Saturday, December 24, 2011

Problem with Amazon: Order sent in multiple packages despite the "Groupmy items into as few shipments as possible" option

Most freight forwarding services like Shipito charge for package consolidation. Shipito charges $2 per consolidated package if you use a paid Virtual Mailbox plan ($50/year or $10/month). To avoid additional consolidation charges always use the "Group my items into as few shipments as possible" option on Amazon.


How to select "Group my items into as few shipments as possible" on Amazon



  1. Add all the items to your cart.

  2. When asked, select "Group my items into as few shipments as possible" as your shipping preference.

    Amazon: Shipping Details: "Group my items into as few shipments as possible"

If you don't care about consolidation fees prefer to ship faster, choose the "Ship my items as soon as possible (additional shipping charges may apply)" option instead.

How do I take advantage of FREE Super Saver Shipping?



  1. Place over $25 of eligible Amazon products in your Shopping Cart. Eligible items will say "FREE Super Saver Shipping..." next to their price:

    Amazon: Free super saver shipping

  2. Proceed to checkout.

  3. Ship your items to a single U.S. address.

  4. Select Super Saver Shipping as your shipping speed. Please note that your order will take an additional 3 to 5 days to ship.

  5. Select "Group my items into as few shipments as possible" as your shipping preference.

  6. Place your order, and enjoy the free shipping.


Problems with "Group my items into as few shipments as possible" option


If you make a single order on Amazon, there are several reasons why you may get it in multiple packages:

  • Amazon has a marketplace. Orders from many sellers of the marketplace are not fulfilled and shipped by Amazon itself.

  • Some items are shipped from different Amazon fulfillment centers.

  • Orders marked as gifts may arrive as several packages.

But this list is not complete. For example, I ordered 4 toys from Amazon last week. All these toys were fulfilled and shipped by Amazon. All 4 toys would fit into a 26x13x13 box. But Amazon has sent these toys in 3 packages, although they were sent from the same fulfillment center and all of them were shipped the same day! So the following message about quicker service can be disappointing despite what Amazon thinks about it:
Greetings from Amazon.com, We thought you'd like to know that we shipped this portion of your order separately to give you quicker service. You won't be charged any extra shipping fees, and the remainder of your order will follow as soon as those items become available.



If you use Shipito for sending packages overseas, you can always upgrade your free service plan to the Virtual Mailbox to enable package consolidation. But when using any freight forwarder you should always keep in your mind that you may get multiple packages instead of just one.

How to combine multiple Amazon orders into the same shipment


When possible, Amazon tries to combine multiple orders into the same shipment. This helps Amazon to reduce the number of packages they need to send to you, so you receive fewer packages and have less packaging material to dispose of when you receive your orders.


Amazon tries to combine multiple orders into the same shipment if the orders meet the following criteria:

  • Multiple orders are placed through the same customer account

  • The orders are being shipped to the same address.

  • Items from each order are located at the same Amazon fulfillment center.

  • The orders are shipping at around the same time.



There are some cases when Amazon won't be able to combine shipments. For instance, they may not be able to combine the following types of orders:

  • Orders that can't be shipped from the same fulfillment center to meet your promised delivery date.

  • Orders shipping from different fulfillment centers.

  • Orders being shipped to different addresses.

  • Orders being shipped to an international shipping address.

  • Orders marked as gifts.

Amazon will also try to combine orders for items that are placed via 1-Click ordering into a single order if the orders are placed in the same 30-minute time period.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, December 8, 2011

How much it costs to send a magazine to Russia via Shipito Air Mail

Got my first magazine sent via Shipito Air Mail. Had "Fast magazine mailout" enabled on Shipito, so it was sent so fast that I didn't even have time to think whether it was better to consolidate the magazine with my other packages. It cost me $3.76:

Shipito: Magazine sent from via Shipito Air Mail


0.50 lbs (0.23 kg)
13"×9"×1" (34×23×3 cm)
Shipito AirMail
Insurance: NO
Mailout fee: $1.00
Postage: $2.65
bank fee 4.3%: $0.11
TOTAL: $3.76

Some magazines are lighter than 0.5 lbs, some heavier.

See also:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Is it a good idea to send laptops (notebooks), cell phones (including iPhone), iPods, iPads to Russia via USPS Express or Priority Mail?

Personally I got my laptop, 4 cell phones and a router without any problem. All of these items were sent either via USPS Express Mail (EMS) or USPS Priority Mail. But many Russian customers had their laptops (including MacBook Air), cell phones (inlcuding iPhones), tablets (including iPad), iPods and other items stolen. The problem is that USPS denies insurance claims for the items from the UPU list of prohibited items. So if your laptop (notebook), cell phone, iPad, iPhone, iPod, macbook was stolen you won't get any insurance from USPS, because transmitters and transceivers of any power, except Panasonic radiotelephones, models KX-T7980, KX-T9000, KT-T9050, and KX-T90890 are prohibited items.


USPS just ignores the fact that Russian customs doesn't confiscate items silently (except for maybe weapons and drugs). If something like laptop (notebook), cell phone, iPad, iPhone, iPod is missing, it was stolen, not confiscated. When something is confiscated by the customs, you get a confiscation act. Actually when prohibited items are sent, the following options are possible:

  • Seizure of the prohibited articles only, the rest delivered to the addressee.

