sending a tiny package from DR to chicago

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
long story short a friend in chicago is getting married. she's asking me to buy her in POP a larimar/amber ring set in silver. this is all sentimental, she got two matching rings for them when they first claimed to have feeling for each other, but her BF lost his ring. so she needs a replacement before she has to resorts to violence and tattoos a permanent replacement on his finger (apparently the man is rather forgetful) ;)

i need to know how the heck do i get this gem out of DR. the value of the ring - apart from nostalgia, romance and emotions - is about 50 dollars. so not a lot. but i am told to expect to pay the same - if not more - to ship it with a courier. ouch!

is there any other option for me? she seems to be shocked there is no functioning post in DR. well, there is, in a way, but not sure whether sending jewelry - no matter how cheap - is a good idea. and whether it'd work. or at what price.

any advice?
 

suarezn

Gold
Feb 3, 2002
5,823
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Fedex or UPS would be reliable choices, but yes it will cost you an arm and a leg (see below)


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[h=2]1. Ship From / To[/h]
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From: Puerta plata, Dominican Republic | To: Chicago, 60606, United States on May 25, 2013.
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[h=2]2. Package and Shipment Details[/h]
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Package Details: 1 package, 0.5 lbs, FedEx Envelope, 0.00 USD.
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[h=2]3. Rates and Transit Times[/h]
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Select Delivery Date/Time Service Rates
<input type="radio" name="service" value="66"> FedEx International First?147.97
<input type="radio" name="service" value="16"> FedEx International Priority?89.56
<input type="radio" name="service" value="46"> FedEx International Economy?110.40

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I think your best bet is to see if anyone is flying back to The US and give it to them to ship from The US where the rates should be significantly lower.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
wait, the rates are in dollars?! 147.97? DOLLARS? (jaw drops on the floor)
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
AE, i sort of think it is an abuse. ask someone to send it means go to the post office, spend time in waiting and so on. this is a lot to ask from a complete stranger...

let's see what a friend says... :( things do not look great so far...
 

suarezn

Gold
Feb 3, 2002
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AE, i sort of think it is an abuse. ask someone to send it means go to the post office, spend time in waiting and so on. this is a lot to ask from a complete stranger...

let's see what a friend says... :( things do not look great so far...

Actually is not that much trouble nowadays. You can order and do almost everything online...they bring the box to your home, you put the stuff in it and they pick it up.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
long story short a friend in chicago is getting married. she's asking me to buy her in POP a larimar/amber ring set in silver. this is all sentimental, she got two matching rings for them when they first claimed to have feeling for each other, but her BF lost his ring. so she needs a replacement before she has to resorts to violence and tattoos a permanent replacement on his finger (apparently the man is rather forgetful) ;)

i need to know how the heck do i get this gem out of DR. the value of the ring - apart from nostalgia, romance and emotions - is about 50 dollars. so not a lot. but i am told to expect to pay the same - if not more - to ship it with a courier. ouch!

is there any other option for me? she seems to be shocked there is no functioning post in DR. well, there is, in a way, but not sure whether sending jewelry - no matter how cheap - is a good idea. and whether it'd work. or at what price.

any advice?

With 9000+ plus posts, you must have read enough posts on sending stuff out of the DR to not be surprised.

Your options are to take it yourself or find somebody going to the US who will take and mail it there.

Why not start a thread asking who is going to the US and willing to take it and mail it.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
Actually is not that much trouble nowadays. You can order and do almost everything online...they bring the box to your home, you put the stuff in it and they pick it up.
Shipping small things from the DR is expensive.

I did try the Dominican postal system to ship a small quantity of green coffee to the states using USPS Priority mail. That was the best price, like (from memory, it could be more or less) $RD500 to ship 2 pounds...but it took 2 weeks and I just don't trust the Dominican end of things. I doubt green coffee was attractive to steal, but jewelery would be.

Shipping via EPS or Business Mail was dog-choking expensive.

It's a fundamental problem here. It's easy but a little pricy to ship things in. Doable, but US$4-5 a pound. Much worse shipping out.

If anyone can develop a solid business plan for shipping to the states at the same price as shipping in, you'd have a solid potential business...
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
2,294
870
113
D,

If it can wait until the end of June, I am returning to the US then. It is NO problem for me to ship it for you from there. Plus, we're both in Puerto Plata, so easy to get to me.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
yeah, ken. i saw threads on shipping but never read too much into them as they were not relevant. as the result i did not realize that shipping of something this small would be so costly.
grace, thank you for this offer. i did not know posting stuff within USA can be done online. i asked my friend what does she want to do now, ultimately she's the one paying....
 

southwardbound2

New member
Jun 5, 2008
472
0
0
yeah, ken. i saw threads on shipping but never read too much into them as they were not relevant. as the result i did not realize that shipping of something this small would be so costly.
grace, thank you for this offer. i did not know posting stuff within USA can be done online. i asked my friend what does she want to do now, ultimately she's the one paying....
We have relatives visiting who will be flying back June 7th. I know they would be glad to help.....
 

CARIBETORNO

New member
May 3, 2013
263
0
0
sounds like you have some solutions.. for small stuff I used to use an attorney friend and the company had a Miami office with weekly trips. .They would take my small stuff and mail it from Miami. I would buy them dinners. it worked out great.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
thanks guys for all advice and offers of help. i will let you know when my friend makes her decision. the wedding is in september so there is time to buy it and send it with a helpful person - as offered - if so the bride decides.
:)

that reminds me we wanted to send a package with some food and books to our PO box in miami next time we visit home. a quick online check shows that for 50 dollars i could send from poland a package that is well over 10kg... :(
 

cleverlemming

New member
Jul 14, 2012
150
0
0
Does CPS have an office in Puerto Plata? I use them all of the time for inbound and they do outbound as well. Inbound from Miami is 200 pesos/pound.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
Looking at the wording of the thread title, I thought it was about a dwarf sankie immigrating to IL...;)
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
Does CPS have an office in Puerto Plata? I use them all of the time for inbound and they do outbound as well. Inbound from Miami is 200 pesos/pound.

what is CPS? so far it looks the bride want to go with the couriers so i just need to confirm the rates...
 

La Rubia

Bronze
Jan 1, 2010
1,336
28
0
long story short a friend in chicago is getting married. she's asking me to buy her in POP a larimar/amber ring set in silver. this is all sentimental, she got two matching rings for them when they first claimed to have feeling for each other, but her BF lost his ring. so she needs a replacement before she has to resorts to violence and tattoos a permanent replacement on his finger (apparently the man is rather forgetful) ;)
i need to know how the heck do i get this gem out of DR. the value of the ring - apart from nostalgia, romance and emotions - is about 50 dollars. so not a lot. but i am told to expect to pay the same - if not more - to ship it with a courier. ouch!is there any other option for me? she seems to be shocked there is no functioning post in DR. well, there is, in a way, but not sure whether sending jewelry - no matter how cheap - is a good idea. and whether it'd work. or at what price. any advice?

I'd encourage her to go with plan B, he'll never be able to "forget" again! :devious:
 

belgiank

Silver
Jun 13, 2009
3,251
103
0
I have used EMS (the express service of inposdom) to ship an 8 lbs pound laptop back to the US. It costed me 1200rds, and took 2 1/2 weeks to arrive. Having said the time it took, I have to add this was during easter week, and they did warn me it would add a number of days.

I used them a second time to ship something, and that time it took 5 days.

BelgianK