Mail forwarding costs from USA

[MikeyD]

I am using US Global Mail in Houston.

Sorry, I did not include the other options in my original post, for trackable options in addition to DHL and FedEx there are UPS and USPS.  After further review for the cost of shipping to Cebu City vs Liloan, DHL and USPS have the same cost but UPS and FedEx charge significantly more to ship to Liloan.  I can see charging slightly more but in the case of FedEx shipping to Cebu City is $93.00 vs $296.66 to Liloan.  Maybe something in their business model makes it prohibitive to ship to Liloan, maybe they don’t have routes to here and have to hand off to another company.  Still the difference is ridiculous. 

Anyway, the cost for UPS is higher than DHL.  USPS is slightly lower than DHL but still around $100.  I’m planning on going with DHL.  I’ve haven’ heard much about using USPS Priority Mail to the Philippines so I’m thinking DHL is the better option of the two.

[Kingpin]

On 1/7/2024 at 7:54 PM, OnMyWay said:

Definitely not true for all of DHL.  For some farther out areas, yes, DHL hands over to partner agents.  Other areas have uniformed drivers driving DHL equipment.

In Cebu City both DHL and FedEx use agents for home delivery, like this one:  https://www.wwwexpress.com.ph

Edited January 9 by Kingpin

[OnMyWay]

2 hours ago, MikeyD said:

I’ve haven’ heard much about using USPS Priority Mail to the Philippines so I’m thinking DHL is the better option of the two.

If USPS Priority Mail ties into the Philippines Postal System, forget it.  However, I don't think it does.  They probably have an partnership with one of the others already mentioned.  It might even be DHL.

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, OnMyWay said:

If USPS Priority Mail ties into the Philippines Postal System, forget it.  However, I don't think it does.  They probably have an partnership with one of the others already mentioned.  It might even be DHL.

I think it does tie in with PhilPost - my ex-wife who lives in Oregon sends some trainers a couple of times a year for my son with USPS and they're delivered by PhilPost. I'm sure it's USPS Priority Mail.  Takes about 3 weeks, 4 max.

[OnMyWay]

4 hours ago, Kingpin said:

In Cebu City both DHL and FedEx use agents for home delivery, like this one:  https://www.wwwexpress.com.ph

Yes, also in Olongapo.  That is not really an agent.  WWW Express was formerly DHL Philippines.  When DeutchePost bought DHL in around 2004(?) they started making a lot of changes on the way the company was set up globally.  I left DHL in 2012 but I think the way it is set up in most countries is that DHL provides the network of aircraft and regional trucking, and the local company provides pickup and delivery.

https://www.wwwexpress.com.ph/about-wexpress/

From their website:

===========

Corporate Profile
Wide Wide World Express Corporation formerly known as DHL Philippines was established in the year 1971. It was through the dynamic leadership of its founding chairman, Mr. Rodolfo Feliciano with strong partnership with Mr. Guy Coombs that has opened courier service not only in the Philippines but also known to be first in the Asia Pacific Region.

Across the Philippines, we have stationed more than a fifty strategically located service centers equipped with more than 1,300 highly trained and professional employees complemented with over one hundred fifty vehicles.

Over the last 48 years, we have invested continuously to make improvements and as our local network continue to expand; all our assets are dedicated to meet your inbound and outbound distribution needs.

===============

I casually met Guy Coombs at a party in Los Angeles in the 90s.  I think he was there to interview my boss.  My boss left LAX to manage the DHL Manila Hub.  1995. I think. The stories he told me of corruption there were unbelievable.  My first trip to the Philippines was to go visit my old boss in Manila, around 98 I think.

Fedex partners with 2Go, I think.

[hk blues]

13 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

Fedex partners with 2Go, I think.

Correct.

[jimeve]

On 1/6/2024 at 9:39 PM, stevewool said:

Do you have to do this every year Jack 

I emailed mine to my sister in the UK and she printed it out and posted it to DWP.

[hk blues]

15 hours ago, jimeve said:

I emailed mine to my sister in the UK and she printed it out and posted it to DWP.

Didn't they want to see an actual signature rather than a photocopied one?  My banks refuse to accept photocopied docs as they want to see a so-called wet ink signature.  Saying that, it doesn't stop them closing law-abiding citizens' accounts just because the live abroad but that's another story! 

[jimeve]

7 hours ago, hk blues said:

Didn't they want to see an actual signature rather than a photocopied one?  My banks refuse to accept photocopied docs as they want to see a so-called wet ink signature.  Saying that, it doesn't stop them closing law-abiding citizens' accounts just because the live abroad but that's another story! 

No. They sent an email so I could attach the docs and send them back including the lawyers signed notification.

Edited January 12 by jimeve

[MikeyD]

FYI, I did have the credit card shipped via DHL.  I had them include 2 letters from Social Security just to test out their bundling service even though I didn't need the hardcopy.  There was no extra charge for the extra letters.  The envelope was picked up by DHL from my mail forwarding service in Houston on 1/11/24 at 4:47 pm and arrived at my house in Liloan at 9:53 am this morning (1/16/24).  I did request that a signature be required which there was supposed to be an $8 charge but there was no charge for that as far as I can see.  When the delivery guy arrived, he called me on my Philippine phone number that I had provided.  I was a little surprised since the estimated delivery date was 1/18/24 but I saw last night that the shipment was already in the Cebu at the DHL delivery facility.  I asked him if he needed an ID or a signature and he said no and just handed me the envelope.  All items requested arrived intact.  Other than the price ($117.11) it was very good service.