posted
Not a prolific ebayer, but I wonder about being able to buy or sell on Ebay from Egypt.
Haven't seen too many comments in regard to online shopping from Egypt. A username way back noted she didn't pay customs on a package from Amazon.com.
If I bought something from Canada or EU and it was shipped to me in the USA I wouldn't have to pay a customs fee just taxes from the nation of the package's origin.
Yes shipping will be a sizeable fee, but customs fees or having the package detained?
Any experiences to share?
Ford Prefect (not perfect) Member # 9338
posted
I've purchased stuff from USA while in Egypt. Not from ebay though. The seller has to be willing to ship international (the extra paperwork).
Fedex I know for a fact will collect any customs fees at delivery time. I bought a replacement LCD for my laptop and had to pay 200 LE for customs fees to the Fedex guy.
Pestersome Member # 16016
posted
200LE that's over $40 ouch!
So its possible, extra paperwork, custom fees, and having to deal with Fedex or DHL.
I have a paypal account and its a lot of fine print you stumble upon. Don't appreciate this service.
Did you pay with credit card, online banking, what?
Everytime we ship something to Egypt its $40 for less than 7 lbs and it takes weeks.
I know I will have to do this frequently. Not looking forward to it.
Ayisha Member # 4713
posted
your paypal account will refuse you when you try it in Egypt, maybe not the first time but it will. will take a while to sort it out as it thinks its being used fraudulently, also tell your banks you will be in Egypt or cards get stopped too.
look into air freight with egypt air, dont know if they fly usa though but check out others that do. it may be cheaper to have things send to an address in USA and get someone to pack everything together and send it air freight. This is what many do here who use ebay for buying. If things come air freight and are used personal items the tax is not such a sting i think.
Ford Prefect (not perfect) Member # 9338
posted
I used a credit card, but all my cards knew I was in Egypt at the time so that wasn't an issue.
Fedex has always came quick for me, either to or from the USA... it's actually a little faster to the USA heh. On my laptop LCD it took about 4 days. It was the actual internal LCD for the laptop, and the invoice was inside the box, so they had it pretty easy to figure the tax
On the paypal, I think the only way to make it work with them is to have your shipping address a family/friend or an expat shipping service in the US who can collect and reship it to you.
For my mail and some stuff I was using http://www.usglobalmail.com/ . You can give them power of attorney also, so they can even accept certified letters for you.
Hope that helps.
cloudberry Member # 11163
posted
I've bought from Ebay but only items worth less than 30 euros (paid with PayPal). Otherwise I have ordered them to my Finnish address and my mom brings them to me (don't have to pay tax/customs). For small purchases there has been around 20 LE customs/tax.
Pestersome Member # 16016
posted
Ford Prefect and Cloudberry that does help.
Certain items I will forget or my daughter and neices are notorious for rumaging through your luggage and "trying" cosmetics out. My SILs have locked cosmetic cases for a reason. Aveda products are not sold currently in egypt, so I have to compare the difference between a ebay price and customs to actual aveda international shipping.
Despite the protestations Egypt is 5 years behind in regards to PC peripherals and parts. In a pinch I would cough up 200 LE because something comparable would be more expensive in egypt anyhow.
Haven't used fedex except at work and they are the best.
DHL is the worst slower than USPS which has held my packages at the Jamica, NY clearence office for 2 months totalling over 4 months transit time for a DVD of home movies and photographs.
DHL gets everything lost and I've had to stop by their office no less than twice for an item. Let alone DHL rings the apartment buzzer once gives us 3 seconds and bolts back to the van, neighbors have videotaped it as proof. Worse is when we've shipped medications which spoiled in transit. Attempted to pick up the package 4 times, until the in-laws call the internation support line and gave a tracking number the Cairo office would not admit to having the package.
I have 2 friends willing and dying to visit me in Cairo. One a Somali woman who spent her teen years there. But she has visited Cairo recently and airline and airport security are cruel to Somalis. Then a obviously metrosexual not transexual gay male friend. He has visited ME before and has never been hit on so much in his life.
Bringing me requested supplies on a vacation would be difficult for either of them.
I'll have to introduce my gal pal to "hijabislutwear" in order not to appear so salafi.
I'd rather ship than put Karl through the hell of an airport inspection. He has gone on blue streaks rambling on about "sneaking" in illicit toys. He had a friend working in Qatar, a gay male, who was successful quite a few times.
SteveBennett Member # 19577
posted
I have the same sentiments with DHL, its either packages are delayed or they lost in somewhere in the sea.
For beauty cosmetics, my wife buys her stuff directly to the website's company. She said if you're lucky, the website gives discounts and coupons whereas to buying to an Ebay retailer, plus the security of course. "OC8" can only be bought exclusively in UK, she orders 3 tubes every 3-5 months and have it shipped via http://www.nybox.com/ which takes about a week or 2 to arrive.
posted ![[Wink]](wink.gif)