Foreign Customs: Getting your Swag home (help!)

smerk · September 2010

So this is the first time I haven't kept my eye on my purchases at PAX, and thusly I purchased Essentially all the awesome games I played, except dominion and neuroshima hex! At least so far. My problem is that I have gone WAY over the maximum cost you can get into Australia undeclared (the new kindle did help, I'll admit), and I have lost a bunch of the receipts. There's a declaration you can sign, but I need to find the prices and contact details for a couple of the vendors I patronized.

Does anyone remember the name of the guys selling t-shirts sharing a room in the tabletop area? They had a bunch of cthulu stuff and the "bag of holding" satchel? They came from Chicago i think. I need to contact them or check their website at least.

Is there a web version of the pricing banner of the penny arcade swag booth outside the expo hall? I haven't been able to find one, but I'll keep looking I guess.

The name of the store that had the room next to the tabletop library. I don't think it was cardhaus games.

This is a lesson for all disorganized nerds from foreign parts: Keep Receipts and watch your money! Also do not go on the WCTT or anywhere near the TableTop area, as you shall be arrested and sent into the prison.

Steel Fire · September 2010

There's probably an easier solution, UPS or FedEx a bunch of it home. Might be cheaper than paying duties on the stuff and a heck of a lot easier than searching for the prices and what-not or it might be more expensive but certainly fewer headaches. Consider shipping versus baggage fees too, that might be a factor to consider.

Fenrisknight · September 2010

A friend of mine did this too actually, he had bought a number of posters and vintage prints from that place in Pike, packed it into a large poster tube and then stuffed the whole thing with t-shirts and stuffed animals, mailed it to himself and it was all good.

aragorn18 · September 2010

smerk wrote: »

The name of the store that had the room next to the tabletop library. I don't think it was cardhaus games.

I think this was Genesis Games & Gizmos.

MelesMeles · September 2010

I never have any problem with customs...

Because I've never done ANYTHING WRONG

*looks directly at customs officer scanning the thread*

Or something like that...

smerk · September 2010

Thanks, Steel Fire, I'll look into that again.

The problem is that shipping stuff to Australia is ludicrously expensive. I've looked into it before, but it's always seemed too much of a hassle. Looking at australian customs regs, however, the comparative difficulty may be now reduced. Sigh.

I have receipts for the heaviest stuff, anyway, RPG sourcebooks etc. The goal would be to get down below $au900 in my bags.

Thanks to everyone for their sage advice

Angel177 · September 2010

tell them you won everything, its then counted as a gift.

smerk · September 2010

I think this was Genesis Games & Gizmos.

I think you may be right. Awesome. Doesn't look like they've got a website, but I shall call them and annoy them and make them send me reprints haha.

I never have any problem with customs...

Because I've never done ANYTHING WRONG

Haha me neither, but it's a question of degrees, isn't it? And volume. I'm going to have enough trouble with the big metal "Bang!" bullet without trying fibbing which I'm lame at anyway.

Other people I've talked to have said that if you're open and honest (or at least open) with them (Australian customs that is) they're unlikely to be a bunco of dicks. specially if you overshare. Then they'll often wave you on just to get rid of you.

MelesMeles · September 2010

smerk wrote: »

Other people I've talked to have said that if you're open and honest (or at least open) with them (Australian customs that is) they're unlikely to be a bunco of dicks. specially if you overshare. Then they'll often wave you on just to get rid of you.

I require clarification. Is "bunco" a quantity? Or is a bunco an object, and this particular bunco is built from dicks? (e.g. this is a house of logs)

Thank you.

chupamiubre · September 2010

I am an american so take this with a grain of salt but. Stick games in cd folders as if they were music cds. I can't imagine them looking through all of that. You might loose the box but its just going to sit on a shelf anyway. As far as other stuff look into freight shipping. Sticking it all in one GIANT box. It might take 2 weeks to arrive but i know it's typically cheaper.

smerk · September 2010

Bunco: Many. Like Beaucoup in French. Many Dicks.

Also a kind of tapestry made not from fibres, but a kind of plant sap rolled thinly. So the tapestry could be depicting male genitals... Or possibly it could be the dicks rolled thin enough to weave with. That sounds more likely.

smerk · September 2010

chupamiubre wrote: »

I am an american so take this with a grain of salt but. Stick games in cd folders as if they were music cds. I can't imagine them looking through all of that. You might loose the box but its just going to sit on a shelf anyway. As far as other stuff look into freight shipping. Sticking it all in one GIANT box. It might take 2 weeks to arrive but i know it's typically cheaper.

It's kind of galling that shipping for free (as I am within my weight limit) is more expensive than actually paying for shipping.

thegh0sts · September 2010

most of the swag will probably be clothing anyways so you can get away with not counting clothing.

Srenaeb · September 2010

I wouldn't try to lie to them,
if you bought something, don't say it's free. =P at least for myself, I can't be sure that I won't look suspicious saying something like that. Also, depending on your guy, he may or may not ask you detailed questions about how you went about winning each item.

i came back to canada with a whole bunch of free stuff too,
but I was prepared to, if hassled, show 'em the swag thread from here which will prove that stuff I am carrying back were given away free as promotional items.

thegh0sts · September 2010

the beauty of Australian customs is that there's a threshold of $1000 AUD before anything can be taxed. clothes don't have to be counted because what makes up your luggage? Clothes. But if you buy BDs, games and stuff and that goes over the $1000 AUD mark then you start to worry and post it some of it back.

I would like to post stuff back but the only problem is when to post it for me that is.

Penny Arcade

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