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Q: What is the cheapest and fastest way for someone to send a package from America?
A family member want to send me some things and said the post office is expensive. Are they right and what is an alternative?
If you or your family member think that the cost by USPS is expensive, then please do not bother to check alternatives like FedEx, UPS, etc. m They are higher. USPS has a service called "flat rate boxes" with a box about 15" x 15" x 6" they provide and maximum weight 20 lbs, sent Global Priority for $ 55.00 or so last time I used it.
If you want cheaper than that, then seek a freight forwarder who services China. They consolidate freight and ship when they have a container full. That may be cheaper.
I should also warn you to make sure nothing is sent that is not allowed, or you will loose everything when it is confiscated. Also provide relative of your name, address and phone number locally in English and Chinese to be used as the "TO" address on box. Remember here not too many persons speak English, if your address is only in English, may not get delivered unless someone is found to translate.
Good luck to you.
bansufan:
I forgot about the flat rate boxes. I will definitely tell my family memeber about it. That is what I think they should use. Thanks for the help.
USPS Air mail to China takes about 3 months. Depending on what in it you may pay tax.
Personally i prefer fast over cheap. My back in November, I had my best friend in America send me my peacoat that I had left in her trunk a year ago when I left America. I wanted it quick, but I didn't the most expensive option either, so we chose UPS Worldwide Expedited. Estimated delivery date from Los Angeles to my city in Shandong was 12 days. Granted the peacoat was thick, and heavy, but the total cost was about $200 ship it. (Yeah I could've bought 5 or 6 peacoats in China for that price, but this was my favorite coat, and it's Dolce and Gabbanna, so it was worth the price to ship it.) So basically it traveled by land/air from LA to Alaska, then by ship from Anchorage to Seoul, South Korea, then by another ship to Qingdao..this is when shit got interesting.
So it had only been 9 days at this point, so that morning when I saw it was it had arrived in Qingdao around 3:00am , I was like, "oh maybe it will take a day or two to get through customs, and then delivered to my city." 6 hours later I get a knock on my door and it was the delivery man with my coat. I was confused as hell because the tracking info still said it was in Qingdao and I'm 3.5 hours away from Qingdao by car, and I really wasn't expecting it to clear customs that fast and get shipped to me. But I was happy nonetheless. Money well spent. Oh and whatever choice you choose, make sure you have whoever is sending you the package to double check and make sure your phone number is on the package. The UPS lady put my friend's American phone number as my phone number, so had I not been home at the time, I would've missed the delivery, the guy wouldn't have been able to call me, and I would still be thinking it was in Qingdao according the the tracking info. I would still recommend having it sent via a traceable method though. Gives you a little peace of mind.
there is no "cheapest and fastest" .... you get what you pay for.... don't expect the pearl necklace to ever arrive. just put the thing in the mail and hope for the best or insure to the max with Fedex and/or USPS ..... good luck!
a phone number and a postal code are key to arrival in a place close to you in China.
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john doe
155 st john st.
xinghuo town, xinghai
