Bad experience with Amazon

[jp]

DHL held a used camera in customs, and demanded $300 USD to release it. Camera wasn't even worth $100 USD, but where's the leverage? Complained to DHL UK, they said it was a customs issue and it had been delivered safely. Yeah, safely into the hands of someone trying to tap up for a bribe.

Seems to be pot luck whether things get "taxed" or not. If in doubt, get someone to carry it in luggage.

 

[katti]

we work with DHL all the time (weekly, between belgium and Buenos Aires), we never had any problems.

 

[allcraz]

Hello. I am trying to purchase 2 books from Amazon and was under the impression that I could get them sent to an address in BA, but it won't accept the shipping address. It's not a P.O. box or anything like that. Is there a trick I don't know about? Thanks in advance.

 

[John.St]

....I was charged almost 300 pesos for duty!!! ...

Then the value indicated by Amazon should bee almost AR$ 600 - the import duty is 50%.

 

[John.St]

Hello. I am trying to purchase 2 books from Amazon and was under the impression that I could get them sent to an address in BA, but it won't accept the shipping address. It's not a P.O. box or anything like that. Is there a trick I don't know about? Thanks in advance.

On your Amazon account add a second address, the one in Argentina, before you order, or order as a gift.

 

[jimdepalermo]

I've ordered books, cds, and dvds from Amazon a number of times and never had a problem. I use the cheapest shipping and just wait, but they eventually show up at my door. Packages from other booksellers I've tried, including one in Spain, wound up at the Correo International. (I assume everyone knows what a hassle that is!)

Regarding express services, I find the US Post Office's Priority Mail International to be cheap, reliable, and fairly fast - they usually deliver in 4 or 5 business days. Only problem is that package tracking is a challenge, with overnight updates and multiple sites, depending on whether the package is still in the US (usps.com) or has arrived here (correoargentina.com.ar). But they've never lost anything, and my worst case delivery time was 8 or 9 days due to holidays both here and in the US.

I've had nothing but problems with FedEx, and I'll never use them again. If anyone is interested, I'll post a war story detailing hundreds of dollars in unnecessary costs due to the incompetence of the local FedEx franchisee.

For really important, must-arrive-at-any-cost, stuff, I use only DHL and bite my lip when I pay the USD 75 fee for a small envelope.