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What is the Safest way to ship my imac to my country ?

B

bo-waleed

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 15, 2009
611
21
I have a cousin who is in Miami, He may buy a 27'' imac for me.

I live in Kuwait (middle-east)

Should he bring it in plane ? Or ship it by shipping company (which one is cheapest) ?

Any suggestions ? Anyone done this before ?


Thanks for answering.
 
Ship by courier. Don't forget to include insurance and commercial invoice documentation. I assume you have the original packaging. Might also be worth packing the box inside another box with packageing in between. Fragil labels wouldn't go a miss either.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Ship by courier. Don't forget to include insurance and commercial invoice documentation. I assume you have the original packaging. Might also be worth packing the box inside another box with packageing in between. Fragil labels wouldn't go a miss either.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. There's no way that a plane trip would be cheaper and also no guarantee that the baggage handlers would be careful with it.
 
Fed Ex handles these from Apple to all over the world in the original boxes every day. They would be my choice.
 
Another vote for FedEx. As long as you ship it adequately packed, with insurance it should be fine.
I would recommend your cousin order it from the Apple online store, and have it shipped to him. That way, you already have the outer box and shipping materials, and all he has to do is buy shipping.
 
mgartner0622 said:
Another vote for FedEx. As long as you ship it adequately packed, with insurance it should be fine.
I would recommend your cousin order it from the Apple online store, and have it shipped to him. That way, you already have the outer box and shipping materials, and all he has to do is buy shipping.
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What about Amazon ?

Amazon have free shipping and no tax.

While apple have discount price for students, Right ?

Which one will be cheaper ?
 
bo-waleed said:
What about Amazon ?

Amazon have free shipping and no tax.

While apple have discount price for students, Right ?

Which one will be cheaper ?
Click to expand...

It really depends on what model you are buying, although generally amazon is a bit cheaper, even after the student discount. Is your cousin a student? Since he is purchasing, he has to be the one that's a student.
 
For what it's worth, I have travelled with my iMac (Late 2006 20" Intel) as checked baggage.

I put it inside a box for an Aluminium 21" (modified the polystyrene foam a little to take mine, since my original box for the white one was long gone at this point) and then put that iMac box inside the box for an LCD TV with some extra foam at the bottom, sides and top to act as a shock absorber. I then used a towel to take up the extra space and stop the iMac box "rattling around".

This worked well for trips to the US and back (from the UK) with the iMac flying in the hold. The TV box acted to take any hits and protrusions from sharp objects like other people's bags etc while the iMac box inside kept the machine safe.

I remember looking out of the window of a little turboprop aircraft for my last leg to CMH from ORD or someplace and seeing the iMac-in-box sitting on the tarmac awaiting loading, looking no worse for its trip in the hold of a 767 from London. I'm typing this comment on that very same iMac as we speak.
 
why bother your cousin in Miami now? come to Saudi Habeebie Apple products are much cheaper than Kuwait as far as i know...:)

or order it from amazon.com and ship it via Aramex Shop & Ship service.
 
animatedude said:
why bother your cousin in Miami now? come to Saudi Habeebie Apple products are much cheaper than Kuwait as far as i know...:)

or order it from amazon.com and ship it via Aramex Shop & Ship service.
Click to expand...

As far as i know that apple stopped shipping to Aramex address :p, Also Aramex is a bit expensive.

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mgartner0622 said:
It really depends on what model you are buying, although generally amazon is a bit cheaper, even after the student discount. Is your cousin a student? Since he is purchasing, he has to be the one that's a student.
Click to expand...

Yes he is a student.

I might get the high end 27'' imac and no BTO.
 
don't order it from Apple....order it from amazon.com to your US address with Aramex Shop & Ship service, u know what's that service is? it's a forward shipping service where you will have your personal address in the US/UK/China.
 
animatedude said:
u know what's that service is? it's a forward shipping service where you will have your personal address in the US/UK/China.
Click to expand...

Yes i know but i don't want to use it.

You said that imac is cheaper in your country ?

How much the high-end 27'' imac (no BTO) cost ?
 
I tried to send my 27" from the US to Norway with FedEx. He wanted around 500$ without insurance. Wasn't really going to happen.

I had a plane ticket, so I took the risk and shipped it in my luggage insanely wrapped in bubble-plastic. Worked fine but there is customs, TSA and the general risk of the whole operation.

In your case, I would visit my cousin in Miami :)
 
If you ship it you will have to declare it on a customs form and pay duty on it. If your cousin takes it on an airplane they will see the computer in the X-ray screening area that all checked bags go through upon egress from the Kuwait City airport, and he will have to pay duty on it.
 
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