Ordering from Amazon

[gloryboy]

I just have a quick question about ordering from Amazon in South Africa. Do they use the local post office system to get the parcel to you or will it be delivered via courier. I could not get a clear answer when contacting amazon support.

 

[Drake2007]

They deliver to S.A now?

 

[itareanlnotani]

They deliver through the post office here, so its a crapshoot whether you actually receive the package or not.

Post Office packages aren't usually that successful at making it past the thieves that work there.

 

[Zenbaas]

They deliver through the post office here, so its a crapshoot whether you actually receive the package or not.

Post Office packages aren't usually that successful at making it past the thieves that work there.

I have received every single item I have ever ordered from Amazon. When it gets sent and fulfilled by Amazon there are likely to be no issues at all. For 3rd party sellers on amazon I would be a bit more weary.

 

[itareanlnotani]

I think it highly depends on what region you live in.
The Cape Town depot over in Pinelands appears to have many light fingered employee's, as I seem to lose quite a few packages..

 

[rrh]

I just have a quick question about ordering from Amazon in South Africa. Do they use the local post office system to get the parcel to you or will it be delivered via courier. I could not get a clear answer when contacting amazon support.

Priority Courier ships via courier;
Expedited is via courier to South Africa, thereafter the parcel enters the local postal system; and
Standard is via mail from Amazon.

 

[Kalle]

my wife orders quite a lot from different Amazon's in Europe and everything is coming with a courier and always its delivered DDP.
Mostly with UPS and also Fedex and others.
For a couple of years we didn't get anything through the post office.
But thats for Amazon UK, Germany and France.

 

[Jola]

I have received every single item I have ever ordered from Amazon. When it gets sent and fulfilled by Amazon there are likely to be no issues at all. For 3rd party sellers on amazon I would be a bit more weary.

Yes, I have lost a few parcels over the past two years.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I've never received anything from post office.

Only via a courier.

 

[Zenbaas]

I've never received anything from post office.

Only via a courier.

Same Here.

Yes, I have lost a few parcels over the past two years.

Only issues I've ever had was with 3rd party sellers on Amazon. Luckily one of them came through when there were issues but two others simply couldn't care less. Now I make sure I only order if its fulfilled by Amazon.

 

[mister]

I've never received anything from post office.
Only via a courier.

Same... everything has been via courier for the past couple years

 

[Creag]

Priority Courier ships via courier;
Expedited is via courier to South Africa, thereafter the parcel enters the local postal system; and
Standard is via mail from Amazon.

So then the option to take wherever possible would be priority courier? I assume it costs a wee bit more, but worth it for peace of mind?

I've never received anything from post office.

Only via a courier.

Oh I received stuff from the PO every so often. Why just the other day I got an invoice for annual renewal of my Post Box.

 

[Creag]

Priority Courier ships via courier;
Expedited is via courier to South Africa, thereafter the parcel enters the local postal system; and
Standard is via mail from Amazon.

So then the option to take wherever possible would be priority courier? I assume it costs a wee bit more, but worth it for peace of mind?

I've never received anything from post office.

Only via a courier.

Oh I received stuff from the PO every so often. Why just the other day I got an invoice for annual renewal of my Post Box.

 

[TheJman]

Just ordered something off Amazon and it was delivered by Aramex - really quick and efficient .. btw, that search function on Amazon to filter results that can be shipped to SA... it doesn't work properly.. at all

 

[Creag]

Just ordered something off Amazon and it was delivered by Aramex - really quick and efficient .. btw, that search function on Amazon to filter results that can be shipped to SA... it doesn't work properly.. at all

I was wondering about that filter. It's put me off buying a number of things in the past. Nice to hear your feedback and experience.

 

[zululami]

Guys - I am holding my card - contemplating ordering from Amazon after I saw a watch I wanted to buy in SA going for 67 percent less on that site - I have registered a profile. I have some few questions...

1. I don't want to buy knockoffs - how do I know what I am buy isn't fake - or do Amazon have checks and balances in place to avoid fong kong

2. Is it safe to use my credit card directly or is there another way of payment I can employ

3. Delivery: How long does it usually take to ship to SA? How much? With whom?

Any other tips will be appreciated. I am tired of so called sales here in Mzansi that aren't really sales - my suspicion is that they buy stuff on Amazon in bulk and rip us off

 

[WAslayer]

Guys - I am holding my card - contemplating ordering from Amazon after I saw a watch I wanted to buy in SA going for 67 percent less on that site - I have registered a profile. I have some few questions...

1. I don't want to buy knockoffs - how do I know what I am buy isn't fake - or do Amazon have checks and balances in place to avoid fong kong

2. Is it safe to use my credit card directly or is there another way of payment I can employ

3. Delivery: How long does it usually take to ship to SA? How much? With whom?

Any other tips will be appreciated. I am tired of so called sales here in Mzansi that aren't really sales - my suspicion is that they buy stuff on Amazon in bulk and rip us off

not sure what process they put individual or FBA sellers through, but i doubt they do before hand checks for counterfeit products.. they have pretty stringent checks to ensure sellers are legit and you can contact amazon support if you know for a fact it is indeed counterfeit..

safe to use your credit card..

my latest order was here within 14 days on standard shipping.. done via Aramex and i paid amazon for all costs including customs, tax etc when i ordered my item.. make sure though that your item ships to SA.. you will get estimated shipping time and total cost when you add your delivery address to your account and add item to your cart..

as for mzansi sellers buying in bulk from amazon and ripping us off, better chance that they are buying in bulk from chinese sites in bulk and ripping us off...

 

[zululami]

not sure what process they put individual or FBA sellers through, but i doubt they do before hand checks for counterfeit products.. they have pretty stringent checks to ensure sellers are legit and you can contact amazon support if you know for a fact it is indeed counterfeit..

safe to use your credit card..

my latest order was here within 14 days on standard shipping.. done via Aramex and i paid amazon for all costs including customs, tax etc when i ordered my item.. make sure though that your item ships to SA.. you will get estimated shipping time and total cost when you add your delivery address to your account and add item to your cart..

as for mzansi sellers buying in bulk from amazon and ripping us off, better chance that they are buying in bulk from chinese sites in bulk and ripping us off...

Awesome - thanks - this helps a lot - is there no way of knowing the total cost (including, shiping, tax, customs etc) before committing credit card funds?

 

[zululami]

not sure what process they put individual or FBA sellers through, but i doubt they do before hand checks for counterfeit products.. they have pretty stringent checks to ensure sellers are legit and you can contact amazon support if you know for a fact it is indeed counterfeit..

safe to use your credit card..

my latest order was here within 14 days on standard shipping.. done via Aramex and i paid amazon for all costs including customs, tax etc when i ordered my item.. make sure though that your item ships to SA.. you will get estimated shipping time and total cost when you add your delivery address to your account and add item to your cart..

as for mzansi sellers buying in bulk from amazon and ripping us off, better chance that they are buying in bulk from chinese sites in bulk and ripping us off...

Awesome - thanks - this helps a lot - is there no way of knowing the total cost (including, shiping, tax, customs etc) before committing credit card funds?

 

[Zenbaas]

Awesome - thanks - this helps a lot - is there no way of knowing the total cost (including, shiping, tax, customs etc) before committing credit card funds?

If the order is fulfilled by Amazon themselves then they'll give you a full fees breakdown before you pay which includes everything.