Shipping laptop to Mexico - Any experience or suggestions?!

[underclocker]

Hello. I would like to accommodate a request to ship a laptop to Mexico, but it seems rather difficult, costly and potentially risky. I have shipped to many places in the world, but Mexico (and Canada) seem the most complicated (so far).

Basically, 1) what shipper is recommended, 2) is it safe, likely to actually arrive, and 3) what about custom's taxes? The laptop is approx. $300.

Thank you in advance.

[RealBlackStuff]

Ship it General Delivery (Poste Restante) to a US Post Office in a US/Mexican bordertown and let receiver worry about getting it into Mexico.
Deliveries to Mexico are probably worse than to Italy, where well over 70% seems to disappear into the 'hands' of the post office staff.

[MaxRoy77]

Hi guys,

Thanks RealBlackStuff for the info.

It's me underclocker is talking about.

I am canadian renting for 3 months in Rocky Point (Sonora, Mexico):
- about 1h from the border city LUKEVILLE in Arizona (don't know if there is a post office)
- about 4h from TUCSON, Arizona

I can easily get the computer through the border once I pick it up in USA.

I did not know one can ship to a US Post Office ... should I call one and let them know ?

[MaxRoy77]

In the United States, the US Postal Service uses the term general delivery and reserves the term poste restante for international mail sent to general delivery. Mail is addressed as follows:—

Mrs. Jane Q. Smith
General Delivery
Washington DC 20090-9999

In the ZIP+4 code, the add-on code for general delivery is 9999. The main post office in a community will hold such mail for up to 30 days. This may be a different post office from where oversized packages and registered mail are held for any particular zip code. Note that many post offices within a medium to large city do not have general delivery, and mail addressed to these zip codes will either be forwarded to the Main Post Office or returned to sender.

Sounds good, but risky anyway ....

What do you think ?

[underclocker]

I will call and ask them if this is possible.

LUKEVILLE Post Office™
175 HWY 85
LUKEVILLE, AZ 85341-5300
(520) 387-6364

I suppose I'm not really covered with PayPal because the shipping address won't be confirmed. We can discuss via PM after I contact the Post Office.

[hausman]

I will call and ask them if this is possible.

LUKEVILLE Post Office™
175 HWY 85
LUKEVILLE, AZ 85341-5300
(520) 387-6364

Note the Wikipedia entry above. The way I read it, you will need to address the package like this:

Code: Select all

Mr ThinkPad Buyer
General Delivery
Lukeville, AZ 85341-9999

BTW what's complicated about sending stuff to Canada?

[jdhurst]

<snip>
BTW what's complicated about sending stuff to Canada?

Absolutely nothing. Put an address on it and ship. .... JDH

[hausman]

Absolutely nothing. Put an address on it and ship. .... JDH

I was referring to underclocker's original post where he says, "I have shipped to many places in the world, but Mexico (and Canada) seem the most complicated (so far)."

The only caveat for US-based vendors who ship stuff up here is to never, ever use UPS (as opposed to USPS.) UPS has a longstanding policy of charging outrageous brokerage fees to collect federal and provincial sales taxes. Their brokerage fees are generally much more than the taxes they collect on behalf of Canada Customs. And then to add insult to injury they charge those same taxes on the brokerage "service" itself.

[underclocker]

My recent shipment to Canada (sub $300 laptop) via UPS required a signed commerical bill of sale in triplicate with extra fees and the online status still reads;

PACKAGE DATA PROCESSED BY BROKERAGE. WAITING FOR CLEARANCE

What on Earth does anyone do with triplicate forms these days?

FedEx required the same forms, plus a huge fee for handling the customs processing.

I've shipped to Indonesia and it was much easier.

I suppose we are all spoiled by how easy UPS, USPS & FedEx have made domestic shipping. Just "click & ship".

