Hey, Malaysians! Your FAQs On How To Shop @ Amazon.com Answered Here
Saturday, 4th September, 2010 § 93 Comments
For every Malaysian who regularly shops from Amazon.com, there are at least 50 others if not more who want to but are still unsure for so many reasons. Mostly, their concerns revolve around security and guarantee of delivery. I’ll try to address here the many questions I have been asked or have heard over the years with regards on how to shop at Amazon for us Malaysians. Here goes:
What makes you think you’re such an expert?
I have been shopping from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk (and a couple of times from Amazon.co.jp) since 1997. I usually order books from them but after I bought my first DVD player in 2003, I bought DVDs from Amazon as well (no pirated stuff for me, kids) and also the occasional music CDs (Why? Because no Malaysian music shop stocks CDs by Weird Al Yankovic, that’s why!) I’ve experienced and continue to experience the highs and lows of shopping from Amazon. Yeah, I consider myself an expert.
Why can’t I just buy the book from a local bookshop?
Because our local retailers don’t carry all that is published out there. Some don’t even carry anything at all other than the latest hot titles. Amazon has in stock just about every book published in the English-speaking world. Sometimes you can even find a Malaysian publication like Amir Muhammad’s120 Malay Movies.
One more thing why buying online from Amazon is better. In many cases it’s cheaper than buying the same book from a local retailer. Even with the shipping costs, it’s still cheaper. Go figure.
Okay, then. Is it safe shopping from Amazon?
If you mean are you secured from identity theft, then yes. I’ve shopped online from them for over thirteen years and I’ve never had any discrepancies in my credit card statements. Nor have I heard of any identity thefts resulting from shopping at Amazon. Since their business is conducted online, they put top priority on encrypting their customers’ personal details. I don’t know what encryption system they use and nor do I care. All I know is, after thirteen years I feel save shopping from them.
Occasionally, Amazon sends emails to their customers to inform them of upcoming books they might be interested in. They, however, never send emails asking for their customers’ credit card numbers, password and other personal details. This is a ‘phishing’ email sent by scammers. They target gullible idiots. Don’t be one.
I don’t have a credit card. What other payment methods do they accept?
Amazon is an online-only retailer based in the US so a credit card is pretty much required to shop with them. Amazon currently does not accept payment from international wire transfers, PayPal, or Smart Cards. Sorry.
(If someone from Malaysia has shopped at Amazon without a credit card, please inform me).
I heard that Amazon does not ship to Malaysia. Is this true?
This is one of the most common questions I’ve come across and the answer is, No, it is not true that Amazon does not ship to Malaysia. The fact that I’ve frequently had this question asked either to me personally or to someone else suggests that this is a popular misconception in Malaysia.
I’ve always wondered how this mistake came about and I think I figured it out: I’m guessing someone tried to order a cheap, used book from Amazon Marketplace and found that Malaysia was not in the list of countries they ship to. Amazon Marketplace is not Amazon.com. It’s a different part of Amazon which I’ll address in the next question.
But yes, Amazon.com does ship to Malaysia. Always have and hopefully, always will. Here’s what Amazon’s Help page says about what they can ship to our country:
The following items can be shipped to almost all destinations outside the U.S.:
books (except for extremely heavy books like multi-volume sets)
DVDs
music
VHS videos
Additionally, some consumer electronics, health and personal care, home and garden, jewelry, pet supplies, shoes, software, sporting goods, tools, video games, and watches can be shipped to [Malaysia].
So what is Amazon Marketplace and why don’t they ship to Malaysia while Amazon.com does?
Amazon Marketplace is a place where individual sellers are given space in Amazon’s site to sell their items. They sell new and used items through Amazon but they are not affiliated with Amazon. According to its Wikipedia entry, “In order to sell on Amazon, you have to live in certain countries, and you need a bank account in certain countries.” Suffice it to say, Malaysia is not one of those ‘certain countries’.
Okay, I want to buy an electrical item but Amazon doesn’t ship it to M’sia. You say there’s a way around it. What is it?
