Shipping to France from the US

[Dolores]

Hello everyone!

I was recently invited to participate in an exhibition of glass jewelry in Baccarat, France. They are covering all expenses and return shipment once the work is in their gallery. Unfortunately, I am responsible to ship and insure the work to their location. I know that many of you have shipped $$$ work overseas before and am in need of advice on which/who/how is the best and/or most reliable venue. Value for the five participating items plus a few pieces for their retail shop is a WAY up there (low five figures). I'm getting nervous just thinking about it. ANY pearls of wisdom and experience is greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance!

DOLORES

[Marty]

I think you NEED to hand carry the stuff...

[Morganica]

I'm with Marty. You can fly in through Nancy or Basel, take the train over. Wonderful trip, beautiful countryside, and by the time you get through paying for all the insurance and whatnot, it might not be that expensive.

Nancy is about 25 miles from Baccarat. Besides the fact that, well, Baccarat is in Baccarat and well worth a visit, Nancy has Daum Nancy and a really fine collection of glass art in its museum. It's still the home of Art Nouveau, so just about anywhere you go will have some kind of rich history from the belle époque and some totally amazing antique shops the size of small warehouses where you can find carved bedposts, lots of cloissone, all kinds of neat stuff. You'll hear "L'Ecole Nancy" a lot, that's basically the backbone of the Art Nouveau movement.

That part of France is also the home of macaroons and quiche lorraine, and some really delicious soups. Some of the old brasseries from the belle epoque are still there, like L'Excelsior. Have at least one meal there--it's like eating in a museum only the food is good.

[Dolores]

Oh... if only I could actually trod French sod! It sounds absolutely wonderful, especially the Art Nouveau part. Unfortunately, I'm not going, just the work
I'll get myself online and start researching what UPS, USPS, DHL, and whoever else have to offer. At least it's not a huge box or oversized sculpture.

FYI: The exhibition is called "Reves de Verre" ("Glass Dreams"), and will be at the Pole Bijoux Gallery in Baccarat, France. They selected five pieces for the show and will have my orb necklaces and earrings in their gallery store during that time. I'm so jazzed to be asked to participate along with some other amazing glass jewelry artists from around the world. My first gallery and exhibit in Europe, HOORAY!

DOLORES

[Marty]

I could go for you......

[Bert Weiss]

I recently had to ship a package to Korea. USPS was far and away the least expensive. I did not factor in insurance though.

USPS had unbelievably bad tracking data. I purchased the postage online for my shipper in PA. USPS told me it was in California before he had even taken it to the post office. Then they told me the package was delivered in China. I panicked at that one, but in the end, they had delivered it to the right place, in Korea.

[Dolores]

Thanks for the heads up, Bert! UPS is definitely on my short list of options.

Marty- Really wish I could go myself, but the trip to Wheaton Arts pretty much does it for the "mad money" artist's budget.

DOLORES

[Laurie Spray]

It would be a GREAT business write-off for taxes!

[Marty]

Dolores- you're coming east anyway, Wheaton is halfway there!

Wanna stop up in NY as a consolation prize?

[Dolores]

Marty- I might need that and a stiff drink as you'll see below...

I have a wee bit of knowledge that might come in handy for all you aspiring glass (or otherwise) artists in regards to international exhibitions:
Being invited to an international show is exciting and quite an ego boost, HOWEVER, unless the gallery in question is footing the ENTIRE shipping bill, the cost to the artist for the "honor" is almost untenable. In my particular situation, the gallery was going to fully insure work during the exhibition and completely cover the return shipping. I thought that sending them the work would be no big problem, after all, I would surely sell enough work in their gallery store to cover any expenses, right?......wrong!
In order to ship overseas (France) was at least $350 through most carriers (minus USPS who would not even consider insuring the high dollar value). Insurance for shipping $100 - $150 or so more. One needs to purchase a ATA carnet through a shipper or broker which is basically a "get through customs free" passport. The carnet starts at $350. Its purchase is not mandatory, but there are horror stories galore about "after the fact" custom fees, being charged coming AND going, or impounded shipments that cost $$ to recover (even if the work was listed as NOT FOR SALE at an exhibit). If any work is sold at the international exhibit, the artist is responsible to pay any VAT (value added tax), at least this was the situation in my case and I don't even want to think about what THAT paperwork nightmare would be!
All in all, it would cost me around $1000 or more just for the grand honor of being in an international exhibition. Now I know why you don't see hordes of artists participate in these events beyond their borders. I think I would only consider such an offer in the future if the sponsoring gallery covered ALL the shipping/insurance costs.

DOLORES

[Marty]

quelle horreur!

sacred blue!

I've declined similar "honors" in the past, notably one in S. Korea that started as paid airfare and hotel and shipping both ways for the work and quickly degenerated to "we'll be happy to show you around the city and please bring your work with you".

My last offer stands.

[Doug Randall]

Delores. Check BAX Global. They always come through for me with international shipping and provide insurance and customs forms and good help. In the US I prefer USPS.

[Morganica]

That was why I suggested that it would be nearly as cheap to visit. I've had to deal with international shippings/customs/insurance for technical demos going overseas and the prices nearly gagged me. We sent a couple of secretaries to Switzerland, in fact, because it was literally cheaper for them to carry it or declare it as baggage than to ship, insure and manage all the EMEA customs/tax stuff when we sent it independently.

I've heard good things about BAX, never tried them for smaller packages.

A friend of mine was invited to exhibit in a big glass show in Asia, same deal--they'd pay for return, not getting the stuff there. His work is on the biggish side, and shipping would literally have cost about 3x the retail price of the work. He declined. It makes me wonder about the overseas folk who ship to eMerge--they must really pay through the snoot...

[Brock]

. . . but if you consider that cost as advertising, resume enhancement, and a possible sale, it becomes bearable, especially at the start of their career.

[Dolores]

. . . but if you consider that cost as advertising, resume enhancement, and a possible sale, it becomes bearable, especially at the start of their career.

Maybe yes...maybe not. This is akin to the "donating to the Pilchuck auction will/won't boost one's career" discussion. I did mention that I would be responsible for reporting and paying VAT on any sales to the French authorities (import fees could then be applicable on top of that).

Doug and Cythnia- I checked out BAX and they can only insure up to $650 out of LAX airport (airport rules). I would still have to get a private insurance rider to boost the coverage on top of all that

So........if I really, really, REALLY want to become a famous international glass artist with throngs of crazed groupies about me, I must plan to do a lot of traveling to exhibition locations and/or convince the receiving galleries to pay all costs [and then write it off my taxes, assuming of course, I sell any work, get any commissions, and/or still make enough money to pay them].

[Rick Wilton]

In my experience insurance is a complete WASTE of time and money. You claim that your art is worth x and they broke it, well they turn around and say PROVE IT. Unless you have sold numerous items very similar for a similar price and can prove that, they'll deny your claim. Now if the item is worth a significant amount of money they'll want proof that it wasn't broken in the first place and you are just shipping it to recover the money. UPS, FedEx and the similar ones are near impossible to recover money from. USPS will just pay it out, they don't care it's gov't money.

Plus if they break one item and you are shipping 5 they'll take all 5 while they "investigate"

Shipping has become a roll of the dice, pack it well and hope like hell it arrives in one piece and on time.

[Marty]

UPS may be slime dogs otherwise (upcharges etc.) but I've never had a claim denied or even disputed. Large sums.