Sending a Parcel to The Netherlands

[Glassman]

I want to send a parcel (around 10Kg) to Sint Philipsland, Holland.

Any recommendations/experiences, please?

[Rh14n]

Each year we send a Christmas parcel to the Netherlands by Royal Mail. We post it around the end of November/early December and we're lucky if it arrives by Easter! We're thinking of sending this year's in a couple of weeks mid October this year

I too would be interested to hear of any suggestions.

[Glassman]

I quick look on DPD says a 2/3/4-day delivery.

[Fast and Spurious]

End of thread then.

[Glassman]

Fast and Spurious said:

End of thread then.

Maybe, but someone could still come on and say I've read it wrong, or tell me not to bother as they're unreliable.

PH

[Glassman]

Well, today I tried to book a courier to come and collect for a door-to-door service. At £18.00 (for a 5Kg parcel of clothing, shoes and a few packs of tea bags and spices you cannot get there) I though it was great VFM. Only, when I got to the 'what's in the box' bit, it calculated that my gifts would be subject to £115 in duty.

The whole idea behind this was to send the parcel ahead of me getting there just so that I don't have to carry it when I fly (enabling me to carry other items as well as some duty free booze etc).

On the DPD website you have to describe each item and attach a value to it before generating a tariff code. That in itself was a faff but when I got to itemising the teabags and spices, the computer said no.

So now I'm taking it with me on the plane.

[RizzoTheRat]

Presumably too late now, but if you're taking a lot of stuff look at Eurostar, only about 3 hours London to Rotterdam and no restrictions on liquids or other rules that you get on aircraft. The only issue is you have to be able to drag your bags around yourself rather than just dropping off at check-in.

Out of interest what spices can't you get? The Randstad is pretty diverse so you can usually find a decent Chinese/Indonesian/etc supermarket around to get various stuff. Limited choice in tea bags I'll grant you, but some decent loose leaf tea shops around.

[essayer]

Assuming you’re bringing them back to the U.K. you don’t pay duty in either direction. You just need to detail that it’s a ‘temporary export’ on the shipping docs, and it’s advisable to use the same courier on the way back. Not sure on the teabags though..

[Glassman]

RizzoTheRat said:

Presumably too late now, but if you're taking a lot of stuff look at Eurostar, only about 3 hours London to Rotterdam and no restrictions on liquids or other rules that you get on aircraft. The only issue is you have to be able to drag your bags around yourself rather than just dropping off at check-in.

Out of interest what spices can't you get? The Randstad is pretty diverse so you can usually find a decent Chinese/Indonesian/etc supermarket around to get various stuff. Limited choice in tea bags I'll grant you, but some decent loose leaf tea shops around.

Sint Philipsland. Went last year and got the feeling that if it's available in the nearest Jumbo store, you're okay, otherwise it's a two hour (there and back) trip to Rotterdam.

I'm going with a friend whose daughter and husband live there. Without doing much research on availability and mail order options, I thought I'd take a few things they would appreciate as not easily/readily available.

[RizzoTheRat]

Yeah you're a bit in the sticks there, but the beauty of the Netherlands is nowhere is very far away
Agree it's probably easiest to bring stuff with you if not there for long though.

[Suspicious_user]

Glassman said:

Only, when I got to the 'what's in the box' bit, it calculated that my gifts would be subject to £115 in duty.

Ahh, the joys of Brexit. The gift that keeps giving.

[zbc]

Just as an alternative solution that probably doesn't work in this case but might for someone else. When you go somewhere else in the EU take the parcel with you and post it there. It will be faster, fewer restrictions and no customs forms to fill in