I wrote this blog post to help and inform Malaysians on how to buy books from Amazon.com (this blog is primarily about books after all) but I anticipate questions of this nature as well so I’ll give a quick answer: try vPostAsia.com. I’ve never tried them before (never had the need to) but I understand that they enable you to shop from sites that do not ship to Malaysia. It’s all legit, no hanky panky, so don’t worry. But I’ve never tried it before so I have no experience in this matter.
Okay, let’s move on…
How much is the shipping cost to Malaysia and how long will it take to arrive?
There are three kinds of shipping available: Standard, Expedited and Priority Shipping.
STANDARD SHIPPING RATES
For books, it’s USD$4.99 per shipment and USD$4.99 per item.
In my experience, standard shipping from Amazon.com takes about 14-16 working days to arrive. At the latest, 22-26 working days. Standard shipping does not have a tracking system.
PRIORITY SHIPPING RATES
For books, the rates are USD$29.99 per shipment and USD$5.99 per item.
This is the most expensive shipping method because it’s a courier service. Amazon uses DHL and sometimes UPS. It takes about 3-5 working days to arrive at your door. Since it’s a courier service, you can track the progress of your order.
Standard shipping rates for Amazon.co.UK are slightly expensive due to the higher value of the British Pound. The rates for books are:
STANDARD SHIPPING:
GBP 3.29 per item and GBP 5.29 per delivery.
Delivery from Amazon UK arrive in Malaysia within 7-10 days for standard shipping from date of dispatch and is non-trackable. Any more than 10-14 days and it’s probably due to Pos Malaysia sorting out the parcels at their HQ.
EXPRESS SHIPPING:
GBP 6.19 per item and GBP 28.99 per delivery.
Delivery is within 3-5 working days.
You’ll notice that I listed three methods of shipping up there but I only discussed two (Standard and Priority). That’s because Expedited shipping is a waste. It’s more expensive than Standard shipping but you still cannot track the progress of your order. Time of arrival is also more or less the same as Standard shipping. Don’t bother with Expedited. Either you go cheap (slow, cannot track orders) or you go expensive (fast, can track orders).
NOTE: If you order video games, Amazon will automatically ship it via the expensive Priority Shipping. You cannot change it.
What are the chances my books will be detained by Customs?
Chances are very low. Every Amazon box has a sticker pasted on it describing its contents. If it says “Books” there is a very good chance that the Customs will just wave it through. Don’t believe me? I once bought sex manuals from Amazon UK with no problems.
Not only will they not detain your book orders, they probably won’t even bother to open the box and inspect it. You can tell if your box has been inspected. The box will be secured with tape with the words “DIPERIKSA OLEH KASTAM” (Inspected by Customs) printed on it. Although some have said that their book orders have been inspected, mine have always passed through with no fuss.
It’s a different story with DVDs. Those will be inspected by Customs and sometimes, if you’re unlucky, DVD orders will be detained for tax purposes. But this is arbitrary. Sometimes they let it go, sometimes they’ll ask you to claim it at their office after you pay the tax.
Books are tax-free and that is why Customs don’t bother with them.
My order has yet to arrive even after Amazon’s estimated date of arrival
It’s probably lost in the mail. It happens. It has happened to me a few times. I don’t know where the fault lies. Is it with US Mail or Pos Malaysia? (this is why I use the Priority Shipping sometimes because I can track my orders). Don’t worry though because Amazon will replace the order free of charge, no questions asked!
But before you shoot an email to Amazon, I must ask you to be patient. First of all, Amazon’s estimated date of arrival of your order is vastly exaggerated. Most likely your order will arrive well before the estimated date.
However, if the estimated date of arrival has passed and you’re still waiting for your order, you’ll have to wait for two more weeks. This isn’t my advice but this is what Amazon will ask you to do if you email them immediately after the estimated date of arrival has expired. If after two weeks of more waiting and your order is still missing, then you can ask for a replacement and they’ll be happy to do it for you.
