Showing posts with label shipping forwarder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shipping forwarder. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Review: Fishisfast parcel forwarder shipping purchases from US stores to worldwide destinations

I have switched from Shipito parcel forwarder more than a year ago. It ia a great company offering many shipping methods at a reasonable price, but I don't like to pay any monthly fees as well as more than $2 for every incoming package. It is absolutely NOT worth it when there are so many parcel forwarders shipping to Russia at a cheaper rate.

Unlike many other parcel forwarders I have tried, FishisFast was not founded by the immigrants from Russia and other xUSSR countries. For some customers Soviet legacy implies poor service, so they try to avoid it (it is not that I agree with that).

Fishisfast parcel forwarder shipping purchases from US stores

FishisFast targets not only customers from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other xUSSR countries, but also from many other destinations. Thanks to FishisFast parcel forwarder you may ship your U.S. purchases to the following countries:
Brazil, Australia, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Japan, Korea, Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Plurinational State of, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Congo, The Democratic Republic of the, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Holy See (Vatican City State), Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Islamic Republic of, Iraq, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, Korea, Republic of, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Republic of, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Federated States of, Moldova, Republic of, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestinian Territory, Occupied, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Réunion, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, United Republic of, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands, British, Virgin Islands, U.S., Wallis and Futuna, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Åland Islands
FishisFast offers high quality photos of your incoming packages. Unlike Shipito, the images are not blurred. More over you may order photos of the contents of your incoming packages for $2 per package. All your parcels will be unpacked then and the photos will be taken.

Here is an example of a package with Timberland sandals. The company offered a photo of the incoming package, the photo of the contents of the shoe box,


the photo of the shoe box,

the photo of the essential information on the shoe box.



Of course not all the items are unpacked by FishisFast. For example, a kid's winter suit appeared in a lightweight package. The company took a photo of the winter suit that covers a small fraction of it. But the photo contains the label on the item which clearly shows the name, the size and the color.


By ordering optional photos at FishisFast you can make sure that the shops deliver correct items, and you will notice that before shipping your package to your country (so you may return them right away).

FishisFast offers several free services:
  • Take photos of every order they get for you before they open it
  • Consolidate all the items you want to send into the most economical box to save on shipping costs. They'll even remove excess packaging like shoe boxes on request if you want to save a little bit more space.
  • Your packages are all insured against theft, damage or loss by us for free up until $100, above that for only $3 per shipment for every extra $100 of value.
  • Get as much space as you need to store all your items until you're ready to send them.
Also FishisFast offers extra paid services:
  • Unpacking $2/$5 - If you'd like, you can request that FishisFast unpacks every package that they receive for $2 per shipment. They will photograph and weigh all items inside and display them in your locker. If you only want to unpack certain parcels and continue receiving the rest without unpacking, they charge $5 for unpacking a single parcel.
  • Bubble wrap item $1 - They'll carefully wrap a single unpacked item in bubble wrap for additional protection.
  • Bubble wrap fragile items $5 - They'll unpack an incoming shipment and carefully bubble wrap any fragile items inside.
  • Plastic Bag $3 - They'll put all your items in a plastic bag to help protect against weather and unwanted opening of the contents.
  • Power on testing $5 - They'll give you a video showing that the item turns on so you can make sure it works before you ship it.
  • Stretch wrap $5 - They'll wrap your entire parcel in stretch wrap to help protect it even further.
  • Mediation service $5 - Having problems with a seller in the US? Didn’t receive everything you ordered? FishisFast can help you handle it. They'll contact the store on your behalf until the issue is resolved.
  • Return item - Free (plus postage).
The deciding factors for using FishisFast for me were:
  • the reputation of the company, 
  • free 180 day storage for all incoming packages, 
  • very low fees for assisted purchases, 
  • a no sales tax location in Delaware, 
  • free incoming packages, 
  • no monthly fees.
USPS increases its rates every year. Luckily customers from Russia can use a cheaper shipping method - Fastbox Economy via Russian Post. The packages are delivered to Berlin (Germany) by air. Then they are transferred to office of the Russian post in Berlin.

Fastbox Economy is not the fastest method of delivery, but it is not as slow as shipping by the sea. The cost is significantly lower than USPS. The packages are delivered to the post office, not to your door; and there is no way to change that. But there is no dimensional weight, your don't need to provide your passport to the customs, plus the customs declaration is identical to the one used by USPS.

Fastbox Economy allows to deliver package up to 20 kg. Length + circumference must be less than 251 cm.


Now let's talk about the package consolidation. When you order unpacking and photos of the your items, they are also weighted. Moreover when consolidating packages you may choose the individual items instead of the incoming packages. The weight of each and every item allows to avoid overweight.



Extra services like wrapping or removing shoe boxes can be applied to individual items. For example, I decided to remove 4 shoe boxed and bubble wrap my HDD.



I also decided to remove invoices (although it was not important) and use a branded secure tape.



The branded security tape allows to find out whether the package was opened during transfer (was it done by a criminal or a customs officer).

Unlike many other parcel forwarders FishisFast allows to choose your shipping method after consolidating packages.


It is a great option, since you may only guess the weight and size of the outcoming package before the consolidation.

The company offers the photo of the outcoming package



It also shows the contents of your package before closing the box:





FastBox Economy packages depart the FishisFast warehouse once a week only. You should take this into account when estimating the time of arrival.

