Does anyone sell their jewellery and knitwear to the USA. If so, how regular are sales and have they had any problems. My Google analytics are showing a lot of views recently from the USA.
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I can’t vouch for jewellery and knitwear, but I have sold a few paintings to the USA without issue. In spite of recent Trumpian tantrums it remains one of the easier places in the world to sell to. That can change of course.
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I have sold a lot to the US with my E shop over the years. I have only ever had one problem where the parcel was delayed in customs, the customer was very patient and it was delivered fine in the end.
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Thank you Chris for your input.
Thanks for letting me know.
Haven’t sold to the US from Folksy shop but get regular orders via my other shops. Never any issues with shipping/delivery but I do only use tracked.
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I have sold a couple of items to the USA and have not had problems. I only sell to them and the UK. the only thing I have trouble with is the tariff codes which I find perplexing!
Yes, definitely use tracked postage but avoid signed for. Many Americans live many miles from their nearest parcel depot and may have difficulties obtaining a parcel that requires a signature.
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If you use the customs form that is online on the Post Office website - then when you type in what you are selling, it will give you the correct tariff code (so you don’t have to look it up).
~ Little1
and to the OP – I haven’t sold anything to the USA on this website – but I have over on E and never had issues, other than during Covid things were getting held up in customs - but I always send it as International Tracked, so that the customer can follow the journey of the package (and so they know you actually posted their order).
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I’ve sold sporadically to the USA via Folksy, even had some repeat purchases from fordite collectors (also sold to USA via the dark side). Never had any issues however there are a couple of things you should be aware of given the price point we sell at. The max insurance you can get using Royal Mail International tracked is £250 so if an order is over that value you either need to have separate insurance to cover items in transit or use a courier with a higher insurance threshold (I’ve used transglobal express).
The other thing is that (for now) the de minimis threshold is $800 subject to the temperamental whims of Trump who has already removed it for items originating in China/ Hong Kong. At the current exchange rate that is about £600. If someone were to buy a couple of your more expensive pieces they would have to pay tariffs on the order and you would need to make sure that you are happy with what the relevant paper work is to make sure they pay the correct amount. For an order of that size it would be worth the paperwork brain ache though.
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I was told some years ago by the post office that once an item leaves the u.k tracking items can not be done so it’s pointless paying for it! Is this true. I did sell an emerald bracelet to New Zealand via a Folksy sale some years ago and i did send it by tracking. However, i couldn’t track it once it left the u.k. Thankfully the item did arrive 15 days later, but it put me off sending worldwide. I sold well within the the good old days of the European Union!
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Thanks for that Sasha. I did adjust my items to post to the USA but then trump tantrums started so i removed the option to post there. I would only select jewellery under a certain value to avoid any tariffs set by the USA government, that’s when they have one!
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I don’t know anything about sending jewellery but have sent a few bears to the US, some of which have been through Folksy. Not had any real problems, although I did laugh when a customer forgot she had ordered 2 bears and they turned up months after I had posted them. Apparantly they flew over, came back over the pond to the Uk then back over it again, eventually reached her address. I received a messaged on IG thanking me and saying they were months late but it was happy surpise as she had forgotten about them. I don’t think I would easily forget I had spent £200 
if it hadn’t arrived. Other than that I havn’t had any issues and it’s straight forward just needing a cn22 ĺabel, I always write my EORI number at the top as well and add the tariff codes, they seem,to get there quicker.
I was going to mention not sending signed for as well, my customers always ask for tracked only as it’s along way to pick the parcel up if they are not home when it arrives.
Thanks for that Chris, i will give it another go.
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Thanks for your time to reply. I will start to set up postage to them again.
Thanks for that Debbie. Not sure what you mean by codes though!
Are you feeling happier now? Hope you enjoyed your short break. I sold two cardigans to a repeat customer of over eight years which perked me up.
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Hi Gail, the tariff or commodity codes for the items for exporting for each item. I’m still not my usual self, I’m currently working on dolls and I do enjoy making them but I havn’t got my enthusiasm back yet, It will pass. I always say negativity brings more negativity so I need to put my positive head back on or nothing good will happen. Yesterday was a full moon so it wasn’t the right time to make business decisions or thank the universe for last month
Whitby Goth was great as usual, need a holiday now it’s not a restful break but we love it.
Pleased your order came in, it does make a huge difference doesn’t it.
I’ve lost 2 friends over the past 6 weeks, both sudden and unexpected, mixed together with Aprils hassle on here it set me questioning Bearlescents future and if there’s more to life. One passed away while we were in Whitby, I had spoken to her the night before we went as she had a rabbit for me to restore for her grandaughter and never got it posted in time so she said I will post it on Monday when you come back, I’m going to leave it a couple of months then contact a family member and I will do it for her…free obviously as Maureen really wanted it done and she bought it for her grandaughter when she was a baby. The other was a girl I worked with, she has battled cancer for years and had such a hard time then she fell, had to go to A & E and never came home.
Anyway I’m going to find that positive head again it cant be far away !
Very weird – as after Royal Mail tracking says it leaves the the UK, it still tracks to the USA.
For example – this was a couple weeks back – from the Royal Mail tracking page:
So, if you pay for International tracking, you can follow the journey of your package.
Hope this helps you.
~ Little1
Hi Gail, there is a useful government site where you can look up tariff codes, it’s a bit head-bending but the search function is quite good. The code will mostly depend on what the item’s made of, I’m guessing the knitwear will mostly come under the textiles section and the jewellery could come under different headings depending on whether it’s made with precious metals or not, I’m sure there are other people here who have figured it out so shout if you get stuck!
ETA: the good thing is that you only need to do it once for each item!
Debby,
I suppose the codes will come clearer. I did mark my items for postage to the USA but got put off after Trump tantrums, so i sat and removed each item for postage to the USA.
So sorry to hear your news. Your friends would want you to continue as i am sure they have given you support over the years.
Looking forward to seeing the dolls, so keep going girl; your products are fabulous.
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