Amazon.com

MarkDR

Member
Feb 18, 2016
264
9
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Could those of you who have ordered items from Amazon.com (U.S.) in the DR tell me exactly how you received your items? The whole process from start to finish? TIA
 

sylindr

New member
Nov 29, 2007
509
18
0
Get an account with BMCargo or similar, use their address as your shipping address.

Nothing more!
 

The Professor

Member
Sep 22, 2015
55
0
6
Although you can order from Amazon and have it shipped to a DR address directly from their website, it's less expensive to use a forwarder. Personally, I use EPS and have been very satisfied. You can setup an account on their website:

https://www.eps.com.do

Once you do that, you can then use EPS's address in Miami to ship your Amazon orders to. EPS will provide you with a box (EPS #) number that will need to be included in the addressing from Amazon. This is a snap to setup, as Amazon allows you to save multiple shipping addresses in your account. When your package arrives in Miami, EPS will send you an email letting you know that you have a shipment. It takes maybe two days to arrive in DR from there.

There are a couple of things to remember. First, for your shipment to be exempted from duties, it must have a total value of less than $200.00 U.S., which may include shipping. Second, you will pay EPS by the pound for shipping, so you should avoid ordering heavy items. I forget what the exact cost is, but it's probably around $250-300 RD per-pound. When your package arrives in-country, you can just go to the local EPS office to pay and pick it up. Also, if the items you're receiving are obviously less than $200.00 U.S. in value, you don't need to worry about the invoice. For anything that appears to be over that value, you'll have to upload your invoice, which you do via their website.

The best way to get around paying for items that are way overpriced when purchased locally, is to join Amazon Prime and use a forwarder like EPS. With Prime, shipping is free to EPS in Miami, and all you have to do is pay to get your stuff into DR.



You're welcome....
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
Now EPS requires and invoice on all items. Aduanas will not clear the package without an invoice. Even if it is a $2 item. But you can just Email the invoice as soon as you order it. Check with your local office for the Email address.

And the price has dropped a lot for shipping also.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
My forwarder, Aeropost, has a pre-alert option whereby I can post my invoice to them on purchase and forget about it until the package comes.

No hassle , nothing... all items under $200 fly through 
 

tee

Bronze
Sep 14, 2007
1,044
429
83
Cabarete
I use CPS in Sosua but they have an office in Santo Domingo. By far the best service. They also have an app where you can track the packages once they arrive in Miami from Amazon. As mentioned, you have to send them a copy of the invoice but this is so easy, just click on 'View my Invoice' in Amazon and copy and paste that into an email, can be done in seconds. Packages arrive very fast and they also have a maritime service for heavier packages which is cheap. I just had a metal kitchen rack shipped via maritime cost me 1000 pesos. Oh, and depending on where you are, they also deliver to your home free of charge.
 

MarkDR

Member
Feb 18, 2016
264
9
18
Get an account with BMCargo or similar, use their address as your shipping address.

Nothing more!

This can be taken two ways. Use the BMCargo Miami address or their DR address. It would be a heck of a lot better if it were their DR address, but I fear you meant their Miami address, and so this is a two-part shipping process? Amazon doesn't ship to DR yet?... Ah I see Professor has said Amazon will ship directly to the DR, but it will be more costly.
 
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josh2203

Bronze
Dec 5, 2013
1,572
527
113
At what point in time do you e-mail it? Do they need it in Miami or DR?

They want it at the moment the package lands on their premises in Doral, Florida. When you sign up, you will get an access to their system, where you can track your packages and also the same system asks you to upload your invoice before they start processing it in Florida. To be clear, at least with us, we don't email anything to them, but rather upload to their system via BMCargo website.

This can be taken two ways. Use the BMCargo Miami address or their DR address. It would be a heck of a lot better if it were their DR address, but I fear you meant their Miami address, and so this is a two-part shipping process? Amazon doesn't ship to DR yet?... Ah I see Professor has said Amazon will ship directly to the DR, but it will be more costly.

