USA: how could I get someone to send me a Kobo from there?

[LivresInOz]

I am 80% decided I prefer to get a Forma 32GB rather than the Sage, but I can't buy it anywhere in the Pacific by the looks of it. Looks like Kobo never even sold that size here. Only the US Kobo store.

Does anyone have any suggestions how I could get someone to receive a Forma (bought by me) at their address and forward it to me in Melbourne?

Or I could buy a good secondhand one from someone who could send it to me?

Or is there a store I haven't considered? (BTW Goodereader has it, but at a ridiculous price)

Should I use AirTasker? Something else?
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BACKGROUND:

* I have a Libra H20 (the first Libra) which totally changed my reading experience BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT and size.

* But at 6GB user space it is nowhere near big enough for my books

* I want a 32 GB and I thought if Im going to buy another device, I may as well get a slightly bigger screen - it will handle a few more PDFs than it does now

* I don't want the Sage because:
1) after feeling the weight, if I'm HONEST I think it is beyond the weight that I would casually pick up like I do the Libra H20 (I just found a book that was the same weight and I felt it was 'too heavy'). I'm sure some people will think I'm unreasonable, but horses for courses right?
2) Im concerned about the battery life. Sure I can tell myself that its okay to charge it every night, but in reality, one reason I DO pick up the Libra is because its always charged and ready to read

[Calenorn]

Amazon?

[rcentros]

It looks like TechInn delivers to Australia. (I can't personally vouch for Them as I've never bought anything from them.)

https://www.techinn.com/en/kobo-form...er/137352566/p

Ah, never mind, this is the 8GB version. I'm sorry.

[Dr. Drib]

Have Amazon send it to one of those places similar to MyUS.com.

Then they should be able to ship it to you - I would imagine. (I can't verify this, since I have never used the service listed above.)

You'll pay a hell of a lot more money, however, going this method. But at least you should get it. Remember, Google can be your friend if you wish to search for similar services.

You may wish to think about a cover, because so many people on Mobileread have complained about the power button.

NOTE: In my opinion, if you really (80%) want a Forma, you may wish to wait for a few more months. They're sure to go down in price as Kobo unloads their surplus due to the newer devices they released this year.

As well, you may wish to keep an eye on ebay for used units. There should be an increase in listings; again, due to what I wrote in the immediate paragraph above.

[Pajamaman]

I see two on Ebay. Search Kobo Forma 32.

[LivresInOz]

Amazon only has 8GB that I can see.
The ones on ebay are nowhere near the $250 they cost on Kobo.
More like $700.

I want one, but I can't justify paying much more than $250.

[Pajamaman]

They are both make best offer. See PM

[LivresInOz]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Have Amazon send it to one of those places similar to MyUS.com.

Then they should be able to ship it to you - I would imagine.

Thanks Doc, I didn't even know such services existed!
Very innovative!

Do you know if they have (hidden?) charges beyond the simple shipping cost?

I just worked out that I could get it on-shipped with tracking for $AU 26.

This could really save the day !!!

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by zenji

Thanks Doc, I didn't even know such services existed!
Very innovative!

Do you know if they have (hidden?) charges beyond the simple shipping cost?

I just worked out that I could get it on-shipped with tracking for $AU 26.

This could really save the day !!!

Usually there's a small fee. At least it's small in European services of that kind. And that should be listed somewhere on their website.

[Quoth]

I've used the Irish Postal service accommodation addresses in US & UK. The issues are customs duty and impossible to get warranty honoured, which is supposedly 2 years minimum for anyone in the EU buying from a retailer. However I won't buy online again from Lenovo as they used an Irish based company to do the sale and refused to honour the warranty. I'd have had to taken the Irish company to court, who claimed they were only a payments processor and insisted it was all Lenovo's responsibility (but Lenovo where and why in 2016 was the support / complaint link purely to IBM?).

So now I try to buy from a physical retailer or at worst Germany (same Euros, same EU zone/laws/consumer protection).

Here the VAT/Customs is on Sale price + total shipping (= shipping to accommodation address + their International shipping cost).

So those are the sorts of hidden costs.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Here the VAT/Customs is on Sale price + total shipping (= shipping to accommodation address + their International shipping cost).

So those are the sorts of hidden costs.

I think the OP is in Australia, and iirc Australia has quite a low threshold for exemption from their GST, so the OP may well find your list relevant to their situation, making the device not as low-priced as it seems. And without knowing what Australian consumer protection laws are like, the absence of any redress by means of them (because of parallel importing) is likely also something to be factored in, along with the difficulty of returning a defective item.

[LivresInOz]

Okay, I havent read the last few posts yet, but while I'm motivated: re MyUS.com

In talking to them, the service DID seem affordable:
* you can get a one-off-send plan for free
* I could ship to Australia for $19 USD, tracked (but not signature-on-delivery) in 6-12 days using 'FedEx Intl Connect' (To get signed you would need to use FedEx Economy ot Priority, or DHL Express)

HOWEVER, I then checked them on the excellent site ProductReview.com.au and a quick skim reveals ATROCIOUS reviews.

Of course, there is always bias on review-sites: they tend to attract the very happy and the very unhappy customers.

But I will definitely read that for a heads-up about them (including possible further questions to ask the chat team) and will also consider other vendors.

(Indeed, Im open to suggestions!)

Now I will read y'all other replies!

[LivresInOz]

Re government charges, the maximum GST is 10%, making the price of the item

$USD 275 = $388 AUD

With the supposed shipping fee above total AUD would be expected to be
$AU 414

Compared to Sage delivered, which would be $AU 440

Im not sure about other govt import charges, but I expect its too inexpensive an item for any of that.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by zenji

Thanks Doc, I didn't even know such services existed!
Very innovative!

Do you know if they have (hidden?) charges beyond the simple shipping cost?

I just worked out that I could get it on-shipped with tracking for $AU 26.

This could really save the day !!!

You need to check to see on what kind of fees/taxes your country will charge.

Basically, when I used something similar to the service above (Mailbox.pe a year or so ago), it was $65 to ship, and then Peru added about 19-21% (to include the shipping when they assessed the total value), and the item ended up costing a small fortune. But at least Mailbox (or is it Mailboxes ??) took care of the paperwork that Peru requires.

In Peru, if the total (to include shipping) is less than $200, then there are no taxes. The only problem with this country is that sometimes items - say it with me: SHAZAM! - vanish into thin air.

BELOW:
P.S. I always wondered why these costumes had no zippers. I guess if one is a super hero, such aids are not necessary.

[LivresInOz]

Lol yep - South America...fascinating but sometimes f--ed !

Maybe I should check those costs - tho finding out stuff from Australian bureaucracy can be just as difficult!

On one reasoning I can't see why they would charge any more than the quite-a-few items I've got from OS from Amazon, ebay and esp Abebooks booksellers...