Postal Service

[James Fowler]

Hi everybody - apologies in advance if I have posted in the wrong section.

I run a big eBay business and send a couple of hundred small parcels every week all over the world. I currently operate out of Thailand and Japan.

My business partner and I have a plan to start a branch of our business in the Philippines with the goal of providing employment to women in need (trouble at home etc) and teaching them through our work how to run their own e-business. 

My problem is, I spent three months in Subic a year ago and the postal service was atrocious. Lost/stolen parcels, cumbersome, tracking didn't work etc etc. Totally unworkable. I need RELIABLE postage. Was I just in the wrong area? Is there an alternative that doesn't cost the earth to the normal postal service? Is there a way to get over this problem? It is THE ONLY problem we face. 

If you have any advice please let me know! 

Thanks in advance

 

James

 

[scott h]

2 minutes ago, James Fowler said:

Was I just in the wrong area?

NO! 

Mail is notoriously slow. I personally have never had anything stolen or lost, but fast it is not. They do have LBc here the Philippine version of UPS.

I sure hope your business partner is Filipino, if not that will open up a whole new topic 

welcome to the forum

[expatuk2014]

Im sure LBC would do a deal with you or Air21 espec if they were your only delivery service here in the Philippines.

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, James Fowler said:

Is there an alternative that doesn't cost the earth to the normal postal service?

 

1 hour ago, expatuk2014 said:

Im sure LBC would do a deal with you

I would agree that LBC is worth looking at.  So about the postal service, I just picked up a credit card mailed to me from Canada and it came "double registered" which costs a small fortune.  What it means is there is a card attacked to the package that is supposed to be detached from the package, signed by the receiver, and returned to the sender as written proof that the item was delivered to the right person.

  

PhilPost did not have a clue.  To their credit they gave me the package and made me sign for it but they had no clue what they were supposed to do after that so I got the package, a shrug, and a request to bring a gift for the staff next time.

Edit:  It is also worth noting that if the post office staff do not know you they will  often not come looking for you so if you send a package to a customer who is not known at his local post office then he better go in an check from time to time and tell them he is expecting a package or it will just sit on their shelf until it disappears.

Edited February 13, 2018 by Dave Hounddriver

[allancomeau]

The regular postal service is really bad - slow as stated and items DO disappear.

Use an express delivery service.

[Jollygoodfellow]

For businesses purposes you can use 2go. I think you can just scheduled a pick up from any location. 

[Mike J]

There is a reason that electric and water bills are delivered by hand in the Philippines. 

[OnMyWay]

21 hours ago, James Fowler said:

Hi everybody - apologies in advance if I have posted in the wrong section.

I run a big eBay business and send a couple of hundred small parcels every week all over the world. I currently operate out of Thailand and Japan.

My business partner and I have a plan to start a branch of our business in the Philippines with the goal of providing employment to women in need (trouble at home etc) and teaching them through our work how to run their own e-business. 

My problem is, I spent three months in Subic a year ago and the postal service was atrocious. Lost/stolen parcels, cumbersome, tracking didn't work etc etc. Totally unworkable. I need RELIABLE postage. Was I just in the wrong area? Is there an alternative that doesn't cost the earth to the normal postal service? Is there a way to get over this problem? It is THE ONLY problem we face. 

If you have any advice please let me know! 

Thanks in advance

 

James

 

I live in Subic Bay Freeport and the mail may be slower here than in other areas.  I far as I know there is only one mail guy on a motor to deliver all residential mail.  I received an IRS letter this past Monday the 12th that had arrived in Philippines on the 27th and in Zambales on the 31st.  It did not have a U.S. postmark but the letter was dated Jan. 1.  The guy sits on mail for a long time, especially if you didn't give him a Christmas gift!  He also delivered a domestic letter for my wife, so having 2 pieces of mail for our address might be the trigger.

Your shipping volume should get you a good discount with the express carriers.  If your shipments are dutiable the recipient will have to pay the duty and taxes, unless you set up DDP service, Delivery Duty Paid.

[hk blues]

Mail going to the UK from here seems not too bad. In the opposite direction, variable to be kind. I don't think anything has been lost ( but how would I know for sure) but the problem seems to be the postman/ post office sits on mail until there are a few to deliver so it's pot luck. I'd estimate 4-5 weeks from UK to here. LBC is an alternative, but at circa 3000 php to send a letter to the UK it's expensive.

[Jack Peterson]

9 minutes ago, hk blues said:

the problem seems to be the postman/ post office sits on mail until there are a few to deliver

 Seems a PO Box and Collect your own is the Way to go