Mailing stuff to the states

USPS suggests sending stuff Parcel Post. "Best economy value for sending small and large gifts and general merchandise, with rates starting at $2.81. May also contain books and other printed matter.
Delivery to every U.S. address, including PO boxes and military addresses.
Saturday and residential delivery at no additional charge.
Packages can weigh up to 70 lbs. and measure up to 130 inches in combined length and distance around the thickest part."

Now....the question is...will the PO in STT allow you to send using "Parcel Post".

exactly, the million dollar question.... i guess i'll have to go beg and plead

I've been auctioning off the farm in preparation for my move down to STX and just shipped a 1966 Ludwig drum set from Atlanta to the UK for $98. This was the "economy parcel post" (slow boat) option. Packaged weighed in just over 51 lbs, and was right on the measurement limit. Can't see why there'd be a problem shipping from STX to the States. Did you try using the online calculator on the website?

oh, i know that technically i should be able to do this (just like technically it's not legal to drive drunk here, but it's legal to drink while driving, or technically there are mechanics here but none of them carry parts you need or know how to fix the problem), but sometimes things just don't work here the way they should. The Red Hook mail center here on STT won't mail anything to the states over 2 lbs without it being "priority", that's just the rule even if you purposely want the slow boat.

so, i think i just have to go into the main branch, fight the lines, and see what the real scoop is. its not like we have furniture or other oddly shaped things to mail, just boxes, albiet most of them being very heavy.

thanks for the advice and info!!!

'The Red Hook mail center here on STT won't mail anything to the states over 2 lbs'

Herein lies your problem! The Red Hook Mail Center is not the US Post Office. Take your stuff to the Post Office and mail them, they can't refuse you. It's the same rates and rules here as in the states. Red Hook Mail Service is a businees. They will charge you more than the Post Office and probably can't make money on surface mail! Not a problem at all!
Ronnie

I thought that might be case. the RHMC charges close to 50 cents for a stamp, so I thought they probably required Priority Mail just to make more money... However I know someone who moved back to the states in March, and they told me that when they went to the regular post office, they were told everything must be priority mailed too. So, I have a hunch they were given mis-information by the postal worker, because it seems illegal to deny basic postal service when we are a part of the US.

I thought someone on this Board who lives down here might have mailed a large box to mainland and were sure that they hadn't been charged priority rates. I'll just go the post office and get the real scoop.

Thanks again for the help!

Hello Gasp,

I have shipped little and big boxes to the states from St. Thomas at the Post Office using regular mail, media rate or book rate, priority mail, with insurance, without, express...

You don't have to ship Priority Mail at the post office. That is wrong information. Also the Post Office takes packages up to 70 lbs. (not for all shipping options but for several).

All the options listed at http://www.usps.com/consumers/domestic.htm are offered at US Post Offices on St. Thomas (in the VI in general). So pack up your boxes label them 1 of 3, 2 of 3 etc., make sure they fit the size and weight requirements, make sure you cross out any warnings and delivery codes on the box (for example if you use an empty Clorox box the warnings need to be covered or if you use a box that was already used to ship something the old shipping information needs to be covered) and then take them down to the post office. Pick up customs slips and fill them out before getting to the counter, they are required once the package weighs I think 2 lbs or more. And you are all set for getting regular postal rates and can ship your books cheaply using the media rate (takes about 6 weeks).

--Islander

I use Fed Ex for large Items and The post office for the small things.Look at shipping by one of the freight boats.Ask for the less than container load prices.The put your stuff in a mixed container .

Islander,

Why do you have to fill out custom slips? We are moving at the end of July to St. Thomas from Florida and we will be mailing about 20 thirty to forty pound boxes. Our post office said as long as the boxes are going to an address with a zip code we do not need custom slips.

Thanks.

Nancy

GASP,
Flagship out in Frenchtown has a private post office. You will pay the surcharge but they will ship the stuff parcel post for you ... call me if you need more info. 774-3944

Pamela

thank you so much Pamela!! that will help us out a bunch. I do not want to spent days in line at the post office since we will have 20 or so boxes (which means multiple trips to stand in line), and don't mind paying the surcharge if it'll help speed the process. Just didn't want to pay massive priority mail costs. thanks again!!!

Hello Nancy,

When shipping a box that is more then 1 pound from the US Virgin Islands to the states a Customs Declaration CN 22—Sender's Declaration form must be filled out and attached to the box.

What I have gotten from postal workers is that while the USVI is considered domestic for postage rates on packages being sent to US states, territories and APO military addresses its looked at as coming from an international location when it comes to Customs.

The customs slip is not the larger white one used for real international packages/addresses though, but rather a small green slip, form 2976.

--Islander

Don't worry - Mike has all the forms - call him at 776-5630 and he will set you up.

Pamela