FishisFast sends the tracking number of Russia post immediately after sending your packge by the  Fastbox Economy method. Of course the packages can not be tracked before they arrive in Berlin (Germany).

My package was sent on October 24. I have received it on November 23. The estimated delivery time of 20-30 days was absolutely correct.

Although the package was in the post office on November 20, I only got the notification about it 3 days later.


I didn't pay for the extra insurance. My package appeared to be opened. Luckily all the items were inside and in the perfect condition.

It costed me only $88,18 to ship the 7,5 kg package from the USA to Russia. The packaging materials costed $3, the rest was the cost of the shipping itself. There were no any monthly fees, sending fees, no bank fees, no nothing. Moreover you may get a $5 discount for your first package when registering via the invitation link.

The account can be filled by Amazon Payments, Paypal as well as wire transfer. You may also use your cash back services like Mr.Rebates to fill in the FishisFast account.

The only disappointment I had with FishisFast was that they removed the box of my HDD while I wanted to add an extra bubble wrap to it, not to the HDD itself.

My overall impression of FishisFast is very positive. Of course you may not use it for oversized packages and there are no courier shipping methods. But the company offers a very economical way of delivering packages, so I highly recommend it!

FishisFast web-site (Get a $5 bonus for registering via this link)

Thursday, March 5, 2015

2972 Columbia St., Torrance, CA 90503, USA: Scam and fraud or legit?

Is the following address used for scams and frauds?


2972 Columbia St.
Suite # XXXXX
Torrance, CA 90503
USA


No, this is one of the warehouses used by Shipito (Eastbiz Corp.).

Shipito warehouses
Shipito warehouse: 2972 Columbia St., Suite # XXXXX, Torrance, CA 90503, 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 12'700 likes:

Shipito on Facebook

See also: US online stores shipping and not shipping to Shipito warehouse in Torrance, California (2964 Columbia St., Torrance, CA 90503, USA).

Can the "2972 Columbia St., Torrance, CA 90503, 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.

Information for online retailers about Shipito


Shipito and victims of stolen credit cards


If you're a store owner who shipped product to 2972 Columbia St., Torrance, CA 90503, 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.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Shopfans Express allows to send items to several customers in one package

Shopfans Express allows to use several customers when sending a package. So to overcome a 1000 EUR customs fee free limit that is valid so far for customers sending packages to Russia, you may just add several recipients to your package. Of course every single item may not cost over 1000 EUR if you want to avoid paying customs fees. But you may send, for example, 4 iphones 5S 64 GB or 4 Macbook Air notebooks in one package by just adding 4 recipients.



That's a really nice feature. It will become even more useful when the limit will be reduced from 1000 EUR to 150 EUR sometime in 2014.

Do you know any other package forwarders (parcel forwarders, freight forwarders, shipping forwarders) that allow to use multiple recipients when sending packages to Russia?

Shopfans package forwarder to offer vacuum sealing for clothing

Shopfans package forwarder plans to offer vacuum sealing of clothing. The company has been testing a chinese vacuum sealer. It allows to reduct volume size significantly:



The service can be useful for customers sending clothing, plush toys,... Thanks to the reduced volume size, you will be able to send a heavier package. And the heavier the package is, the less you spend to per kilogram of shipping weight.

Moreover you can hide a cell phone or jewerly inside the sealed bag.

Do you know any other package forwarder (parcel forwarder, freight forwarder, shipping forwarder) offering vacuum sealing?

Saturday, April 19, 2014

No more additional insurance for Shipito customers from Russia

I started skipping insurance at Shipito parcel forwarder, because I didn't want to pay an extra 1% if I consolidated a cell phone, some electronics with lithium battery, a watch or jewelry. When I was sending something expensive I was preferring to use a courier service. And when I was sending something cheap, I didn't want to pay extra bucks.

From April 10, 2014 Shipito is no longer requiring customers from Russia to pay this extra 1% for insurance. Normal insurance rates apply.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Special request from Shipito parcel forwarder: extra bubble wrap and security tape for $2 each

Shipito parcel forwarder has finally offered extra bubble wrap and security tape as special requests for consolidated packages.

Special request from Shipito parcel forwarder: extra bubble wrap and security tape for $2 each

All special requests that Shipito currently offers:

Visual check that content is not damagedFREE-
Remove Invoice$1Remove store invoices from the package(s)
Extra Bubble Wrap$2Put extra bubble wrap or packaging material to protect the items.
Extra Tape$2Put extra tape on the package seams
Security Tape $2Put security tape on the package, so it's evident if the package has been opened after shipping
Other Request$5Write your own request

Here is the extra bubble wrap used for protecting my package:

Shipito parcel forwarder (package forwarder): Extra security tape

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Good news for Russian customers of Shipito shipping forwarder (parcel forwarder)

Shipito shipping forwarder (parcel forwarder) has finally moved towards Russian customers. The competition among US to Russia parcel forwarders is so high that there were no reasons to use Shipito anymore. Although Shipito rates are still above many Russian competitors, the new changes are better than nothing:

