My bike's better than me!
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,337
Likes: 580
From: Northern Colorado
Bikes: Moots Vamoots, 'Dale T2000, DB Response Comp, '98 G. Fisher HKEK, '89 Panasonic DX-6000, '88 Fisher Montare XT, '83 Nishiki Int'l, '72 MB GR, '75 MB GJ, '77 MB LC, '85 Centurion Ironman, '82 Miyata 710
I have -- an NOS Stronglight bottom bracket from Austria that arrived about a week ago -- ahead of schedule, no issues. But my transaction may or may not be representative of what you're trying to do.
What you're trying to do isn't particularly complicated if ALGI is willing to do it. DHL, FedEx, and UPS are All. Over. The. Place. Your bike parts seller only has to be willing to make this transaction happen and any one of the above "common carriers" can walk them through, and handle, the paperwork. Generally, if import fees can be accurately assessed up front, there's often an option to collect those fees up front (from the seller). It's also very common (probably more common, IMHO) to have the package clear US Customs, and then the common carrier -- serving as the importer of record and paying those fees on your behalf -- will hold your package hostage, Stateside, until you compensate them for duties paid on your behalf.
The big common carriers' systems are *well* set up for this. For them, the concept is anything but new. It's just a lot more chaos than usual.
It's virtually an errand on the part of the seller. Whether or not they'd be willing to go the extra kilometer for you? I'd surely ask.
Why not?