The Internet has definitely made things easier for everyone. It has provided many ways to get closer to people, connect and exchange ideas. The Internet has not only brought people closer, but it has also made ways to trade and do business. International online shopping is one big and very important part of that ecosystem. We know that there are many online shopping websites and e-commerce companies in Nepal. However, they don’t have everything we may want. So we shop from foreign e-commerce platforms and get our goods delivered to Nepal. Sometimes that is also not enough and we need to get our things imported from the websites and platforms that don’t have direct delivery service to Nepal. Therefore in this article, we are discussing international online goods shipping services in Nepal.
In one of our articles, we have discussed a few international online sites shopping sites that ship to Nepal. Actually, few international websites and companies do provide direct shipping to Nepal. Those companies work with their massive logistic chain. They work with airline companies, postal services, and international courier services to provide delivery to Nepal. However, there are many websites and companies that don’t have such an extended delivery network. In such a situation we can take the help of parcel forwarders or package forwarding companies.
Many Nepalese people want to import products from sites and e-commerce stores based in the USA, UK, Australia, India, etc. Usually, the eCommerce sites of many countries only have domestic shipping and no international shipping. Therefore we need a company that provides delivery service to Nepal from those countries. This is where the importing companies or parcel forwarding companies come for help.
How package forwarders import goods from online stores to Nepal?
Parcel forwarding companies are also called package forwarding companies. These are similar to freight forwarders but operate on a smaller scale. Usually, freight forwarders work on a large scale for forwarding shipments, cargos of companies in the B2B sector. The concept is similar because parcel forwarders also do the same but on a smaller scale at the B2C level.
The reality is that the Nepali online marketplace doesn’t have a lot of options, so we need to import from abroad. Therefore, people want to shop from sites such as Amazon, Flipkart, eBay, B&H Photo Video, Craigslist, Bestbuy, Walmart, etc. These are based in foreign countries and they don’t ship to Nepal. So, we use the help of international good importers and package forwarding companies in Nepal.
There are many package forwarders in Nepal who have networks and warehouses in various countries. These companies help us to make an order from Nepal by providing them with the link of the product. Then they provide an estimate or quotation for product and delivery to Nepal. When the payment is made, the parcel forwarder purchases the product and gets it shipped to their warehouse in the country. Then the forwarder uses their logistic system to ship the product to Nepal.
So, a package forwarder works as a mediator and delivery agent who manages the international shipping between seller and customer. They also provide a type of payment service because sometimes we pay the forwarder in local currency. However, some international forwarders may only accept foreign currency such as USD.
In simple language, a package forwarder buys the product for you in abroad and gets it shipped to their location. Then they send it to the required place (eg. Nepal) using appropriate means.
1) YalaMart
It is an established package forwarder, importer, and shipping service provider which helps you get things from the USA to Nepal. YalaMart Pvt. Ltd. can import your products to Nepal from the USA and deliver them to your home. Actually, the company provides delivery service to Nepal for the sites based in the USA, China, the U.K, and Australia that ship orders to the warehouse of Yalamart in the USA. The company then ships the products to Nepal after receiving it in the USA. When the package reaches Kathmandu, it is sent to other districts as per customer address through domestic parcel services.
Some years ago Harilo.com was very famous for this kind of service. They are now closed and YalaMart has taken their place. The M.D. of Yalamart was once a manager at Harilo. So the company management knows what to do and what not to do.
In order to request for products delivery from the USA to Nepal, users need to send links of products to the company. At first, make an account with Yalamart or log in with an existing account. Then provide the link of product, quantity, and remarks with details of color or any specific request. Then send a request for a quote on the cart. Yalamart does the calculation and provides a quotation and you can reject or accept it. The quote is only valid for a certain time such as 7 days and can be invalid if the price goes up by $5 or 5%. After accepting the quote, users can proceed to checkout and pay for delivery.
The company requires full advanced payment before placing any order. Users can make payments in NPR through eSewa, online banking, bank deposit, or deposit cheque at the office.
2) Tudoholic
This is an online store that sells products and provides importing services to Nepal. Tudoholic is quite famous and the company lets everyone to easily place product orders from India to Nepal. They also provide package forwarding or importing facility from sites in USA and China. Tudoholic provides shipping services from sites such as Amazon India, Amazon USA, Myntra, Flipkart, Snapdeal, FirstCry, AJIO, Paytm Mall, Sephora, Jabong, Fabindia, Nykaa, Taobao, etc.
The ordering process in Tudoholic is simple as shopping in online stores. Just go to the website and navigate to the part of international websites for online shopping in Nepal. Then choose the international website from which you want to order. Got to the international eCommerce website and copy the product link. Then provide the product link, quantity, and description with your contact details to Tudoholic. After some time, the company reviews the request and contacts you with a total estimate and breakdown. Usually, the company sends email and ways of ordering. Once the estimate looks reasonable, customers can proceed to pay and place an order.
Tudoholic requires customers to pay everything in advance. Actually, this is common for all package forwarders in Nepal. Customers need to pay all the customs, taxes, and charges for the services in advance.
The website of the company also serves as Tudoholic online shopping site. They have different products in multiple categories which include, clothes, gadgets, electronics, and household items. The company also offers deals on different products from time to time.
3) iWishBag
It is one of the oldest and popular package forwarders in Nepal. iWishBag lets people do online shopping in Nepal from the USA based eCommerce sites. The recommended sites are eBay, Amazon USA, Target, Macy’s, Lululemon, Best Buy, Apple, Newegg, B&H, Gap, Sephora, and many more. There are many recommended sites in iWishBag’s catalog for ordering products from the USA.
