Buying online from US/other countries

[jangpz]

hi,



has anyone had any experience buying  from the states through the net?  any problems, like shipping, taxes, credit card security?  



i remember seeing a thread here in ppc about online sites offering door-to-door services?  can anyone provide me with links to those sites?



also, about credit cards, what local credit cards are safe when transacting online?



thanks.

[bravoexo]

When I was there, I only had Amazon ...  ordered books, DVDs....  shippping and custom taxes are shockingly high... he he he, wait, not that high, but high enough for a lot of you folks to be discouraged by the service.

[JC]

I bought some books from amazon as well. the tax I paid at the post office in QC(near COD in cubao) was a rip-off. The books were worth only 3000 pesos but the taxes were 1600++ pesos. ]:(



So far, my credit card hasn't been hacked(its been more than a year). Anyway, my credit limit is very low and I make sure I check the statement of account I receive each month. BTW, I used Citibank Mastercard.

[madman]

I do it all the time.  Usually for books and audio CDs.  But I don't have the items shipped to Manila because the S/H rates and taxes are atrocious.  JC's right.  Those customs people in our post offices are vultures.  They'll pounce on you with such big quotations the moment they see the familiar "Amazon" label on the box.  And when you ask for a discount from the tax, they'll give it to you on condition that they will not issue you a receipt.  So, guess to whose pocket your hard-earned money goes.



What's better is to have the items you purchased shipped to a friend who lives in the States.  That way, you don't have to worry about taxes.  It will then be a matter of having a balikbayan bring the stuff home to you.  That's when the long wait may start.  But, these waits would be much worth it from my experience.



Moreover, many of the stores will offer free shipping as a promo.  It's just a matter of looking for the right web outlets.  And let me give you a tip:  do not buy from a store that's in the same state as the person to whom you want your items delivered.  That's because you'll be charged state tax on top of the price of the items.



And certainly don't stop shopping at Amazon.  Amazon is only the tip of the iceberg.  While I can't argue with the fact that it is truly the biggest store in the world, what with its vast inventory, there are many other stores that offer cheaper prices with promos.



Check out the "Online Shopping" threads at pinoydvd.com.  You may learn many things there.



Hope I have been of help.

[muscleman]

As with anything here in Pinas, it is very important who you know. In our case, we make friends with the customs people in our town. E di pag dating ng items ko, walang problema. Paano, without them asking, automatic may P500 sila sa akin for every small box I have sent here. Kung paisa-isang DVD lang, P20 na stamps lang bayad.



Dati, books and DVD lang ang pasok ko. Ngayon, pasok ako ng DVD player, laptop PC, even a whole bicycle. Of course, yung SOP nila, commensurate din sa laki ng item. Heck, my brothers and I are thinking of order a Segway from Amazon na nga e. :-)

[downtown]

[dongdong]

Everyone (well, at least the greedy ones) is desperate to get material things rather then non-material stuff.

[muscleman]

Say what?

[clown]

actually meron akong digital camera na nasa post office waiting to be claimed... biruin mo bigla akong pinagbabayad ng 1500php para daw sa tax!!! nakakaasar!!! 20php lang naman claiming fee diba??

[the great]

How about fedex? I bought a writer once, had it delivered to a relative in the states and they delivered dood to door thru fedex. I don;t know the though, libre na kasi yun sakin ng relative ko; with other stuff of course.

[loudnesspunk]

best talaga dyan is buy online ship it to a relative sa states mas matipid kse tax palang minsan halos prehas ren kung dito ka bibili

[lahar]

https://www.unbox.ph/editorials/5-tips-and-tricks-when-online-shopping-overseas/

[egzbuen]

I do it all the time as well. For high ticket stuff, best to have it shipped to someone who can handcarry it from CONUS to Manila. Learned this the hard way.

For none high ticket items, I use Johhny Air. But, I send them to my cuz whose located at CONUS who consolidated and packs all the stuff I buy from there. I use this method if value exceeds 10k php.

For items and single purchases lower than 10k php, you can ask seller if they can ship directly to Manila

[splerdu]

512GB 860 Evo for $99 at Ebay via Newegg
https://www.ebay.com/itm/302613929177

[splerdu]

Crucial 500 SSD for $88 from Rakuten after using SAVE20 code
https://www.rakuten.com/shop/thekeykey/product/211109/

[Mr. Bungle]

The Crucial MX500 1TB SSD is $165 on Amazon right now.

[splerdu]

RAM is here. Arrived exactly 1 day later than Newegg estimated (again because of customs clearing) same as the 860 Evo so their delivery times are pretty consistent.

But damn, it came in a huge box lol. Could fit four trade paperbacks in there an all it's holding is two sticks of RAM. Strangely enough shipping (P750+) was P300 cheaper than the SSD's which just came in a big padded envelope.