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Anybody with experience using the "concierge service" of Borderlinx?
They are charging me additional 10% (other than the regular 5%) for some obscure reason.
In addition, my credit card keeps getting rejected :D
6 days later
What are your experiences with online shopping sites in Lebanon? Have you tried namshi.com.
I recently ordered few things from namshi.com online store it seemed like a cheap alternative compared to buying from the Brands' stores here( Adidas, Nike..) . I made the order late Saturday night ( 2 am Sunday morning). The items will be shipped by Aramex. Do you think I will have to pay something for Lebanese customs and clearance for an order of ~130$. I read some posts talking about all the VAT and fees but none was Namshi.com specific and on the website it said that no extra fees are to be paid as the price is duties included. What is your experience with aramex for delivery time. I live in Tyre ( Sur) and ordered some things before from Ishtari and received them in 3 days. What about items from abroad. It says 1-2 days delivery but I'm sure it will take more.
you can trust them ... shipment usually takes 4-7 days, they do not offer return services in Lebanon, i ordered 2 items and received them both in under 10 days
Houssam wroteyou can trust them ... shipment usually takes 4-7 days, they do not offer return services in Lebanon, i ordered 2 items and received them both in under 10 days
Did you pay anything for Lebanese customs?
a month later
############### SHIPPERS BEWARE ###############

After the incident at the Lebanese customs in the airport (Some thug from those who import goods from outside and pay very few / nothing to the customs - مهرب بضاعة - threatened the head of the Lebanese customs in his office) things got very bad.
Today I got an email from Aramex that two shipments were confiscated by the Lebanese customs, I have to clear them formally now, either by hiring my own broker or through them.
You will have to pay 110$ for Aramex (Clearance fee) for EACH shipment + usual customs + VAT 10% + Shipping from the US.
So a 120$ worth goods will cost me around 200$ per package !!!

Also note this is kind of random I got 4 shipments arriving this week 2 got confiscated and 2 passed normally, today I got two packages and paid the usual costs.
If you are thinking about ordering anything right now, think twice, at least until things settle.

############### SHIPPERS BEWARE ###############
Aly wrote############### SHIPPERS BEWARE ###############

After the incident at the Lebanese customs in the airport (Some thug from those who import goods from outside and pay very few / nothing to the customs - مهرب بضاعة - threatened the head of the Lebanese customs in his office) things got very bad.
Today I got an email from Aramex that two shipments were confiscated by the Lebanese customs, I have to clear them formally now, either by hiring my own broker or through them.
You will have to pay 110$ for Aramex (Clearance fee) for EACH shipment + usual customs + VAT 10% + Shipping from the US.
So a 120$ worth goods will cost me around 200$ per package !!!

Also note this is kind of random I got 4 shipments arriving this week 2 got confiscated and 2 passed normally, today I got two packages and paid the usual costs.
If you are thinking about ordering anything right now, think twice, at least until things settle.

############### SHIPPERS BEWARE ###############
I don't know whats this is all about.. i received my package (vitamin Calcium & Magnesium from amazon) today without any problem as usual thru aramex.
a side question here do you think its a good idea to order whey protein and such from amazon or i should buy it from lebanon?
Hosni wrotea side question here do you think its a good idea to order whey protein and such from amazon or i should buy it from lebanon?
I don't take proteins (prefer healthy meals), but i do order vitamins from amazon (alot) as they are more reliable like selecting the proper vitamin with alot of reviews plus the expiry date is way ahead after finishing the bottle and the packaging is very good just make sure when you receive it to check the pills if they are damaged due to heating issues (i prefer to order them on winter season so no heating issues should happen). Finally some of the vitamins and the premium brands are also not available in Lebanon that's why i rely on amazon.
TheStunMan wrote I don't know whats this is all about.. i received my package (vitamin Calcium & Magnesium from amazon) today without any problem as usual thru aramex.
Excuse me man but how do you buy from amazon!?
I always try but end up with the famous error (can't ship to your country).
LifeEngineer wrote
TheStunMan wrote I don't know whats this is all about.. i received my package (vitamin Calcium & Magnesium from amazon) today without any problem as usual thru aramex.
Excuse me man but how do you buy from amazon!?
I always try but end up with the famous error (can't ship to your country).
Via BorderLinx (DHL) or ShopAndShip (Aramex)
they give you an address in the states, your items are shipped to this address, then automatically shipped to your doorstep via DHL/Aramex
ironman wrote Via BorderLinx (DHL) or ShopAndShip (Aramex)
they give you an address in the states, your items are shipped to this address, then automatically shipped to your doorstep via DHL/Aramex
Ok I already have a borderlinx account.

