SPSR Express plans to deliver goods from US and European shops to Russia directly

SPSR Express courier service will be delivering pacakges from British and American online stores directly. Expected delivery time is 3-7 days while the price will be about $20 per kilogramm. It is significantly faster than USPS Priority Mail International and USPS Express Mail International (Russian post and EMS).

Starting February 18th, 2013 SPSR Express will start getting packages from International delivery services directly (thus avoiding Russian post). SPSR has signed agreements with British WorldNet Direct and Scandinavian Smartguy already. The former helps to deliver packages from about half of the British online retailers including ASOS. WorldNet Direct has been testing SPSR Express services. SPSR Express is planning to sign an agreement with american Fiftyone that delivers purchases from more than 200 american online retailers inlcuding DKNY, Macy’s, Sears, Shoes, etc. By the end of the year SPSR expects to deliver 20% of international packages to Russia.

Hopefully Shipito freight forwarder will sign an agreement with SPSR Express as well. Otherwise it will lose many customers from Russia who can use SPSR Express directly or via other freight forwarders.

How to purchase a mountain bicycle (MTB) or a hybrid bike in Germany or the UK and ship it to Russia or any other country

When I started purchasing stuff in the USA and China, one of my first ideas was to buy a mountain bicycle (MTB) or a hybrid bike. I really liked the prices in the USA on web-sites like bikesdirect.com. The problem is that the package with the bike is oversized, so it is not possible to ship it by USPS Express Mail or USPS Priority Mail. Some bikes on eBay can be sent anywhere in the world, but the shipping rates are usually outrageous. I was not willing to buy a bicycle in China, because of the potential problems with the quality of Chinese products. The next obvious step for me was to search in Europe. Luckily there are a couple of shops there that ship anywhere in the world including Russia. And they exclude VAT when shipping outside the European Union.

European bicycle shops shipping internationally

• Nano Bike Parts (Germany) – bike shop selling bicycles, bike parts and accessories. Excludes VAT when shipping outside the European Union. Sells mountain bikes, cross bikes, road bikes, kids bikes,… Wide range of Cannondale and Cube bikes. The most popular bikes among russian clients are Cube Acid, Cube LTD Pro, Cube Race Pro. Bike shipping to Russia costs 49 EUR.
• Chain Reaction Cycles (the United Kingdom) – bike shop selling bicycles, bike parts and accessories. Excludes VAT when shipping outside the European Union. Bike shipping to Russia costs USD $85. Doesn’t sell Kona and Cube bicycles to clients in Russia. Doesn’t pack bicycles good enough for shipping via Russian Post.

Custom fees, duties and taxes (VAT) when shopping in the USA from Cyprus

A friend of mine lives on Cyprus. He was very impressed by my shopping in the USA and forwarding packages via Shipito, so asked me whether he could make purchases in the USA from Cyprus. Here is what I have found out.

Cyprus is a part of European Union (EU), so when you ship anything from the EU, you don’t need to pay any customs fees or duties. Everything is different when you make purchases outside the EU. Goods from the USA, China,… are subject to duty.

CUSTOMS FEES and VAT in EUROPEAN UNION (EU)

MERCHANDISE+SHIPPING TOTAL	CUSTOMS FEES and VAT
< 22 EUR	No customs fees and No VAT
22 to 150 EUR	Only VAT applied
> 150 EUR	Both VAT and custom fees applied

If the merchandise plus shipping total is under 22 EUR, you do NOT need to pay any customs fee or VAT. But make sure that you take into account not only the amount you spend on your purchases, but also shipping costs.

If merchandise is between 22 and 150 EUR, you only have to pay VAT. The 150 EUR limit is calculated on merchandise value without any shipping fee. VAT however is paid instead on the total of merchandise plus shipping!

If merchandise is more expensive than 150 EUR, then you need to pay both customs fees and VAT. Both VAT and customs fee are applied to the merchandise plus shipping.

