This page documents Fine Games International Shipping Rates by service class, destination country and shipping weight. Refer to this page in conjunction with our International Shipping Procedures explanation.

 

You are encouraged to view our rate charts in a compact PDF format using Adobe Acrobat. Download International Priority Mail rates for sure, and print our First Class and Express Mail rates if you choose. 

 

Download the free Acrobat PDF Viewer if you don't have it already.

Duties & Import Taxes are Your Responsibility

In all cases, we ship "Duties Due Unpaid (DDU)". You will be responsible to pay your nation's taxes or import duties upon delivery. This includes the EU nations as we simply do not ship enough to justify maintaing an agent to handle VAT collections there.

 

We have no knowledge of your nation's import duties policies. You must contact your customs people for that. We can tell you that nearly all shipments of are two category of goods under the Harmonized System tarriff coding: Board games, 9504.90, and magazines, 4902.90. Knowing these classifications should help you find the exact rate for incoming goods.

International Shipping Rate Chart -  Shipping via the US Postal Service

Fine Games assesses shipping charges based on actual shipping weight and service type (Priority, Express or First Class) using our shipping rate charts below (and available for download). 

 

These rates are updated at the beginning of each year. They were updated January 22, 2024. These rates supercede all others previously posted.

 

How to Use Our International Rate Charts (Procedure)

1. Determine whether to ship by PRIORITY  (the default), EXPRESS (fastest & most costly) or FIRST CLASS (max 4# weight) mail. Also, decide whether your order needs to be boxed for protection of the contents and also to allow being insurance.
   
   Priority mail typically takes 6-10 days for delivery, Express mail typically takes 3-5 days. First class varies but figure on 2-4 weeks, and package weight must be no more than 4.0 lbs.  Note that Priority mail is now available for nearly all nations, and most such shipments can now be insured as well.
   

2. Estimate the total shipping weight for the package in question. This is the total weights of all items you're thinking of PLUS additional weight of packing materials and exterior shipping container. Generally, packaging adds 1-3#s more to the total weight.
   

3. Locate your destination nation in the header of the appropriate chart below. Find the chart for Priority Mail, Express Mail or First Class Mail per your preference.
   

4. On the appropriate chart, cross-reference your nation with the shipping weight of the package. The result is the cash-basis price for a shipment of that weight, via that service class, to you. 

Guidelines & Additional Information

• You will always be charged the correct amount for each shipment based on the chart above. If you'd sent or were charged too much given actual shipping weight, your account will be credited; if you paid too little, your account will be debited.

• Priority shipments should take from 6-10 days, but does vary beyond this. Express shipments should arrive within 3-5 days but are not guaranteed. Please be patient as neither you nor I have any control over actual shipment time. 

• Shipment will be confirmed with tracking info by email. Packages are traceable but only to a limited extent, however. Typically, you'll see the last U.S. facility listed, then nothing for a few days, then something to acknowledge arrival at your customs or postal facility.

• Shipping charges cover all costs involved in delivering your games to you. This includes, of course, the direct cost of shipping. But it also includes packaging materials, local transportation to the shipping point, insurance and and labor for all of the above. Read more about shipping costs.

• Maximum shipping weight is varies by nation but can be as little as 44# per package. Still lighter packages are advised to reduce the risk of damage. There may be additional restrictions imposed by each destination country on the size and weight of each package.

• We guarantee the safe delivery of the items you order and insure or self-insure packages to achieve this. There are some limitations to this beyond our control, however:
  

  • Shipments to a handful of countries that the USPS deems 'high risk' cannot be insured; in these instances you assume the risks of loss or damage. This applies only to shipments to specific nations. Currently, this rarely pertains to countries we ship to.

  • All First Class shipments cannot be insured nor tracked. They are sent at your risk, and the price you pay for shipping reflects that trade-off.
    

• You are responsible for any applicable taxes and import duties. Your purchases are just that, a purchase and not a gift. Fine Games does not falsify custom documents, sorry.

• When paying by check or money order, I suggest sending enough to cover 1 or 2 pounds above the estimate so that there will no delay in shipping. In all cases, you ultimately pay only for actual shipping weight. Excess funds will be refunded or held on account, at your option.

Express International USPS, or UPS Delivery Rates

Expedited courier delivery in 2-4 days is available from UPS. Please contact us for rate info once you've decided upon the bundle of items you're interested in. Note that expedited shipping rates are quite expensive and range between double to quadruple those of USPS Priority Mail shipping given above. Yes, Really! Orders must be received by about 1pm our time to ship on a given day. And using UPS increases the risks & costs of customs assessments..

Shipping Rates

Priority Mail International is now the de facto standard shipping method. It applies to virtually all nations, can be insured, provides some tracking, and provides delivery in 6-10 days (approximately). Only if your shipment is very light or you want the fastest delivery possible should you consider other options (below). 

Express International Mail offers the fastest delivery. As long as you're willing to pay a premium to shave a few days off the delivery time, this is the way to go. It also provides insurance, applies to all nations, and can be tracked. Delivery time is not guaranteed. Download our Express Mail Rates as a PDF document for rates. But note that it is exceedingly rare that we use this service as games are simply not that urgently needed to warrant the extra cost of this service.

First Class International Mail offers some savings over Prioity Mail, but is limited to packages weighing no more than 4 pounds (1.81kg). The item is sent UNinsured. Shipment is therefore at your risk once it is mailed.  Download our First Class International Rates as a PDF document for rates.

In general, it is useful only up to 2# weight, and only if you're willing to wait a few days longer for delivery and forego insurance (at your risk).But a coupld of magazine-games can be shipped this way for roughly a $10US savings.