PostBox-Courier.com how to

assagai said:
Had some luck too, some arrived, some not. Not risking it now:P
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Have you tried searching the post-office web-site with your tracking number?

If it starts with EExxxxxxxxxDE or CJxxxxxxxxxUS or RBxxxxxxxxxHK, etc. where xxx = numbers

Then you can search for your parcel on: sms.postoffice.co.za/SapoTrackNTrace/TrackNTrace.aspx?id=CJxxxxxxxxxUS

I don't really want to post my tracking numbers in there because they show my name and surname but generally speaking:
If you see a runtime error or array out of bounds error it hasn't been scanned yet.

Eventually it will be in customs (takes about 2 weeks), then "in transit" from Jhb (for about 3-4 weeks).

Once my parcels hit Cape Town Hub it was a week at most.

DHL express usually has a number starting with GMxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, when you search that eventually they will have contracted that out to a mail company, from the US it is generally a tracking number like 082xxxxxxx, when you search on that you eventually get a EExxxxxxxDE tracking number.
 
Thanks, yeah - had stuff vanish at JNB around August last year, don't expect I'll ever see it.

One or two other items posted at the same time arrived mid December.

I also had an incident where a post office worker stole a t-shirt I ordered, caught him wearing it at the post office!
 
So my parcel that was sent in the middle of September has not arrived.

I called SAPO and gave them the DHL tracking number. Sibongile says they can't find the number so I must call the courier.

DHL references an 082xxx number which is apparently a tracking code for the delivery by DP Welt Paket. This number however does not exist on the DHL tracking page either. I then tried to contact the DHL Paket division but unless you speak German, there's no email contact information for English.

I then emailed the main contact at DHL and they responded by saying it is now outside of the delivery window of 10-14 days and I must contact the sender (Stackry).

Everyone passes the buck it seems.

I'll update this when I have further information.
 
hilton said:
DHL references an 082xxx number which is apparently a tracking code for the delivery by DP Welt Paket. This number however does not exist on the DHL tracking page either. I then tried to contact the DHL Paket division but unless you speak German, there's no email contact information for English.
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Write your mail in English and also Google translate it to German and send them both by email or the webform. Use Google translate on the site if you're not sure which is the webform but it's probably easy to understand if u speak Afrikaans.
 
Well good news for me today.

Little grubby piece of paper stuck in my gate telling me it's my final warning.

I rushed off to the PO and sure as nuts, my very late but intact parcel was there.

Still not using the PO though, cancelled my PO Box and signed up with various couriers for local shipping.
 
Hi Guys.

Sorry for the thread revive but I had to come and share this.
I ordered my new babies (Sennheiser 558`s) from Amazon and had them delivered to Postbox-courier.
I paid postbox-courier on Tuesday night for my shipment and it is now Thursday and I am sitting with my headphones in my hands all the way from the US of A.
Its unbelievable really.

You can really use these guys if you need something shipped. It is all taken care off.
 
Great stuff.

Now I need to find something to buy in Hong Kong.
 
I'm a first time Amazon.com shopper looking for some clarification.

I've just placed an order with Amazon to be shipped directly to me. Their shipping options were that AmazonGlobal shipping (Standard, Expedited and Priority). I found somewhere - I now can't remember - that the Standard AmazonGlobal shipping was through Berco (I hope that is correct and that it's not going through the Post Office). Before placing the order, I compared with a quote from Stackry (I tried to register with PostBox Courier, but I'm not receiving a confirmation email).

Stackry quoted the following for my parcel size:

USPS Priority - $81.55
USPS Express - $98.28
FedEx Intl Economy - $166.99
FedEx Intl Priority - $189.20

Amazon charged me:
Items bought: R 605.59
Shipping & Handling: R 332.94
Estimated tax to be collected: R 0.00
Import Fees Deposit: R 93.29
Grand Total: R 1 031.82

Am I missing something? Am I going to be charged something else when the package arrives? I'm trying to work out why the Stackry quote was so different to the shipping Amazon charged me. When is it viable to use services like Stackry and PostBox Courier? They are obviously very good services based on everyone's views here, so I would like to educate myself on this.

On a side note...this overseas shopping could get addictive. xD It's so nice having access to things that can't be found in SA.
 
Wow, an Amazon virgin! I'm like a whore compared to you :-)

Anyway to answer your questions;

1. The USPS options from Stackry imply that the local bunch of idiots at the Post Office handle your parcel at this end. Use this method at your own peril. I recently collected a parcel from the Post Office that I bought in August last year.

2. The Fedex options from Stackry will ensure you get your parcel but it's expensive.

3. Your current Amazon order that is shipping to you directly will attract no additional costs.

4. In terms of when to use Forwarders or let the merchant ship directly, it's NEVER a clear cut option that you can rely on. You have to punch the numbers every time you want to ship something. Not all items on Amazon will be eligible for delivery to South Africa, especially if it's from a 3rd party seller. You then have to use a Forwarder like PBC or Stackry.