What about shipping fees? And custom fees?
As far as you know, can you ask the seller to fake the price of the item to avoid custom fees?!
@lifeEngineer
When shopping on Amazon, if the item is sold and shipped by Amazon, it's impossible to convince amazon to manipulate the actual price of the item for you, I tried.
And only items sold and shipped by Amazon will give you the that famous error.

If for example you find an item sold and shipped by a reseller in Amazon, be sure to contact that seller if they can ship to Lebanon, or you can go in their profile and have a look in their shipping charges worldwide.

As for the shipping fees with borderlinx, it's as follows.
No matter what you buy, a box of gum, a paper, a pencil, a feather.
You will end up paying 50500 LBP to be shipped to your doorstep.
15$ shipping, 5$ insurance, 2$ fuel surcharge, 7.30$ customs clearance etc..
Now of course if you shop something heavier, the price gets bigger depending of the volumetric weight of your item.

Yesterday, I ordered a 10 000mah battery for my note 4 from a reseller in Amazon.
The item was shipped today, via USPS (United States Postal service) basically Liban post of US,
So now, I'm wondering, since my item was shipped via a postal service, will I have to pay clearance or vat or customs etc fees like in borderlinx? Or it will be similar like when I buy from AliExpress and I will not pay anything?

Guys, any of you have an idea?
AVOlio, less than a year ago, I backed two separate products (i.e. two shipments) on Kickstarter. One of the shipments had two items in the package and each item was a couple of hundred grams. Both shipments were shipped through USPS and I didn't pay anything extra. They were handled by Liban Post exactly as the AliExpress shipments that are shipped through China or Hong Kong posts.

More than two years ago, I ordered a pair of shoes from eBay. It was also shipped through USPS. It arrived at the Liban Post office and they called me to collect the item. I just had to pay 5,000 L.L extra. Though I cannot remember if the fee was issued from customs or Liban Post.

I also recently backed another product on Kickstarter. This one is an electronic device and it costs around $100 so hopefully in your and my case they won't be intercepted by our lovely customs.
AVOlio wrote@lifeEngineer

Yesterday, I ordered a 10 000mah battery for my note 4 from a reseller in Amazon.


Guys, any of you have an idea?

Hahaha don't tell you bought that zerolemon?!? I was just checking it for my note 4!
LifeEngineer wrote
AVOlio wrote@lifeEngineer

Yesterday, I ordered a 10 000mah battery for my note 4 from a reseller in Amazon.


Guys, any of you have an idea?

Hahaha don't tell you bought that zerolemon?!? I was just checking it for my note 4!
YUP, I bought the zerolemon battery.
My new Tank cover is coming here lol



@Ziad87
Thank you for your input.
Hopefully it will be the same case with me :)
Aly wrote############### SHIPPERS BEWARE ###############

After the incident at the Lebanese customs in the airport (Some thug from those who import goods from outside and pay very few / nothing to the customs - مهرب بضاعة - threatened the head of the Lebanese customs in his office) things got very bad.
Today I got an email from Aramex that two shipments were confiscated by the Lebanese customs, I have to clear them formally now, either by hiring my own broker or through them.
You will have to pay 110$ for Aramex (Clearance fee) for EACH shipment + usual customs + VAT 10% + Shipping from the US.
So a 120$ worth goods will cost me around 200$ per package !!!

