Quote:
Originally Posted by Enkidu of Abydos
{SNIP}
P.P.S.
I know package forwarding companies exist, but according to my online research they are all either not very reliable or pure hoaxes, so don't bother suggesting that solution.
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It seems that more and more companies are refusing to ship abroad. A good 50% of everything I want from Amazon these days will not ship to Japan! But it's not a problem.
I have been using two different forwarding companies for the past 25 years, and never had any difficulties. Most of the ex-pats I know, residing all over Asia use them regularly. I have never had any problems, nor know of anyone who has.
There are famous chain companies such as "Mailbox Etc.," "The UPS Store," "Pak-N-Ship," and many others, each with hundreds of outlet stores in US cities. They are honest, reliable, dependable, but not cheap...
You need to establish an account with one by renting a mail box. You can do this for a month, 6 months, or by the year. Just be sure that you use a chain that will forward packages. Not all will. Ask before you sign up. I have one shop that I use that will even open packages for me and repack several into one parcel to reduce my costs, but I have had my account with them for many years.
Besides a yearly rental, I maintain a postage account to pay for forwarding costs. One shop is maintained as my permanent US address, and gets only mail. With my instruction, they throw away everything except 1st class mail and forward that to me once a month. (If I wanted it sent every day they would do that as well.) I give them about $150 a year for my postage account. The other shop gets only packages for forwarding, and gets about $200 a year for my postage account with that shop. Obviously this postage money only gets spent if there are things to forward, but the yearly box rental needs to be maintained regardless.
Frankly, although it's expensive, it makes living easy. I never have to deal with companies telling me they won't ship abroad. I couldn't get along without this sort of service.
Stitchawl