EMS vs. Airmail

ahnslaught · Post by **ahnslaught** » Mon May 08, 2006 11:50 pm

Hey all, I had a question. I was going to buy a game off eBay from Japan, and I was wondering if you all had recommendations for/against using regular airmail, which runs only $2.40 vs. $12 for EMS. I'd really like to save the money, but then if anyone's had really bad experiences using airmail, I'd like to know. Thanks in advance!

Axon · Post by **Axon** » Tue May 09, 2006 12:13 am

I would say use airmail since there is a big difference in charges, but itdepends on what you bought. If you really want it, if it is rare, or if it is a big item then choose EMS. But since it is only one game airmail would be the better choice, and it only takes about 10 days to arrive. Airmail isn't registered but the odds of the item getting lost in the mail are very slim and if you used EMS everytime, a lost item wouldn't compensate for the extra money you spent on EMS.

ahnslaught · Post by **ahnslaught** » Tue May 09, 2006 12:16 am

Thanks for the info, Axon. Hey, I also noticed your link to our second favorite hero, Chuck Norris. By any chance, have you also seen the Jack Bauer list? My favorite - If Jack Bauer was gay, he'd be Chuck Norris. Makes me crack up every time

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Tue May 09, 2006 12:22 am

I generally go for Airmail for single games from Japanese eBay sellers. Most of the time they arrive within a week and a half, packed really nicely sometimes too. And sometimes they get delivered in 4 or 5 days. You can really tell that these guys take a lot of pride in the things they sell, and also in the service they provide.

Axon · Post by **Axon** » Tue May 09, 2006 12:23 am

ahnslaught wrote:Thanks for the info, Axon. Hey, I also noticed your link to our second favorite hero, Chuck Norris. By any chance, have you also seen the Jack Bauer list? My favorite - If Jack Bauer was gay, he'd be Chuck Norris. Makes me crack up every time

No, I haven't seen the Jack Bauer list, thanks for telling me about it. I'll be sure to check into it.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Tue May 09, 2006 12:42 am

Out of all the airmail packages I sent from Japan back in the day, only one was ever lost. You should only go for EMS if want you it faster. Chances are, it won't be lost or damaged.

ahnslaught · Post by **ahnslaught** » Tue May 09, 2006 12:52 am

Thanks for the quick responses, guys! I really appreciate helping a brother out. And yeah, airmail sounds good. BTW, those japanese sellers, while they have kinda high prices at times on ebay, have a very professional look to their pages, echoing what iatneH said, with very good descriptions and information. Not that looks are everything, but it's still an important part, in my book, especially if you're selling stuff relatively anonymously.

rolins · Post by **rolins** » Tue May 09, 2006 1:58 am

Airmail is good, but I only use it for shipping heavy items. Plus, it takes 10 days for items to get to me, really slow. I usually select EMS cause I can get impatient sometimes.

Post by **nZero** » Tue May 09, 2006 2:09 am

The only time I've ever had an international shipment lost, it was actually sent via EMS. It's fun to see a tracking number indicate parcel drop-off and then nothing else. At least the healthy insurance meant I got a replacement shipped out reasonably fast.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Tue May 09, 2006 2:42 am

rolins wrote:Airmail is good, but I only use it for shipping heavy items.

You can only ship parcles up to 2kg by airmail, so if they're too heavy, you have to use EMS or SAL.

Plus, it takes 10 days for items to get to me, really slow. I usually select EMS cause I can get impatient sometimes.

Really? Do you live far from a hub? Never heard of it taking over 7 days (and usually 4 or 5) for packages to hit most parts of America. Then again, it takes packages from HK a good 3 weeks to get to me in Hawaii.

rolins · Post by **rolins** » Tue May 09, 2006 3:12 am

GaijinPunch wrote:
rolins wrote:Airmail is good, but I only use it for shipping heavy items.
You can only ship parcles up to 2kg by airmail, so if they're too heavy, you have to use EMS or SAL.

I ship all my packages thru USPS and over there it's called "Global Airmail Parcel Post". I can send packages upwards to 70 pounds.

GaijinPunch wrote:
Plus, it takes 10 days for items to get to me, really slow. I usually select EMS cause I can get impatient sometimes.
Really? Do you live far from a hub? Never heard of it taking over 7 days (and usually 4 or 5) for packages to hit most parts of America. Then again, it takes packages from HK a good 3 weeks to get to me in Hawaii.

It never was this way before cause it normally took 7 days. The heightened security after 9/11 probably delays my packages by an extra day or two to go thru customs.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Tue May 09, 2006 3:24 am

Chalk me up as another one who says "airmail will usually do the job just fine." As was said, cough up the extra cash for EMS if you really want the thing quickly, or else want to be absolutely sure you don't lose it...in my case, at least, most items I buy are hardly life-and-death matters, so airmail suits me okay, heh heh.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Tue May 09, 2006 4:37 am

I ship all my packages thru USPS and over there it's called "Global Airmail Parcel Post". I can send packages upwards to 70 pounds.

Well, the original poster is inferring on EMS/airmail from Japan to the US.

It never was this way before cause it normally took 7 days. The heightened security after 9/11 probably delays my packages by an extra day or two to go thru customs.

Fucking Al'Qaeda

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Tue May 09, 2006 4:41 am

GaijinPunch wrote:
It never was this way before cause it normally took 7 days. The heightened security after 9/11 probably delays my packages by an extra day or two to go thru customs.
Fucking Al'Qaeda

No kidding, damn those bastards. I can't even mail a pair of socks without being suspected of trying to send airplanes and crap through the postal system.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Tue May 09, 2006 4:50 pm

One cool thing about EMS is that it also delivers on Sundays.