You will need the order number of course but that shouldn’t be a problem because Amazon would have had emailed it to you when you placed the order and you can also find the order number in your Amazon account.
I’ve had orders go missing before but more with DVDs than books. Lost? Stolen? Who knows? Got them replaced for free each time. On three occasions, my original order actually arrived after I received the replacement order. So they weren’t lost but just got waylaid somewhere. I was stuck with duplicate orders and when I emailed Amazon on what to do with them, they advised me to donate the extra copy or keep it myself with their blessings. No need to return it to them. I love Amazon. No wonder they keep winning ‘Best Online Retailer’ awards year after year. Their after sales customer service is wonderful. That’s important for international customers like us.
I’ve received my book but I changed my mind. Can I return it to Amazon and get a refund?
Yes but there are restrictions. First, you can only return it within 30 days of delivery. The book must be in its original (read: good) condition. If there are obvious signs of use, you will only receive a 50% refund. There’s no point arguing, “But it already looked like that when I opened the box!“
If you need to return a book, click on ‘Help’, then click ‘Returns and Refunds’, then click on ‘International Returns’. Follow the instructions. You will need to print out the return label and paste it on the envelope you are going to use to return the book in. Amazon will credit the price of the book once they’ve received it. You don’t need to use registered mail or Pos Laju. Regular cheap Pos Malaysia will do.
Thanks for the tips. Anything else you can tell us?
I don’t know. You tell me. I think I pretty much covered all the important stuff but tell me in the comments section if there’s an issue I did not address.
Oh yeah, here’s something I just remembered. Never, never, ever order online when a long holiday is approaching. In our case it’s Raya Aidil Fitri and Chinese New Year. Also not during Christmas because Amazon will be swamped with orders and the weather over there will probably cause shipping delays (snowstorms can delay airplanes for days). As for our side, a long holiday means the mailman is also on holiday so a parcel that normally would arrive within a week could be delayed to two weeks or more. Long story short, check the calendar. If there is a long national holiday coming up, don’t place that order yet. Wait until all the drones are back at work.
[...] En Khairul H. menjawab FAQ bagaimana untuk membeli di Amazon.com. Terima kasih banyak [...]
Question: I am planning to order a DVD that will be released in early December. Will it get caught in the Christmas madness as well? Shall I take the plunge or wait for January?
*bites nail*
I’d suggest you wait until after Xmas. The chances of you receiving your dvd if you order before Xmas is still good but that’s also when the ‘orang putihs’ buy dvds to give to each other so their mail system will be clogged. Much better to wait until after Xmas (26th is already okay) because then nobody in the west will be shopping at Amazon (dah pokai).
Hi,
I want to surprise my friend with Amazon gift card but I don’t know if I should buy Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk gift card. Do you have a suggestion? All I know is he likes book so much, so probably he will use that to buy books, but I’m not really sure which Amazon give the best value.
Thanks.
I’m assuming you’re writing from Malaysia? Because the value really revolves around the currency exchange. The economic downturn has reduced the gap between the M’sian Ringgit and the British Pound and the US Dollar. Today it is around RM3.00 to the US$1.oo and RM4.90 to the British Pound.
Hi, thanks for replying.
No, I’m not in Malaysia, but my friend is. I’m just wondering if I should buy him Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk gift card. Which one of these two has a wide range of books?
Thanks.
S
Both. Amazon (com or UK) both stock practically every book published in the English-speaking world.
How often do your dvd orders got detained by the customs? I want to order a few dvds from amazon but since I am in sabah, I don’t want to go through the hassle of my dvds being detained in kl.
Not often actually. Only about five times out of all my DVD orders (from 2003 to 2007) were actually detained for tax purposes. In that period of time, my total DVD orders numbered around a hundred. So 5 out of 100 were detained. Not too bad.
I noticed that the orders usually get detained if they arrive in M’sia near the major holidays (Raya, Chinese New Year). Maybe it’s no longer the case. I don’t know because I don’t order DVDs so often nowadays. Slowing down.
