Deskthority Secret Santa 2015

[7bit]

Got all 4 copies of my giftee's address. Guess I'm good to go.

This can be explained:
1: without username
2: people wanted to see the username
3: Findecanor wanted to be out ...
4: 7bit forgot to save the changed script ...


BTW: Should my Secret Santa be from outside of EU:

Please fill in a customs declaration.

Nondelivery option is "Return to sender!"

The customs declaration should contain a value. Do not declare as gift!

The HTS-code for keyboards, etc. is: 8471 60 20 00.

Also, please add something like an invoice outside of the package:

Example:

Code: Select all

My address                                Your address

Model F 122 key industrial gray, new ...............$80,-
Space Cadet Keyboard, used, non-functional .........$10,-
Total ..............................................$90,-

Payment received, Thanks for your purchase.

[Muirium]

Good news: I got my giftee's address. Four times.
Also good news: It was the same all four times. Phew!

I had a pretty good guess who it is. Even before the bot told me…

I got the mail, but maybe a conversion from Unicode -> ASCII took place? There are odd characters in it...

...and 7bit comes through with a fix. Unless European languages are *supposed* to contain LaTeX escape chars. You guys do have a lot of weird diacritcs.

Oh boy…

My giftee has some Latex escape characters. I can guess what they mean. Don't think the post office can understand them though!

[Findecanor]

3: Findecanor wanted to be out ...

I did not say that I wanted to be out. I wanted to be in but first I got the message that I didn't get in. I got the impression that 7bit had left me out on purpose, as if he held a grudge against me or something.
Then I found a post on a Swedish forum about a guy who wanted what I had intended to gift, so I sold it to him. It is packed an going tomorrow.
When I got this new mail about being on the list again, a week later, it was too late. I was already out.

[Muirium]

If my Santa is outside Europe, please *DON'T* do this!

The customs declaration should contain a value. Do not declare as gift!

The HTS-code for keyboards, etc. is: 8471 60 20 00.

Also, please add something like an invoice outside of the package:

Example:

Code: Select all

My address                                Your address

Model F 122 key industrial gray, new ...............$80,-
Space Cadet Keyboard, used, non-functional .........$10,-
Total ..............................................$90,-

Payment received, Thanks for your purchase.

I'd wind up paying at least $40 to get it back from Parcelforce's clutches. Mark it as gift for goodness sake! Value $20.

Actually, if my Santa's outside Europe, they're better off sending to my American address anyway. (Already supplied I hope!) So there's no problem really.

[shrubbry]

Okay, so as long as my recipient is Murium or 7bit, I know what I should put on the customs declaration. Unfortunately - and I don't think I need a spoiler alert here - my giftee is in Europe, and is neither 7bit nor Murium. Is there some kind of general consensus on how I should mark the package?

[XMIT]

I got my Secret Santa assignment!

I think it would be good to put international shipping preferences here (though arguably they should have been part of the initial PM to CherryMX).

So: if my Secret Santa is outside of the US, please use your discretion. We don’t usually need to pay Customs on incoming items under $2500 or so. But please, do send 7bit a PM with the tracking number (unless he says to do something else with it).

In case my recipient is outside the US: I plan to mark my outgoing package as a gift, as Muirium suggested, since it is in fact a gift. I can’t say where my Secret Santa is.

I will send 7bit a PM with the tracking number of my outbound package. If it doesn’t appear at its destination within three weeks of me sending it, I’ll look into it further.

[webwit]

I agree with Muirium, it's not nice if you have to pay import costs for a gift.

[matt3o]

there's a customs form for "samples not for resale" or "replacement for defective goods", you do not pay import taxes on those (usually)

[Madhias]

Drew an oversee ticket! I'll send it as gift, with a value of $20.

[seebart]

Drew an oversee ticket! I'll send it as gift, with a value of $20.

Same here. Oh well.

[gogusrl]

same here

[Halvar]

If you send a gift to Germany from outside the EU, the recipient will have to pay import tax unless a) the value of the gift is under 45€ and b) the sender is an individual (not a business).

So I'd say fill out a green customs sticker declaring it well under 45€ if realistically possible and a gift. Try to make the content of the package look like a gift and not like an ebay shipment, and make sure that the sender's address can't be mistaken for a company (i.e. don't use your forum nickname or something like that). Don't attach or put in an invoice (unless the recipient wrote the opposite in this thread because he's given up on convincing customs).

[kbdfr]

[…] Try to make the content of the package look like a gift and not like an ebay shipment […]

Perhaps it would also be a good idea to wrap the parcel as what it is: a Christmas present:




I would have recommended adding a sticker "Do not open before Christmas",
but I fear ill-minded customs officers

[Madhias]

Great idea, kbdfr! I actually want to send now the package like a christmas package!

[andrewjoy]

I cannot say who will be getting my gift but would you guys think its ok to buy it and get it gift wrapped by a certain online retailer ? That way i can save on shipping as i can buy it on the US version of that retail site.

[Muirium]

Aye.

[andrewjoy]

I think i will just do what i always do with gifts , just buy what i would want in the price range and hope they like it.

[Muirium]

Now would be a good time for everyone to list what kind of stuff they have / are into; as we've got decisions to make but don't want to spoil the surprise by asking.

Here's my guide:

http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/how ... ml#p217271

[XMIT]

I was planning to simply forum stalk my recipient. Sure, post what you want or are in to, this will help as well.

[Muirium]

I've got a tricky one. Mine is cagy. Not really sure what they're into or have already.

[andrewjoy]

thats a good idea , time to stalk!

[kbdfr]

I will be satisfied with anything I get, even if small, of limited value and/or not quite my usual line of interest,
provided of course it is keyboard related.

But of course I might comment on my gift here

[lolpes]

I am doing what XMIT said, i had some stuff already planned, but now I don't know if it the person will like it or not need more research!

[andrewjoy]

My stalker should know my views on MX browns

They suck.

I am interested in

Big Trackballs
IBM
Vintage ALPS ( AEK1 SGI Bigfoot BLUE ALPS)
PBT
Hall Effect

[Muirium]

Blue Alps, eh?

Spoiler:

Yoink!


http://deskthority.net/post264475.html#p264475

Are you planning an Alps 60%? If so, I may be able to half them with you. You know, if you fancy clicky blues on the alphas and something quieter on the mods. I've got a hundred of them. Not quite enough for two full 60%s but well more than just one.

I'm not expecting anything in particular. But if fortune hooks me up with someone with excess Alps goodies, she's done us proud!

[andrewjoy]

The stalking was a good idea. I have now changed my mind on what to get as its will be more useful to the person i think.

/cry

but i guess that there will be something in there that is as awesome as blue alps.

[kbdfr]

When I was a kid, Santa Claus b y standard ignored specific wishes and made kids happy all the same.
Nowadays this seems to have become a special service

[andrewjoy]

For me i will be happy whatever i get, but i just enjoy looking for something that that person will know that i put some effort into thinking that they would like it. Somtimes i just buy them what i would want to buy for myself but that only works if they live in the same house ... so i can use it too

[Muirium]

@Kbdfr: Well, we are a picky bunch here. I'll be grateful for whatever I get — I know I might be a tough kid for my Santa! — but you and I make a good example. If Santa gives you some MX goodies, you likely already have it. If Santa gives me some MX goodies, I might not have any way to use it. But if he gave a newb those goodies, they'd be amazed. Tricky stuff, picking for connoisseurs.

I also accept chocolate as a tasty fallback…

[seebart]

I love how this is turning into a "unobtrusive expectations" thread.