Best method of Mail

[Daknack]

What is the best way to send something like a book or movie to Russia/Ukraine?  Costs, safety of product and what not as well as speed and service efficency?

[ConnerVT]

A book or movie?  USPS air mail gets my vote.  Best bet for low value innocuous items weighing only a few pounds or less.

[Rvrwind]

Better to send DHL. They are more prevelant in the regions than UPS.

Regular Parcel Post is about 50% reliable. I have two items that were sent to me one from the US & one from Great Britain that I still have not recieved & they were mailed last November. Not likely I will ever see them & unfortunately I doubt those who sent them have any recourse for recovering them either. I have had a couple of others make it so I figure the system works half the time.

I always thought thats what the return address was for but appearantly that gets ignored in Russia!!!:X

RVR-Canadian Cowboy/Agency Owner

[Vaughn]

[align=left]Daknack, I've used US Postal Service's Air Mail Parcel Post with much success, never lost a package I'm 12 for 12. The shipping time varies, but averages 2 weeks. I once upgraded to their 3-5 day service but that package also took 2 weeks like all the others. Be aware that sometimes the Russian Postal people will deliver to the door, sometimes not - and after 2 weeks, the recipient might want to check at the local office for the package. (For documents and irreplaceables, I prefer to use a friend or acquaintance as a personal courier.) A 2 lb package would run $20.05 
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[align=left]My own Checklist:[/align]
[align=left] [/align]
[align=left]1) Use a nondescript box - no advertising at all (especially liquor or electronics)[/align]

[align=left]2) Address the "Send To" label in Cyrillic, and put "Russia" or "Ukraine" below that in English so American Postal workers will get it on the right flight, and the Russians/Ukrainians can get it delivered properly.[/align]
[align=left] [/align]
[align=left]3) Be brief on the declaration of contents, for example: Book, quantity 1 etc.[/align]
Vaughn

[al-c]

My vote is with DHL.  The USPS, UPS, and Fed Ex would all be happy to take your business, but all they do is hand it off to DHL for the international shipping.  So all you get is having the handoff add extra days onto the delivery time.

Been there, done that.  DHL is the winner.

 

[WillmC]

I have been using USPS for a couple of years now with no difficulty.  100% delivered.

Express mail is very quick, at least to Moscow, less than a week,  but expensive.

I recommend insurance.  It is included in price of Express mail and very reasonable on other mail types. 

The cheapest rate is reasonable but very slow.  One package took more than 2 mos. to get there.  Slow boat I guess.

 

 

[Daknack]

anyone got a cost idea? 

[BC]

http://www.usps.com/

go to the link at the top 'calculate postage'

under 16 ounces as letter think it was

6 USD slow boat
17.5 USD Airmail

[BC]

For books and movies try www.ozon.ru

Pretty good service so far decent selection and delivery roughly in 10 to 15 days to EU.

Movies can only be sent to RU addresses but books anywhere.

[Son of Clyde]

I have used the USPS with almost perfect success (one item was delayed for 3 months).

DHL would get my vote as the safest but not the cheapest. Probably at least $40.00 to send a book to Ukraine and that is being generous.

Anything expensive should be disguised as was mentioned. The recipient would have to pay a hefty tax on certain items (like maybe 40% of the value).

I have heard of people sewing jewelry and money inside dolls or stuffed animals.

The Postal Service in Ukraine is extremely corrupt and there is a lot of mail theft.

[Aleksia]

I used many times DHL

very reliable and fast. not very cheap

[dorogoyroberto]

Have had many eBay items sent me via USPS Air Letter Post and Air Parcel post with a 100% "reception rate."

USPS Economy Letter Post and Economy Parcel Post: five of nine packages  have made it here. A very fine average in the major leagues but not  good for mail...

Roberto Dias
Kiev, Ukraine

[Son of Clyde]

I trust DHL because the company specializes in international delivery whereas the USPS specializes in US service and raising the price of postage stamps every 2 or 3 years.

[groovlstk]

I've shipped probably 100 packages to Ukraine via USPS Global Express and I've yet to lose a single package.

The deliveries are made by a private company, and although USPS  guarantees delivery in 3-5 business days, 2 weeks is a more accurate  assesment.

[Jet]

I've found USPS Global Express to be the best balance of cost/speed/effeciency. Most packages we send are $26.50 to provincial Russia with 100% delivery rate. DHL charges 4 TIMES as much for the same service and FedEx is higher than that! (Clyde, your $40 guess is $50 light.)

When the time comes for things to be sent in the other direction, UPS gets the nod if it's available in her area. A package of documents (like for K-1 filings) runs $44, arrives in 5 days from provincial Russia, can be billed TO THE RECIPIENT upon delivery, and last but not least - They'll pick it up at her home or business

[viking]

You guys are lucky. I sent a package to SPB about 9-10 weeks ago (USPS Air Parcel Post w/insurance but no tracking number). It has yet to get there and the only thing I have is that it left the US. It was about 8 pounds. Guess someone is having fun with the curling iron and magazines.

I also sent a card last November, it still has not arrived.

And a letter I sent way back when to someone else, came back as addressee UK after about 7 months.

[al-c]

I found DHL to cost more, but not a lot more.  And they are much faster:  2 days to Moscow or St. Pete, and 3 days to Novosibirsk.

[dwfunk]

I've  found USPS Global Express to be the best balance of  cost/speed/effeciency. Most packages we send are $26.50 to provincial  Russia with 100% delivery rate. DHL charges 4 TIMES as much for the same service and FedEx is higher than that! (Clyde, your $40 guess is $50 light.)

When the time comes for things to be sent in the other direction, UPS gets the nod if  it's available in her area. A package of documents (like for K-1  filings) runs $44, arrives in 5 days from provincial Russia, can be  billed TO THE RECIPIENT upon delivery, and last but not least -  They'll pick it up at her home or business

Nice to know about UPS, I'll have to ask Natalia if one is close to  her.  I used USPS Global Express to send some documents to her,  and while standing at the USPS counter I read the rest of the sign  board, and the USPS uses FedEx for international deliveries!!

-david

[viking]

Right you are. USPS does use FedEx for many foreign deliveries. But if you have a tracking number (mandatory) the chances of losing something is greatly diminished.

[Daknack]

I did use the UPSA global and it was fantastic got there in the 5 days,

I sent a second package that was tracked to Moscow, and tracking says it was attempted to be delivered, not sure yet whats going on, when I know Ill let you know what the issue was (if any other then wasnt home when they tried to bring it).  Should I advise the person to find a fed ex or something or will it be at a local office or something?