They will recalculate the price to Euro first using their own exchange rate table (at the day of the processing of the paperwork). Duty is paid at a percentage rate determined by the type of item. TARIC (Integrated Tariff of the European Communities) is designed to show the various rules applying to specific products when imported into the EU. TARIC for Cyprus can be found on the web-site of the goverment of Cyprus.

The VAT of 17% is calculated on the price of the item plus shipping and plus the duty charge.

Example:

Men’s or boys’ shirts of man-made fibres ($70 EUR) + $30 EUR for shipping.
Commodity code 6205 30 00 00

Duty 12%: 100 EUR * 12% = 12 EUR.
VAT 17%: (100 EUR + 12 EUR) * 17% = 19,04 EUR.
Duty + VAT: 12 EUR + 19.04 EUR = 31.04 EUR
Total: 100 EUR + 12 EUR + 19,04 EUR = 131,04 EUR

There may also be one or two other small charges depending on delivery method (for customs handling, courier handling).

Note that you can ask the seller to undervalue your package, but this is illegal. The customs official may request proof of price. You can get a big fine for undervaluing your package.

You can ship to Cyprus by USPS Mail or by courier services.

• United States Postal Service (USPS)
  The post office will deliver the customs form to your address/PO box. You will need to return the form to the post office along with an invoice for the goods. The post will then send the form and the invoice back to customs. Then the customs will process the paperwork, assess the duty and VAT payable, and release the package. Then the package will arrive in the post office and you will pay everything there. Note that you can go to the customs office yourself as well. And you will need to do that if your package costs more than 1000 EUR.
• DHL, UPS, TNT or FedEx.
  The courier should handle everything. You just pay the fees when the package is delivered or collected.

Note that customs will only do the assessment for private goods. If the goods are for commercial use, you’ll need to to complete all the paperwork yourself, including TARIC codes, duty rates, etc.

Also note that if you are not a resident of Cyprus and plan to use your purchase outside the EU, you may try to return the VAT.

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.

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.

   

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.

How to purchase Apple iPad 2 at Apple Store and ship it to Australia, India, Brazil, Mexico, China, Russia or any country in the world?

Apple iPad2 became available for pre-order on March 2011. But is it possible to order it in the USA from outside the United States and ship it to Australia, India, Brazil, Mexico, China, Russia or any country in the world? Let’s find out.

Purchasing Apple iPad 2 at Apple Online Store from outside the US using freight forwarders

Note that Apple iPad 2 3G is sold in an AT&T and Verizon versions, non-US customers should go for the AT&T model as it comes unlocked (which enables 3G usage outside the United States).

If you try to purchase Apple iPad 2 at Apple Online Store USA from outsite the U.S., you will get the following message:

Thank you for your recent order with the Apple Online Store. We appreciate your business.

We are unable to complete your order. We do not ship to international, freight forwarder, APO, FPO, or P.O. Box addresses.

We offer the following information:

International Shipping: We are unable to ship to an international address. Therefore your order has been cancelled. Please visit the Apple Store Worldwide for the Apple Store Store in your country of residence.

Freight Forwarders: We do not ship to Freight Forwarders. Therefore your order has been cancelled.

APO, FPO or Post Office Boxes: Our carriers are unable to deliver orders to these addresses. Please visit http://www.apple.com/orderstatus to change your address to a physical address, so that we may continue processing your order. If we do not receive a response from you within one week, your order will be cancelled. You will need to login to your account with your Apple ID to locate this order.

As you can see, you can’t purchase Apple iPad 2 from Apple Online Store even if you use freight forwarders like Shipito and MyUS. For example, shipito customers reported problems with Apple Online Store many times:

So if you plan to use a freight/parcel/package forwarder, you need to find a small one, which is unknown to Apple Online Store yet. Of course it is much more risky to use small freight forwarders instead of a reliable well known one like Shipito, MyUS, BundleBox.

What about other online stores? May be we can find a retail store that sells iPad 2 and offers international shipping?

