FedEx, you gotta be kidding me!

[mountainannie]

Just to add a bit of comedy.. I priced sending a painting to my goddaughter in Montreal.. FEDEX wanted $60 which was about the price of the painting.. And so I sent it via

GASP

the Dominican Post Office

for $4

and it arrived safely there within ten days

jus' sayin'

 

[Ken]

That is good to know. Does anyone else have recent success stories regarding using the Post Office to send things to the US?

 

[belgiank]

I had my parents send out my new atm card through fedex from Belgium to my insurance agent in Sosua (as he has a real address). It arrived perfectly within 3 working days (send friday evening, arrived tuesday around noon).

So no complaints there, but the price was just ridiculous. I almost collapsed in hysterics when I discovered the price was 160 euro...

 

[belmont]

I've had good success using American Airlines for inportant parcels. A little expensive, but always gets there. I have parcel dropped at JFK at least 1 hour before flight time to SDQ. Package is ready for pickup at SDQ 4 hrs. after landing. AA charges $125.00 for 1-11 kg. package. If invoice in package indicate >$200.00 value, aduanas is ready to collect, no delay. I would think other airlines have similar parcel service. https://www.aacargo.com/utility/products_pps.jhtml

 

[rubio_higuey]

Robert, one thing you should be aware of, if certain number of days passes the local FedeEx may just decide, by themselves, to "ship back" the package.

 

[cobraboy]

That is good to know. Does anyone else have recent success stories regarding using the Post Office to send things to the US?

I use Business mail with a USPS Priority box. Not too bad.

Not ready to trust the local post office just yet...

 

[Robert]

Robert, one thing you should be aware of, if certain number of days passes the local FedeEx may just decide, by themselves, to "ship back" the package.

I have paid duty at their office on it so they are well aware that it needs to be delivered.
The local office lies and the USA (call center) gives you the same moronic run around.

They are just a bunch of ****** here, that's about the nicest thing I can say about FedEx in the DR.

 

[NotLurking]

I use Business mail with a USPS Priority box. Not too bad.

Not ready to trust the local post office just yet...

My sister-in-law ships 'things' to my wife every two or three month for the past 2 years from NJ using USPS International Priority and she has ALWAYS received it within two weeks of shipment. My wife does the same (sends junk to her sister) about 4 times a year using INPOSDOM EMS and it has ALWAYS arrived within two weeks of shipping. I have also bought small items from ebay from sellers that have shipping to the DR via USPS and I have always received my package. The last item I bought from ebay was a 12 cell battery for my HP DV5000 laptop, shipped to my house here in DR via USPS cost me US$65 and 10 days wait. Finally I purchase many small replacement and electronic parts from India and I always have it ship EMS international from India to the DR for US$8. It usually take about a month to get here. Believe it or not all the time I've used INPOSDOM EMS either in or out of the DR it has worked for me.

NotLurking

 

[Shiraz72]

This is nothing new to those that have lived here for a while, but it's amazing that even some of the best and most efficient organizations on the planet can have issues in the DR

May 6: I had a package shipped to me International Priority and it landed in the DR, May 9.

No problem, shouldn't take long to arrive, after all, it's only a hard drive, so customs shouldn't be an issue. I waited a few days and nothing happened, watched it online, no movement, still flagged as "Clearance Delay".

May 13: Decided to call FedEx locally. Phone lines busy, problems, nobody picking up, I gave up.
I left it another day, still no change, flagged as "Clearance Delay".

May 14: I called FedEx in the USA. Within 2 mins they emailed me a form and told me I needed to fax it to the local office in Santo Domingo. No problem. Actually it was a problem, fax number is always busy!

May 16: Still no movement. Phoned local office, phone lines busy, problems, nobody picking up, I gave up.

May 17: FedEx locally called me. Told me they have located my package in customs and I need to pay to get it out. They gave me two options.

1) Go to the airport and do it yourself, pick up your package.
2) FedEx can take care of it and deliver it to you, 7-10 day wait.

At this point I reminded the girl that they have been paid to deliver it International Priority to my door.
It's been 10 days and I still haven't seen my package.

I asked why it takes 7-10 days? We are very busy, sorry, what would you like us to do, option 1 or 2?

At this point, I realized it was time to raise my voice, tell her what a piece of crap FedEx are and basically keep talking over the top of her Dominican style. After about a minute of this she finally broke down.

I'll talk to my boss, please hold on... 2 mins later. We will deliver it tomorrow!

Let's see if it comes true

I too have had a funderful time trying to FEDEX something from Canada to POP. Cost me almost $70 to send just an envelope and it was supposed to be there in 3 days... it took a week. But before it go there, it was sent to Santo Domingo and Santiago....they say they tried to deliver it but the address didn't exist...then they said the phone numbers I gave were invalid. I tried tracking it online and it said it was in Santo Domingo but it was really in Santiago... the American staff gave me an incomplete phone number for the FEDEX office in DR they didn't even know the area code. I called back numerous times, finally managed to get in contact with the Dominican staff in SD and had them contact my person on the other end... who had to meet them at a public landmark because they couldn't even locate the street which is in a populus area of Puerto Plata near a hospital. We offered to pick up the package in Santiago and they said that there's no service counter there and they'd have to send it back to Santo Domingo to be picked up... ARRGGGG they finally delivered it before I had a massive brain explotion. LOL

 

[glamazon]

I am currently dealing with a similar issue. My employer did some repairs on my laptop and shipped it back to with FedEx last Wednesday, May 18. FedEx promised that it would be delievered within 3-5 business days. Ha, ha, ha.

It arrived in SD last Thursday and has been sitting in customs for the past 5 days. I called to follow up today and was told that they have not been able to complete the customs assessment because they did not have a RNC number. Of course, I never recieved a call to ask for this information.

I am now being told that it will take an additional 7-10 days to get through customs, and that there is no way to expedite. How is this even possible?? Can I go to the airport myself to move along the assessment, pay any duty and pick up the package?

Robert or anyone else, do you have a direct local number to call, and any tips to make people sit up and respond?

 

[Robert]

I am now being told that it will take an additional 7-10 days to get through customs, and that there is no way to expedite. How is this even possible?? Can I go to the airport myself to move along the assessment, pay any duty and pick up the package?

This is a flat out lie from FedEx locally, it's not a customs issue, it's a FedEx issue.
Yes, you can go to the airport and pick it up. Might take you some time, but you will get it the same day.

You cannot contact FedEx locally, the phones either do not work or are diverted to the FedEx call center.
I had to call them, abuse them and basically hassle the life out of them to get them to move.

The good news, they delivered my package this morning.

 

[glamazon]

I figured as much. Where do I go at the airport?

 

[Robert]

I figured as much. Where do I go at the airport?

No idea. I would go out there and ask around.

 

[Hillbilly]

Of course there is a service desk in
Santiago!! It is on Texas avenue between 7 and 9 streets (now called Rep del Libano and Arturo Grullon I think). AXXHOLES!!

HB