  • Shipito is shipping big volume by USPS Express mail. The shipping price was permanently lowered by 15%. If you are our status client (Silver, Gold or Diamond) you might have additional discount from already lowered price till the end of March (new benefits will be announced on April 1 for the 2nd quarter).
  • Shipping rates in Oregon were 10% higher than in California. Now you can get the same shipping rate in Oregon as in California.
  • SPSR Express shipping method is available for shipping from the USA to Russia.
  • Mailout fee will be reduced to $1 on all for all Shipito plans (including Virtual Mailbox).
  • Double consolidation fee will be waived.
I will ship a new package within a month and will update my article about shipping costs by USPS Express Mail and other shipping methods. We'll see whether the new pricing will make me stay at Shipito or not.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

How much it cost to ship a package to Russia from the USA via Shipito, Qwintry, Mainbox and Shopfans parcel forwarders (USPS vs. courier service) in 2014

I've been using Shipito parcel forwarder for shipping to Russia for more than 3 years. I posted detailed fees that I paid for shipping via USPS Priority Mail International and USPS Priority Mail Express International (former USPS Express Mail International) in 2010-2011, 2012 and 2013.

But the competition among parcel forwarders shipping to Russia is amazing. So no wonder that many companies offer much lower shipping rates and much better service at the same time when shipping to Russia. Unfortunately this is not the case for many other countries where using Shipito is still one of the best ways to get a decent service and cheap rates.

The first alternative I've decided to test was a new Russian parcel forwarder Mainbox. It offers fast courier service delivery to Russia. Besides speed it has lots of other benefits. One of them is that unlike Shipito you don't need to pay any monthly or annual fees to have an account with Mainbox. When shipping my Dell XPS all-in-one computer and Sony A7 mirrorless camera I decided to avoid state postal service by all means. Moreover I needed to test my computer and camera before shipping them to Russia. Mainbox tested Dell XPS, checked dead pixels on the  screen for only $3. The camera focusing and lack of scratches on the lense and display were also done only for $3! Standard Mainbox shipping is fast enough, so there is no need to use express shipping.

It costed me $289 to ship a 19kg 77x62x32cm package with my Dell XPS computer to Russia by Mainbox.

   Mainbox account: Shipping DELL XPS computer to Russia

Mainbox fee structure in 2014:
  • Package Location: Bear, Delaware (no sales tax location)
    19 kg
    77x62x32cm
    Mailout fee: $0
    Repacking fee: $0 (no packages consolidated)
    Postage: $286 ($28 for the first kilogramm, $12 for every additional kg)
    (Carrier) ($286)
    (Bank fee) ($0)
    Insurance: $0 (included into postage)
    Alternative shipping methods offered by Mainbox for delivering this package to Russia:
    • Express shipping
      Postage: $342 ($41 for the first kilogram, $14 for every additional kg)
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $15.2
    TOTAL: $289
  • Package Location: Bear, Delaware (no sales tax location)
    1,44 kg
    31x25x22cm
    Delivery time: 8 days
    Mailout fee: $0
    Repacking fee: $0 (no packages consolidated)
    Postage: $44 ($30 for the first kilogramm, $14 for every additional kg)
    (Carrier) ($44)
    Bank fee $1.21 (1724.80 RUR ~ $50.21 was charged by Uniteller instead of $49 for filling the account in RUR. The option of filling the account in USD by Paypal was not available.)
    Insurance: $0 (included into postage)
    Testing working condition (optional): $3
    Using no sales tax warehouse: $2
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $34.87
    TOTAL: $50.21
Besides testing Mainbox, I still use Shipito for delivering packages to Russia via USPS Priority Mail Express International.

Shipito fee structure for sending a package

Shipito fee structure 2014

  • Package Location: Tualatin, Oregon (no sales tax location)
    33.30 lbs (15.1 kg)
    36"x17"x14" (92x44x35 cm)
    Mailout fee: $18.50 ($10 extra fee for packages over 30 lbs)
    Repacking fee: $26.00 (13 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $225.21
    (Carrier) ($215.93)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($9.28)
    Insurance: $0 (no insurance)
    Alternative shipping methods offered by Shipito for delivering this package to Russia:

    • USPS Express Mail (5-6 business days)
      Postage: $218.66
      Insurance: $18.91 (optional)
      TOTAL: $237.57

    • Airmail Priority (8-20 business days)
      Postage: $343.09
      Insurance: not available
      Tracking is not available
      TOTAL: $343.09

    • Russian Post Standard (3-6 weeks)
      Postage: $243.76
      Insurance: $40.13 (optional)
      TOTAL: $283.89

    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $17.86
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $53.78
    TOTAL: $269.71
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)

  • Package Location: Tualatin, Oregon (no sales tax location)
    22.40 lbs (10.16 kg)
    27"x13"x13" (69x34x34 cm)
    Mailout fee: $8.50
    Repacking fee: $38.00 (19 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $137.37
    (Carrier) ($131.71)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($5.66)
    Insurance: $0 (no insurance)
    Extra security tape: $2
    Alternative shipping methods offered by Shipito for delivering this package to Russia:

    • USPS Express Mail (5-6 business days)
      Postage: $135.42
      Insurance: $17.79 (optional)
      TOTAL: $153.21

    • Airmail Priority (20-40 business days)
      Postage: $220.95
      Insurance: not available
      Tracking is not available
      TOTAL: $220.95

    • USPS Priority Mail (6-10 business days)
      Postage: $141.26
      Insurance: $29.43 (optional)
      TOTAL: $188.59

    • Russian Post Standard (3-4 weeks)
      Postage: $150.95
      Insurance: $37.64 (optional)
      TOTAL: $283.89

