Advice on International sales/shipping

[wats6831]

Are you buying many cases at once? That may not help your cause if so..smaller is always better....did you buy liken cases or something?

No, just one case from one vendor and another from a 2nd vendor.

[wats6831]

This is a list of prohibited items not allowed to be posted internationally on the Royal mail website, sadly two items mentioned are quite common in ration packs so it might be them that caused the issue.

This is from
https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app ... -customers

Matches - Of any kind, including safety and windproof matches.

If they are French, Spanish or a nation that has hexi stoves in their packs it could be that too as fire lighters are mentioned and they are the same type of thing.

Flammable solids- Solid materials which are liable to cause fire by friction, absorption of water, spontaneous chemical changes or retained heat from manufacturing or processing, or which can be readily ignited and burn vigorously e.g. adhesives, calcium carbide, cellulose nitrate products, fire lighters, matches, metallic magnesium, nitro-cellulose based film, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, sodium hydride, zinc powder, zirconium hydride.

Hrmmm make sense for an airplane I guess. Thanks for the information. Yeah the rations that include an esbit stove. I wonder how commerce is conducted overseas. Esbit is made in Europe. Maybe they have to be sent container ship.

[TechManDan]

Is the shipper used in the uk pitney bowes, aka ebay global shipping program, aka global shipping scam? Pitney bowes is a cheaper for shipping intentionally, however those bastards will "inspect" all out going packages and "confiscate" any allegedly prohibited items. Those jack asses will confiscate all food and any items that they believe are sold too cheaply, only to resell the items at a higher price...

[housil]

A pretty easy way to prevent it is just wrap it in birthday paper.

Each parcel gets X rayed...

[CRO CSO]

When i send package usually i write CAMPING SUPPLIES FEW TIMES ON THE BOX WITH RED FELT PEN and everything is comming to adress, except this alcohol what i send to Poland

[Synthpeter]

I understand the shipping companies are reluctant to transport things that may spontaneously burst into flames (LiPo batteries) or create weird chemical reactions that can compromise the safety of the entire plane, but sometimes it's ok to send "small" amounts.
This is straight from the Swedish Postnord info page about hazardous goods:

You are not permitted to send items or substances classed as dangerous goods. With certain services, what is known as a limited amount of dangerous goods may be sent. You can get more information on dangerous goods from MSB - Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency.

How much is "limited amount" ? I'm sure it'll be a fun adventure trying to dig out how many esbit pieces or FRHs are considered "limited amount".
And yes, I believe that strictly speaking FRHs should are not allowed either.

Further down text says (my emhpasis) :

Flammable solids

• Spontaneously combustible substances and substances that emit gas on contact with water, e.g. matches
• Nitrocellulose film
• Material that becomes dangerous when wet

Definitely fits the description of an FRH and the hydrogen gas it produces. What's that about matches though?

Yeah, lots of blablabla about Sweden, but as we are part of the EU I wouldn't be surprised if these rules are similar throughout the EU.

(Reference: http://www.postnord.se/en/sending/prepa ... ay-be-sent )

[Apocalypse]

... but after having Canadian vendors refuse to ship to the US ...

Which vendors within Canada are you trying to buy from? I'm not aware of anywhere that even offers them (at a reasonable price at least) within Canada and I've been in the ration game since the 1990s.

[Cdevaney]

Isn't there a way to get it prechecked?

[wats6831]

Negative. I heard that if you don't use Pitney Bowes International to ship it will be OK. Have your seller use DHL.

[mclaren1]

if the shipper would tag the items as a gift it should go thru customs without any interruption