Mailing parcels to the US

[heifeng]

HI, I have a few questions here,

I need to mail about 7-15 pounds of costume jewelry type stuff (not worth any value really) to a friend in the US who is relying on it arriving before March. Will I encounter any problems mailing it? (or, any unexpected things I should be aware of...etc)

2) Has anyone mailed stuff to the US and then received a bill from customs? Random problems that may occur at customs? Is any type of special labeling of contents required.

3)Have you just mails something to US and had it disappear, or take a extremely long time.

4) Anything else I should be aware of before sending this via air/sea mail. I am anticipating that it will take about 1 month + 1 week or so.

5)any other misc. advice.

Thanks in advance,

hf

[kdavid]

I've sent a few things home in the last few months without any problems. However, none of my packages have been over 2 kilos (6ish lbs).

I've been using DHL, who is great. The packages have been delivered within 5 - 7 days. The only kicker is that it's quite expensive. The Christmas package I sent home (2 kilos) ran me 604 RMB, so you're really paying western prices.

The last package that came from the US to me here got delayed in Beijing. Someone from DHL called and wanted my passport number, which was a little strange because they hadn't asked for it the previous times.

Also, not customs bills yet (knock on wood).

[elina]

Usually, it takes about 6-9 weeks for a package to get to USA from Beijing by sea mail. If you’re impatient for this long time, maybe you could use SAL of China Post, instead of airmail, which is cheaper than airmail, but the time period is almost the same with airmail.

[Fropie]

Hi,

I'm also getting ready to send a big package back to the States, but it will be entirely filled with gifts (silk purses, jewelery cases, and various knickknacks).

Are there any sort of customs issues? It's all worth less than $70, so I assume there's nothing wrong on the American end. But will the people at China Post be suspicious that I'm sending five of everything? I'm afraid they may think I want to sell it...

Anyone have experience with this?

[onebir]

what's "SAL of china post"? a fast surface mail service? (and what's the chinese?)

ta!

[elina]

But will the people at China Post be suspicious that I'm sending five of everything? I'm afraid they may think I want to sell it...

About 2 years ago, we mailed two large packages of books for our overseas customer at 方庄 post office, the clerks there were a kind of 大惊小怪的 / a storm in a teacup, but at last they let the parcels go without problem. I have not actual experience in sending so many gifts as described in your condition, however I guess it will be ok. I think if you go to a small post office nearby, the clerk there may (or may not) have question, then you could try 建国门国际邮局:

http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/18375162.html

People there are 见多识广的 / informed.

Fropie, would you please share your final result here, after you mail your parcel?

what's "SAL of china post"? a fast surface mail service? (and what's the chinese?)

On the 国际包裹单/international parcel receipt, there’re 3 options for choosing:

航空/Air

水陆路/Surface

空运水陆路/SAL

SAL是中国邮政的海陆空联合运输的一种方式，简称联运。The cost of SAL is between sea mail and airmail, the shipping time period is also between sea mail and airmail, as described by China Post. But from our experience in sending packages for our overseas customers, most of the time (maybe above 80% possibility), it can be nearly the same time with an airmail. Because SAL package can make use of the unoccupied space out of the airmail in a plane. But also be careful, the disadvantage of SAL is not exactly slow, is unstable, that means, if SAL cannot find a vacant space in a plane, it can be really slower than an airmail.

[Fropie]

Hi elina and others:

Today I sent 6.5 kilos of gifts (mostly silk purses, little figurines, ties, books, etc.) to one address in the U.S. It was no problem. I had to open up a few of them to show what it was, but I took advantage of my limited Chinese skills and just kept repeating "liwu" until they gave up. I went to a small post office (on the campus of Li Gong Daxue). I shipped by surface mail, and it cost about 210 kuai.

Also, about five days ago I sent 15 kilos of books to Spain by surface/air (they said surface mail [by boat] wouldn't reach -- not sure why, as Spain is surrounded almost completely by water). My friend in Spain received the package today! Definitely feeling more confident about China Post..

[elina]

about five days ago I sent 15 kilos of books to Spain by surface/air (they said surface mail [by boat] wouldn't reach -- not sure why, as Spain is surrounded almost completely by water). My friend in Spain received the package today!

I just mistakenly read “about five days ago” to “about five years ago”, which gave me a shock, really, no joking.

Today I sent 6.5 kilos of gifts (mostly silk purses, little figurines, ties, books, etc.) to one address in the U.S. It was no problem.

I think so far as the package is less than 30 kilos, there will be no problem for sending parcel to USA.