Purchasing Apple iPad 2 at online stores offering international shipping

Let’s visit B&H Photo Video first. It is a well known US shop that offers international shipping. Searching for iPad 2 gives:

This item is not available for purchase online. Please call us at 800.606.6969, or visit our NY Superstore.

Apple iPad 2 can be bought on Amazon USA. On Amazon iPad 2 is offered not only by Apple, but also by many merchants. Make sure to learn about their rating taking into account the number of ratings before purchasing.

Most Amazon merchants ship to the USA only, so you will need a freight forwarder like Shipito.

Purchasing Apple iPad 2 on eBay

You can find Apple iPad 2 on eBay. Although some sellers may offer international shipping, in many cases it is cheaper to use a freight forwarder like Shipito.

Purchasing Apple iPad 2 using Shipito assisted purchases

Shipito allows you to buy Apple iPad 2 using assisted purchases. They use not the addresses of their warehouses, but other addresses to purchase an iPad 2. To place an order you will need to fill up the balance of your account by bank transfer, to the amount of:
1. $8.5 + cost of goods (with state taxes)*108%
($8.5 and 8% – is a fee for assisted purchase)
2. Cost of delivery to your country.

The good thing about Shipito is that it allows to deliver iPads and other electronics with lithium, Li-Pol, Li-Ion batteries to many countries of the world using Shipito Airmail Priority shipping method. Your package shipped by Shipito Airmail will be delivered using regular postal service, but you will overcome USPS restrictions for shipping lithium betteries and electronics with them. Shipito Airmail Priority packages are insured.

Share your experience about purchasing Apple iPad 2 from outside the US

Have you bought Apple iPad 2 from outside the US? Where did you buy it and how did you ship it to your country?

How to buy ebooks from Amazon Kindle Store outside the U.S.

Is it possible to buy ebooks from Amazon Kindle Store outside the U.S. ?

To buy ebooks from Kindle Store ebooks outside the U.S., you may register a new Amazon account using an address in the USA. You can use the address of your family member, friend. Or you can get a virtual address mailbox in the USA from a service like Shipito.

If you have problems paying for Kindle Store ebooks with your credit card, just buy an Amazon.com Gift Card (e-mail gift card or printable gift card) and you will be able to pay with it for your order.

Please note that Amazon.com Gift Cards may not be redeemed for the purchase of products at Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.jp, Amazon.ca, or any other website operated by Amazon.com. You can use them on Amazon.com or Endless.com only.

How to buy ebooks from Kindle Store outside the U.S.A.

How to buy ebooks from Kindle Store outside the U.S. using Kindle for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch

1. Download the Kindle for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch application from the iTunes App Store. It’s free.
2. Create a new account with Amazon.com. Use a US address as your delivery address. You can use a virtual USA address from companies like Shipito.
3. Sign in to the Kindle for iPad, iPhone, iPhone Touch app with your new account. Your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch should appear in the “Manage Your Kindle” app.
4. If you have a US debit or credit card, you can pay with it.

   If you don’t have a US debit or credit card, just buy an Amazon.com Gift Card (e-mail gift card or printable gift card) from your non-US Amazon account.

5. Select a Kindle book. On the payment page, enter your Gift Card. Your payment will be processed and your ebook will be downloaded the next time you sync your Kindle for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch app. Your purchased book will appear in the “Archive” section on the Kindle for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch app.

   Note that Amazon can reject your transaction if you use a non-US IP address. You can get one by using a US proxy server, a US VPN.

How to buy ebooks from Kindle Store outside the U.S. using Kindle for PC

1. Download the Kindle for PC application from the Amazon, and install it onto your PC. It’s free.
2. Create a new account with Amazon.com. Use a US address as your delivery address. You can use a virtual USA address from companies like Shipito.
3. Sign in to the Kindle for PC with your new account.
4. If you have a US debit or credit card, you can pay for books from US Kindle Store with it.

