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relocating to Shanghai from US

Shanghai Expat Forum Index » City Living Forums » Relocation and Moving

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dreidme

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Joined: Mar 19, 2008
Posts: 5
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Mar 19, 2008 - 07:42 AM
Post subject: relocating to Shanghai from US

I'm about to relocate to shanghai. Can I ship boxes of personal items such as books, clothing, and CDs through FedEx to my apartment or does it all go through the Customs?

CoffeeHawk_0

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Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 12483
Location: virtual reality
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Posted: Mar 19, 2008 - 07:47 AM

everything goes through customs and must be declared regardless of if you use an import/shipping company, FedEx, USmail, etc.

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SnappySammy

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Joined: Nov 01, 2007
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Posted: Mar 19, 2008 - 09:10 AM

you should consider DHL

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maneo

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Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 581
Location: 埋名
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Posted: Mar 19, 2008 - 09:25 AM
Post subject: Re: relocating to Shanghai from US

dreidme wrote:

I'm about to relocate to shanghai. Can I ship boxes of personal items such as books, clothing, and CDs through FedEx to my apartment or does it all go through the Customs?

Do proper research.
Ask your shippers directly.
They know the rules.
They do this daily.

Search through the various threads on this forum regarding relocation.
Many questions have already been asked and answered already.
Maybe even many questions you haven't even thought of yet.

Last edited by maneo on Mar 19, 2008 - 09:33 AM; edited 1 time in total

andyfff

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Joined: July 03, 2005
Posts: 518

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Posted: Mar 19, 2008 - 09:33 AM

Shipping heavy stuff like books via FedEx from the US to China will get very expensive very fast. Unless you need these books immediately upon arrival, you might as well use the US Post Office.

Also, do not declare the full value of stuff when you ship it. Say a box of clothes is worth $20, not $200. They don't care too much about used clothes and books, personal stuff. I didn't even bring my cd collection - I put everything on my computer and my iPod and left all that plastic at home.

SnappySammy

Board Lord

Joined: Nov 01, 2007
Posts: 5943

Status: Offline

Posted: Mar 19, 2008 - 09:37 AM

i think the US Postal Service has discontinued 4th class service. I think (you need to check) they only offer Express Mail and Priority Mail

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yu888
Board Buddha

Joined: Jan 25, 2003
Posts: 15931
Location: ZhongShanParkArea SH

Posted: Mar 19, 2008 - 09:43 AM

^ Other services do exist for large packages

http://www.usps.com/business/international/internationalshipping.htm

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dreidme

Newbie

Joined: Mar 19, 2008
Posts: 5
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Mar 20, 2008 - 02:56 AM

Thanks to all. This was very helpful. This site is essential for anyone coming over. I'm looking forward to the adventure of moving from Florida to Shanghai.

Noodles007
Seeker
Seeker

Joined: Mar 24, 2008
Posts: 71
Location: Hongqiao

Posted: Mar 26, 2008 - 11:45 AM

Hi dreidme! We just arrived last month (go USA!) and will be getting our first apartment soon! Shanghai is like party-central, but a bit smoggy.

Does anyone know if they have Home Depots here? Some of these apartments look like they could use some help!

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tiger1
Lurker
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Joined: Mar 04, 2008
Posts: 22
Location: US/Pudong

Posted: Mar 26, 2008 - 11:50 AM

B & Q would be the Shanghai equivalent to a Home Depot. Other stores will carry smaller home improvement things like Metro and Carrefour.

yu888
Board Buddha

Joined: Jan 25, 2003
Posts: 15931
Location: ZhongShanParkArea SH

Posted: Mar 26, 2008 - 12:00 PM

Noodles007 wrote:

If indeed youa re locating in HongQiao as your profile lists, head north on the middle ring road to MeiChuan Rd where there is a Metro and a B&Q, you can get lots of home stuff there as well as some from MacAllens (sp?) across the street.

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Noodles007
Seeker
Seeker

Joined: Mar 24, 2008
Posts: 71
Location: Hongqiao

Posted: Mar 26, 2008 - 12:06 PM

^Thnx! We're in the Shanghai Marriott Hotel while we look for a place to stay. I think it will definitely be somewhere in Puxi, but it sounds like B&Q has stores everywhere.

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Danzeth
Seeker
Seeker

Joined: Jan 21, 2008
Posts: 68
Location: Shanghai / SF

Posted: Mar 26, 2008 - 03:23 PM

yu888 wrote:

^ Other services do exist for large packages

http://www.usps.com/business/international/internationalshipping.htm

USPS info for China
http://pe.usps.gov/text/imm/ce_009.htm

It says:

Quote:

Restrictions
... The value of the items contained in each shipment must not exceed RMB (renminbi) 100 yuan and the total value of the shipment received annually by each family may not exceed RMB (renminbi) 800 yuan.
...
Articles that do not meet the requirements mentioned above will be returned to origin or confiscated in accordance with their internal laws.

Haha 100 RMB value limit per shipment?? Is this actually enforced? Do they open packages and check what's inside?

Adrienne

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Joined: Mar 01, 2003
Posts: 502
Location: Shanghai, China
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Posted: Mar 26, 2008 - 11:24 PM

There's also IKEA here for homeware items. It is at 126 Cao Xi Rd, Xu Jia Hui. Tel:5425 6060. Best to get the hotel to write this down for you.

Happy shopping!

Adrienne
http://www.shanghaiprops.com

SherBo

LoopKicker

Joined: Oct 12, 2007
Posts: 808

Status: Offline

Posted: Mar 27, 2008 - 12:31 AM

Ikea is nothing like Home Depot

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maneo

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Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 581
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Posted: Mar 27, 2008 - 03:32 AM

B&Q is remarkably like Home Depot, down to the orange aprons.
For a listing of the 10 stores in SH:
http://tofflerann.com/2008/03/08/bq-locations-in-shanghai/

According to the following site, B&Q Yangpu is the largest in the world:
http://www.zyra.org.uk/b-and-q.htm

By the way, there is also a home grown Chinese DIY chain, but you'd need Mandarin to get what you want there. They don't wear orange aprons.

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Adrienne

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Joined: Mar 01, 2003
Posts: 502
Location: Shanghai, China
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Posted: Mar 27, 2008 - 07:32 AM

Oh, I see. Homedepot is like Bunnings DIY stores. Gotcha. Sorry OP!

Adrienne
http://www.shanghaiprops.com

SnappySammy

Board Lord

Joined: Nov 01, 2007
Posts: 5943

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Posted: Mar 28, 2008 - 11:05 PM

Home Depot has become a nation unto itself.

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asdjason

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Joined: Jan 02, 2008
Posts: 15

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Posted: Mar 29, 2008 - 12:21 AM

Redstar and Homejia are the other options.
www.carrenting.cn
Email:asd.carrental@gmail.com

balderdasher

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Joined: Mar 28, 2008
Posts: 10

Status: Offline

Posted: Mar 29, 2008 - 10:25 AM

Danzeth wrote:

yu888 wrote:

^ Other services do exist for large packages

http://www.usps.com/business/international/internationalshipping.htm

USPS info for China
http://pe.usps.gov/text/imm/ce_009.htm

It says:

Quote:

Haha 100 RMB value limit per shipment?? Is this actually enforced? Do they open packages and check what's inside?

I'll let you know in about a week or two. I'm having my notebook computer shipped. I don't think there will be problems. They allow expensive shipments, but tax expensively... that's why there was the earlier suggestion to declare improperly.