SingAstro

Does anyone has any experience with shipping scopes from US and is willing to help me?

Please contact me via email if you are!

I'm considering either a celestron 114 firstscope going at $139usd or a ETX90ra at $169usd, but am having trouble figuring out how to bring it into Singapore.

Thanks!

you can contact Harlequin or Remus... they are dealer i think.. try ur luck, bcoz i am new here :?

chrisyeo wrote:Does anyone has any experience with shipping scopes from US and is willing to help me?

Please contact me via email if you are!

I'm considering either a celestron 114 firstscope going at $139usd or a ETX90ra at $169usd, but am having trouble figuring out how to bring it into Singapore.

Thanks!

I do a summary for you.

0) Get them to work out the shipping cost in US. Use airmail USPS as the cheapest option. Go to www.usps.com to check the rates.
1) If you have a paypal account, pay them using paypal
2) If they refuse paypal or you don't have paypal, go to PO and buy an international bank draft in US$. Mail it to them
3) Ask them to declare the scope at US$100
4) Sit at home and wait for the scope to arrive in 7-10 days.

Nothing too difficult rite?

Vin Snr

Hi Vin snr,

Is USPS airmail the cheapest?
What about its economy (surface) service?
I checked and its $200 compared to $76, quite a diff to me. Do companies offer that option?

Another possibility I'm considering is ask a friend who is returning next month from Michigan. Has anyone had any experience transporting by plane? Because I don't want to hassle my friend if its too troublesome (eg, bulky, need to carry, insurance, customs etc).

chrisyeo wrote:Hi Vin snr,

Is USPS airmail the cheapest?
What about its economy (surface) service?
I checked and its $200 compared to $76, quite a diff to me. Do companies offer that option?

Another possibility I'm considering is ask a friend who is returning next month from Michigan. Has anyone had any experience transporting by plane? Because I don't want to hassle my friend if its too troublesome (eg, bulky, need to carry, insurance, customs etc).

of course you can use economy. But are you willing to wait 6-8 weeks for your scopes.....and imagining your scope is being bump around due to strong waves, and foul mood of the sailors?

yah.. I actually don't mind, coz my main factor is cost.

chrisyeo wrote:yah.. I actually don't mind, coz my main factor is cost.

you better think carefully. it if arrive damaged, your seller is not going to warranty it because you choose to risk it.

IMO, if you are getting it nearby, say HK or Taiwan, surface is ok. But US? 6-8 weeks on the ship....simply too risky.

Another possibility I'm considering is ask a friend who is returning next month from Michigan. Has anyone had any experience transporting by plane? Because I don't want to hassle my friend if its too troublesome (eg, bulky, need to carry, insurance, customs etc).

The ETX may make it into the cabin if you ask your friend to dump the boxes which add to the bulk, but definately not the Firstscope 114 (with the original box and all). It will probably have to be checked in and dumped into the cargo hold...not a good idea for fragile items like telescopes !

Vinsnr, doesn't shipping insurance cover the cost of the item even if the seller doesn't warranty it?

Sam, don't airlines have large 'fragile' stickers so that they don't throw things like mirrors, vases and telescopes around in their cargo hold? I've seen them before. Should'nt the Firstscope come out alive then with just a need for collimation?

chrisyeo

Maybe Eu-wen can share his experience of bringing in his ETX?