   If you don’t have a US debit or credit card, just buy an Amazon.com Gift Card (e-mail gift card or printable gift card) from your non-US Amazon account.

5. Select a Kindle book. On the payment page, enter your Gift Card. Your payment will be processed and your ebook will be downloaded the next time you sync your Kindle for PC. Your purchased book will appear in the “Archive” section on the Kindle for PC.

   Note that Amazon can reject your transaction if you use a non-US IP address. You can get one by using a US proxy server, a US VPN or Tor (note that using Tor is risky).

Using assisted purchases for buying Amazon Kindle Store ebooks from outside the U.S.

“Assisted purchases” are offered by many parcel/package forwarding services. One of them is Shipito. It allows you to get a virtual address in the U.S. for free. Shipito charges 10% for making purchases in online stores.

Buying free ebooks from Amazon that are not free outside the U.S.

Some books from Amazon are free for US customers only. If you pretend to be a customer from the USA, you can get these books for free. You don’t need a US debit or credit card for that. You only need a USA street address and a U.S. IP address.

Free ways to get a U.S. IP address

Amazon uses HTTPS protocol, so you won’t be able to use many free proxy servers and virtual private networks (VPNs). But you can use freeware (adware) software for Windows called Hotspot Shield. It shows ads, but is is a free VPN software supporting HTTPS protocol.

Another free way to get a U.S. IP address is by using free Tor. Tor is a system intended to enable online anonymity, composed of client software and a network of servers which can hide information about users’ locations and other factors which might identify them. This method is more difficult to set up, because you need to set it up with US “exit nodes” only. Besides someone else from the Tor network can potentially do something unlawful using you as an exit node, so Tor is pretty risky.

Share you experience about buying ebooks from Amazon Kindle Store outside the U.S.

What device do you use to buy ebooks from Amazon Kindle Store? How do you pay for your ebooks? How do you get a U.S. IP address?

Problem with Amazon: Important Message: Item cannot be shipped to the selected address. How to ship outside the US?

Part 1: Amazon Shipping Restrictions
Part 2: Overcoming Amazon Shipping Restrictions and shipping outside the US

Amazon Shipping Restrictions

Amazon has the following Shipping restrictions:

Warranty issues and manufacturer restrictions prevent us from shipping certain products to all geographical locations. In addition, some items too big to ship to a P.O. box must be shipped to a street address. You’ll be notified while placing your order if we’re unable to ship specific items to the address you’ve selected. Below are some general guidelines for items shipped by Amazon.com to the following destinations:

• Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico
• APO, FPO, and DPO Addresses
• DOS Addresses
• U.S. Protectorates
• Prisons
• International Shipping Help

If you are purchasing an item from Amazon Marketplace, read about Marketplace shipping restrictions.

Books that require special handling because they are extremely heavy (for example, multi-volume sets) can be shipped only to locations within the U.S. Please also check the product detail pages for this and any other item-specific shipping restrictions.

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Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico Addresses

Some items from our Tools & Hardware, Electronics, and Outdoor Living stores can’t be shipped to Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico if they are extremely heavy, oddly-shaped, or considered hazardous. Additionaly, some items from our Health and Personal Care store cannot be shipped to these destinations. Check the item’s product detail page for eligibility and available shipping options. Only specific shipping options may be available for some addresses. Available shipping options will appear at checkout when you enter a shipping address.

APO, FPO, and DPO Addresses

Most items can be shipped to APO, FPO, and DPO addresses, except:

• cell phones and service
• computers
• furniture
• grocery items
• outdoor living items
• Target@Amazon.com items

Additionally, some apparel, baby, camera and photo, electronics, health and personal care, housewares, jewelry, software, sports, and tools and hardware items cannot be shipped to APO, FPO, or DPO addresses. An error message will appear at checkout if you enter an APO, FPO, or DPO address and the item isn’t eligible to be shipped to that address. Check the item’s product detail page for eligibility.

Learn more about shipping to APO, FPO, and DPO addresses.

