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The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

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carluva
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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby carluva » September 30th, 2021, 11:46 pm

agent007 wrote:
carluva wrote:Plan smart and save money. Send all your Xmas items via sea freight. Ship out by mid October and they should be here in time.

Are you in a position to provide a rough estimate on sea freight ETA and % savings vs that of skybox?

Eg. 5% average lower costs with 40 days eta

The logic is, if a skybox can take up to 4 weeks to deliver an item in the midst of current challenges, then a sea freight forwarder can take minimum 6 weeks with having to face the same port/customs challenges.
This is true.

However, sending items via sea freight requires you to have patience and plan.

Here's an example.

I had a barrel, a box and a dishwasher sent down earlier this year. These items were shrink wrapped together and placed on a pallet. They were delivered to Laparkan Orlando warehouse on May 14th. I received the goods at home June 16th. It could have been a week sooner, but they were dropped off at Orlando a day after the cutoff for transport to Miami so I was delayed by one week.

Laparkan cleared the package for me. My fees are attached. I checked it up and for what I bought plus those sea freight charges, plus what I paid my contact in Orlando who packaged and transported everything, I saved well over 2k vs buying locally.

I am having a box with Xmas gifts sent out next week or the week after. That won't even be as much as what is attached. I expect I would easily save about 30% of total cost if I bought the items here and maybe about 20% vs air freight (simply because of the size and weight and quantity of items). If it were one or two, the skybox would make sense. For what we have to get and the weights , skybox would have killed us with cost.

Screenshot_20210930-233954.jpg

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby agent007 » October 1st, 2021, 10:41 am

Much thanks for the detailed response bro. I appreciate the break down as well. I have nothing but time so I can wait, but money is tight. That said, I’ll jump on this avenue for several house-hold items in the near future as last time I shipped items out of Miami via sea freight was in 2012 and I got those said items in approx. 2 weeks.

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carluva
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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby carluva » October 1st, 2021, 1:55 pm

Not intending to derail this skybox thread with sea freight commentary, but if you can plan, save money to buy your items and send via sea freight. Household items: soap, liquid hand soap refills, laundry detergent. WTF carluva - laundry detergent? Yes.

if you know me, I don't mind spending money, but it has to be worth it and worthwhile. High Efficiency washer Laundry detergent locally is super expensive. Much cheaper to buy overseas and send down yearly. Saves money and saves clothes, as those detergents plus the HE washer preserves the colours on clothes for longer than say powdered detergents. So saving clothes = saving money.

We buy clothes for the kids, mostly the eldest as there is always hand me downs for the smaller ones.

The dishwasher I brought down was a Bosch. A similarly spec'd GE or Frigidaire or even Kitchen Aid dishwasher locally would be close to 18k (priced dishwashers before buying abroad). I paid US$1,049 online (say TT$7,200). By the time you add all the costs shown there plus costs I paid for the packaging services, that came in under 18k. Come to think about it now, maybe I was too conservative with my estimated savings. On second look, it may be closer to 3.5k or even 4k vs buying here.

My point is rather than buying the one-one jeans and jersey a few times a year, save your money and buy what you need when you need it and then send your freight. It always works out cheaper. Skyboxes are super convenient (well not now anyway given the delays but still a good alternative to going out in Chaguanas or High Street to "shop") but costs do add up quickly if you buy frequently and/or in bulk.

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby dogg » October 1st, 2021, 2:01 pm

carluva wrote:Not intending to derail this skybox thread with sea freight commentary, but if you can plan, save money to buy your items and send via sea freight. Household items: soap, liquid hand soap refills, laundry detergent. WTF carluva - laundry detergent? Yes.

if you know me, I don't mind spending money, but it has to be worth it and worthwhile. High Efficiency washer Laundry detergent locally is super expensive. Much cheaper to buy overseas and send down yearly. Saves money and saves clothes, as those detergents plus the HE washer preserves the colours on clothes for longer than say powdered detergents. So saving clothes = saving money.