Also note this is kind of random I got 4 shipments arriving this week 2 got confiscated and 2 passed normally, today I got two packages and paid the usual costs.
If you are thinking about ordering anything right now, think twice, at least until things settle.

############### SHIPPERS BEWARE ###############
This looks like a hoax & a forward from grandma email. I tried to google a source there's nothing. What's the source? facebook?
13 days later
I just got my package through usps from USA, and I paid nothing.
I went to libanpost post and got it myself, not delivery.
(to my luck, when the package arrived, they were closed for 3 days straight because of eid)
For some unknown reason, you don't pay anything if you get it through Liban Post. Unlike the other shipping companies.

Recently I ordered couple of books from Amazon, received none and they had to refund me. One parcel shipped with UPS and the other with IMEXX. I also ordered 2 items from Massdrop, I received 1 item and didn't receive the other. Both were shipped via USPS. After 2 months waiting for the shipment, Massdrop refunded me.

It's just strange that 3 packages were lost, I'm not sure if they are stealing them here in Lebanon or they are simply getting lost abroad. The thing is, I ordered from Aliexpress more than 100 times and I received all my packages, even the ones without tracking number. The only problem I'm facing is with items shipped with USPS or UPS, specifically shipped from the USA.
I read through these 8 pages, and there seems to be mixed feelings about which shipping company is better.
I'd like to ask; I'm going to buy a laptop priced around $1,500 and weighs around 3.5kg.
Can anyone recommend a good shipping company? Does anyone have experience with iShip.com?
Here's my experience shipping from abroad:

I've been shipping guitar related stuff extensively with Aramex's shop and ship, read below for a detailed experience

First of all, what you all should know is that anything that costs more than 1,000,000 LBP is subject to something called formality clearance. Your item will be stuck in customs and in Shop and Ship's case, they will ask you if you'll like to clear with them or your own broker. Choosing to clear with Aramex, you'll pay them $200 extra for the handling of the clearance (+customs and VAT, of course)

First item I shipped was an acoustic guitar which cost me $1400. It stayed at the airport for a week and a half and I thought that was really slow. They take their time replying to e-mails and communicating between their main office at Sin el Fil and their airport crew. Though it arrived in perfect condition.

The second item I shipped and just received two days ago was a guitar amplifier head which weighted around 30kg and cost me 1600$. It was sent from a guy I know in the US to my Aramex US address with a not so detailed invoice, but it included product description and pricing. Once it arrived to Lebanon and I decided to clear with Aramex, I was asked to send a detailed invoice so they could clear it. It took TWO weeks and nothing was really happening. After two weeks, I was told by Aramex that the amplifier needed IRI approval (basically, "ma3had el bou7ous") because it was a "complex piece of electronics". My file was registered and we went into Adha holiday. After the holiday, Aramex told me AGAIN that IRI needed an invoice even though I sent one to the person that was taking care of the clearance. I sent it again and thought everything would work out well. Two days later, no updates were received at all, so I get really pissed off and decided to contact the manager of brokers and freight forwarding at Aramex. Once I did so, everything moved really quickly, approximately 12 hours after contacting him, he told me that no invoice was sent, so once I did send it to him I noticed that some information began to be written in my IRI file.

A day passed and no updates were received, so I decided to haul my ass to the airport since I thought 3 weeks was really a huge time for this procedure to be complete. I arrived at Aramex's offices at the airport and luckily the shipment had just been cleared from IRI. I grabbed it and paid for everything on the spot at the airport and went home. Had I waited for them to deliver it to sin el fil, it would've taken 3 days for the "accounting team to set up the customs invoices" and another day for them to ship it to me.

Point being, I had real mixed feelings with Shop and Ship. Even though the shipping was safe and quick from the US to Lebanon, professionalism was really low when clearance had to be done and the time that it took was honestly hilarious and not logical at all.

I'll be looking for a new way to ship my things.