At first, users need to make an account on the website to order products using iWishBag. Then the users need to provide a link to the product. Some additional necessary information are also required for estimating the final cost. This includes shipping address, source location, price, sales tax, merchant shipping cost, and package weight. These things are then used for estimation. The site then provides a quotation that includes shipping charges, customs, taxes, overhead, and all other charges. After making payment, iWishbag places orders and starts the process for delivery. Using this process, we can order products from the USA to Nepal.
Users can also calculate how much does iWishbag charges for goods before placing an order. The website has a cost calculator where users can provide product cost, seller shipping charge, product category, and weight to get an estimate.
iWishBag also has a store where they have a collection of items imported from other countries. The store has many popular and highly demanded products in different categories.
4) MyUS.com
They are a very big international shipping company in the global market. MyUS.com provides premium shipping and package forwarding service to Nepal from USA and UK. The company actually ships products to more than 200 countries around the world. They are in business since 1997 which means they have a big experience in the global market.
Users of MyUS.com need to sign up and register first. Then users get details of the warehouse for USA shipping. After getting the address, users can purchase products from different websites and get them shipped to the address provided by MyUS. After the package is received in the warehouse, users can choose shipping options, consolidation options, carrier, and shipping methods. The company then provides estimates for the delivery process and users can pay online. After making the payment, the process of delivering parcels to Nepal starts with different carriers and partners. When the parcel reaches customs, the courier company informs the customer. Then the customers need to go to clear customs and receive the package.
MyUS.com uses a trademark “TruePrice” system where they calculate shipping prices based on package weight and not dimensions. However, if the sum of all three dimensions of the parcel is larger than 72 inches, then size consideration is done.
According to MyUS.com, Nepalese people mostly shop from Amazon USA, Zulily, Gap, Disney, Walmart, Nordstrom, and Carter’s. The frequently purchased products include toys, books, body care products, electronics cases, and many other things.
5) Ship7
It is an American company that specializes in package forwarding and provides special services when compared to other companies. Ship7 provides global shipping for products available in USA and UK. The company provides free warehouse addresses in the two countries where users can get their parcels shipped. Once the parcel is received in the Ship7 warehouses, they ship it to the destination country. We can also buy products from stores that deliver in USA and UK then get them shipped to Nepal using Ship7 services.
At first, users need to signup at the Ship7 website and create an account. Then the company provides addresses of their UK and US warehouses. Then users can browse at their favorite eCommerce sites or stores and purchase the product they like. The product needs to be shipped to the Ship7 warehouse address as provided. So this means, Nepalese users need a USD card or international dollar card for payment. However, if your USD debit or prepaid card doesn’t work on the shopping sites, then Ship7 can help in payments.
When the product arrives at the Ship7 warehouse, they notify you and provide pictures of it on request. They also offer order consolidation where they collect all individual orders for you, repack them with extra tape and bubble wrap. Then users need to confirm their order and pay for shipping to Nepal or any other country as they need. Ship7 works with couriers like FedEx, USPS, UPS, DHL, and Aramex. So you might need to go to the airport for customs clearance when the delivery partner notifies you.
Product Tracking and Shipping Insurance
The companies that import goods to Nepal from foreign countries or who deliver to Nepal work with many parties. This includes airline companies, freight forwarders, postal services, courier services, and delivery agents. So there are a lot of parties included in the entire process. Among all of this, tracking is a complex but necessary thing. So many of the companies provide you tracking information through email, customer support, notification, and dedicated tracking portal. Some companies also provide tracking ID of other courier services like DHL, UPS, FedEx, etc for the package when they have been forwarded through them. Therefore consult with the service providing company because everyone has a different working system.
While moving goods from one place to another, there may be slight chances of product damage and other issues. Therefore some companies also provide shipping insurance. In shipping insurance, customers can pay extra and get insured for late delivery of products and refunds if the goods are not delivered. The insurance is offered by a few companies but it can be a layer of security for high-value products.
Warranty, Return, and Refund
Most shipping and package forwarding companies don’t deal with warranty services. However, that might be necessary if the products are damaged or they need to repair within the warranty period. The case for return and refunds are also there in international online goods shopping. People might need to return their product and get a refund from the seller. These are the risks of shopping online from international sites and importing them to Nepal. These can be quite complex and time-consuming problems.
In the case of warranty and product return, most of the users have to pay themselves for the shipping charge to send the product back. Different companies have different policies regarding a return, so please read the FAQ and entire process from the websites of respective companies. It is highly recommended to contact the customer care of the forwarder and get the information before making payment and placing an order.
There are some shipping companies that provide a refund in Nepali currency if customers pay for the return shipping charge and the seller accepts the product for a refund. In case, customers want to get a replacement, then there is a need to pay for the shipping charge again. So a customer or user might need to pay thrice if there is any problem. Therefore it is important to understand the process and consequences carefully before placing an order.
Ordering Products to Nepal from Foreign Countries
Honestly, if there is any friend or family member who can bring you goods from foreign countries, it is the best choice. Always try for that in the first place. However, friends and family members don’t come to Nepal regularly and they can’t carry a lot of things. They have to carry their own stuff and other people also request them for bringing some things. Therefore we have to look at other options.
As we have discussed in one of our other articles, we can do international online shopping in Nepal. There are many companies that directly deliver to Nepal and even have free shipping. Then we have the option of importing using package forwarders as discussed in this article.
The importers or package forwarding companies in Nepal accept payment in Nepalese rupee (NPR). They also provide easy payment options in Nepal and have local customer support. Their offices are also in Nepal which means contacting them is easy. On the other hand, foreign parcel forwarders and delivery companies need payment in USD which means users need an international dollar card. Everyone doesn’t have a USD card, so payment can be one problem. However, the big foreign companies can provide better services with advanced systems and larger logistic networks. So, before ordering anything, compare the prices, services, and support system of all the companies.