We buy clothes for the kids, mostly the eldest as there is always hand me downs for the smaller ones.

The dishwasher I brought down was a Bosch. A similarly spec'd GE or Frigidaire or even Kitchen Aid dishwasher locally would be close to 18k (priced dishwashers before buying abroad). I paid US$1,049 online (say TT$7,200). By the time you add all the costs shown there plus costs I paid for the packaging services, that came in under 18k. Come to think about it now, maybe I was too conservative with my estimated savings. On second look, it may be closer to 3.5k or even 4k vs buying here.

My point is rather than buying the one-one jeans and jersey a few times a year, save your money and buy what you need when you need it and then send your freight. It always works out cheaper. Skyboxes are super convenient (well not now anyway given the delays but still a good alternative to going out in Chaguanas or High Street to "shop") but costs do add up quickly if you buy frequently and/or in bulk.

Excellent idea - annual or semi-annual shipments!
Do you clear the items yourself? Which shipper do you use?

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carluva
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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby carluva » October 1st, 2021, 2:19 pm

dogg wrote:Excellent idea - annual or semi-annual shipments!
Do you clear the items yourself? Which shipper do you use?


For us its about once a year. This year was the first time we're doing the Xmas shopping early and by sea freight. Last year, skybox charges did add up and we committed to try sea freight this year.

Typically, we buy once a year to coincide with summer sales on clothes for the kiddos (another frugal cost savings idea as sale prices on Old Navy etc. are always so low). At that time, we'd bulk up on laundry detergent, the large liquid hand soap refills, dishwasher tabs, stationery (pencils, erasers etc. as you have no idea how these are used by kids), grocery items and anything else we may need (occasional tools or towel or bed sheet or car care products etc.). But detergent and clothes alone easily fills a barrel.

I used to clear the items myself, but with COVID and the port restrictions, our last two shipments were handled by the Freight Forwarder who cleared and delivered the items to our home. We'll do the same for this smaller Xmas shipment which by no means is gonna be a barrel. Probably a medium sized box.

Laparkan has been my go to ever since I have been sending things via sea freight since 2010 which was the first time I ever sent a barrel. If we travel, we would pack a barrel or two and use Laparkan as well. My experiences with them have been good (*knocks wood*) so I have no reason to try another.

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby ed360123 » October 5th, 2021, 3:22 pm

Ordered a CPU through Aeropost that reached Miami on the 20th and Trinidad on the 5th. So 15 days, it was 23 before.
Things returning to normal?

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby st7 » October 5th, 2021, 4:02 pm

ed360123 wrote:Ordered a CPU through Aeropost that reached Miami on the 20th and Trinidad on the 5th. So 15 days, it was 23 before.
Things returning to normal?


you find 15 days is normal? daz how long i does take with the sauce sometimes.

usually it's in a week.

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby widdyphuck » October 5th, 2021, 4:10 pm

Are external storage devices currently tax and duty free or that has to wait till January when all computer peripherals become tax exempt?

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby st7 » October 5th, 2021, 5:16 pm

wtf wrote:Are external storage devices currently tax and duty free or that has to wait till January when all computer peripherals become tax exempt?


exempted.

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby widdyphuck » October 5th, 2021, 7:06 pm

st7 wrote:
wtf wrote:Are external storage devices currently tax and duty free or that has to wait till January when all computer peripherals become tax exempt?


exempted.
Thanks.

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby Zalos » October 6th, 2021, 1:24 pm

Whats a list of the current things that still get charged tax, and would get exempted in January?

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby widdyphuck » October 6th, 2021, 2:11 pm

Zalos wrote:Whats a list of the current things that still get charged tax, and would get exempted in January?
Good question. Hopefully someone will answer.

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby st7 » October 6th, 2021, 2:51 pm

electric vehicles and other pc components that still have tax.

