Anyone ordered a Kindle shipped to South America?

[Dr. Drib]

I'm getting antsy (ants in the pants) about ordering my Kindle, rather than waiting for a visit to the U.S this Christmas, when school will be out until the next term starts. I'll be ordering with my Peruvian debit card, rather than my U.S. card.

I'm a U.S. citizen, for those who don't know me.

I'd like to have it shipped by DHL, which I heard is pretty good. The problem with something coming in to a Third World country (Peru) is that sometimes things "mysteriously disappear!"

Don

[sirbruce]

I've always understood you had to order with a US credit card with a US billing address (even if you ship it elsewhere).

[TallMomof2]

I've never shipped to Peru (but I've shipped to Brazil and Argentina) but for overseas shipping when I don't use the postal service I use UPS. Their ground services are better than FedEx, IMO. But I only use UPS for items larger than what the Post Office won't accept.

Use the Post Office and register the package. It costs $11.50 (at least that was the cost the last time I used that service). I ship to Russia and always register the package and have never had one *disappear*. When a package is registered it has to be signed for at every handoff. I priced 2lbs to Peru shipped First Class International Registered and it came to $28.49. Insurance is not offered.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

I've always understood you had to order with a US credit card with a US billing address (even if you ship it elsewhere).

I think you're right, now that I think about it. I'll have to transfer funds to my U.S. bank.

Can anyone else verify this?


Don

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

I've never shipped to Peru (but I've shipped to Brazil and Argentina) but for overseas shipping when I don't use the postal service I use UPS. Their ground services are better than FedEx, IMO. But I only use UPS for items larger than what the Post Office won't accept.

Use the Post Office and register the package. It costs $11.50 (at least that was the cost the last time I used that service). I ship to Russia and always register the package and have never had one *disappear*. When a package is registered it has to be signed for at every handoff. I priced 2lbs to Peru shipped First Class International Registered and it came to $28.49. Insurance is not offered.

You're right about insurance: It's not offered.

The countries you shipped to are not Third World countries; however, Peru is classified as such.

What I will probably have to do is this:

1) Transfer funds to my U.S. bank
2) Ship the item to my father's house (in the U.S.)
3) Have him repackage the item in another box, so that the word "Amazon" is no longer visible (which might prompt a "mysterious disappearance."
4) Ship it by DHL - or whatever it's called.
5) Hope it arrives here and does not mysteriously disappear.


Don

[rcuadro]

Dont forget to have him turn it on so it can register itself on your account and so you can access the setting feature of the Kindle

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

You're right about insurance: It's not offered.

The countries you shipped to are not Third World countries; however, Peru is classified as such.

What I will probably have to do is this:

1) Transfer funds to my U.S. bank
2) Ship the item to my father's house (in the U.S.)
3) Have him repackage the item in another box, so that the word "Amazon" is no longer visible (which might prompt a "mysterious disappearance."
4) Ship it by DHL - or whatever it's called.
5) Hope it arrives here and does not mysteriously disappear.


Don

If you send me a first class round trip ticket to Peru, I'll hand deliver it to you. I promise it will not mysteriously disappear. Just a thought.

[sirbruce]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I think you're right, now that I think about it. I'll have to transfer funds to my U.S. bank.

Can anyone else verify this?

Actually, my further reading indicates you have to ship it to a US address as well. Then someone can forward the shipment to you. It might make sense to have that person take it out of the box and register it wirelessly so the settings screen will be accessible to you, before sending it on to you.

Afterwards, I've heard conflicting reports on whether or not you can buy books with a foreign credit card. What you can do, though (since the Kindle will be tied the the US credit card Amazon account) is buy gift certificates with your foreign card Amazon account and apply them to your US card Amazon account, before buying books.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by rcuadro

Dont forget to have him turn it on so it can register itself on your account and so you can access the setting feature of the Kindle

Thank you for that reminder! What exactly will happen, do you know, when it registers onto my Amazon account in the U.S. prior to having it shipped here in South America?


Don

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

If you send me a first class round trip ticket to Peru, I'll hand deliver it to you. I promise it will not mysteriously disappear. Just a thought.

[rcuadro]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Thank you for that reminder! What exactly will happen, do you know, when it registers onto my Amazon account in the U.S. prior to having it shipped here in South America?


Don

You can register the Kindle online yourself using the serial number or, odds are, that Amazon will associate your Kindle with your account after you order it... that is what happened to mine and its replacement...

When you turn the Kindle, along with the wireless service, the Kindle will communicate with the Amazon revers and it will associate itself with your account.
Then you will be able to access the setting portion that you will need in the future if you want to ever update the software buy downloading it and sending it to the Kindle using USB...

[Elsi]

Don -- you may want to read this press announcement from DHL:

http://www.dhl-usa.com/about/pr/PRDe...=2008&seq=1246

"Beginning January 30, 2009, DHL's U.S. Express business will focus entirely on its international offerings and will discontinue its domestic-only air and ground services. ... DHL U.S. Express will close its U.S. ground hubs, and reduce the number of stations from 412 to 103."

So, while DHL is still in the USA, the number of locations has been significantly reduced since DHL is now only going to offer international shipping from & to the USA.

[sirbruce]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Thank you for that reminder! What exactly will happen, do you know, when it registers onto my Amazon account in the U.S. prior to having it shipped here in South America?

The device has to be registed with Amazon for you to be able to buy Kindle books. Now, you don't need Whispernet to do this; just enter the serial number on the Amazon Manage My Kindle page and it will work.

However, the *Kindle* does not know it is registered. Normally this is done wirelessly. The Kindle will still work fine and allow you to read books without registering. However, if the Kindle doesn't think it's registered, you will be unable to set the device name and contact information for the Kindle. You can still upgrade the fireware manually (some people erroneously think you cannot), so again these are minor issues. But, if you're going to ship it to someone in the US anyway, they might as well register it for you while it's outside of the box just so that it's fully functional.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Elsi

Don -- you may want to read this press announcement from DHL:

http://www.dhl-usa.com/about/pr/PRDe...=2008&seq=1246

"Beginning January 30, 2009, DHL's U.S. Express business will focus entirely on its international offerings and will discontinue its domestic-only air and ground services. ... DHL U.S. Express will close its U.S. ground hubs, and reduce the number of stations from 412 to 103."

So, while DHL is still in the USA, the number of locations has been significantly reduced since DHL is now only going to offer international shipping from & to the USA.

Thanks for that information and update, Elsi.

It looks like, as you mention, that the number of locations for pickup in the U.S. will be drastically cut. My father lives in the country, and the nearest "large" city is Conway, Arkansas. After that, it would be Little Rock, about 100 miles from where he lives.

Don

[rcuadro]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

You can still upgrade the fireware manually (some people erroneously think you cannot), so again these are minor issues.

Really? Then I am one of those who is in the wrong...
Look at that, you learn something new every day