    • SPSR Express (8-15 business days)
      Postage: $186.76
      Insurance: $47.64 (optional)
      TOTAL: $234.4

    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $18.29
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $54.16
    TOTAL: $185.87
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)
  • Package Location: Tualatin, Oregon (no sales tax location)
    38.50 lbs (17.46 kg)
    36"x17"x14" (92x44x35 cm)
    Mailout fee: $18.50 ($10 extra fee for packages over 30 lbs)
    Repacking fee: $34.00 (17 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $201.42
    (Carrier) ($193.12)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($8.30)
    Insurance: $0 (no insurance)
    Alternative shipping methods offered by Shipito for delivering this package to Russia:

    • USPS Express Mail (5-6 business days)
      Postage: $190.39
      Insurance: $18.86 (optional)
      TOTAL: $217.44

    • Russian Post Standard (3-4 weeks)
      Postage: $237.94
      Insurance: $40.02 (optional)
      TOTAL: $288.19

    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $14.6
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $61.8
    TOTAL: $254.92
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)

  • Package Location: Tualatin, Oregon (no sales tax location)
    30.90 lbs (14.01 kg)
    36"x17"x13" (92x44x32 cm)
    Mailout fee: $18.50 (extra $10 fee for packages over 30 lbs)
    Repacking fee: $36.00 (18 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $169.41
    (Carrier) ($162.43)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($6.98)
    Insurance: $0 (no insurance)
    Extra security tape: $2
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $16.12
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $63.48
    TOTAL: $225.91
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)

  • Package Location: Tualatin, Oregon (no sales tax location)
    27.70 lbs (12.56 kg)
    36"x17"x13" (92x44x34 cm)
    Mailout fee: $8.50
    Repacking fee: $22.00 (11 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $155.16
    (Carrier) ($148.76)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($6.40)
    Insurance: $0 (no insurance)
    Extra security tape: $2
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $14.94
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $38.9
    TOTAL: $187.66
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)

  • Package Location: Tualatin, Oregon (no sales tax location)
    14.10 lbs (6.39 kg)
    17"×13"×13" (44×34×34 cm)
    Mailout fee: $8.50
    Repacking fee: $12.00 (6 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $103.82
    (Carrier) ($99.54)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($4.28)
    Insurance: $0 (no insurance)
    Extra security tape: $2
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $19.77
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $26.78
    TOTAL: $126.32
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)
I also decided to test Qwintry parcel forwarder for shipping to Russia via USPS. It has a warehouse in the no sales tax location in Delaware, so I was wondering whether it will be faster and cheaper to send the package from the East coast (rather than the West coast in case of Shipito). Moreover Qwintry doesn't have any subscription fees, not does it charge for incoming packages as well as package consolidation.

Qwintry package: Invoice

Qwintry fee structure in 2014:
  • Shipping method: USPS Priority Mail Express International (EMS) Package Location: Newark, Delaware (no sales tax location)
    33.16 lb (15.04 kg)
    18x18x22 inches (46x46x56 cm)
    Mailout fee: $0
    Processing incoming packages: $0
    Repacking fee: $0 (no packages consolidated)
    Packagin materials: $8
    Postage: $201.60
    Insurance: $0 (optional)
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $14.14
    TOTAL: $212.60

When shipping my Yamaha digital piano, using state post was not and option due to size limitations of the USPS. Mainbox wasn't able to ship this package due to the large size. So I decided to test Shopfans Express courier service for shipping Yamaha P155 to Russia.

Shopfans Express

Shopfans Express fee structure in 2014:
  • Shipping method: Shopfans Express (no other options available for a package of this size) Package Location: Claymont, Delaware (no sales tax location)
    57 lbs 5 oz
    Mailout fee: $0
    Processing incoming packages: $0 (via coupon code SFXZERO)
    Repacking fee: $0 (no packages consolidated)
    Postage: $309,05
    (Carrier) ($298,6)
    (Bank fee) ($10,45)
    Insurance: $0 (optional)
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $11.89
    TOTAL: $309,05

Links:
See also:

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Russian Post Standard via Berlin becomes faster

All shipments sent by Russian Post via Berlin (Russian Post Standard shipping method) were previously sent by truck from Shipito warehouse to New York (JFK). It took about 4 days plus different waiting times at the airport.

Russian Post Standard via Berlin becomes faster


Shipito is currently testing direct flight from Los Angeles to Berlin. The last Berlin post shipment was picked up on November 23. Shipment will be at the airport on November 24 and fly directly to Berlin. Shipment will be in Berlin on November 25 and Russian Post will pick up from there.

The biggest complain until now was that Russian Post Standard shipping method of Shipito parcel forwarder is not very fast. Direct flights from LA to Berlin may speed the process a little bit. The good thing about the Russian Post Standard shipping method is that Shipito had extremely low loss rate with it.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Qwintry parcel forwarder allows to ship to Russia via SPSR Express

Qwintry parcel forwarder has finished testing a new delivery method - SPSR Express. Now it is available to all Qwintry customers shipping parcels to Russia.

SPSR Express - New shipping method from Qwintry parcel forwarder

The main advantage of SPSR is stable delivery time. On average it takes 10 days to deliver a parcel from the USA to Moscow and a couple of days more to other Russian cities and towns. Moreover this delivery method allows to avoid Russian Post completely, thus you will have better parcel handling and faster delivery.

