Akubra from Australia to US

[Phoenix_AZ]

I am thinking of purchasing a campdraft from Hats Direct. I have purchased from overseas before, but I am unfamiliar with buying from Australia.

Is there customs due on the hat, so that you must be home to get it. Will airmail just be delivered by the US post office?

Any experience with the airmail or does everyone use EMS Express Courier (and how does that work)?

The reason is that I have had things delivered with no issues or customs and things where I needed to be there (and was not and had to hunt it down via UPS depot).

Thanks for any information.

Shawn in Phoenix,AZ

 

[RBH]

Welcome to the Lounge Shawn!!!
Enjoy your stay and YOU will love the Camp Draft !!!!

 

[jazzncocktails]

I am thinking of purchasing a campdraft from Hats Direct. I have purchased from overseas before, but I am unfamiliar with buying from Australia.

Is there customs due on the hat, so that you must be home to get it. Will airmail just be delivered by the US post office?

Any experience with the airmail or does everyone use EMS Express Courier (and how does that work)?

The reason is that I have had things delivered with no issues or customs and things where I needed to be there (and was not and had to hunt it down via UPS depot).

Thanks for any information.

Shawn in Phoenix,AZ

Go for the Campdraft, Shawn--it's a great hat. Mine was about $100 USD with shipping via airmail. No customs was due (I'm guessing Akubra builds those fees into the mailing cost); once the lid arrived in the U.S., the USPS picks it up and sends it on its way. I've ordered two hats from Hats Direct so far and have had no problem with the shipping or the arrival in good form.
Steve

 

[Not-Bogart13]

I have ordered from hatsdirect numerous times without having to worry about customs or being home for delivery.

 

[Belegnole]

I also had no issue with Hats Direct or the shipping. In fact I plan on plan on purchasing from them again.

 

[jpbales]

2 hats from there for me, no worries!

 

[Tampahound]

My first Akubra (Stylemaster) I ordered from EA (Everything Australian) and had to be home to sign for it. The two Akubra hats (Fed IV & Campdraft) I've ordered from HD (Hats Direct) were delivered without signing. =) My most recent purchase from HD was in stock and arrived in Tampa, Florida in fewer than 8 days from Katoomba, Australia! That is with the least expensive shipping option to the US. I now order from HD without worry.

 

[BobC]

I think it's six for me for Hatsdirect..2 Fed Dlx IV's and two Campdrafts for me, a Campdraft for my wife, and a Campdraft for a friend. No worries in any case. You place your order and they handle the details, and all from the other side of the world. Wish I could say the same for every place I buy from.

 

[OddSteve]

Oh, you're lucky there in the US. Here in Germany I had to pay 20 Euros (about 27 USD) on customs for my Fed IV deluxe.

 

[FurFeltFedora]

My hats from Hats Direct show up in Canada covered in "Gift" and happy faces all over the boxes - no customs duties yet

 

[jazzncocktails]

Go for the Campdraft, Shawn--it's a great hat. Mine was about $100 USD with shipping via airmail. No customs was due (I'm guessing Akubra builds those fees into the mailing cost); once the lid arrived in the U.S., the USPS picks it up and sends it on its way. I've ordered two hats from Hats Direct so far and have had no problem with the shipping or the arrival in good form.
Steve

By the way, I meant to include that I've never had to be home for the P.O. to deliver, either--no signature required.

 

[Wolfwood]

My hats from Hats Direct show up in Canada covered in "Gift" and happy faces all over the boxes - no customs duties yet

Ha, in Finland, the customs agents laugh at those "gift" signs. They've learned a long ago that people tend to fake those and stop practically everything coming from outside the EU at customs and make you open the boxes in front of them. Out of 4 hats I've ordered from Hatsdirect, 3 have been held up by the Customs and one got through to the national post system, miraculously enough.

 

[FurFeltFedora]

Wolfwood - I've got two more Fed IVs in the mail (black and tawny) so I hope I haven't jinxed myself.

 

[Goose.]

Hey Triple FFF...you'll be ok. And so will Phoenix AZ if he orders from either EA or HD.

I've had absolutely no problem at all with either for the dozen or so lids I've ordered.

If I wasn't home, my postman/woman sometimes would leave a note for me to pick up a package at the PO. So, what I do, is in the comments section of placing an online order is type "OK to leave on porch". Both EA and HD have written that clearly on the box. Seems to work.

As for the customs fees. Though the cat's outta the bag, I would not draw attention here (as I type it) to the "gift" gig due to sntiches/rats w/ nothing better to do than blow a whistle on the little guy trying to make a living. BUT, one of the vendors did write "hat, fedora" and there was no problem or delay.

Truth be told, I receive my hats faster from Australia than I do some goods I purchase here in the US. 7-8 days seems to be the norm. Once it took about 10 days or so. That was the exception.

Long post short; you will not have a problem with either EA or HD. But I think you've already read that by now


BTW FFF, when did you order your Tawny? Mine was a week ago. Hoping it's here Monday.

 

[FurFeltFedora]

Goose - the Tawny and Black were both shipped on Tuesday, based on the last shipping time I should have them sometime around the 15th. Then it's an order for a Carbon Grey and Moonstone with a Deluxe as a final order

 

[Goose.]

Goose - the Tawny and Black were both shipped on Tuesday, based on the last shipping time I should have them sometime around the 15th. Then it's an order for a Carbon Grey and Moonstone with a Deluxe as a final order

Cool beans. I just received my black. Hoping my Tawny Fawn (that's her burlesque name) arrives tomorrow!!!

You wrote "final order". HA HA HA!!! I've been saying that. In fact, I told my wife Friday that I'm waiting for my last Akubra. She said "right".
Then I saw that Fed Carbon...man that is sweet! Trying to figure out what the heck I would do with another Fed. The devil on one shoulder, angel on the other.

Certainly, it couldn't be much easier or quicker to obtain a hat from Australia. In fact, for me, it's w/o hassle, delay, customs, or loss to the point of like ordering a pizza for delivery.

 

[cookie]

Joy/Akubra/US Customs

Australia and the USA signed a free trade agreement under the Howard Government. It was a big moment between two erstwhile amigos para siempre...This may explain the rampant American joy/hysteria attached to the name Akubra around here .

 

[miss_elise]

yes, if only it worked equally well the other way (US to Oz)

 

[macfly]

The customs here in kuopio, finland is annoying. as was mentioned by Wolfwood earlier, they actually make you open the box and then you end up paying ~20 euros more! i guess i could understand if the products were somehow competing with Finnish ones but you can hardly find a nice hat here. why do we pay tax on a hat we bought from australia? ludicrous in my opinion but being from the US originally i guess we tend to complain about everything.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Maybe you could ask them to label it "SAMPLE"? as if its free sample? and you may wish to be a distributor of the product, but then local taxes are probably so low , its not worth spending 30 days in a cell with a chum named "Bubba"


PS I'm wearing Akubra Stylemaster in Carbon grey in Avatar