  • Return of the item to the country of origin.
  • Seizure of the whole item.


But the fact that you didn't get a confiscation act won't stop USPS from not paying you for the insured items from the UPU prohibited list.

Now you know that sending something like laptop (notebook), cell phone, iPad, iPhone, iPod to Russia via USPS is risky. But there are things you can do to reduce the risk:

  • Do not send send laptops (notebooks including macbook), cell phones (including iPhone), iPods, iPads via USPS.

  • Don't use the names like iPad, iPod, iPhone, MacBook... that are often stolen in the customs declaration. Declare iPad as a tablet, portable electronic device, electronic gadget,... Declare iPhone as a cell phone, portable electronic device, ...Declare MacBook Air as a notebook, laptop

  • Buy additional insurance for your electronics whenever possible. Some package forwarders offer this service.

Posted by at 8 comments:

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Free consolidation of magazines on Shipito

Shipito allows you to receive magazines and letters. You can:

  • trash them,

  • enable fast mailout and send them to you via Shipito air mail,

  • consolidate magazines with your packages.


When consolidating magazines with other packages many users wouldn't want to pay the regular consolidation fee of $2 per package. Luckily there are 2 ways to get free consolidation of magazines on Shipito:

  • Get "Virtual Mailbox Premium" ($25 per month or $150 per 6 months)

  • Get "Virtual Mailbox" ($50 per year) and pay for more than 1 year. To be accurate virtual mailbox must be pre-paid for longer than 365 days and then there is no fee for consolidating magazines. Just watch when your Virtual Mailbox gets below 365 days as it will make the consolidation for a fee again.


Note that you can't consolidate a letter for free. But you can request email shipping of the contents of the letter or pictures of it, which will be a scan for $2.
Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Free ebooks (Kindle Edition) from Amazon: Insights from Remarkable Businesspeople (Collection of 16 ebooks)

Free ebooks (Kindle Edition) from Amazon (Kindle Price: $0.00 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet):

Insights from Remarkable Businesspeople (Collection of 16 ebooks) [Kindle Edition]

Free Kindle eBook collection: Insights from Remarkable Businesspeople


  • Changing a Troubled Ship's Course (Captain D. Michael Abrashoff)

  • What's the Problem with Customers? (Fred Wiersema)

  • Get Results, Not Salutes (Captain D. Michael Abrashoff)

  • Winning Customers with Commitment (Gary Hirshberg)

  • Listen Up! (Captain D. Michael Abrashoff)

  • Clearing the Mind for Creativity (John Kao)

  • No Company Runs Itself (Michael F. Golden)

  • Why I'm (Still) Buying Gold (Dean LeBaron)

  • How to Design a Great Customer Experience (Fred Wiersema)

  • Oprah (Brand) Renew (Nancy F. Koehn)

  • The Future Is Yours to Invent (John Kao)

  • The Pull of Customers, The Push of Processes (Jim Champy)

  • How to Rebound from Adversity (Glenn Mangurian)

  • What I Learned from Peter Drucker (Jim Champy)

  • What I Learned at the Naval Academy (Captain D. Michael Abrashoff)

  • Lessons of a Brand Manager (Michael F. Golden)



More free ebooks from the Kindle Store:
Posted by at No comments:

Shipito.com alternatives. Part 2: VIAddress.com review and comparisonwith Shipito

VIAddress is a worldwide shipping forwarder offering a USA virtual address for making online purchases in America. Its membership is free. There are no fees for package consolidation, you may store your packages for free for 90 days. Assisted purchases are available. And VIAddress can ship to worldwide destinations via UPS, FEDEX, DHL, USPS. Looks attractive, isn't it? Let's find out whether there is any catch.

Comparing VIAddress and Shipito shipping rates



If you take a look onto VIAdress homepage, you will find a very attractive chart:

VIAdress comparison chart on VIAdress.com

So I decided to compare VIAdress estimated shipping costs to the costs of real packages I sent to Russia in 2011 via USPS Express Mail using Shipito


Weight, lbsVIAddress EstemationShipito
12.3$127.38$121.89
19.9$180.42$135.25
34.7$279.86$222.59


VIAdress: Estimated charges for sending 12.3lbs package to Russia

VIAdress: Estimated charges for sending 19.9 lbs package to Russia

VIAdress: Estimated charges for sending 34.7 lbs package to Russia

I do pay $50 for a yearly membership in Shipito, while VIAdress membership is free. But if I send a package of 34.7 lbs via USPS to Russia using VIAddress, I will pay extra $55+ compared to Shipito.

Some more details about VIAddress


Unfortunately shipping fees is not the only problem of VIAddress. VIAdress has the lowest possible rating on BBB. And there many complaints about VIAddress from around the world, some of them even lead an investigation by The Indiana Attorney General's office.

Would you recommend to use VIAddress?


I have never been a customer of VIAddress, but personally I prefer to stay away from it.