The shipping cost is identical to USPS Express, so there is little to no sense to use the United States Parcel Service when shipping from the USA at all.

More parcel forwarders allowing to ship to Russia via SPSR Express:

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Russian parcel forwarder SPSR USA offers a no sales tax address for tax free purchases

Russian parcel forwarder SPSR USA offers a no sales tax address in Delaware allowing customers from Russia to avoid state sales tax completely.

SPSR USA: No sales tax location address in Delaware

SPSR USA uses SPSR Express for shipping parcels from the USA to Russia. SPSR has offices in 6000 locations in Russia allowing you to avoid using Russian Post and USPS completely.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Can you reship/re-export packages to Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Somalia and Sudan

Shipito shipping forwarder forces all its customers to agree with the following in every customs declaration:
I hereby declare that these specific commodities are being exported from the United States in accordance with all applicable United States export control laws and regulations including regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Treasury. As a customer of Shipito and/or Eastbiz Corporation, I agree not to export, re-export, or transship these commodities to any country that the United States has imposed an embargo or trade sanction upon, including but not limited to Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Somalia and Sudan or any destination for which United States requires an export license without first obtaining such license(s). Diversion of these commodities contrary to the United States law is prohibited. Any and all export license requirements are the sole responsibility of the individual and/or entity in contractual agreement with Shipito and/or Eastbiz Corporation.

It looks even more stupid considering the fact that most products sold in the USA and purchased there by the customers from the rest of the world are actually produced in Asia (mainly in China). Nevertheless if you buy in the USA something manufactured in China and then reship / re-export it to Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Somalia and Sudan, you will break the US laws. And that means if one day you visit the USA, its authorities can arrest you and jail you for breaking the law!

Thursday, January 31, 2013

News about Shipito Airmail shipping method

Starting January, 31 for warehouses in California and soon coming to Oregon location, Shipito Airmail Express will be available to almost all countries in the Shipito shipping calculator.

  1. For lighter packages it will be cheaper than it is now. The exact price differences depends on the destination, but most packages under 20 lbs will be less expensive than it is now.

  2. You will get the actual tracking number at the moment of mailout from our warehouse, there will be no waiting until package arrives to Belgium.

  3. Process is still similar, packages will be transported to Belgium and then shipped with tracking to the final destination, but due to the improved infrastructure, the whole process should be faster.

  4. Airmail Economy maximum weight will be limited to 4.4 lbs (if you already have heavier package selected for Airmail Economy, it will be still shipped using the old Economy method). No more confusion about Airmail Economy sometimes shipped as EMS.

Additionally:

  • No lithium battery restrictions.

  • Dimensional weight is not used. This is extremely important as most of packages by DHL, Fedex, TNT are charged as DIM weight.

  • Airmail Priority service stays unchanged


Update (November 06, 2013)
Shipito Airmail can no longer be used for shipping lithium batteries

Russian shipping forwarder Shopotam (ex. EbayToday) offers more shipping methods bypassing Russian Post

Many major shipping forwarders offer alternative shipping methods bypassing state postal services and major courier services like DHL, Fedex, UPS. This allows to get better pricing and/or faster delivery. Moreover alternative shopping methods are more secure than state postal services.

For example, one of the biggest shipping forwarders in Russia Shopotam (former EbayToday) offers express delivery by SPSR Express and economy delivery by Boxberry. Both bypass Russian Post completely. And while you can deliver by SPSR Express much faster (5-10 days), the rates are comparable with USPS Express Mail International (EMS).

Shopotam (eBayToday): alternative shipping methods

You may find more details on the Shopotam web-site.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Shipito opened a warehouse in Austria (Europe)

Shipito opened a warehouse in Austria. For start, it is available to all clients with Virtual Mailbox and account verified to at least 50%. They will lift this restriction in few weeks. Consolidation is available, shipping rates can be found in the shipping calculator.

Shipito: Austria

Now that Shipito has a warehouse in Europe, I'll be more willing to try some European private shopping clubs that don't ship outside the European Union. Although prices are usually higher in EU than in the USA, some items are not sold in the USA and some are to heavy to ship them from the USA.

Update (February 08, 2013)
The Austrian warehouse is available to all customers, and the shelves are filling up already.

All customers are able to use the European address provided in their account for purchases all over Europe (UK, Germany, France, Austria, etc.). Nearly every European store (like Tommy Hilfiger, ebay.de, Amazon.de, Esprit, H&M, etc.) is shipping to the warehouse.

The location provides all services available (content photos, special requests, consolidations, etc.).

Shipping methods available at start: Austrian Postal Service and FedEx. For Austrian Post only real weight is used (not DIM weight).

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Examples of fees charged by USPS Express Mail and Shipito shipping forwarder in 2013 for sending packages from the United States to Russia

I'm continuing to post detailed fee structure for sending my packages from the United States of America to Russia. The fees of both Shipito and USPS grow every year, so you may find it useful to compare the figures from my previous post for 2010-2011 and 2012. This article will be updated each time I send a new package from the USA to Russia via Shipito throughout 2013. You may also read about my packages sent in 2014.