DOS Addresses

Many items can be shipped to DOS addresses, except:

• Food items (for humans and/or pets)
• Some liquids
• Heavy items
• Items that look like weapons

For a full list of shipping restrictions at a specific DOS address, please contact the DOS facilities staff at that location or review the DOS restrictions beginning on page 26 here: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/88704.pdf

U.S. Protectorates

Only the following items can be shipped to U.S. Protectorates:

• baby items
• books
• DVDs
• music
• software
• toys
• VHS videos
• video games

Learn more about shipping to U.S. Protectorates.

Prisons

Amazon.com delivers to penitentiaries, but we strongly suggest you contact the prison first to confirm that they accept deliveries and to note any special regulations the prison might have. Some prisons don’t allow delivery of hardcover books. Others place a limit on the number of items contained in a package.

We’re unable to affix any special labels or instructions to the packages and on the outside will indicate only the destination address, our company name, and our return address. We also cannot allow gifts to be sent anonymously to inmates; the sender’s billing address will appear on the order invoice.

Because inmates cannot sign for deliveries, packages must be sent via U.S. Mail. While Amazon.com often sends packages via U.S. Mail, we also use UPS and FedEx. There is no way for customers to request a specific shipper. To avoid delivery problems, you might consider having the items shipped to you and then shipping them to the penitentiary via U.S. Mail.

Overcoming Amazon Shipping Restrictions and shipping outside the US

Amazon.com accepts international debit and credit cards, so there are no problems paying for your items. But when ordering from Amazon.com you may get the following error message:

Important Message: Item cannot be shipped to the selected address

Amazon.com: Item cannot be shipped to the selected address

 

It is easy to overcome this limitation and ship to your country. Just get a virtual address in the USA using a company like Shipito. Shipito allows you to use virtual USA addresses. They have multiple locations in the USA. If you use their warehouse in Torrance, California, you will be able to consolidate your packages (if needed) and send them to your country by USPS Express Mail, USPS Priority Mail, Polonez Parcel, USPS Flat rate box and Flat rate envelope, FedEx, FedEx MPS, Fedex Freight, Shipito Air Mail, DHL.

I’ve received 10+ packages from Amazon.com using my Shipito virtual USA address. Here is one of them:

My package from Amazon on a Shipito warehouse (before package forwarding)

Visit Shipito web-site

How to shop on Zulily.com from outside the USA (international shipping from Zulily)

Zulily is one of the best US private shopping clubs for moms and kids. It ships to USA and Canada only, but international shipping is also possible.

Zulily.com states the following:

Can zulily ship internationally?
Zulily can ship packages to street address in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, plus all US territories and APO/FPO/DPO addresses. Note that packages containing liquids cannot be shipped outside of the contiguous United States. If you’re shipping to an APO/FPO address, you may need to call their service team to complete your order. If you’re shipping to a PO Box, Zulily may contact you for more information.

Besides USA, Zulily ships to Canada. They use their global partner FiftyOne for payment and shipment of Canadian orders.

You need a US debit card or credit card to make a purchase on Zulily, a US Paypal account or a Gift Card. You can also use Zulily store credits.

Zulily.com payment methods

But you can still shop on Zulily from outside the United States even if you want your purchases to be shipped outside the USA. You need to get a virtual address in the USA from a company like Shipito.

You may pay for your Zulily order using an international debit or credit card (Visa, Mastercard). If your card is not accepted online, just call their toll-free number (You can call toll-free numbers for free using free Skype). This worked fine for me.

If your English is not good enough for making a phone call, you may use the “Assisted purchases” service from companies like Shipito. You may use the assisted purchase to buy the items that you want. Or you may use it to buy a Zulily gift card, and then pay for your order with the gift card.

Here is my package from Zulily (ordered by the phone using an international debit card):

Package from Zulily.com on Shipito

I use Shipito to consolidate my packages from online stores and private shopping clubs, and then send them overseas.