Shipito shipping rates are one of the best. Considering the amount of services Shipito provides, their quality and cost, I think Shipito is one of the best parcel forwarding (freight forwarding) companies.
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals: Replay Capture Suite, WM Recorder Bonus Bundle, Jaksta Plus coupon codes

The best coupon codes we have seen this year for Replay Capture Suite, WM Recorder Bonus Bundle, Jaksta Plus, Jaksta for Mac:
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

How to make a free phone call to a toll-free number in the USA

Sometimes when making an online order online stores or private shopping clubs put your order on hold and request you to make a phone call. For example, this was the case with me when buying from BeyondTheRack and Timberland. Luckily major retailers offer toll-free numbers and you don't need to spend a penny when calling them (may be except for paying to your Internet provider). Skype is one of the free calling applications allowing you to make calls from your computer or a mobile phone to toll-free numbers in the USA for free.

How to make a free phone call to a toll-free number using Skype for Windows

  1. Hit the "Call phones" button in the bottom left corner.

  2. Enter the toll-free number on the right side.

  3. Hit the green dial button.



[caption id="attachment_1628" align="alignnone" width="546" caption="Skype 5.5: How to make a free phone call to a toll-free number"]Skype 5.5: How to make a free phone call to a toll-free number[/caption]

 


Don't use Skype yet? Get Skype for free!


 

Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

How to buy unlocked Apple iPhone 4S from US Apple Store if you're outside the USA

Apple Store USA started selling the unlocked version of Apple iPhone 4S. This time Apple started selling the unlocked version of iPhone very soon after its launch. Many international fans will be able to buy the latest version of iPhone in the USA.

Unlockled Apple iPhone 4S in the US Apple Store

Current price of Apple iPhone 4S in the Apple Store USA:

  • iPhone 4S 16GB - $649.00

  • iPhone 4S 32GB - $749.00

  • iPhone 4S 64GB - $849.00



You can buy the unlocked version of Apple iPhone in the Apple Store USA, but there are 2 problems to address:

  1. Apple Store USA ships within the USA only. So you need to get a virtual USA address from package forwarding company like Shipito.

     


  2. Apple Store USA allows to pay with a US or Canada debit/credit card only:
    When an order is placed using a credit card as payment, the Apple Store will perform an automated check to confirm that the address information matches what is on file with the card-issuing bank. It is less likely that an automated response will be received from an international bank than from a U.S. bank. If a response is received and indicates that some of the information does not match, we must contact the bank for verification. If the card-issuing bank is outside the U.S., the secondary verification is not possible, and we cannot proceed with the order. For this reason, Apple strongly recommends that you use only credit cards issued within the U.S. or Canada.


    If you don't have any credit cards issued within the USA or Canada, you may use Assisted Purchases services from companies like Shipito.

    Shipito: Assisted Purchases



Bottom line: For purchasing Apple iPhone 4S, use a package forwarder (freight forwarding company) like Shipito for both a virtual USA address and paying for the purchase in the Apple Store USA.
Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

11407 SW Amu St., Tualatin, OR 97062, USA: Scam and fraud or legit?

Is the following address used for scams and frauds?


11407 SW Amu St.
Suite # XXXXX
Tualatin, OR 97062
USA

No, this is one of the warehouses used by Shipito.

Shipito warehouse: 11407 SW Amu St., Suite # XXXXX, Tualatin, OR 97062, USA
Shipito warehouse: 11407 SW Amu St., Suite # XXXXX, Tualatin, OR 97062, USA

What is Shipito (Eastbiz Corp.)?


Shipito (Eastbiz Corp.) is a US package forwarding company (also known as a freight forwarder, a mail forwarder or a shipping forwarder) allowing to overcome geographical shipping restrictions and ship online purchases to

  • Alaska, Hawaii,

  • U.S. Protectorates and Insular areas (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, or Federated States of Micronesia),

  • APO, FPO, and DPO Addresses,

  • DOS Addresses,

  • other countries including but not limited to Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, India, Russia, Kuwait, Virgin Islands, Japan, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Australia, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovakia, Bahrain, Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Cayman Islands, the Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan,...


Shipito is one of the largest freight forwarders. It has tens of thousands of customers from all over the world. Shipito Facebook page has more than 5'000 likes:

Shipito on Facebook


See also: US online stores shipping and not shipping to Shipito warehouse in Tualatin, Oregon (11407 SW Amu St., Tualatin, OR 97062, USA).

Can the "11407 SW Amu St., Tualatin, OR 97062, USA" address be used for scams and frauds?


Yes it can be used for legit as well as illegal activities like ANY other address. BUT I and many of my friends use it for making legit purchases in US online shops that don't ship overseas. Also even US individuals and US companies use Shipito package/parcel forwarding service for shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, or Federated States of Micronesia, APO, DPO and FPO addresses.

Information for online retailers about Shipito


Shipito and victims of stolen credit cards


If you're a store owner who shipped product to 11407 SW Amu St., Tualatin, OR 97062, USA and got a chargeback, contact Shipito immediately if you are a victim of credit card fraud. If they find that a stolen credit card was used, they immediately send packages back to you. Shipito has zero tolerance policy. Fraud accounts are immediately canceled.

