|
Mar 2023
9:32pm, 19 Mar 2023
2,905 posts
|
Grast_girl
I'm hoping the Fetch hive mind can help with this issue.
My brother, SIL and nephew moved to Australia last year, so we tried to send them presents through Amazon Australia. This was a mistake.
They took over a month to attempt delivery, then because they weren't in gave a very short time to collect them from the post office and I've only just received the refund.
Other than sending cash, what is the best (quickest, cheapest, best selection) way to send presents to Australia?
|
|
Mar 2023
9:45pm, 19 Mar 2023
13,440 posts
|
Little Nemo
Could you get them an Australian Amazon gift card? That way they could choose what they want and have more control over the delivery? I've not actually done this so not sure how feasible it is.
|
|
Mar 2023
6:04am, 20 Mar 2023
37,242 posts
|
Mrs Jigs (Luverlylegs)
It is so expensive to post gifts to Australia, I have previously bought direct from department stores there but now I transfer money via PayPal for family to choose their own gifts.
|
|
Mar 2023
8:57am, 20 Mar 2023
7,195 posts
|
um
Do they live in an accessible residential area? (ie a town or city, not in the middle of nowehere). And was the item showing a short or long lead time?
I've used Australian Amazon and ebay with no problems, items delivered to hotels for me.
Although I guess there may be a higher mix of products & sellers from China and Japan, with longer leadtimes?
Delivery? May use a pickup location arranged with them that's convenient?
|
|
Mar 2023
9:15am, 20 Mar 2023
3,181 posts
|
Fellrunning
We have a daughter and two grandchildren in Australia. We do everything electronically now. eCards, Amazon gift vouchers etc. Even the Australians don't trust their postal system.
Our other daughter lives in Canada so we do much the same there, although the Canadian version of Amazon seems more with it than the Australian version, so sometimes we send "proper" gifts. Canada post seem to be perpetually on strike.
|
|
Mar 2023
10:10am, 20 Mar 2023
2,907 posts
|
Grast_girl
They are in Perth, so you'd think it should have reasonable post coverage.
There were fairly long lead times on what I ordered (I resigned myself to the idea that they wouldn't get them before Christmas, but the refund took ages too), but I couldn't seem to find anything that had a few days lead time, even in children's toys.
I'd prefer to send gifts if possible, so they have something to open that they haven't bought themselves, but it seems like gift cards are the way to go. Maybe the amazon locker thing would have been better, but I suspect it required a signature because it included whisky glasses (no whisky) and therefore got flagged.
|
|
Mar 2023
10:08pm, 20 Mar 2023
54,647 posts
|
DrPhleecingD
I post children's books to my nephews in Australia sometimes, the post is fucking slow there but books are much more expensive there for some reason, so it's appreciated.
|
|
Mar 2023
10:40pm, 20 Mar 2023
49,287 posts
|
♪♫ Synge ♪♫
I have taken part in a board game Secret Santa for many years and have twice had "targets" in Australia. On both occasions, I ordered games from Australian stores that offered mail order and had no problem at all. I have also used amazon.com to do the same for US recipients.
It sounds as if the combination of long order-delivery times and the nature of the gift combined to mess up your plans. I would persevere with local suppliers if you can find one that stocks what you want to gift.
|
Australian parkruns
May 2025