They might ship, but as I believe others have said on this forum as well, I would personally never send anything to here if I don't know exactly what shipping company is used. If there's a risk that the shipper sends it as regular mail (INPOSDOM in the DR), then there is a change that you'll wait for your shipment a pretty long time if it turns up at all. The whole point of using mail forwarder (BMCargo and others) is that they have relatively reliable tracking systems, they are dedicated to shipping packages and as far as I have understood, know how to deal with customs, as long as your order is below 200 USD. You could be able to use FedEx etc. with your DR address, but I would imagine this being extremely expensive compared to a mail forwarder...

So by using a mail forwarder, who are dedicated to shipping packages relatively cheap, the point is to avoid messing up with regular couriers between Miami and the DR, hence, you definitely want to use your Doral (Miami) address with any merchant and definitely not your DR address, because it would not make sense...
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
Almost everyone uses a freight forwarder. Most have free amazon shipping to Miami and then we pay from there. We do this because we want our stuff to actually arrive and we would like to get it before the turn of the century.

You asked and you were told to use a freight forwarder. If you wish to disregard that advice and go against the grain that's your call. No one here is going to recommend shipping directly and there are reasons for this. Some have learned the hard way and others have accepted what they were told when they asked the same question. There are numerous threads on courier shipping on DR1 if you go hunting for them.

One big reason we use freight forwarders - the freight forwarder clears the items through customs for us. If you have stuff send directly to you, then customs becomes your problem to deal with - something you want to avoid at all costs.

EPS, CPS, BMCargo, Aeropost and the service offered by the Western Union people are all about the same and prices vary slightly.

Good luck.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
I submit my invoice pdf file via the company's website. I upload it at least one day before the package is scheduled to arrive in Miami so there are no delays in getting my stuff onto the next fight to the DR.
 

MarkDR

Member
Feb 18, 2016
264
9
18
...
You asked and you were told to use a freight forwarder. If you wish to disregard that advice and go against the grain that's your call. No one here is going to recommend shipping directly and there are reasons for this.

Thanks Cdn_G. I was asking for all information available. I haven't read the threads that came before. I just did a search for Amazon.com and nothing came up, so I made a new post.
I have no intention of going against the grain. I know what the DR is all about. I have used Fedex several times to make business shipments directly to the DR from the U.S. and know what that's like (expensive!).
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
easy way...go to guys like Liberty Express , or Blumbox. sit in front of their computer, and choose your article. pay them in pesos, and they will order the item for you, have it shipped to the DR, and notify you when it gets here. they take care of all the nonsense with aduanas, such as invoices. you are allowed certain importations up to a limit. anything over 6 cellphones pays aduana tax, but they simply put it under someone elses name..150 pesos per pound..
 

Celt202

Gold
May 22, 2004
9,099
944
113
Thanks Cdn_G. I was asking for all information available. I haven't read the threads that came before. I just did a search for Amazon.com and nothing came up, so I made a new post.
I have no intention of going against the grain. I know what the DR is all about. I have used Fedex several times to make business shipments directly to the DR from the U.S. and know what that's like (expensive!).

I use BMCargo. When I buy something from Amazon I copy the invoice from their website and save it as a pdf. Then I post it immediately to BMCargo's Prealerta section on their website.

I don't wait until the last minute.

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sylindr

New member
Nov 29, 2007
509
18
0
I have amazon prime so most things ship free to Florida address and then just have to pay BMCArgo
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,531
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Cabarete
I use BM Cargo in Sosua frequently. I've never had any order over $200, so I don't now if that's handled differently(?), but I have never emailed any invoices to them.

Amazon has always included an invoice in the package. The rep at BM Cargo told me that they inspect the packages when they arrive at their address in Doral, FL. If for any reason an invoice is not included, they will email me and let me know to send them one.

I get step-by-step notifications of where the package is and when it's ready for pickup. It's usually only 3-5 from the time it arrives in Doral until the time it's in their office in Sosua.

Price for shipping is around 250 pesos/lb. I really don't see any reason to try and ship it directly to a courier's office here(?).