Shipito and international sales


Shipito offers a program where they can guarantee all sales to online retailers if they are purchased directly by Shipito. This allows online retailers not to lose international sales, while Shipito takes the risk of accepting international payments.
Posted by at 34 comments:

Buying a car seat in Germany (Britax Romer Baby Safe Plus SHR II atkidsroom.de vs. Russian online stores)

Most of my online purchases these days come from american private shopping clubs (fashion sale sites), Amazon USA and Buy.com. But sometimes I have to shop elsewhere either due to high shipping costs from the USA to Russia or due to some kind of incompatibility of standards.

This was exactly the case with a car seat. I wanted to buy one of the safest car seats, so decided not to go for a universal one. After researching crash tests results I decided to purchase Britax Romer Baby Safe Plus SHR II with the ISOFIX base. I could have bought a similar car seat on Amazon USA, but I wasn't 100% sure that LATCH and ISOFIX were compatible. While some drivers say that LATCH and ISOFIX bars are almost identical, few European and Japanese cars have the top tether anchor.

It was an obvious step to look for Britax Romer car seats in Germany and the UK. I really liked the prices in German shops. And I was glad that some of them do ship directly to almost any country in the world including Russia. When such shops ship outside the European Union, they exclude VAT (19%). This was exactly the case with the German online store KidsRoom.de.

Britax Romer Baby-Safe Plus SHR II Trendline including Isofix Base
kidsroom.de: Britax Romer Baby-Safe Plus SHR II Trendline including Isofix Base

Now the question is did I manage to save anything by purchasing the car seat in Germany and not in Russia or not. I did manage to save a lot! The price of Britax Romer Baby Safe Plus SHR II with shipping from Germany to Russia was more than 40% lower than the lowest price I was able to find in Russian online stores!!!

The cheapest Romer Baby Safe Plus SHR II with ISOFIX base in Russia 
The cheapest Romer Baby Safe Plus SHR II with ISOFIX base in Russia

kidsroom.de Romer Baby Safe Plus SHR II receipt: price + shipping = 281 EUR 
kidsroom.de Romer Baby Safe Plus SHR II receipt: price + shipping = 281 EUR

Price without shipping at avtokresel.net: 19 800 RUR
Price with shipping to Russia (!) at kidsroom.de: 281 EUR

So basically you can buy Romer Baby Safe Plus SHR II with ISOFIX base and ship it from Germany, or you can buy Romer Baby Safe Plus SHR II without ISOFIX base in a Russian online shop!

Another reason for buying German car seats from Germany is to avoid fake items.

KidsRoom.de is not the only web-site recommended by Russian shoppers.
There are several other baby shops in Germany that ship to Russia directly and exclude VAT, namely: maxis-babywelt.de, babyshop.de, kidscomfort.eu, Loopoo.de, PingPong Online.

German shops usually ship to Russia by DHL and accept debit/credit cards and/or paypal/moneybookers.

Please note that it is always a good idea to compare prices before making a purchase. Some items cost the same, and some items are more expensive in Germany than in Russia.

Update (2012/01/14)
Also please note that if you ship outside the European Union, you may add all items that you want to purchase into the shopping cart to see the price excluding VAT but including shipping:

KidsRoom.de shopping cart: Britax Romer Baby Safe Plus SHR II with shipping excluding VAT
KidsRoom.de shopping cart: Britax Romer Baby Safe Plus SHR II with shipping excluding VAT
Posted by at 17 comments:

RueLaLa: The Final Sale: Act 1

Rue La La, an American private shopping club, features "The Final Sale: Act 1" boutique today.

RueLaLa: The Final Sale: Act 1

Expect rock-bottom prices and a ton of different brands:

Adidas, Adidas - Men's, Aidan Mattox, Allegri, American Apparel, Amsale, Banner 47, Banner 47 - Men's, Beirn, Birkenstock, Birkenstock - Men's, Bobby Jones, BODUM, Brooks Brothers - Kid's, Built NY, Calvin Klein, Calvin Klein - Kid's, CARMEN MARC VALVO, Catherine Malandrino, Columbia, Columbia - Men's, Crocs, Crocs - Men's, Crocs - Kid's, Cullen Cashmere - Men's, Current Elliot, Diesel Black Gold, Dolcepunta, Donald J Pliner, ELLE MACPHERSON INTIMATES, EP Pro, Fratelli Rossetti - Men's, Hawke&Co. - Men's, Hickey, Hickey Freeman, Hickey Freeman - Boy's, Ike Behar, Jack Victor, Janice Girardi, Jocelyn, Joseph Abboud, Josie by Natori, Just Cavalli, Kassatex, Kate Spade, Kelty, Kings, La Perla, Lela Rose, Lotus Grace, Love Sac by JPK Paris, Lutz & Patmos, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Marc by Marc Jacobs - Men's, Matisse, Matt & Nat, Minibasix/Miniclasix, Natori, nOir, Paige Premium Denim, Pour La Victoire, Pucci, Puma - Kid's, Raffi, Reed Evins, Rock & Republic, See by Chloe, Seychelles, Single, Sky, Slane & Slane, Splendid, Sue Wong, Sunpan, Suzi Chin, Taylor, The Addison story, Tibi, Timbuk2, Tod's - Men's, True Religion, Valentino, Victorinox, Victorinox - Men's, TBD.



Note that Rue La La accepts international credit and debit cards. And it ships to freight forwarders (package forwarding companies) like Shipito, so international shoppers are welcomed!

[caption id="attachment_1548" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Package from Rue La La in the californian warehouse of Shipito freight forwarder"]Package from Rue La La in the californian warehouse of Shipito freight forwarder[/caption]

 


And tomorrow there will be The Final Sale: Act 2 featuring more top brands:

2(x)ist, 7 For All Mankind, 7 For all Mankind - Men's, a.testoni, a.testoni - Men's, Anne Klein, Ashworth, Ashworth - Men's, Black Brown 1826, Botkier, Christian Dior, Cia.Maritima, Cobra, Cynthia Steffe, Diesel, Diesel - Men's, E-Land, Elie Tahari, Elie Tahari - Men's, Espalma, Forte - Men's, Garden of Stephen, Geox, Geox - Men's, Halston Heritage, Hogan, HYPE, James Jeans, James Jeans - Men's, JPK Paris, Juicy Couture, Karen Zambos, L.A.M.B., Leifsdottir, Lija, Liz Palacios, Love Moschino, Malo, MBT, MBT - Men's, MICHAEL Michael Kors, MICHAEL Michael Kors - Men's, Mikey Stars, Mitchell & Ness - Men's, Nanette Lepore, Nara, Narciso Rodriguez, Nina - Kid's, Oakley, Oakley - Men's, PAIGELAUREN Baby, Paolo Bentini, Patagonia, Peter Millar, Piazza Sempione, Pink Tartan, Rachel Roy, Reebok, Reebok - Men's, Robeez, Robert Graham - Men's, Robert Rodriguez, Rossignol, Sanita, Sport Haley, Stelton, Stephen Dweck, Sweet Heart Rose, Tea Collection, Temple St. Clair, Theory, Theory - Men's, Timberland, Timberland - Kid's, Timberland - Men's, Tommy Bahama - Men's, Tommy Bahama - Kid's, Travis Mathew, Treesje, Trumpette, Vera Bradley, yogamat, Zeal Optics

Join Rue La La today!

Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Free $2 credit to Amazon MP3 Store!

Go to "How to Redeem Your Code for Amazon MP3" on Amazon and enter "FALLMP3S" (without quotes) to get your free $2 credit.

If the code does not work, type FALLMP3S in instead of copy-pasting.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Amazon Associates has found a way not to pay to its affiliates? An affiliate scam from Amazon?

Several months ago Amazon Associates decided to deactivate all its Californian affiliates. Since I left California for Russia, I changed my address before the deadline. But despite my address change, Amazon Associates has deactivated my account. It took me about a week and several messages to the support to reactivate my account. I was surprised that Amazon hadn't apologized for their mistake and didn't compensate me the losses I got from the deactivation.

Nevertheless I continued to participate in the Amazon affiliate program. About a month later I was warned that I would need to provide the proof of my Russian residence. It was OK with me. They have posted the list of documents that could verify my account:

Acceptable Documents for Address Verification


To confirm your eligibility to participate in the Amazon Associates Program, we may ask that you submit documentation to verify your residence and eligibility. If you receive such a request from us, please submit any one of the following documents in accordance with the verification instructions we provided:

  • Utility bill, not more than two months old, addressed to you at your residence (examples include gas, electric, sewer, water, cable or phone bill). Cellular phone and pager bills are not accepted
  • Receipt for personal property taxes or real estate taxes paid within the last year and addressed to you at your residence
  • Current automobile or life insurance bill (cards or policies are not accepted) addressed to you at your residence
  • Certified copy of school records/transcript from a school in which you are currently enrolled, issued by a school accredited by a U.S. state, jurisdiction, or territory (report cards are not accepted)
  • Voter registration card displaying your current address
  • Driver's license, learner's permit or DMV-issued photo ID cards displaying your current address
  • Current homeowners insurance policy or bill for your residence
  • Deed, mortgage, monthly mortgage statement, or residential rental/lease agreement for your residence
  • U.S. Postal Service change of address confirmation form or postmarked U.S. mail with forwarding address label (must display the applicant’s full name and current address)


If your Associates account is in the name of a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other business entity, you may submit one of the following documents in accordance with the verification instructions we provided:

  • Business license addressed to your business entity at the address used in your Associates account
  • IRS Resale Certificate for Sales Tax addressed to your business entity at the address used in your Associates account
  • IRS Federal Employer Identification Number confirmation letter, W-9, 990-EZ or other Federal Tax form, in each case addressed to your business entity at the address used in your Associates account
  • Utility bill, not more than two months old, addressed to your business entity at the address used in your Associates account (examples include gas, electric, sewer, water, cable or phone bill). Cellular phone and pager bills are not accepted.
  • Receipt for property taxes or real estate taxes paid within the last year for the property at the address associated with your Associates account and addressed to your business entity
  • Current automobile or liability insurance bill in the name of your business entity and listing the address used in your Associates account (cards or policies are not accepted)
  • Deed, mortgage, monthly mortgage statement, or rental/lease agreement, not more than two months old, in the name of your business entity and listing the address used in your Associates account
  • U.S. Postal Service change of address confirmation form or postmarked U.S. mail with forwarding address label, in each case displaying the name of your business entity and the address used in your Associates account

Please do not send us any documents showing your social security, bank account, or credit card number. Also, we ask that you render any account numbers (e.g., utility account or insurance policy number) unreadable using a dark marker before sending the document to us in accordance with the instructions you were provided. This documentation will be used for no other purpose than to verify your residency at your stated address and eligibility for the program.