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby Chimera » October 6th, 2021, 3:17 pm

Lol normal is 3 days

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby DMan7 » October 6th, 2021, 3:37 pm

SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17

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carluva
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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby carluva » October 6th, 2021, 9:15 pm

Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby DMan7 » October 6th, 2021, 9:18 pm

carluva wrote:Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17


eZone

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby hover11 » October 6th, 2021, 9:36 pm

DMan7 wrote:
carluva wrote:Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17


eZone
You don't find them expensive ? I left them and went with seabox never turned back

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby DMan7 » October 6th, 2021, 9:53 pm

hover11 wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
carluva wrote:Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17


eZone
You don't find them expensive ? I left them and went with seabox never turned back


Paid 77 TTD today for an computer peripheral. Not bad.

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby st7 » October 6th, 2021, 10:01 pm

DMan7 wrote:
hover11 wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
carluva wrote:Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17


eZone
You don't find them expensive ? I left them and went with seabox never turned back


Paid 77 TTD today for an computer peripheral. Not bad.


how much pounds was it?

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby DMan7 » October 6th, 2021, 10:18 pm

st7 wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
hover11 wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
carluva wrote:Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17


eZone
You don't find them expensive ? I left them and went with seabox never turned back


Paid 77 TTD today for an computer peripheral. Not bad.


how much pounds was it?


1 LB

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby st7 » October 6th, 2021, 10:49 pm

DMan7 wrote:
st7 wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
hover11 wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
carluva wrote:Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17


eZone
You don't find them expensive ? I left them and went with seabox never turned back


Paid 77 TTD today for an computer peripheral. Not bad.


how much pounds was it?


1 LB


nah boy, u over pay there. that shuda been 30-45$ at most.

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby st7 » October 7th, 2021, 6:24 pm

has anyone shipped a cell phone lithium-ion battery before?

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby DMan7 » October 7th, 2021, 6:37 pm

st7 wrote:has anyone shipped a cell phone lithium-ion battery before?


Yea a few months ago, my battery on my phone ended up swollen, had to buy one online and install it myself.

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby st7 » October 7th, 2021, 6:41 pm

DMan7 wrote:
st7 wrote:has anyone shipped a cell phone lithium-ion battery before?


Yea a few months ago, my battery on my phone ended up swollen, had to buy one online and install it myself.


ah.. i was wondering if those things were safe to ship. thanks man. i now realise the battery on my older phone swollen too, and that's when i removed the case too... geez and i was charging that all the time u know, sleeping next to that lol.

thanks for letting me know. i'll order one now.

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby widdyphuck » October 7th, 2021, 7:33 pm

DMan7 wrote:
carluva wrote:Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17


eZone
Ezone does house delivery?

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby DMan7 » October 7th, 2021, 7:35 pm

wtf wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
carluva wrote:Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17


eZone
Ezone does house delivery?


yea...

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widdyphuck
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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby widdyphuck » October 7th, 2021, 7:47 pm

DMan7 wrote:
wtf wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
carluva wrote:Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17


eZone
Ezone does house delivery?


yea...
How are their rates compared to websource

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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby DMan7 » October 7th, 2021, 7:49 pm

wtf wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
wtf wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
carluva wrote:Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17


eZone
Ezone does house delivery?


yea...
How are their rates compared to websource


I think they are better, they also have a rewards program where you earn points and can get discounts on your next item.

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widdyphuck
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Re: The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

Postby widdyphuck » October 7th, 2021, 8:30 pm

DMan7 wrote:
wtf wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
wtf wrote:
DMan7 wrote:
carluva wrote:Which skybox did you use?
DMan7 wrote:SO I finally got my stuff in my hand this morning. Ordered it on Amazon on Sept. 17


eZone
Ezone does house delivery?


yea...
How are their rates compared to websource


I think they are better, they also have a rewards program where you earn points and can get discounts on your next item.
What about seabox?
What are there rates like?

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