How bad is USPS/ regular mail?

juancegomez says on Jul 16, 2007, 15:44:

Once the package reaches Colombia, I wouldn't recommend USPS /regular mail if speed *and* security is what you care the most about. It often does work, eventually, but it'll take a while and you're still taking a risk that something (or someone, if you prefer) goes wrong (or bad).

Paying more does improve the odds in my experience, although it's not without its problems (*insert blanket statement about DHL based on a small number of experiences that don't exactly have to do with sending books, which is what arfgoblue is talking about*).

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scotty says on Jul 16, 2007, 15:49:

its a toss up. I have sent packages to Colombia and they arrived in about 10 days with no problems at all. I have also sent packages and it took 2 months for them to arrive. I have also sent packages that never arrived at all. good luck.

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

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Azul says on Jul 16, 2007, 15:53:

I've not had good luck with regular mail, after about 7 months of waiting on the last one I'm pretty sure it's gone for good.

las cosas caen por su propio peso

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Miguel_Clavo says on Jul 16, 2007, 15:56:

i have shipped many items, electronics (up to the max size and weights, of course), etc, and mail through the postal service to CTG, MZL, and BOG only......the ONLY problem i ever had is i sent a box full of printed media to CTG and it arrived just in time for the workers strike of the national postal service awhile back in Oct 2006 i believe...realllly bad luck and timing.....well, the box sat in the back room during the strike and just sat there until they caught up with the baklog......i had my manager go to the place to bitch and moan, and oila..the next day it was delivered....

other than that i have shipped overall more than 200 boxes over the last 4 years......i always send express or global priority etc....air to Colombia is the only way to go due to time factors.....NONE of my items shipped in this manner have ever been opened, as my manager and i have marked it such a manner as to know if it has been opened, and i send email photos of it....for comparison...the downside is that there is no internet tracking once on colombian soil, and the delivery time is not guaranteed on colombian soil.....the USPS estimated times are for delivery to the foreign country, not to your door, although they due have rough estimates of delivery time based on past deliveries.........and in California i dont have all the mail order services like in Miami, unless i want to send it to them first......

hope it helps....=)

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on Jul 16, 2007, 16:01:

I had the same experience as Scotty. Two packages arrived in 2 weeks (small town in Michigan to Bogotá) while the other took 2 months (Houston to Bogotá). The late one wasn't tampered with and we have no idea why it took so long. All were sent to an office address. Not sure if that improves the chances of arriving.

IMHO, I wouldn't send anything of any value using the USPS. If it's just "CARE package" items that can easily be replaced, then give it a shot.

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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Miguel_Clavo says on Jul 16, 2007, 16:12:

i even sent a Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 SS computer sound system recently.....of course i put lost of brown tape all over the box, to cover up the printed content on the box who they cant figure out what is inside.....took 18 days and that box was heavy......

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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Robert Jorge says on Jul 16, 2007, 19:09:

I sent a document size envelope to Villavo via UPS. It got there, but the whopping 12 mil cash that I also sent had been conveniently removed from said envelope. As well as a document or two. I have used the USPS since then twice. Just a small, regular package and a letter. Both arrived within 2 weeks or earlier, no problems. So, my experience is limited: but I would say the US postal service is as reliable as any other, and as cost effective, when sending envelope size items to Colombia. No matter what, you are at the mercy of whoever gets your stuff once it hits Colombian soil. I have read Servientrega and Avianca are excellent and extremely reliable. But they are more useful for parcels, not simple mail.

He who farts in church, sits in his own pew.

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Miguel_Clavo says on Jul 16, 2007, 19:13:

i did send a Christmas card one time with $5 USD in it to a child in Cartagena one time......ir arrived with the left side split about an inch with the money gone...imagine that.....too bad it wasnt a letter bomb....there would have been a one-handed postal worker running around like a madman...jajajja

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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Chevere33 says on Jul 17, 2007, 08:31:

I would just use Servientrega. You could send it to the company using media mail to save a few bucks, then on to the destination in Colombia. Costs less than DHL, not much more than regular mail except for the taxes, and always gets there quickly.

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Frank Rizzo says on Jul 17, 2007, 08:35:

Damn Miguel....that's some impressive numbers... even the expensive electronics made it!!

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Miguel_Clavo says on Jul 17, 2007, 10:27:

either i am one lucky MF (which i doubt as i still smell like drycleaning fluid since my divorce to a wonderful american girl almost 20 years ago..jajajaja), or it seems the USPS are doing their job..now, my local mail and packages i cant say the same....=(

but not ONE of my packages has ever been opened for inspection at customs....all have made it except the one which was delayed by the postal strike....i have sent modems, vonage devices (last month, took 14 days), answering machines, keyboards, and EVEN Four Ipod Nanos as christmas presents for my employees!!! jajajaja.....maybe i aqm pushing my luck with them, but i cant see shipping to miami and paying that expense, then paying a forwarding company to ship to Col....west coast shipping to Colombia is not profitable as Colombian shipments to the west coast (via mexico...jajajja,...if you know what i mean..jajaj)

now, i will be shipping 3 new HP destops once the 3rd one arrives next week....but i will try the forwarders for that since the value is high....

but i think that because i use the brown shipping tape, and cover the entire box surface with it, it covers every printed marking and photo on the outside of the box...so noone can see or have a clue as to what is inside of it by the outside marking...plus, if opened, it would be noticeable.....the tape probably adds a few pounds or two to the weight...hahahah....

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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arfgoblue says on Jul 17, 2007, 22:09:

I am definitely NOT shipping it DHL or UPS. It would be (almost) cheaper for me to just go down there and hand deliver it. Servientrega from Miami after shipping it USPS there is an intriguing option; anyone know roughly how much a 2 kilo packge would cost?

Clavo, do you ship you packages Express or Priority Mail, or is just 1st class mail?

btw, Clavo, you are a lucky mf. After all, you could be smelling like lighting fluid...

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Miguel_Clavo says on Jul 18, 2007, 01:03:

i always send packages over 4 lbs Priority Mail International...this is the one in which you have to do the long form Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note CP72 (PS form 2976-A), and i always list it as a Gift....and with electronics be generic when completing the Detailed Description of Contents....i think there is a lower rate for printed media, so you may ask about that as well

definitely rigt about the lighter fluid....! ajajajaj...if it was readily available she probably would have used it....ajajjajjj

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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arfgoblue says on Jul 18, 2007, 10:19:

Yeah, I think mine is going to be the same...about 2 kilos...so I guess I will send it Priority Mail too. How long is that Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note?

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Miguel_Clavo says on Jul 18, 2007, 12:05:

its a half page...really simple.though but there is a smaller one if it is less than 4 lbs....they do provide for an alternative shipping address in case the first is bad...or you can have it treated as abandoned or returned at your expense.....

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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arfgoblue says on Jul 18, 2007, 19:39:

hmmm...in that case, i may prepare the packge to be just under 4 lbs...interesting and thanks for the info.

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Miguel_Clavo says on Jul 18, 2007, 21:19:

=)

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

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boston05 says on Jul 22, 2007, 06:46:

my wife just sent a care pkg down to her sister,thru us mail. she included 4 bottles of v- secret perfume, 2 made it untouched and 2 were refilled with water. she was happy that 2 made it......

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