Please provide this documentation only in accordance with the instructions included in any request you receive from us.


I thought a utility bill would work fine for them. I have sent it to Amazon. Got no reply for a long time. Then they told me that the document I provided couldn't be accepted. It was weird. I reviewed the list of documents again and submitted my landline phone bill. It wasn't accepted either. I just got a warning that my account would be deactivated again.

I was impressed that they didn't explain the reasons why my documents were not accepted. They were just copy-pasting messages and sending me to the same list of documents. I had to contact them again and again to find out that they didn't accept any documents in languages other than English or using letters other than roman latters. And eventually my account was deactivated again.

Amazon associates: proof of residency

It was easy for Amazon to solve my problem. For example, since I have provided my landline phone bill, they could have just call me. Or they could just verify my account by comparing figures with the ones mentioned in my Amazon account. Amazon could have offered any other solution. I wonder why they didn't even try to help.

I can create a fake document if Photoshop in less than 30 minutes. Or I can just create a new account with them and replace old IDs in the links. But why would I work with a company that doesn't try to solve any problems therefore is not deserving to be trusted anymore?

Update (2011/09/23)


More than 10 messages to Amazon Associates support. Still get the same copy-pasted messages. They don't even try to solve the problem.

Haven't received any reply on Amazon Askville about the problem.

Asked the same question in the Amazon Sellers community. Was recommended to use a forwarding service. I still use and plan to use Shipito. And even if I start using their address in Oregon or Las Vegas, it won't help me to prove my Russian residency.

Posted my message on Facebook, but Amazon deleted my message almost immediately.

Really tired of this situation. Don't want to contact this distrusted company anymore.

Update (2011/10/04)


So Amazon "is pleased" to invite all California Associates back:

As you may have heard, California Governor Jerry Brown has signed legislation repealing the law that had forced us to terminate our California Associates. We are pleased to invite all California Associates whose accounts were closed due to the prior legislation to re-enroll in the Associates Program.

If you haven't already re-enrolled, please click here:

https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/gp/associates/reinstatement/main.html

When asked to sign in, please use the same email address and password that were previously associated with your Associates account. To make your return to the Program as seamless as possible, when you re-enroll, your account settings (login, Associates ID, payment information, etc.) will be the same as they were previously. Traffic you referred while your account was closed won't be eligible for advertising fees.

But there are two obnoxious things about it:

  1. Traffic you referred while your account was closed won't be eligible for advertising fees.

  2. Amazon hasn't reinstated accounts automatically.


If you click the link and get a message that your account can't be reinstated:

Reactivate Your Associates Accounts

Your records do not show any accounts eligible for reinstatement associated with this email address. Perhaps your closed Amazon Associates account was established with a different email address. To find out, sign out and log in with a different email address.

Your records do not show any accounts eligible for reinstatement

Make sure to use a primary e-mail address used for your Amazon Associates account
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Monday, September 19, 2011

Get additional discounts in the form of cash back from American online stores

Cash back services get a commission on each sale that is generated. Most shopping-based websites keep that commission for themselves, while cashback services return a good portion of that commission back to customers.

Cash back services are not stores, and they don't sell any products. They are just shopping services that pay you cash back for shopping online. There are no points to redeem, no forms to mail in, and no fees.


  • ExtraBux allows you to get cash back at any of 2,500+ online stores. ExtraBux members get access to thousands of money-saving coupons.

    Once you have earned at least $10 available cash back and made at least one purchase, you can receive a cash back payment via check in the mail or through PayPal. You can also donate your cash back to charity. Payments are typically sent within 5 business days.

     


  • Mr.Rebates allows you to get cash back rebate at over 2000 popular stores like Best Buy, Dell, JCPenney, Nordstrom and more. Besides their staff adds daily money-saving coupons and special sales/price drops on hot products. The combination of the Mr. Rebates cash back rebate plus coupons/sales insures that you will save money on your online purchases. This adds up to big savings every time you shop with Mr. Rebates.

    The program is open to US and Canadian residents for both check and Paypal rebate payments. The program is open to international residents but Paypal is the only payment option for Cash Back Rebates. Cash Back Rebates can be requested once the amount in your "Available Rebates" account equals or exceeds $10.00 US Dollars.

     


  • eBates allows you to get cash back at any of 1,500 stores any time you start your online shopping trip at Ebates. There are no points to redeem, no forms to mail in, and no fees. Stores pay Ebates a sales commission for sending shoppers their way, and Ebates uses the commission to pay you cash back. Members of eBates have already earned more than $100,000,000 and you can join them today!

    Payment is sent every 3 months. If you've earned less than $5.01 cash back, the amount of money will be carried over to the next check. Payment can be received by check or through Paypal. You may also send your cash back to a charity, organization or family member.

Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Discounted wines and artisan food in private shopping clubs (sample sale, flash sale, private sale sites)


  • GiltTaste is a private sale site (flash sale site, private shopping club, sample sale site) offering food and wine. They handpick every item they offer.

    The GiltTaste market gives you direct access to artisan food products and ingredients, many of which have only been available to chefs until now. Gilt Taste is committed to offering quality products that are fresh, honest and inspiring.

    The GiltTaste selection is curated by their team of gourmet food buyers who have worked in four-star restaurants and for gourmet food retailers. Gilt Taste features daily special sales in addition to their full-priced market, stocked with a selection of some of the world's best artisan goods.

    GiltTaste is also an online magazine that publishes original, daily stories - including recipes, videos, food news and opinions from artisans, experts, chefs and the Taste editors.

    You don't need an invite to join Gilt Taste, and you don't need to be signed in to view the site. However, you will need to register in order to make a purchase from the sales and market.

    GiltTaste

    Gilt Taste items are shipped directly from each purveyor, and delivery timelines can vary from item to item. Their goal is to ship your purchase within 2-5 days of ordering. Perishable items are likely to ship in a shorter timeframe, and some vendors do not ship between Thursday and Sunday. Please refer to the product details page when you place your order for estimated delivery dates.

    Gilt Taste can ship products within the USA. It can't ship to PO boxes.
    Gilt ships a small number of products internationally. Gilt offers $19.95 shipping for most international orders. International orders with large and heavy items may have higher shipping prices to ensure the order delivery.

    Register on Gilt Taste! Membership is free!

     


  • Invino is a private shopping site (flash sale site, private sale site, sample sale site) offering wine. They work directly with top wineries to bring the very best wines at or below the best total price on the web to their members - every day of the week. Invino offers its members spectacular wines from around the world - at prices up to 80% off retail.

    Hand-picked wines are selected by their panel of wine experts. The team consists of seasoned industry insiders and respected, passionate wine experts who share our customers' excitement about wine and exceptional value.

    Sales events launch daily, with wines available exclusively to members for 24-72 hours on average. Guaranteed to be at or below the best total price on the web, there's no better source for enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike.

    Invino

    Invino ships within the USA. It can't ship to P.O. boxes. An adult, 21 years or older, must be present to sign for each shipment.
    Invino currently does not ship outside of the U.S., to U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, or to Military and A.P.O. addresses.

    Check out invino, the ultimate source for the best wine deals, anywhere. Access is only for Members, which is free and simple to signup!
    Register on Invino today!

     


  • Lot 18 is a private sale site (flash sale site, private shopping club, sample sale site) offering hightly discounted quality wines. It aims to bring its members a taste of wine country every day. Lot18 provides access to high-quality, hard-to-find wines and gourmet foods at attractive prices, as well as wine- and gourmet-themed travel excursions and exclusive dinners at top restaurants across the country.

    Lot 18 lives by a simple rule: If they wouldn't spend their own money on a product, it's not made available on Lot18. Their team of expert curators works closely with quality-driven winemakers and artisanal food producers, as well as top hotels, restaurants and resorts around the world. Their curators select only those products and experiences for Lot18 that are unique in their own right and that represent the highest quality and value.

    Lot 18

    Lot 18 Select offers a curated collection of their most popular wines, all available in half-case bundles that are perfect for building your wine cellar or sharing at a celebration. They have secured access to these wines for a longer period of time to guarantee that Lot18 Select will always offer their members a great selection of their favorite varieties. Check out their latest offerings in Lot18 Select when you're planning your next get-together and need the perfect wines to please all your guests and your wallet.

    Lot 18's vendors can ship products only within the continental United States.

    Wine orders typically ship via UPS or FedEx Ground within two to three days and will be delivered within two to 10 days, depending on your location. Some products are eligible for expedited shipping at checkout. Wine is shipped in approved cardboard boxes with protective bottle inserts. Someone 21 or older must be available to sign for shipments containing wine.

    Get insider access to the finest wines, specialty foods and epicurean-themed excursions, all made available in small quantities and at attractive prices. Register on lot18 today and get a $10 credit into your account! Membership is free!

     

Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Flash sale (private sale, fashion sale, designer sale) sites for children and moms

Flash sale (private sale, fashion sale, designer sale) sites are members only shopping clubs, where you can buy goods at high discounts. Private shopping clubs (The best private shopping clubs (also known as private sale sites, fashion sale sites, designer sale sites, flash sale sites, sample sale sites) organise sales events for its members that typically last 2 to 6 days. Because they are private (i.e. a user a. has to be invited and b. only after sign up users can see the goods and services on offer) they protect the brand owners distribution channels, brand and price points. True private shopping clubs source their products only directly from the brands and dont buy liquidation stock from retailers. Membership is free.

Flash sale (private sale, fashion sale, designer sale, sample sale) sites for children and moms


  • Zulily is a flash sale site (private shopping club) for moms, babies and children. It offers daily sales events on top-quality apparel, gear and other goodies. Members enjoy savings of up to 90% off retail prices. Zulily loves to find deals on favorite styles, and introduce its members to exciting new brands, too. Offers more sales for babies and kids than any other private shopping club. Zulily ships to USA and Canada as well as international destinations.You can pay for your order with a debit/credit card or Paypal.

    Zulily

     

  • The Mini Social - US flash sale site (private shopping club) providing private access to the most hip and modern designer clothing and accessories for moms, babies and children. It allows to save up to 70% on designer clothing, toys and more for mom, baby and child.

    The Mini Social
    TheMiniSocial offers shipping to USA only (50 states, Alaska, Hawaii), PO/FPO/APO addresses.

Flash sale (private sale, fashion sale, designer sale, sample sale) sites offering clothing, shoes, accessories and toys for children and moms



  • Gilt  is a one of the largest US flash sale site (private shopping clubs). It has a section with items for children. Gilt Groupe provides instant insider access to today's top designer labels, at up to 60% off retail. Members can find something new every day. Offers more sales for children than other top shopping clubs for men, women and children.

    Gilt

     

  • HauteLook is one of the largest US flash sale sites (private shopping clubs). It has a section for children. HauteLook ships to US and Canada. It supports US and Canadian debit/credit cards and Paypal.

    HauteLook

     

  • Rue La La - US flash sale site (private shopping club). Sales for children are called Little Rue. Although they are intermittent, they have really good stuff. Rue La La allows to pay with international debit/credit cards. And it ships to freight forwarders (package forwarding services) like Shipito.

    Rue La La

     

  • Beyond The Rack- Canadian flash sale site (private shopping club) offering shipping to the USA and Canada. Has the Kids/Babies section.

    Beyond The Rack

  • Ideel is one of the largest US private shopping clubs. It doesn't have any special sections for children, but you may find toys and other goods for kids by searching the web-site. Ideel supports international debit and credit cards and ships to many countries worldwide. It can also ship to freight forwarders (package forwarding services) like Shipito.

    Ideel

     

  • MyHabit - flash sale site (private shopping club) powered by Amazon. Offers priority international shipping to 50+ countries for a $25 flat rate, and expedited international shipping to selected countries at a $15 flat rate! See the Children section:

    MyHabit

     


See also:
Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Free ebooks (Kindle Edition) from Amazon (Kindle Price: $0.00 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet). Part 4 (July 2011).






Free Kindle ebooks (with free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet): Update (July 20, 2011)







Free Kindle ebooks (with free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet): Update (July 26, 2011)




More free ebooks from the Kindle Store:
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

2500 FREE songs from Amazon MP3 Store

Amazon MP3 Store offers 2500 songs for FREE. The majority of these songs cost at least 99 cents on iTunes. Choose from artists such as Flogging Molly, Dave Matthews Band, Ziggy Marley, Sister Hazel, Beyonce Knowles, Hank Williams, and more.

[caption id="attachment_1402" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="2500 FREE songs from Amazon MP3 Store"]2500 FREE songs from Amazon MP3 Store[/caption]
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Special offer: Receive Cyberlink PhotoDirector 2011 (Adobe Lightroom alternative) for FREE just for leaving your feedback

Simply fill out your name and email address to receive a link to download PhotoDirector 2011 Beta. Let Cybelink know how you are experiencing the product before June 20th**, 2011 and we will provide you with the full version of PhotoDirector 2011 for FREE (US $99.95 value) after it is launched.

[caption id="attachment_1391" align="alignnone" width="640" caption="Get Cyberlink PhotoDirector 2011 for FREE"]Get Cyberlink PhotoDirector 2011 for FREE[/caption]

CyberLink PhotoDirector is an alternative to Adobe Lightroom in the photo editing and management arena. CyberLink PhotoDirector makes your workflow as smooth as possible, so you can move from organizing, to editing, and on to sharing your photos with ease:

  • Dynamic Adjustment Tools - Enhance specific areas of photos with amazing Adjustment Brushes or adjust the White Balance or Tone to bring out the spectacular color of your images.

  • Intuitive workflow designed to smooth the flow from import, manage, enhance to final output.

  • Native RAW Support for RAW files from Canon and Nikon cameras allows you to experience the most authentic color when decoding RAW file formats.



**To receive the full version of the software after it is released, participants must be over 18 years of age and provide feedback to a designated CyberLink email address related directly to how the participants experienced PhotoDirector by June 20th, 2011.

Get CyberLink PhotoDirector 2011 for FREE!
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Free ebooks (Kindle Edition) from Amazon (Kindle Price: $0.00 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet). Part 3.

Download free books from Amazon while they are free.



Free Kindle ebooks (with free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet): Update (May 24, 2011)




Free Kindle ebooks (with free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet): Update (June 01, 2011)




Free Kindle ebooks (with free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet): Update (June 11, 2011)




Free Kindle ebooks (with free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet): Update (June 21, 2011)







Free Kindle ebooks (with free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet): Update (June 29, 2011)





More free ebooks from the Kindle Store:
Posted by at 3 comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)