau of all places, and now some of the pages go to Homeland Security. I do have the Census Bureau phone number to call on Monday, but if you have another local contact, it might be useful. Have a great holiday season--Best wishes to you and your family, Bob & Anne

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“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

Not that this seems to apply to other members of this forum, but it might. I am about 3 weeks into trying to
ship a $4500.00 instrument to Japan. Used to be no problem, but then enter Homeland Security. I suppose tracking $ going out of the U.S. is their interest, but it sure screws with small business people like me. I probably have 15 hours of computer and phone work into trying to get the necessary paperwork. In this age, you can't talk to anybody real who actually knows anything. And we wonder what happened to American productivity! Nobody has to do anything real anymore. So, my advice to anyone thinking about shipping items over $2500.00 in value overseas, is to first figure out if and how you can do it. I have one very disappointed customer in Japan!

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“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso