1. Our US receiving address
Items are shipped by the US retailer to our own receiving address. We check every parcel in against the request it belongs to, inspect the contents, photograph anything that isn’t as expected, and record its weight and dimensions.
2. How freight is charged
Air freight is charged on chargeable weight: whichever is greater of the parcel’s actual weight and its volumetric weight. Volumetric weight is calculated as:
length (cm) × width (cm) × height (cm) ÷ 5000
This is why the freight line on your quote is an estimate until we have the parcel. Where it is safe to do so, we repack items to reduce volume — a shoe box inside a shipping carton is often charged as three times its real weight.
3. Consolidation
If you have several requests in flight, we can hold them at our US address and send them as a single shipment so that international freight is paid once. Consolidation typically adds a few days of holding time. Tell us on your request if you would like us to wait.
4. Duty, GST and customs
- NZ Customs assesses duty and GST at the border. AmeriKiwi does not set these charges and does not mark them up.
- We estimate them on your quote, pay them on your behalf where required, and pass on the documentation.
- Thresholds and rates change. Our estimate is based on the rules as we understand them on the day we quote.
- Customs may inspect any parcel. Inspection can add days and, occasionally, cost.
AmeriKiwi is not a licensed customs broker. Where a shipment requires formal entry or a broker’s involvement, we will tell you and you may need to engage one.
5. Timeframes
Two to four weeks end to end is typical: retailer dispatch, US domestic transit, our check and repack, air freight, clearance, then local courier. These are indicative, not guaranteed. Pre-orders and made-to-order items take as long as the retailer takes.
6. Delivery in New Zealand
Final delivery is by a tracked courier to the address on your request. Someone may need to sign. If a delivery fails, the courier’s card process applies, and we will help you chase it.
7. Damage, loss and shortfalls
Tell us within seven days of delivery if something is damaged, missing or incorrect, and send photographs including the outer packaging. We keep our own inbound photographs of every parcel, which makes it much easier to establish where a problem occurred. Carrier claims are subject to the carrier’s own limits and timeframes.
8. Dangerous goods
Air carriers prohibit a long list of goods — flammable liquids, aerosols, loose lithium batteries, compressed gases and more. We screen for these before quoting. If a prohibited item reaches our US address despite that, we cannot fly it, and disposal or US-side re-sale may be the only options.