Shipito fee structure


Shipito fee structure 2013

  • Package Location: Tualatin, OR
    10.80 lbs (4.9 kg)
    19"x14"x7" (49x36x18 cm)
    USPS Express Mail International
    Mailout fee: $8.50
    Repacking fee: $16.00 (8 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $104.58
    (Carrier) ($100.27)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($4.31)
    Insurance: $30.32 (3% delivery + damage insurance; higher than normal insurance rate because the package contains jewerly, a watch or a cell phone)
    Alternative shipping methods offered by Shipito for delivering this package to Russia:

    • USPS Express Mail (5-6 business days)
      Postage: $104.58
      Insurance: $30.32
      TOTAL: $134.9

    • USPS Priority Mail (6-10 business days)
      Postage: $88.23
      Insurance: $41.95
      TOTAL: $130.18

    • Airmail Economy (15-30 business days)
      Postage: $102.56
      insurance not available
      Tracking is not available
      TOTAL: $115.1

    • Airmail Priority (8-20 business days)
      Postage: $113.14
      Insurance: $60.16
      Tracking is not available
      TOTAL: $173.3

    • Airmail Express (15 business days)
      Postage: $104.58
      Insurance: $60.16
      TOTAL: $164.74

    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $32.53
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $28.81
    TOTAL: $159.4
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)

  • Package Location: Tualatin, OR
    14.30 lbs (6.49 kg)
    17"x13"x13" (42x34x32 cm)
    Mailout fee: $8.50
    Repacking fee: $18.00 (9 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $130.40
    (Carrier) ($125.02)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($5.38)
    Insurance: $23.97 (3% delivery + damage insurance; higher than normal insurance rate because the package contains jewerly, a watch or a cell phone)
    Alternative shipping methods offered by Shipito for delivering this package to Russia:

    • USPS Express Mail (5-6 business days)
      Postage: $130.4
      Insurance: $23.97
      TOTAL: $154.37

    • USPS Priority Mail (6-10 business days)
      Postage: $113.93
      Insurance: $33.44
      TOTAL: $147.37

    • Airmail Economy (15-30 business days)
      Postage: $135.7
      insurance not available
      Tracking is not available
      TOTAL: $145.54

    • Airmail Priority (8-20 business days)
      Postage: $149.7
      Insurance: $49.35
      Tracking is not available
      TOTAL: $199.05

    • Airmail Express (15 business days)
      Postage: $130.4
      Insurance: $49.35
      TOTAL: $179.75

    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $27.87
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $31.88
    TOTAL: $180.87
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)

  • Package Location: Tualatin, OR
    24.50 lbs (11.11 kg)
    26"x13"x13" (67x34x34 cm)
    USPS Express Mail International
    Mailout fee: $8.50
    Repacking fee: $20.00 (10 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $180.30
    (Carrier) ($172.87)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($7.43)
    Insurance: $10.04
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $19.70
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $28.5
    TOTAL: $218.84
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)

  • Package Location: Tualatin, OR
    54.70 lbs (24.81 kg)
    36"x17"x17" (92x44x44 cm)
    USPS Express Mail International
    Mailout fee: $18.50 ($10 extra surcharge for heavy packages over 30 pounds)
    Repacking fee: $30.00 (15 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $330.03
    (Carrier) ($316.42)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($13.61)
    Insurance: $17.21
    Alternative shipping methods offered by Shipito for delivering this package to Russia:

    • USPS Express Mail (5-6 business days)
      Postage: $330.03 ($316.42 without bank fees)
      Insurance: $17.21
      TOTAL: $347.24

    • Airmail Priority (20-40 business days)
      Postage: $571.7 ($548.13 without bank fees)
      insurance not available
      Tracking is not available
      TOTAL: $608.05

    • Airmail Express (15 business days)
      Postage: $330.03 ($316.42 without bank fees)
      Insurance: $46.35
      TOTAL: $376.38
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $15.95
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $48.5
    TOTAL: $395.74
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)
  • Package Location: Tualatin, OR
    18.50 lbs (8.39 kg)
    26"x13"x13" (67x34x34 cm)
    USPS Priority Mail Express
    Mailout fee: $8.50
    Repacking fee: $12.00 (6 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $150.36
    (Carrier) ($144.16)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($6.20)
    Insurance: n/a
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $20.36
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $20.5
    TOTAL: $170.86
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)
  • Package Location: Tualatin, OR
    28.50 lbs (12.92 kg)
    36"x17"x11" (92x44x27 cm)
    USPS Priority Mail Express
    Mailout fee: $8.50
    Repacking fee: $12.00 (6 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $200.27
    (Carrier) ($192.01)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($8.26)
    Insurance: $16.54
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $18.37
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $28.76
    TOTAL: $237.31
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)

  • Package Location: Tualatin, OR
    37.00 lbs (16.78 kg)
    36"x17"x13" (92x44x34 cm)
    USPS Express Mail International
    Mailout fee: $18.50 ($10 surcharge for shipping packages over 30 lbs)
    Repacking fee: $26.00 (13 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $240.19
    (Carrier) ($230.29)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($9.90)
    Insurance: $0 (no insurance)
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $16.97
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $54.4
    TOTAL: $284.69
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)
  • Package Location: Tualatin, OR
    44.70 lbs (20.27 kg)
    59"x14"x10" (149x35x25 cm)
    USPS Express Mail International
    Mailout fee: $18.50 ($10 surcharge for shipping packages over 30 lbs)
    Repacking fee: $30.00 (15 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $278.13
    (Carrier) ($267.22)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($10.91)
    Discount: -$13.43 (USPS Express 5% Discount from Tualatin warehouse for Silver clients) Insurance: $16.14
    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $16.67
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $53.95
    TOTAL: $337.84
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)
  • Package Location: Tualatin, OR
    22.60 lbs (10.25 kg)
    26"x13"x13" (67x34x34 cm)
    USPS Priority Mail Express International (EMS)
    Mailout fee: $8.50
    Repacking fee: $22.00 (11 packages consolidated)
    Postage: $169.12
    (Carrier) ($162.48)
    (Bank fee 4.3%) ($6.64)
    Insurance: none
    Discount: -$8.16
    Alternative shipping methods offered by Shipito for delivering this package to Russia:

