Where to get a rice cooker?

[steveinbsas]

I want to try Mercado Libre but I also don't want some pain in the ass to deal with the post office... Is it straight forward or does it turn into an argentine quilumbo?

If you can't pick up the item directly from the seller's business (or domicile) and they don't offer local delivery by moto you can have the item sent to your home if the seller includes the option to use "mercado envios" (at an extra cost to the buyer or without cost, depending on the buyer''s "status" as well as the cost of the item).

Most often this means the shipment will be made by correo argentino, but it may also be made by OCA, OCASA, or Andriani. The buyer does not have a choice which company will make the shipment.

OCA and correo argentino will only make one delivery attempt and if you're not home when they do, you'll have to pick up the item at the closest sucursal. OCASA and Andriani will make two delivery attempts. All offer on line tracking which is easy to access from the buyer's Mercado Libre "mis compras" page.

The local drivers for all four usually call my cell phone to confirm that I am going to be home on the morning of the delivery. I almost always already know when they have the package and are on their way by checking the status of the delivery online about 9 AM.

At checkout when you make the purchase with mercado envios, you also have the option to arrange in advance to pick up the item yourself at the closest sucursal and the cost of the delivery will be about 20% less. As I live over ten kilometers from the post office, I always elect for the delivery to be made to my domicile.

Some sellers are also willing to make the shipment by "micro" (which means by bus/colectivo), but there is no delivery to domiciles. In that case the buyer has to pick up the item at the selected terminal. It is usually possible to pay the cost of the shipment when you pick up the item sent by micro. There is an additional charge for paying the cost of the shipment at the terminal (COD), but the shipping charges by micros are usually less than those of the four previously mentioned shipping companies.

I've made many dozens of purchases on mercad libre. None were ever lost, but a few items have been damaged during the shipment. In that case, it is necessary to make a claim (reclamo) with Mercado Libre. If the fault is due to mishandling to a well packaged item that was damaged during the shipment using the "mercado envios"option, Mercado Libre will refund the cost of the item and the cost of the shipment. When this happens it is not necessary to return the item to the seller, who will also be compensated for the sales price.

If the fault is the seller not properly packaging the item, Mercado Libre will authorize the buyer to return the item. In that case the buyer must print a return label and take the package to correo argentino. The buyer will not have to pay for the cost of the return and the full payment for the item plus the shipping cost will be credited to the buyer's credit card or mercado pago account (usually within a few hours, and never more than a day).

Mercado Libre always takes the side of the buyer. I have not lost one centavo in over ten years of buying on Mercado Libre, but it's never fun to have to take a package to the post office.

PS: You might need a DNI and CUIT/CUIL to register with and buy anything on Mercado Libre.

 

[jblaze5779]

Thanks for the info. I'm in neuquen so I doubt any sellers are based here.

This sounds like a ton of opportunities for shit to go south. I might start out with something small and if it gets sent anywhere other than my apartment I'll just let it go.

 

[steveinbsas]

Thanks for the info. I'm in neuquen so I doubt any sellers are based here.

Actually, there are quite a few. Enter what you are looking for in the ML serch box, click on enter, click on ubicacion and then "ver todos" ät the bottom of the list. You'll see a pop up box and you can scroll down to "neuqurn"vto see what's available.

I just searched for lamps (lamparas), furniture (muebeles), stoves (cocinas), and LED TV's.

The lists were tiny compared to Capital Federal, but if you wanted to buy only items from sellers in Neuquen, you would have some to choose from.

This sounds like a ton of opportunities for shit to go south. I might start out with something small and if it gets sent anywhere other than my apartment I'll just let it go.

There really aren't many opportunities for anything to go south. If you use mercado envios the seller will print the label and thee item will be delivered to the address you provide (and can reconfirm at the time of purchase). If the package is undeliverable and, even if you don't go to the post office to claim it, you will automatically receive a refund without having to make a reclamo.

 

[Stantucker]

I want to try Mercado Libre but I also don't want some pain in the ass to deal with the post office... Is it straight forward or does it turn into an argentine quilumbo?

Once I ordered from ML and I was sent a message saying the item was going to be delivered a certain day, without being given any specific window of time. I waited all day and it was never delivered. I called ML and told them to cancel the order and they did and refunded my money. Of course the problem was not ML but CA, but regardless, you have to get a reliable courier or it becomes your problem.

 

[Aloha Boy]

If you live in CABA, you can generally message the seller inside the mercado libre website, and arrange for either delivery, or to pick up in person. We bought a custom made side table for our kitchen last year, paid with a credit card, and they delivered it themselves to our house and carried it upstairs- no issue. On smaller items, I usually find a seller near enough I can jump on the subte or colectivo and get it myself- we only have an encargado in our building 5 mornings a week, so we try not to get stuff by mail. I have found the cheap sellers are almost always brick and mortar stores, and the mercado libre price is often cheaper than their walkin price, and they will give you their address in the private message function, or send you their email or whatsap for further correspondence.

Great. I'll just text them and do a pick up since I'm in CABA.