[heifeng]

Ok, so here's an update, my parcel arrived 1 day short of 3 weeks using SAL:mrgreen:

[longjingcha]

I have a similar question. I will be returning to the US from Beijing soon. I will need to mail back books and maybe some clothes. I'm in no hurry to receive the parcel. 2 or 3 months is fine.

What's the best way to mail the parcel? Is there a special rate for "printed matter"? What about customs? When does it go through customs, and how much would you need to pay?

Thanks in advance.

[Dani_man]

Hey,

You suppose to fill on a form what you have inside and how much it worth.

I'm still not sure whether it's for the insurance if something happens (cause I think the shipping price got higher when the clerk typed the anount of money, but only a little bit), or maybe it's for the customs that open all the high value packages.

When my packages arrived, I didn't have to pay anything (but maybe it's different in the states).

You can check this guide for more info about it: http://www.we2st.com/articles/SendingPackageBackHomeGuide.html

[imron]

Over the years, I've sent about 4-5 big boxes of stuff back home (Australia) using the cheapest, slowest method (including boxes of my stuff, and for things like Christmas presents etc). Delivery time has usually been between 1-3 months.

The biggest difference I've found with the previous link was that in my experience you have to take everything down to the packing department of the post-office and you can't pack it into a box before hand, as they'll want to see and pack everything themselves.

Out of all the boxes I've sent this way, only 1 disappeared, never to be seen again. Thankfully it was only Christmas presents for relatives, so I didn't lose anything of personal value.

[Dani_man]

Hey imron,

Are you kidding?!

never arrived? what did you do?

[roddy]

You can get insurance for sent parcels - not sure if Imron did. I was told it wasn't really necessary for airmail stuff, which is what I was sending at the time. Perhaps ships sink more often than planes crash.

However, given that you'd probably have to wait three months or more before they'd even look at a claim, it might be next to useless if you're sending stuff home before leaving yourself.

[imron]

Nope, I'm completely serious. I tried going through the post offices at both ends to find out what happened, and neither of them had any clue. Luckily it wasn't anything important, just a bunch of your standard Chinese souvenir type knick-knacks. The "insurance" is worthless :-)

[Dani_man]

Did you try to show you EMS receipt? each one of them has its own code, and you can track the shipment. (sorry for digging in it after a long time I'm just waiting for two more packages and want to prepare myself for the worst...)

[elina]

Is there a special rate for "printed matter"?

There’s a different rate for "printed matter"/ 印刷品 than package/ 包裹, you could check the details in the machine at the post office or ask the clerk there to calculate the different prices for you. Some time, the price for "printed matter" is lower than “package”, some time, it’s higher, it depends.

If your packages are lost, you can go to the post office to make an enquiry, when they are sure the receiver really does not get the packages, they’re responsible to compensate for the lost:

1. according to the 国际惯例/ international usual practice, pay you the postage + the value of your packages THEY evaluate, which may be low.

2. if you have bought insurance for your packages, pay you the postage + the insured price .

We don’t know the specific situation, because nothing we sent has been lost till now. The above information is all told by the post office.

Did you try to show you EMS receipt?

I think other people are talking about sea mail or SAL mail or air mail, which is a different thing from EMS (Express Mail Service). We never use EMS for our overseas customers, but use FedEx. We use EMS for domestic customers. Both FedEx and EMS have no problem so far.

[imron]

There was no EMS receipt. As elina correctly assumed, this was just sent by normal post. Even though I had a postage receipt, it didn't make any difference.

[longjingcha]

Thanks for the replies.

Some time, the price for "printed matter" is lower than “package”, some time, it’s higher, it depends.

Why would it be higher?

There was no EMS receipt. As elina correctly assumed, this was just sent by normal post.

Do you get any sort of tracking number when sending by normal post. It would be nice to know if the package already arrived in the country to which it was sent.

Does such a package require a signature on delivery? If not, is it possible to request one? I prefer that the mailman doesn't just leave it by my door (or someone else's door, by mistake).

Also, I'm surprised no one had to deal with customs. Aren't customs usually due (at least on certain items) when you send packages between two countries. Or does the receiving country trust that the post office in the sending country inspected the contents of the package to determine whether customs are due?

[Pravit]

This summer I sent back two 5kg packages of books(nothing but books!). The guy at the post office repacked everything for me and didn't bother making me fill out any customs form, I guess since it was obvious it was books(he just stacked up the books and wrapped them in packing paper). I didn't have to pay any customs fees, and with SAL, it took a little over 2 weeks to get all the way from Xi'an, China to southwestern New Mexico.