Bad experience with Amazon

[purpleyogi]

I ordered some books from Amazon.com to here in Buenos Aires, in the first week of May thru expedited international shipping. The estimated delivery date was June 8 and my package hasn't arrived yet. The worst part is that I dont even know where it is, as Amazon doesn't provide tracking information for some international destinations, Argentina being one.
They have offered me a refund on the shipping charges already. And they said they will send another shipment with no additional cost, if I dont receive the package by June 23.
It seems weird that it has taken more than a month already. I am also sure that it wouldn't be at the customs, as its only books. I cannot even check at the local post office as they are asking for a tracking no. I needed those books for an exam, and all this has pushed my schedule to a bit on the worrier side.
I know some people here have ordered things successfully from Amazon before. But anyone with a similar experience to mine?

 

[EvergreenGal]

The only way I have found to get items delivered to your home is with the USPS...Express Mail International...

I would have a friend order the books and then have the friend mail it to you...that is the best way.

Label the items as a "gifts", that way you pay no duties. You can say contents are "used books"...it's expensive but you will get your books. Put the value low under 100 dollars, if that is the true value great, if not, fudge on the price

No receipts inside of box or anything that will show the value.

This is a game to get things here, but this one works! Best of luck!!

If you go to their website you can find the shipping costs per pound...Argentina is zone 9..

I would guess your books are sitting in the P.O. downtown...

 

[katti]

I just ordered books from amazon, they were to arrive around the 2nd of june. They arrived yesterday!!!
So don't give up hope (yet!).
I also realised that a letter needs just more then 3 weeks to go from Europe to argentina!! Patience is a great gift when you are in Argentina

 

[cujodu]

Sounds like something that's the norm rather than a problem. The mail here doesn't work. Nice that Amazon is giving a refund and reshipping. I'd say it's actually a pretty good outcome.

 

[enortham]

How many books did you order? I've had them get stuck in customs once when I ordered around 10 books. I didn't have to pay anything but had to go and pick them up which was rather annoying. I've made smaller orders before with no problems.

 

[LiXueLee]

Reading this thread is making me very happy that we have a Kindle! For those of you coming from the States who plan on staying awhile, bring one with you before you get here if you can swing it!

 

[purpleyogi]

Thanks. I ordered 5 books only. When you said customs, where exactly did you go in Buenos Aires? Also, is the name/delivery address enough for them to check if they have the package?

How many books did you order? I've had them get stuck in customs once when I ordered around 10 books. I didn't have to pay anything but had to go and pick them up which was rather annoying. I've made smaller orders before with no problems.

 

[purpleyogi]

ok. i guess all's well that ends well. here's my story.
my package never arrived. i blasted amazon and they gave a total refund. they goofed up there and gave me an additional refund of $50 too.
i promptly placed another order , this time with priority shipping

it arrived bang before time today (tuesday) and i only ordered it last thursday. the carrier was DHL and despite their bad reputation, they delivered perfectly. there was a minor holdup in between (when tracking info showed as Delayed, i called up. they just asked me for my details etc. and said that they will deliver it right away. i guess they just need your passport no. or id proof etc. when you call).

i still dont know where my old package is. it might be lying at the customs or at the post office. i never received a note either. i still want to recover that package and donate the books if possible. (any ideas anyone?)

now i am thinking, the value of the lost package was more than $100 and the delivered one is less than $100 (as 1 book wasn't available when i ordered the 2nd time). Could that be an issue? Clueless!!!

Bottomline is Priority Shipping worked for me with Amazon and Expedited International Shipping didn't.

 

[EvergreenGal]

Glad all ended up well for you!! Suprised DHL came through....but it might have been do to the fact that you called them too.

After all my suggestions on how to ship...well that system seems to be broken or it was just the luck of the draw the day my box went through. It got to my home...BUT....I was charged almost 300 pesos for duty!!! It was half of that then there was another page and it was doubled!! The guy didn't know anything...clueless as to how they decide the amount...the box weighed about 10 or so pounds....CRAP!! It was important items inside and had to have them one way or another...this is just the first time I have been hit hard with the duty!!! The box wasn't opened...so they must have scanned it and determined the value? I had it as $50.00...

Guess we could have refused it and gone to the post office from hell and "maybe" got the fee reduced...just not worth the energy and they would open it and more BS...

No boxes for a while, that is for sure!!

 

[kurtdillard]

Why do you guys say that DHL has a bad reputation? I've used them dozens of times for international shipments between Argentina, the US, and other countries without any problems ever. They've quickly moved electronics through customs and collected the taxes from me on delivery. They've attempted redelivery when nobody has been home to sign for things. I've tried the USPS and became exceedingly frustrated because of how slow they are, I had a shipment of books from Amazon take 4 or 5 weeks. The Argentine postal service 'lost' an endorsed check that I sent for deposit to my US bank, pretty stupid since I marked the check 'for deposit only' with my account number, whoever stole it never did anything with it.