Sending 10kg box to Japan, cheaper than Auspost?

LMoral hazard on 16/12/2014 - 14:09

Hi,

I have to send a package to Japan from Canberra for a friend who is flying back there. It's a 9-10KG box full of clothes mostly.
Australia Post quoted $126 or $132 registered. I've checked the fedex website and it is even higher.

If taken on the plane its an extra $20/kg so that isn't an option.

Is there any other service that would be more reasonable?
I don't normally send stuff but I was expecting $40 or something, not anywhere near $130. I could afford it, but for someone from Japan it's a lot of money.

Cheers

Find Me A Bargain

Comments

  • iridiumstem on 16/12/2014 - 14:12

    I am not sure whether this applies to you but, when I sent my stuff to Korea from Canberra, I spent about $150~200 AUD on 150kg goods.
    Why don't you check with the local Japanese stores or Japanese community? In my case, the store apparently had contacts in cargo companies that allowed the price to be that low, so yeah.

    • minty on 16/12/2014 - 15:06
      +1

      2x dead bodies?

      • iridiumstem on 16/12/2014 - 15:10

        Yeah, I simply couldn't find substitutes for my love of Australians.

        Or it might've been my books. What are the odds?
        Though, they actually said that I was around 10kg off from it being labelled a cargo not a parcel. :P

  • RockyRaccoon on 16/12/2014 - 15:30
    +2

    If taken on the plane its an extra $20/kg so that isn't an option.

    Which plane is that?

    Mail from Australia is prohibitively expensive. Maybe your friend can wear some of the clothes and put heavier items in their jacket and put the other clothes in a bag.

    I have also found having a jacket and sweater which I carry on my arm isnt counted by the carriers, so there's 1/2 a kilo

    If you can drop the weight down 3-4 kgs then taking on the plane will be cheaper. Also look at whatever clothes stuff they can jettison rather than ship. Old underwear toothpaste shampoo magazines etc a few kilo's there, and these can be bought cheaply in Japan on arrival.

    Also using a cheap plastic bag for the clothes will mean a reduction in weight - you know those Asian woven bags, with some duct tape to keep it together, (For the Extra bag)

    Goodluck

  • donga100 on 16/12/2014 - 15:32
    +1

    Sounds like your friend needs Jaktogo.

  • Randxyz123 on 16/12/2014 - 15:32
    +1

    I've had a look at a few websites and can't find anything cheaper unfortunately…

    Do you have a box to put them in? I honestly don't think you are going to be able to go under $100

  • iridiumstem on 16/12/2014 - 15:36

    Actually, if it is like clothing and clothing only, shove them in the laptop bag. I managed to take in 20kg into the air plane like that, wear 3 different sets of jumpers etc etc.

    • Randxyz123 on 16/12/2014 - 15:36
      +1

      airlines are becoming stricter on that now days though

  • akyeeeahdude on 16/12/2014 - 15:38

    TNT Economy may be cheaper.

    Also use this site for international freight quotes:
    http://www.interparcel.com.au/

  • tomatosauce on 16/12/2014 - 16:48
    +1

    If you check in the luggage, it should be only about $60~$70 for 20kg. Not $20/kg.
    I believe most of the airlines allow you to check in up to 40kg of luggage($140 or so).

  • p1 ama on 16/12/2014 - 18:08
    +1

    I don't think $20/kg is right. The marginal cost generally decreases as the weight increases. So the more you take, the less the per kg weight will be.

    To be honest 20kg isn't actually THAT heavy. You can easily take care of 4 - 5kg by being smart with how you take it to the airport (i.e. wear as much as you can). What's on your body isn't counted. You can carry a jacket or two in your arms as well and that won't be counted with your carry-on.

    Apart from that, just be smart about it, throw out old things that aren't required. Use a cardboard box instead of a suitcase, it's just clothes, can't be damaged by idiot baggage handlers throwing them around…etc.

  • debb on 16/12/2014 - 19:51

    9-10 kg of mostly clothes is not that much to hand-carry. just pack compactly. put clothes in plastic ziplock bags and squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing. you'd be surprised at how little the volume of 'air-less' clothes is.

    if you're worried about going over your airline's carry-on limit, then make sure you're within the limit. i've not really seen a situation where ALL carry-on bags are weighed. i have however often seen people with hig bulky carry-on bags picked for their stuff to be weighed. that's why i suggest packing compactly.

  • altomic on 20/12/2014 - 22:13

    apparently you can squeeze alot of weight in a boogie board case.

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