A friend is settling in Austin, I wanted to get hiom a gift card for Allens Boots unfortunately they want more than $100 for the cheapest shipping option. I'm assuming it must be relatively cheap to mail an envelope to the UK, could anyone let me ship to them for onward shipment to me?

I can't help you with that since I am living in Mexico.

But... I suspect that some if not most of that $100 shipping charge may be customs duty. If you don't pay it on your end, then your friend in Texas will have to pay it on his.

Your best bet is to purchase the boots yourself and find someone who is flying to the U.S. and can carry the boots as part of his luggage, not in their original packaging but as an item of his personal apparel.

Then he can mail the boots to Texas relatively inexpensively by US Postal Service, or UPS, or Federal Express etc.

tanstaafl.

Customs wouldn't be 100%, that's probably just UPS next day air to London.

Why not just wait 'till he's here and then ship to him?

Did think that, but wanted to give it to him personally if at all possible. Would there be duty on a gift card? I think it's just the UPS charge.

If nobody has come through yet, I will gladly accept the card and then mail it on to you. I will PM you my address.

Thanks Rob, you should have a gift card on it's way to you.