    • USPS Express Mail (5-6 business days)
      Postage: $170.32
      Insurance: $16.68 (optional)
      Discount: -$8.52 (Silver status)
      TOTAL: $187

    • USPS Priority Mail (6-10 business days)
      Postage: $151.1
      Insurance: $27.66 (optional)
      TOTAL: $178.76

    • Russian Post Standard (3-6 weeks)
      Postage: $151.49
      Insurance: $35.18 (optional)
      TOTAL: $186.67

    • Airmail Priority (20-40 business days)
      Postage: $238.2
      insurance not available
      Tracking is not available
      TOTAL: $238.2

    • Airmail Express (15 business days)
      Postage: $170.32
      Insurance: $45.18 (optional)
      TOTAL: $215.5

    Total per 1 kg of gross weight: $18.68
    Total Shipito fees (not including USPS shipping, insurance and Shipito monthly fee): $20.82
    TOTAL: $191.46
    Shipito service plan: Old Virtual Mailbox ($100 / year, available for old customers only)


Do you use Shipito or any other shipping forwarder? If you do, are you satisfied with its fees and service? How much did it cost you to send you package?

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Example of free photos that Shipito shipping forwarder offers to its customers for free now

Shipito package forwarder started offering free photos of packages to its customers. I've never ordered any pictures in the past, althouth the delivery+damage insurance required photos. Here is my first package gallery:

The first photo is with all my packages before consolidation:

Shipito_package gallery0

Most other photos show the contents of the packages before consolidation:

Shipito_package gallery1

Shipito_package gallery2

Shipito_package gallery3

The following photo shows all the content of the box after consolidating packages:

Shipito_package gallery4

The final photo shows the box with a tape on it:

Shipito_package gallery5

It is interesting that my box after consolidation had a 90-day free storage. I had to sent all my previous packages in 3 days. And it would cost me about $50 to add yet another package to the condolidated box. And now I can see how much free space I have in the box, so I can add more stuff into it. Hope this was not a mistake, but a new feature.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Shipito rolls out FREE photos of all consolidated packages

Photos of packages Shipito freight forwarder rolls out new and free service upgrade for all customers. All consolidated packages will have photos posted on your account. Some of the customers already can see the free photos of their consolidated packages.

  • You will see what packages were actually consolidated. Photo of each package consolidated.

  • You will see the final packing of the consolidation box (photo of filled and still opened box). So you will be able to see how well your packages is packed!

  • Photos of closed and taped packages will also be provided, so you will be able to see how it was taped before mail out!


The best part is that this service will be free for all customers! Great news!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Is it worth using a freight forwarder for purchasing few cheap items in the USA from Russia and other countries overseas?

I got the following question from my friend:
I was trying to learn about freight forwarders like Shipito, but still can't find out what to do. I don't need a huge TV from the USA, I just want to buy some clothing for this fall. It can be from Walmart, for example. But if I will only buy a couple of hoodies for $30, will it make sense to ship them to Russia via a freight forwarder? Or will it cost the same ($100 for a couple of hoodies) if purchased in an offline retail store in Moscow?

Let's find out. We want to purchase 2 hoodies in Walmart or some other store which cost $15 each. Let's assume that shipping is free.

Free Shipito account allows to mail out your package for $8.5. Let's assume that the store will ship both hoodies in one package. Otherwise you will need to consolidate 2 packages and it will cost $10 (monthly subscription) and $4.5 for each package, totaling at $10 + $4.5 * 2 = $19.

Shipito Airmail Priority and Economy are cheap for light, small and inexpensive packages. Some rates for my several packages that are now in the Shipito warehouse in Oregon:















































