Gungo
Well-Known Member
Good day R2R People,
I just want to inform the forum that there's a lot of people around the world with very limited access to buying brand names reef aquarium equipment or livestock in our countries that the only option we have is importing everything from another country.
In my case, I am from the Dominican Republic and I can tell that there is not even one retailer store for equipment or livestock like most of you have access to. We have no option other than buying from the internet. So, how this works? How can I import equipment/livestock from one country to another when the seller is not offering international shipping? In this particular topic, I will be referring to equipment or dry goods because livestock is a mess.
Most of the countries that make a good economy from importing goods have international courier companies that offer an 24 to 48 hours air service that consists in receiving the goods in a local office at the country of destiny of the seller and forwards these goods to the country where the buyer is for a reasonable price (which is commonly lower than shipping internationally by itself).
This is what it happens:
1. I buy the goods I want in any marketplace or online store in the US.
2. They ship my goods to the US address in which the courier company is located.
3. I receive a notification as soon as the package arrive to the company.
4. They send the goods via air and in 24 to 48 hours I receive at my home the things I purchased.
So, why I am explaining this? I am doing this because I buy a lot in this forum and when I mention that the things I buy will be heading to DR people block their mind and when I try to explain that the things I buy will be shipped to the US instead of directly to DR they just get scared.
The reason why they get scared is because of the online reviews that apparently some scammers use this kind of service to take advantage of some people. In my case, this is the only way I have to buy reef aquarium equipment related. Probably like 3 to 4 times a year I fly to the US and buy some things myself but most of the time everything is purchased online using this method. I have not had a single problem since 2008. Over 300 transactions on eBay with 100% buyer feedback, not a single problem with amazon and their prime services and not a single problem with a member of this forum that we have done business before.
Don't get me wrong. It's completely understandable if you decide not to sell me something because of the method. But I just want to mention there is no extra effort from your part by selling to me. You will be doing the same shipping effort as shipping to any US location. I am the one who is taking the risks and the extra fees for forwarding the goods (FYI, the rates are by pound and it's like 5$ each pound, so if something weights 10-pound I'm paying around $50 + local importing tax that is 18 to 24% the value of the receipt).
Is this easy for me? noup is not but it is what it is.
My desire is that maybe one day some big investor looks at DR as a reef market investment opportunity because there is a lot of people with the same issues just like me. If you think the hobby is expensive, is even way more expensive for people in my situation.
I just wanted to make this public so people won't think that I am around here scamming a few bucks. if requested in the future I can screenshot of the last 5 transactions I've made here or you can contact directly the sellers and ask how it went.
Just for your reference, please look what BRS thinks of this topic:
www.bulkreefsupply.com
Please let me know if you have any doubt or question. I will be willing to make this topic clear
Thank you for your time.
I just want to inform the forum that there's a lot of people around the world with very limited access to buying brand names reef aquarium equipment or livestock in our countries that the only option we have is importing everything from another country.
In my case, I am from the Dominican Republic and I can tell that there is not even one retailer store for equipment or livestock like most of you have access to. We have no option other than buying from the internet. So, how this works? How can I import equipment/livestock from one country to another when the seller is not offering international shipping? In this particular topic, I will be referring to equipment or dry goods because livestock is a mess.
Most of the countries that make a good economy from importing goods have international courier companies that offer an 24 to 48 hours air service that consists in receiving the goods in a local office at the country of destiny of the seller and forwards these goods to the country where the buyer is for a reasonable price (which is commonly lower than shipping internationally by itself).
This is what it happens:
1. I buy the goods I want in any marketplace or online store in the US.
2. They ship my goods to the US address in which the courier company is located.
3. I receive a notification as soon as the package arrive to the company.
4. They send the goods via air and in 24 to 48 hours I receive at my home the things I purchased.
So, why I am explaining this? I am doing this because I buy a lot in this forum and when I mention that the things I buy will be heading to DR people block their mind and when I try to explain that the things I buy will be shipped to the US instead of directly to DR they just get scared.
The reason why they get scared is because of the online reviews that apparently some scammers use this kind of service to take advantage of some people. In my case, this is the only way I have to buy reef aquarium equipment related. Probably like 3 to 4 times a year I fly to the US and buy some things myself but most of the time everything is purchased online using this method. I have not had a single problem since 2008. Over 300 transactions on eBay with 100% buyer feedback, not a single problem with amazon and their prime services and not a single problem with a member of this forum that we have done business before.
Don't get me wrong. It's completely understandable if you decide not to sell me something because of the method. But I just want to mention there is no extra effort from your part by selling to me. You will be doing the same shipping effort as shipping to any US location. I am the one who is taking the risks and the extra fees for forwarding the goods (FYI, the rates are by pound and it's like 5$ each pound, so if something weights 10-pound I'm paying around $50 + local importing tax that is 18 to 24% the value of the receipt).
Is this easy for me? noup is not but it is what it is.
My desire is that maybe one day some big investor looks at DR as a reef market investment opportunity because there is a lot of people with the same issues just like me. If you think the hobby is expensive, is even way more expensive for people in my situation.
I just wanted to make this public so people won't think that I am around here scamming a few bucks. if requested in the future I can screenshot of the last 5 transactions I've made here or you can contact directly the sellers and ask how it went.
Just for your reference, please look what BRS thinks of this topic:
International Shipping Policy - Bulk Reef Supply
Bulk Reef Supply - Saltwater Aquarium Supplies for Reef Tanks
www.bulkreefsupply.com
Please let me know if you have any doubt or question. I will be willing to make this topic clear
Thank you for your time.
