Ordering, Shipping and Payment

We would like to get you your IPI packers and equipment on time for your project, so if you are not accustomed to international purchases of this kind you may find the following useful.

Ordering  

We normally will take an order by e-mail or fax, but we assume that you have done this as required by your organization (eg a Purchase Order).

Lead Times

Please allow plenty of time for your order to be available on site. Some standard items are ex-stock, but still take two or three days to prepare for shipping and sometimes the international payments systems and customs can add considerably to timescales. Normally we can have custom built packer systems available ex-works within 6 to 8 weeks, but the design and quotation process will add to that if your order is large and / or unusual.

Shipping, Documentation and Customs

We mainly airfreight and use leading international freight forwarding agents and couriers with whom we can pre-arrange shipping, to your local international airport. Payment is then included on your invoice. Alternatively we can ship using your agent if you supply your account details or get them to contact us. We can only ship “freight collect” if you already have a shippers account and we would suggest that in all cases you have a customs agent on stand by to expedite the customs process. In all cases you will have to settle any local taxes, fees and charges. Airfreight to most places in the world usually takes less than a week.

For bulkier orders (eg 1 tonne plus) sea freight makes more sense but it will obviously add time, although it is a lot cheaper. Perth ’s port is Fremantle, with regular sailings to nearby Singapore from which there are regular sailings to most of the worlds container ports.

Time through customs varies dramatically world wide, especially in areas that have high security or are lesser developed countries.

IPI will normally e-mail you an invoice and provide the shipping organization with what documentation they require, plus we have a explanatory document for the many customs staff in the world who have not come across an inflatable packer before. If you require different documentation or method (eg copies posted or faxed), please advise.

Payment

Only a few of our larger, more well established clients have account facilities with us and our normal payment terms are cash ex-works. We normally quote in Australian Dollars (AUD) and take electronic payments into our bank account.

Sometimes we may ask for a deposit and work will not commence until it is received.

Waiting for payments often holds up orders and shipping as it can take a week for money to come through some of the worlds banks and there are fees as both ends. We therefore prefer two other payment routes versus standard international bank payments:

Credit Card – we take Visa and Mastercard, for which we take payments in AUD with no surcharge. We also take Amex for which we have to add 2% to offset the extra cost. This is by far the most rapid and convenient method of payment for lower value purchases (eg less than AUD 10,000), especially as you can do it on line, yourself, through our bank’s web site.

For larger payments we prefer to use our foreign exchange service. They have collections accounts in all major currency areas, into which you should be able to pay using your own domestic electronic banking facility, with no fees. We can usually get a better rate than with normal bank services and the payment is much quicker with no fees for either of us. The only complexity is that we need to fix the amount you pay in your local currency when we raise your final invoice and you need to advise us when you have paid – but we both win!

For larger amounts we may take, subject to the advice of our bank, irrevocable letters of credit. Normally we would not do this for sums under AUD 50,000 as the extra costs and effort do not make it worthwhile. We may ask for letter of credit terms for larger amounts (eg greater than AUD 100,000), especially if this involves sea freight.

Insurance

Your shipment is at your own risk but if you wish we can arrange insurance.