Weight:
Dimensions:
Insured amount:
USPS Express Mail (5-6 business days)USPS Priority Mail (6-10 business days)Airmail Economy (15-22 business days)Airmail Priority (8-15 business days)Airmail Express (15 days)USPS First Class International Parcel (varies by country)FedEx Economy (2-5 business days)FedEx Priority (1-3 business days)
4 lbs. 2 oz.
13.80 x 11.60 x 8.80
$0
Postage: $74.06
Insurance: $3.41
TOTAL: $77.47
Postage: $61.04
Insurance: $6.53
TOTAL: $67.57
Postage: $39.3
insurance not available
Tracking is not available
TOTAL: $39.3
Postage: $43.35
Insurance: $5.7
Tracking is not available
TOTAL: $49.05
Postage: $66.66
Insurance: $5.7
TOTAL: $72.36
Shipping method not availablePostage: $156.5
Insurance: $0
TOTAL: $156.5 (list rate $309.83)
Postage: $183.94
Insurance: $0
TOTAL: $183.94 (list rate $369.12)
2 lbs. 9 oz.
16.60 x 12.00 x 3.40
$0
Postage: $61.79
Insurance: $2.05
TOTAL: $63.84
Postage: $50.6
Insurance: $4.36
TOTAL: $54.96
Postage: $24.25
insurance not available
Tracking is not available
TOTAL: $24.25
Postage: $26.76
Insurance: $2.67
Tracking is not available
TOTAL: $29.43
Postage: $55.61
Insurance: $2.67
TOTAL: $58.28
Postage: $36.28
insurance not available
Tracking is not available
TOTAL: $36.28
Postage: $142.8
Insurance: $0
TOTAL: $142.8 (list rate $221.06)
Postage: $165.99
Insurance: $0
TOTAL: $165.99 (list rate $290.84)
Weight: 0 lbs. 10 oz.
Dimensions: 14.60 x 8.80 x 2.40
Insured amount: $0
Postage: $49.51
Insurance: $1.01
TOTAL: $50.52
Postage: $40.16
Insurance: $3
TOTAL: $43.16
Postage: $6.4
insurance not available
Tracking is not available
TOTAL: $6.4
Postage: $7.07
Insurance: $0.36
Tracking is not available
TOTAL: $7.43
Postage: $44.56
Insurance: $0.36
TOTAL: $44.92
Postage: $16.11
insurance not available
Tracking is not available
TOTAL: $16.11
Postage: $142.8
Insurance: $0
TOTAL: $142.8 (list rate $145.51)
Postage: $165.99
Insurance: $0
TOTAL: $165.99 (list rate $197.5)

[caption id="attachment_2533" align="aligncenter" width="482"]Comparing Shipito shippping rates: USPS, Airmail Priority/Economy/Express, Fedex Comparing Shipito shippping rates: USPS, Airmail Priority/Economy/Express, Fedex[/caption]

If you need to calculate your shipping rate, you may use the Shipito shipping calculator.

A couple of hoodies in the box will probably weight 3-4 lbs. Delivery of such a package without tracking and insurance will cost $25-40. Delivery with tracking and insurance will cost $50-60.

Bottom line: It is cheaper to buy a couple of hoodies in an offline store in Moscow.

But please note that many people like particular brands that offer more expensive clothing. In many cases this clothing is 30-50% more expensive in Moscow. Not to mention that in many other regions of Russia prices are much higher than in Moscow.

Usually it makes sense to send much heavier packages and/or packages with more expensive content. Otherwise you won't save much.

If you want to order a couple of t-shirts only, or a pair of  jeans, or a couple of hoodies, it makes sense to ask your friends who buy a lot in the same country. Or you may ask your relatives and friends whether they want to buy something in the USA as well. Personally I help my friends and relatives to buy few items regularly.

Good luck and happy savings!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Package forwarders allowing to deliver lithium batteries andelectronics from USA to the Ukraine

ContainerNow that USPS prohibits international delivery of lithium batteries and electronics with lithium, Li-ion, Li-pol batteries, many customers from the Ukraine will face problems delivering electronics from the US. The problem is that when you use courier services like DHL, Fedex, UPS you will need to pay for customs clearance in some cases, even if you don't exceed the limit of 200 EUR / month. Plus when you use courier services the limit includes the shipping cots. Luckily package forwarders (also known as mail forwarders, freight forwarders, parcel forwarders, shipping forwarders) started shipping packages from the USA to Europe in containers. Many package forwarders shipping to Russia won't work for the Ukraine when shipping lithium batteries and electronics due to different logistics. But there are package forwarders that will work for the Ukraine. And their prices are often lower compared to USPS Priority Mail or USPS Express Mail International.

  • Shipito is one of the largest package forwarders of the USA. Delivers packages with lithium batteries and electronics to the Ukraine by Polonez Parcel, Shipito Airmail Priority and Shipito Airmail Express.

    • Polonez Parcel delivery is cheaper that USPS for large packages is cheaper than by USPS ($0.79/lbs, min 20 lbs, dimensional weight is used if greater than real weight). Packages sent by Polonez Parcel to the Ukraine are not insured.

    • Shipito Airmail delivery is cheaper than USPS for light and small packages (1-6 lbs). Tracking for Shipito Airmail Priority packages is not available, but such packages can be insured.

    • Shipito Airmail Express delivery costs about the same as USPS Express Mail. Shipito Airmail Express packages can be insured and tracked. Max content value is $1,000. Airmail Express packages are delivered to Belgium post and from there to by EMS into the Ukraine.

  • Meest America (Most) is a delivery service shipping packages by sea and air. Besides delivering freight from the USA to the Ukraine, Meest provides storage and warehouse services, allows to consolidate and repack packages. Every package is insured with the company for $60.00. Additional insurance is available. Packages with lithium and electronics can be shipped by sea.

  • RusBid is a package forwarder pretty well known in the Ukraine. Allows to ship packages to the Ukraine by Meest.

  • BosMix is a package forwarder pretty well known in the Ukraine. Allows to ship packages to the Ukraine by Meest.

Do you know any other package forwarders that allows to deliver lithium batteries and electronics with lithium, Li-ion, Li-pol batteries to the Ukraine? If you don't live in the Ukraine, do you experience similar problems with your package forwarder?


Update (November 11, 2012)
Effective Nov. 15, 2012, USPS will start accepting specific quantities of lithium batteries - when installed in the equipment they are intended to operate - to be sent to many international destinations, when permitted by the destination or host country.