Job Discussion Forums

[girasol]

I think I'll bring my summer clothes with me in my luggage since I'll be arrriving in the summer. I was thinking of shipping my winter clothes, but all this talk of custom duties is making me think twice. Are there stores/markets where one can purchase decent reasonably priced clothing in DF? Is clothing expensive in general? I'm a little spoilt having lived in Taiwan for such a long time.

awest, when you shipped your clothes, did you ship them separately or in the same boxes as the kitchen items and books?

Ta!

[MELEE]

Pretty much most of my family of four's wardrobe has been purchased at used clothing stores/stalls. They are either called Bazaars or Ropa Americana. I've gotten some really great things there. The rest of our stuff is either handmade by Oaxacan artisteans or gifts from my family in the US.

Here's relavent thread, it's an oldie, but a goodie!

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=27775&highlight=buying+clothes

[MO39]

[Guy Courchesne]

If you're not averse to the idea, you can get a lot of US brand name clothing that falls off the back of the truck - so to speak - at open air markets around DF. I pick up Oscar de la Renta shirts in such a way for 200 pesos at a market at the monumento de la madre.

[raulyn]

[MO39]

[awest]

I shipped most of my small boxes throught the US mail carriers. I list items on the box as one pant, one shirt and so on. I never put to much in one box and list the amount as very low as possible. Guess I am quite lucky because none of the boxes have been opened or "man handled". I know it might seem to be a silly way but it has been working for me.

I also get a box with the right demensions and pack it full of items as my third luggage. I state they are gifts for family and friends....never have lots of electronic items or sales tags on them...then they will disappear.

Hope this helps you. Good luck...

[MO39]

[girasol]

Thank you for all the useful info. I'm hoping to work in DF. From what I've read on previous threads, it can get cold, but it's not unbearable? I guess I'll ship the items that I really need and then shop for the rest at bazaars, open air markets and street vendors.

I'll have to get the address of that shoe shop from you when I arrive, MO39.

[MO39]

[Mrs L]

I like the idea of labelling the packages as gifts, we do that and all the gifts we send get through. After the last time parcels were discussed and I heard about some of your problems I raised the topic with my husband. He thought maybe the foreign name on the packages means you have more problems from customs, or it could just be they're stricter with stuff from North America?

Just last week 2 parcels we sent got through in 6 days (from England- I kid you not!!!). We sent them via the regular post office, and they contained football shirts, toys, make-up, and some hand me down baby clothes for my niece (labelled as second hand baby clothes). They were all carefully wrapped in xmas paper with gift tags attached in case customs had a look, but they arrived unopened. My mother-in-law tips the postman each time he brings a package from England and I think that helps them get straight to the house and not just sit in the post office waiting to be delivered.

Mind you, we recently bought a new camera and want to send the old one to the family as a gift. Haven't done it yet because we don't want it to be stolen or have the family get charged by customs.

[saltillo]

i am the webmaster for the estafetaagent.com referred earlier. it is better to send a request what you want to send into mexico than go by the restricted list. home possessions and used items have special categories and really need to be more itemized before the best manner of shipping can be determined, so ask about them.

regular mexican national postal service really should not ever be relied upon. everything of value, documents included, shipped within and into mexico is done with a delivery service of some sort. my family in mexico sends whatever can not be sent by email by a delivery service of some type. in town, people use drivers to do business to get things from one place to another, not ever by mail.

one thing to know, it is pretty safe using the bus service to send packages within the country; it is best to be there when the bus arrives, and it is best to use direct routes so that your package does not change buses. packages should be addressed in marker with complete delivery address including a phone number and a senders address where possible. tape it well then wrap in plastic wrap. it you can, band it crossways after the wrap, that will be even better. tape another delivery address on top of the plastic wrapping. we do it all the time. we also send and receive packages within mexico all the time on the bus just well taped but if you do what i just outlined then you will reduce the chance of anyone quick opening your goods. for anything you value, though, use a delivery service.

if you are really moving whole households of goods and get it to the border then you can get a truck to go to most places at a reasonable rate. if you are going to a rural area, you may have to get your goods to a city as close as possible then use a local to get your goods the rest of the way - pickup or flat bed. Estafeta goes to 98% of mexico but above are a few other options. i have driven both by myself and with drivers with all my stuff and just said it was all mine and never had a problem; if you look like a commercial venture though it will be a different story. tell the people at the checkpoints the truth, these are your things and you are moving; if you have an fm3 it is even better, talk to your driver so you will know what to expect.

it is best to move your goods during the day if you are handling it yourself. it is good to have your 'landing point' in place when your ship, i.e. someone waiting at the destination ready to haul you and your stuff off. with a delivery service, investigate insurance. a good insurance rate is 2% of value. commercial services give a minimum $100 coverage, ask about it. keep receipts and be able to prove value. one time i told someone the loss rate was like 1:1000 packages and they acted like it was really high whereas i thought it was pretty good. remember, it is mexico and the current times require more caution.

another thing groups of people do is get a po box at the border, usa side, and drop ship mail and small items to it and take turns going to get things that have accumulated - not a very timely way to ship things but after you live in mexico awhile it will become more acceptable; it depends on how deep into the interior you live. some services will collect everything, your old time and wired mag subscriptions you just can't give up then take them across the border and ship them in mass.

hope this is helpful information.

[raulyn]

On the website, the only state in the US with an office is in Texas. And only one city in Texas... Austin.

Nothing in NYC area? We've got 3 airports here. Two are international.

[MELEE]

raulyn

Try searching for a company called paisapak or maybe it's spelled paisapac
It specializes in shipping for Mexican immigrants to the US, something there are a lot of in New York.

[raulyn]

Melee,

Sorry, no matter how I spell that, I can't find anything on Google about a shipping or delivery service to Mexico. It only gives me an alternate spelling of Paisapay. A service similar to Pal Pal.

Thanks for the suggestion anyway.