Ordering from US (etsy)

I sell on Etsy. It's sort of the same idea as ebay, in that it's an online market place, however unlike ebay, you can't just stick up any old random things on it. Firstly you have to operate as a 'store', secondly the stuff you're selling has to be either created by you, or else antique or vintage. A lot of Etsy sellers operate a physical shop, but also sell through Etsy so they can appeal to a broader customer base.

Looking at the store you've picked, they certainly look very reputable. They've been operating since 2008, have over 800 reviews and a 5* rating, so they're definitely doing something right. Probably helps that all the jewelry is gorgeous too The helpdesk people on Etsy are very good, if you've got questions about buying or buyer protection, you can get in touch and they'll come back with answers for you. It might help put your mind at ease before you purchase. As a seller, any time I've had to use the helpdesk, I've found them excellent. I've bought numerous things on etsy over the years, and so far I've never had a problem.

As regards taxes, you'll certainly be charged VAT, and import duty also. If you get it shipped with FedEx, they pay the charges so your item can be delivered to you faster. They'll then invoice you for the duties, plus their admin fee. I had a ring made for my hubby for Christmas and it was shipped from the states via FedEx. The seller declared the value to be $100 (it was actually about $600 but I hadn't asked him to under-declare, he just did it himself) and the invoice I got from FedEx was about €40, although that included their fee, which was about a tenner. They work on a percentage scale, so that's something you need to be aware of - you'll get your item faster, but if it's a high value item, it can work out quite costly.

I would imagine the likes of UPS or DHL operate in a similar way, although looking at her store she offers USPS International Express, tracked and insured as her standard. Or you can ask her to use FedEx. If your carrier doesn't pay the landing fees for the ring, you'll have to go and pay customs yourself (they'll probably write or phone you to advise the package is there, and you need to pay for it). This happened to my brother in law, he ordered some sort of super-fancy custom bass guitar from the states, and once he paid the duties it was released. I'm not sure if it was then delivered to him, or whether he had to go out somewhere to pay and then he received it on the spot.

I found this handy doodad which might help you figure out what you'd roughly be looking at as regards import fees. I suppose the thing you want to weigh up is, if you buy the ring from there, will it be prohibitively expensive purely because of tax, or would it be nicer than something you'd get in Ireland, for round about the same price? If you're going to go ahead with it, I'd recommend giving Customs a buzz, and ask exactly what kind of price you'd be looking at, just so you know exactly what to expect when it arrives.

Hope that's been of some help, best of luck with everything

Congratulations!!!