Packages!

[islandthrift]

I would just like to remind everyone that if you are sending yourselves packages and you would like them to reach Dominica by the time you get here, you should begin to send them out in the next week or two! It takes a WHILE for packages to reach Dominica and then they spend a little time in the capital before being brought to Portsmouth. One of the less expensive options for shipping if you are not using tropical shipping is USPS which takes about 6 weeks to reach Dominica and about 2 weeks to reach Portsmouth. Also, the is up to a 100% tax on electronics!!! DO NOT SHIP ELECTRONICS unless you want to pay a LARGE tax. It is better to pack any and all electronics that you will be bringing with you.

[traxus]

I would just like to remind everyone that if you are sending yourselves packages and you would like them to reach Dominica by the time you get here, you should begin to send them out in the next week or two! It takes a WHILE for packages to reach Dominica and then they spend a little time in the capital before being brought to Portsmouth. One of the less expensive options for shipping if you are not using tropical shipping is USPS which takes about 6 weeks to reach Dominica and about 2 weeks to reach Portsmouth. Also, the is up to a 100% tax on electronics!!! DO NOT SHIP ELECTRONICS unless you want to pay a LARGE tax. It is better to pack any and all electronics that you will be bringing with you.

I have contacted Amerijet and they have confirmed that it would take 4 to 5 business days to ship a package from their LA Regional Station to Dominica. All packages go out on a Friday and would theoretically be received in Dominica by the following Thursday or Friday.

I hope this helps some folks answer any questions they may have about transit time.

[islandthrift]

Keep in mind the cost of Amerijet too. The longer a package takes, the less you will spend on shipping. Shipping is also pretty expensive!

[djnitin]

FedEx FTW.. so what if it costs madd loot. It comes in 3 days.

[vaneleus]

One thing to remember with Amerijet is that if your boxes sit at Melville Hall for longer than a few days (3 or 5, can't remember) you are charged a daily storage fee. I was unable to arrange a pick-up for about a week and ended up paying around 50EC in storage charges, while a friend who's packages arrived before he did was stuck with a >100EC charge.

[papaya]

You are much better shipping with USPS as you can pick it up at portsmouth for 1ec drive there and 1ec back. If you ship with the other carriers it goes to the capital and you have to pay a driver to get it for you and friends have paid anywhere from $40-$100 to a driver + customs to get their package. Also, my boxes came in good condition, nothing broken with USPS and with the other carriers, things were broken in little pieces. I guess it depends on what you want, speed, efficiency, or price.

[vaneleus]

You are much better shipping with USPS as you can pick it up at portsmouth for 1ec drive there and 1ec back. If you ship with the other carriers it goes to the capital and you have to pay a driver to get it for you and friends have paid anywhere from $40-$100 to a driver + customs to get their package. Also, my boxes came in good condition, nothing broken with USPS and with the other carriers, things were broken in little pieces. I guess it depends on what you want, speed, efficiency, or price.

Not everything goes to the Capital. Amerijet goes to Melville Hall. I just picked up a UPS package in Portsmouth last week. Not sure what happened there, because I was expecting to go to Canefield....but not everything goes/stays in the capitol.

Factor the pick-up cost into your decision. It typically costs about 80-90EC to send someone to Melville Hall (Amerijet), and about 35EC to send someone to Canefield (UPS, Fedex, DHL). I found that even with the PITA of picking my boxes up at Melville (Amerijet), that it was cheaper and faster than what USPS would have been.

As far as package condition, I've had USPS boxes that looked like they were dropped from the aircraft as it flew over the island and then rolled down into Portsmouth. It's all about the same.

[Gchild46]

does anyone know how much it approx. costs to ship USPS??( $ per pound, shipping fees? ) i know it is weight based but if you have shipped through USPS before what was the ball park figure and hoow much did your package weigh? thanks

[vaneleus]

does anyone know how much it approx. costs to ship USPS??( $ per pound, shipping fees? ) i know it is weight based but if you have shipped through USPS before what was the ball park figure and hoow much did your package weigh? thanks

You can actually go to USPS.com and click on calculate postage, then click on international postage and you're off to the races.

If you don't yet know the weight you're thinking about shipping, then just make up some number. When the results appear, just above them will be a link to the rate charts for Dominica with the breakdown of the services and charges for various weights.

[Gchild46]

cool thanks vaneleus

[papaya]

Also like others have said, if you are starting in the next semester, ship your items now.

My first set of packages arrived in 10days and the next set took 5 weeks, so it's very unpredictable.

Also buy the threaded packing tape at office depot or wherever you shop, since it will be sure to keep your box in tact in case it does fall or gets thrown everywhere. Also, pack any breakables in bubble wrap, I used towels and so when customs was checking through my boxes they didn't notice electronics and thought they were old towels. Worked for me, but who knows. Just make conversation with them to distract them so they don't search your boxes heavily and hide expensive items very well in between old clothes and towels, since they open them in front of you.

[smoking sam]

What would one suggest if your electronics are not small enough to fit in
your checked luggage? I know about the high duty, but what if you have a large electronic? Is there any way around the high duty fee? Any suggestions other than Fed Ex or Amerijet or whatever, where you may not be taxed as high? Thank you.

[Carlota321]

Any package is opened by customs so you can't really get around that. Besides,what kind of electronics do you have that are that big?

[Carlota321]

please delete DRU

[Carlota321]

please delete DRU

[Carlota321]

please delete DRU

[smoking sam]

Was referring to a large printer. Thank you.

[vaneleus]

Was referring to a large printer. Thank you.

I shipped a smallish laser printer down via amerijet, with a pile of other stuff. Three boxes total cost me about 50EC in tax.

[lktm831]

it just depends on how you send the package.

my boyfriend sent me 50lbs and it cost him $200. he sent it via USPS but "international airmail" so it wad delivered by FedEx so it was at canefield; it only took 4 days and i just had alexis go pick it up for me; costing another $35EC and i received it the next day.

it was mostly snacks...clothes and misc stuff and i was taxed $17EC.

[travelgirl]

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