Q: When I can I send you a shipping request?
A: You can send us a (shiprequest)shipping request as soon as (items)your item is listed as "in stock" on (items)your items page. This means it has arrived at our Japanese warehouse, and we can ship it to you any time after that.
You can choose to have your item shipped right away, or you may choose to wait for other items and have them shipped together to help save shipping costs. It's your choice!
Q: I've won a lot of auctions and paid you for them. Why haven't you shipped them to me yet?
A: Whenever possible, we try to hold your auction wins and purchased items for combined international shipment. Most customers bid on multiple auctions or make purchases from multiple websites at the same time and would like their purchases shipped all together to help reduce the cost of international shipping. As much as possible, we let our customers decide when they are ready for a package, so they can choose between having their items arrive more quickly or a lower shipping cost for a combined shipment.
You can (items)check your items page to see if your items have arrived at our Japanese storage facility. If they have and you are ready for a shipment, you can (shiprequest)send us a shipping request.
However, please note that for many reasons, including but not limited to the nature of the items won and our limited storage space, we may need to prepare a package without a direct shipping request. Thank you for understanding!
Q: The seller says they will ship internationally. Can you request the seller to send the item directly to me?
A: No, all items must first be shipped to the Celga warehouse facilities in Japan. This is the only way we can ensure that your items were received from the seller in good condition.
Q: Is my international shipment insured?
A: We STRONGLY prefer to ship internationally via EMS, which automatically includes package insurance for the declared amount up to 20,000 yen. You can purchase insurance for shipments of greater declared value for an additional cost.
Items shipped via SAL or other methods cannot be insured, although they can be tracked.
Please note that as stated in the (useragreement)User Agreement, you bear the sole risk should an uninsured package be damaged or lost.
Q: Where can I track my international package?
A: You can check on the status of any trackable shipment via either the
(http://tracking.post.japanpost.jp/service/jsp/refi/DP311-00100.jsp?locale=en) Japan Post web site or the
(http://www.usps.com/shipping/trackandconfirm.htm?from=global&page=0035trackandconfirm)US Post Office website for packages bound for the United States. You can also track EMS shipments via the the (http://www.ems-post.jp/index.php)EMS post web site.
Q: Can you declare a lower value for my items so I don't have to pay so much in customs duties?
A: If we declare a lower value, the package can only be insured for the declared amount. If your items are lost or damaged in shipment, you will not be able to make an insurance claim for more than the declared value, no matter what the purchase price was. As stated in our (useragreement)User Agreement, any reimbursement for lost or damaged shipments is from the insurance settlement only, so if the package insurance does not cover the actual costs of your items, you run the risk of loss.
Also, we have feedback from our customers that the customs departments in some countries will open the packages and charge duties on a higher value if they believe the declared value of the items is too low. We have no control over the actions of any country's customs officials, and you are responsible for any customs duties your country charges.
Q: What shipping services are available for international shipments?
A: We use three main shipping methods: EMS, e-packet, and surface mail. Please note that due to COVID, shipments may take an extra long time and cost more than pre-COVID. Please inquire for specific rates.
EMS is the fastest, the most reliable, trackable, and insurable. For these reasons it is our preferred shipping method. It is not always the most expensive service.
E-Packet is similar to old 'small packet', but is new and we are not sure of all of the restrictions/limitations yet.
Surface Mail is the slowest method, is not trackable, and is not insurable. Packages can take up to 3 months to arrive. We recommend this method mostly for items that would be prohibitively expensive or impossible to ship by other methods (such as heavy shipments of books).
In addition, there are also the following methods available:
Small packet shipments are no longer available for packages up to 2 kg (4.4 lbs). It has been replaced with e-packet. This is an inexpensive method, but is the least reliable and tracking is not available. The post office will not trace these packages at all, so shipments sent this way are at your sole risk.
DHL is also available worldwide, but can be prohibitively expensive.
Q: How much will it cost to ship my items to me?
A: We don't know exactly how much international shipping to you will be until we have your items packed up and ready to go. Since we don't charge a flat rate for shipping to help save you money, we have to weigh each package to know exactly how much it will cost.
We prefer to ship via EMS, although other methods are available. For detailed postal rates on each shipping service, please inquire as COVID has changed many postal restrictions, delivery times, and prices.
Q: Are there any restrictions on the size and weight of the packages I can request?