[jdhurst]

<snip> I was referring to underclocker's original post where he says, "I have shipped to many places in the world, but Mexico (and Canada) seem the most complicated (so far)."
<snip>

Yes, I know. And I apologize that I was not clear. I was aiming the remark (cynically) at the thread. I shipped an 85lb scope from Toronto to Beaverton for repair and to be returned to me. No big deal (other than that it costs a lot money to ship such weight. .... JDH

[jdhurst]

My recent shipment to Canada (sub $300 laptop) via UPS required a signed commerical bill of sale in triplicate with extra fees and the online status still reads;
<snip>

It's a problem with your shipper, not with Canada. Shippers like to make things as complicated as can be to justify the high brokerage and shipping fees they charge. .... JDH

[MaxRoy77]

I will call and ask them if this is possible.

LUKEVILLE Post Office™
175 HWY 85
LUKEVILLE, AZ 85341-5300
(520) 387-6364

I suppose I'm not really covered with PayPal because the shipping address won't be confirmed. We can discuss via PM after I contact the Post Office.

Thanks for the help ! I really appreciate.
Actually I am at 50 miles from LUKEVILLE. Sounds like the best place to send it.

Let me know monday , when you call.
Waiting impatiently to find a way to get this new lappy...

[MaxRoy77]

There is another option.

I can also drive to the Tucson or Phoenix area to pick it up, so if any member want to help here, and have the lappy send to their place ?!

Any other suggestion , also welcome

[Harryc]

I've shipped to Canada many, many times, including to one person in this thread. I always use USPS, and it is one simple form. You have a choice of First class Mail (under 4 lbs) or Priority (or Express) Mail International. Both methods are via airmail and reliable. To Ed; require a direct funds xfer into your bank account (request that the buyer pay all xfer fees) and forget about Paypal. You are correct that Paypal will not cover you if you ship to an unconfirmed address, in fact I don't think they cover the seller if you ship anywhere outside the US, but this rule may have changed recently, check with Paypal. I also didn't know about the General Delivery thing, but that also sounds like good advice. As a side note, another little known fact about Paypal is that they charge the seller for a currency conversion if the buyer pays in a different currency.

[underclocker]

You guys are right about Canada, no issues with USPS. I did not know this before, but I offered the buyer either UPS or FedEx or USPS. Now I understand

At least now the UPS box has been granted "clearance" and is on the way, see below;

Exception Reason: PACKAGE DATA PROCESSED BY BROKERAGE. WAITING FOR CLEARANCE
Exception Status/Resolution: RECEIVER'S CUSTOMS BROKER HAS BEEN ASSIGNED. THE SHIPMENT IS NOW RELEASED TO MOVE IN TRANSIT (RESOLUTION)

I spoke to an agent at the Lukeville Post Office, they said the person must live in Lukeville to receive a general delivery item. Another option would be if the person had a post office box in Lukeville.

[MaxRoy77]

Thanks underclocker for the info.

I guess I'll stop by and ask about PO BOX for non-local resident.

[hausman]

You guys are right about Canada, no issues with USPS. I did not know this before, but I offered the buyer either UPS or FedEx or USPS. Now I understand

One of the frustrations that Canadians have with buying stuff from the US, and this includes both from individuals on eBay as well as large organizations with dedicated shipping departments, is that often UPS is the only shipping option offered. I realize UPS is usually cheaper for the sender but I'd happily pay more for USPS because it will cost me a lot less in the end. I suspect a lot of US eBay sellers get bad feedback from Canadian buyers after they've been raped by UPS. It's not the seller's fault but they get the blame nevertheless.

Exception Status/Resolution: RECEIVER'S CUSTOMS BROKER HAS BEEN ASSIGNED. THE SHIPMENT IS NOW RELEASED TO MOVE IN TRANSIT (RESOLUTION)

Translation: This guy's dealt with UPS before, he's been raped before and he knows about the secret option to use the broker of his choice. So he refused UPS' brokerage "service" and asked them to refer the shipment to his own broker who will charge him a lot less for the same clearance service.

[RealBlackStuff]

You living in or near Toronto, how about setting up a PO Box or contact address in e.g. Niagara Falls and have your stuff shipped there?

[hausman]

contact address in e.g. Niagara Falls and have your stuff shipped there?

Yup. I have a neighbor with family in Buffalo. I also visit people in Pennsylvania 2 or 3 times a year. However not everyone has similar arrangements and/or sometimes you just want stuff delivered ASAP. USPS works great -- if you can convince the seller to not use UPS.