Even if Amazon will ship, sometimes it works out to be more expensive than the Forwarders but not always. You need to compare shipping costs every time.

Remember one thing, even if something is on sale at Amazon, they use the normal retail price to calculate your import duties and VAT so that deal may or may not be that great after all.

One advantage of using Forwarders, is that you get to complete the manifest in terms of invoice values. Use your imagination to work out what this means to you as a consumer paying VAT.

Without a doubt, if you have multiple parcels from various suppliers, the Forwarders will be cheaper to consolidate. If I have a bunch of stuff in my Amazon cart and they are all eligible for SA shipping then what I do is to move each one in and out of the cart, making as note of the total estimated shipping costs. This is because sometimes the additional shipping costs for something coming out the same warehouse is negligible not always, hence the cart shuffle.

One other thing. The PBC depot is in Florida and certain merchants charge Florida Tax so take this into account as sometimes it may be cheaper to ship to Stackry in New Hampshire.

Shout if you need more info.
 
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Great reply!

hilton said:
4. In terms of when to use Forwarders or let the merchant ship directly, it's NEVER a clear cut option that you can rely on. You have to punch the numbers every time you want to ship something. Not all items on Amazon will be eligible for delivery to South Africa, especially if it's from a 3rd party seller. You then have to use a Forwarder like PBC or Stackry.
.
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Exactly - EVERY item I've ever wanted/ordered from Amazon wasn't available with their global shipping. I then use PBC (have used Stackry and Shipito in the past as well)

They usually say something like:
The following types of items can’t be shipped to buyers outside the U.S.: video games, toy and baby items, electronics, cameras and photo items, tools and hardware, kitchenware and housewares, sporting goods and outdoor equipment, software, and computers
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hilton said:
Wow, an Amazon virgin! I'm like a whore compared to you :-)
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I sense it's going to be a slippery slope for me from here to whoredom. xD

Thanks for all the info and answering my questions. I've got my Postbox Courier details working now it seems, so that's set up for when I need it. After doing a lot of reading and researching, at least I know have some sort of method and direction I can follow for next time.

And hopefully in a few weeks I will be the proud owner of a nice little Silverstone Sugo SG13. I know, I probably could have found something much cheaper locally, but where is the fun in that. And after finding the Sugo SG05 from Wootware (I think it was the last one they had) and enjoying that for the past two years, I couldn't resist building another Mini ITX.
 
Just an update on this. After reading this thread decided to give it a go instead of buying individual items from eBay and posting it separate. Paid during the weekend and got a call today that it's in the country and can expect delivery in the next 1 or 2 days.. Hope it comes. Pretty happy with the service and the price worked out to about 59USD for a 1.5kg parcel however I think the dimensions of the box would have been quite big as there must be about 6 or 7 parcels inside
 
You will get it. ;)

The shipping works on volumetric weight so something very large but not much in mass like a duvet cover will cost a lot to ship. Likewise a cast iron vise, which may be dimensionally small but the sheer weight of the item pushes up the volumetric numbers.

This is why consolidated shipping works. Do this exercise, visit the PBC website and fire up the shipping quotation page. A theoretical parcel with dimensions of 20cm x 30cm x 40cm weighing 1kg will cost $89 to ship. The exact same dimensions but now weighing 5kgs will still cost $89.
 
hilton said:
You will get it. ;)

The shipping works on volumetric weight so something very large but not much in mass like a duvet cover will cost a lot to ship. Likewise a cast iron vise, which may be dimensionally small but the sheer weight of the item pushes up the volumetric numbers.

This is why consolidated shipping works. Do this exercise, visit the PBC website and fire up the shipping quotation page. A theoretical parcel with dimensions of 20cm x 30cm x 40cm weighing 1kg will cost $89 to ship. The exact same dimensions but now weighing 5kgs will still cost $89.
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Thanks alot. Even at 59usd i am still really happy as I really appreciate the time it takes to get to me. No 1 month and post office involved. Hope I don't start spending too often lol. Wish I knew about this when the rand was stronger
 
peeryus said:
How do you estimate the dimensions and weight of the package?
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Sometimes a merchant will list the shipping weight and product dimensions. Add in a few inches for bubble wrap/packaging and go from there.

You can also imagine the item in the box and estimate the size required. I often team up with others to bring stuff in.

Remember you buy whenever you want because the stuff can just sit at the courier for a couple of weeks until another parcel is delivered or until you want to consolidate.
 
Parcel arrived on the 24th July, I paid same day, haven't heard anything further. No tracking number, no confirmation it's been shipped. So I emailed them yesterday, no response so far. Will update if I hear anything.
 
If it arrived on the 24th in the States, the next flight was on Saturday if they were able to get a slot. Otherwise it will catch tonight's flight. The website is slow to update the progress of the parcel inbound to SA and no tracking is available but it will get here.
 
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