A: Although most auction items can be easily shipped to you via EMS or SAL, there are certain size and weight restrictions for each service. When shopping for items or making bid requests, please keep these limits in mind:
Weight: Maximum of 30kg (66 lbs)
Length/Height/Width:
A = the longest dimension of the package (must be 1.5m (4.9 ft) or less)
B = the second-longest dimension of the package
C = the third-longest dimension of the package
A+(B+C)x2 must be less than:
3m (9.8 ft) if shipping to Europe or Asia
2.75m (9 ft)if shipping to USA
For small packet shipments:
Weight: Maximum 2 kg (4.4 lbs)
A+B+C must be less than 90 cm, and A (the longest dimension of the package) must be less than 60 cm.
Please see (http://www.post.japanpost.jp/english/fee/intel/sal.html) for more information about dimension and weight limits.
If you have any questions about the size of your item and whether or not it will meet these requirements, please (contactus)contact us!
Q: Why are you shipping my items? I haven't sent a shipping request!
A: Whenever possible, Celga defaults to holding your items until you request an international shipment. Combining items this way helps you to save on the high cost of international shipping. We try to let you decide when you're ready for a package - this way, you can determine if you want items faster or wait to combine more items to reduce cost (but remember, heavier packages do cost more to ship!).
However, please understand that due to the nature and quantity of your items and our limited storage facilities, there are times when we'll have to prepare a package for you without an explicit shipping request. We handle thousands of auctions a month, and we need to move out older items to make room for new ones coming in! For most customers who request shipments regularly every month or two, this should never be an issue.
Q: Why are you sending my items in multiple packages when I made only one shipping request?
A: If your items are very fragile, particularly heavy, or unusually large, we may not be able to combine everything into a single package. Our shipping staff has a great deal of experience with packaging items for international shipment, and their primary concern is the safe arrival of your items. In the rare event that this happens we'll do our best to notify you ahead of time and work with you to make the best decisions for your
specific items.
Q: How do I pay for international shipping?
A: When your items have been packed up for international shipment, we'll send you an invoice for the amount due. It will also list the full URLs of the auction items or descriptions of the shop items in the package, and it will include your tracking number (if applicable). You can pay this invoice with any of our (genpayment)accepted methods of payment.
Q: Why doesn't the tracking number in my international shipping invoice work?
A: We assign tracking numbers for international packages at the time they are packed. However, they are not entered into the online tracking systems until at least 12 hours after the package is actually mailed at the post office, which may be a day or more after we have assigned the number. Sometimes it takes up to 4 days after we've sent a package from our office for the tracking number to be registered online. The EMS tracking information is usually not updated during weekends or (mischolidays)holidays, so even though your package may be on its way, the web site may not reflect its progress for several days. So if your tracking number doesn't work right away, it doesn't necessarily mean we haven't shipped your package – there may be just an information delay!
Also please understand that Celga will not send any international package until your entire outstanding balance is paid – both your international shipping invoice and any other outstanding invoices.
If your tracking number still doesn't work 5 days after you've received your international shipping invoice and all your outstanding invoices have been paid, please (contactus)contact us and we'll do our best to let you know the status of your package!
Q: How long will it take my international package to reach me?
A: Depending on the method used to ship your package, it can take anywhere from 5 days to several months for a package from our Japanese facilities to reach you. Please check our (shiphow)shipping methods information for the estimates for each shipping service.
Please understand that Celga has no control over what happens to your package once we send it out, and that customs processing in your specific country can add quite a bit of time to delivery! If your package has a tracking number you can check your package's progress through the (shiptrack)tracking pages available online.
If there appear to be any issues with your package, please (contactus)contact us and we'll do our best to help you!
Q: How much will customs duties be on my items?
A: As we ship to hundreds of countries around the world, each of which has their own labyrinth of customs rules and fees, we have no way of predicting what customs duties, if any, will be applied to any specific package. We suggest that you contact the customs office in your country with your questions. Please remember that you are responsible for any custom duties that may apply.
Q: Since this item is a gift, can you ship it directly to my friend instead of to me?
A: We strongly prefer to send items directly to our customer due to potential issues with lost packages. However, we will discuss this on an individual basis – please (contactus)contact us with you information if you want to request this service.
Q: I live near the Celga California address. Can I just pick my items up there?
A: Celga maintains only a mailing address in California and does not have any business facilities in the USA which are open to customers. All items are mailed directly from our Japanese warehouse facilities.
