Quote:
Originally Posted by
dsmivtr 
I wonder if origin is a factor. I've had numerous shoes shipped via FedEx delivered from the UK and I never had any courier-specific fees.
The 2nd and 3rd pair were in the same shipment or were they subsequent orders?
The 2nd and 3rd pair were in subsequent orders.
If using a specific shipper I believe courier fees are not levied in a country specific manner. Whether or not one is assessed a fee appears somewhat stochastic. For example, EG Jermyn Street always sends shoes using the same shipper and fills out the paperwork the same way every time. However, I've only paid fees once out of many shipments. I've had a similar experience with other UK based vendors- fees levied randomly despite similar paperwork and same shipper.
Frankly I think the safest bet to avoid fees is to use government post. It is the only shipping method I have used that has never resulted in fees. Many vendors refuse to do this now, however. I'm told it is due to the inability to track from point to point.