Online Shopping from Amazon (and other Retailers)

[Mark Berkowitz]

Has anyone ever purchased anything directly from Amazon (or any other online store)? If so, what was your experience like? Did you have to pay excessive PH custom duties?... or did you experience any other problems?

Also, did anyone ever use a third party shipper (who gave you a fictitious address in the US, UK, etc.)? If so, what was your experience like?

IMHO, I believe that having someone living in US, UK, etc. who makes purchases on an ex-pat’s behalf and re-ships the purchase(s) to the Philippines is a preferred way of buying from Amazon (and other online retailers) but since this is not always an option (especially for me right now), I’m very curious about the experiences of other ex-pats with online transactions.

[Jack Peterson]

32 minutes ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

Has anyone ever purchased anything directly from Amazon (or any other online store)?

Much has been said so I would suggest you have a look at the Topic;

 

[scott h]

31 minutes ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

Has anyone ever purchased anything directly from Amazon

I have Mark, I posted a review here on the forum about it.

In short it takes 10 days to 3 weeks to arrive. It arrives at the post office and you have to pick it up. Each time the package has been opened in front of me and I had to pay the VAT tax on it. No problems, no hassles really

[Mark Berkowitz]

8 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

Much has been said so I would suggest you have a look at the Topic;

Thanks Jack!  I could be wrong but from from the looks of  the things being said, it seems like having someone living in US, UK, etc. who makes purchases on an ex-pat’s behalf and re-ships the purchase(s) to the Philippines is a preferred way of buying from Amazon (and other online retailers).

 

[Mark Berkowitz]

1 minute ago, scott h said:

I have Mark, I posted a review here on the forum about it.

In short it takes 10 days to 3 weeks to arrive. It arrives at the post office and you have to pick it up. Each time the package has been opened in front of me and I had to pay the VAT tax on it. No problems, no hassles really

Thanks Scott! That's encouraging to know!

[robert k]

Some have said the taxes were exorbitant if you couldn't prove how little you paid.

Edited June 9, 2017 by robert k

[AlwaysRt]

I have bought shirts from Cabelas, was shipped FedEx. Got here in a week - p1,500 customs on arrival. That was on top of the additional shipping I had already paid. (3 henley shirts)

Bought front fork boots for my motorcycle off Ebay from a Chinese seller. Took a few weeks to get to my local PhilPost office. They sent me a text to let me know it arrived, p105 fee for that one. 

From what I have gathered, if sent with a delivery service (FedEx, Ups etc) customs will get you good, if sent standard mail, PhilPost is going to want p105 (or close, somewhere just over p100)

[mogo51]

53 minutes ago, scott h said:

I have Mark, I posted a review here on the forum about it.

In short it takes 10 days to 3 weeks to arrive. It arrives at the post office and you have to pick it up. Each time the package has been opened in front of me and I had to pay the VAT tax on it. No problems, no hassles really

That seems like a fair Deal Scott.

[Dave Hounddriver]

5 minutes ago, AlwaysRt said:

if sent standard mail, PhilPost is going to want p105 (or close, somewhere just over p100)

Such is the experience of most people, most of the time.  But if Customs decides you are trying to slip one my them, they will slap an exhorbitant fee on the package that must be collected by PhilPost.  In my case the fee was more than the cost of the item plus shipping.  The choice is to pay it or contact Bureau of Customs to dispute the charge.  In my case I disputed and the fee was reduced from approximately 2800 pesos to approximately 500 pesos.

I repeat, its unusual for Customs to get involved in packages sent by PhilPost but it can and does happen.  This would cause me to use the axiom:  If you can't afford to walk away from it then don't ship it.

[hk blues]

My sister occasionally buys CD's from Amazon UK and they (Amazon) ship directly to me in the Philippines. As per others, I pick up at the Post Office, pay the 110 pesos and that's it. No other charges.