Anyway, if you’re in Sabah and your orders are detained for tax, then it will be detained in Sabah not KL. Good luck.
What u said here really gave me some insight on dealing with Amazon.
u said standard postage is 14 – 16 working days, i heard cases even after a month the parcel is not arrived yet.
iam buying some PS3 games, will those get stopped by customs n get taxed.
video games are probably okay. I’ve never ordered games from Amazon, I use Play-Asia.com, but all my software purchases from Play-Asia have arrived safely.
As for parcels not arriving after a month, I touched on that in the entry. Wait until after 2 months have passed. If the parcel is still missing, email Amazon’s customer service. They’ll replace it free of charge, no questions asked.
i got another question, since there r three types of delivery standard, expedite and priority r we allow to choose which type of delivery we want or is it automatically done for us.
No, you can choose which type you want. I recommend standard (non-trackable but cheapest) or priority (most expensive but you can track the progress of your order). Expedited is a waste of money. Non-trackable but more expensive than standard. So what’s the point?
iam a bit confuse here, cause before i got to placing my order, i couldnt find the option to change my delivery settings, it automatically choose for me Priority
Check your email inbox, nano.
Hi,
I’m really intersted in bargain used books at amazon marketplace..
since amazon marketplace didn’t ship to malaysia, is it posibble to buy direct from seller? anyone did this before?
No idea. You can try contacting the seller directly.
You said that:-
STANDARD SHIPPING RATES
For books, it’s USD$4.99 per shipment and USD$4.99 per item.
PRIORITY SHIPPING RATES
For books, the rates are USD$29.99 per shipment and USD$5.99 per item.
I am not so sure what you mean…..
let’s say i buy 3 books to be shipped via “Standard” so i have to pay USD4.99 (for the shipment) + USD4.99 (for Book no 1) + USD4.99 (for Book no 2) + USD 4.99 (for book no 3) = USD19.96 for 3 books?
if 3 books shipped via “Priority”
USD29.99 (for the shipment) + USD5.99 (for Book No 1) + USD5.99 (for Book No 2) + USD5.99 (for Book No 3) = USD47.96 for 3 books?
If the above is true, due to the payment for the “Shipment”, would it mean it would be cheaper if you buy more books in one shipment?
thanks
Yes, your calculation is right BUT you must add the individual book’s price as well. So for the standard shipping in your example, the shipment total is USD19.96 but you must now add the price of the books. Then you have the grand total. Same for the Priority example as well.
And yes, it’s cheaper to ship all books in the same shipment.
About the total shipping fees, you can try add to cart and proceed to checkout, it won’t be confirm until you really click the “Place your order” button when it shows how much we required ot pay..
I does this every time when i want to know how much shipping in total, and when it’s not within my budget, i will just click the need to change quantity or delete button, or we can refresh the amazon.com page and remove it from the cart..
As long as we do not “click the place your order” button we won’t be charge, this way, we can always know and expect how much we have to pay for the whole order.
Hope this helps alittle.
Yup, I do this all the time as well.
hello,
does amazon.com ship bags to malaysia??
Hi Ana,
Amazon does ship bags to M’sia. This is what Amazon’s HELP section says about shipping to international addresses including M’sia:
The following items can be shipped to almost all destinations outside the U.S.:
books (except for extremely heavy books like multi-volume sets)
DVDs
music
VHS videos
Additionally, some consumer electronics, health and personal care, home and garden, jewelry, pet supplies, shoes, software, sporting goods, tools, video games, and watches can be shipped to [Malaysia].
Ana, i nvr order bag from Amazon.com before, but i did have some experience where i was ordering some videos games then i want to checkout after selecting my address, but it came out message that says something like sorry, the item does not ship to the address..
Sometimes, it has the information stated on the product only ships within US address and etc, scroll down the page to see its information.
Also, it depends on the merchants, usually if sell directly from Amazon.com itself rather than other merchants, then, it will ships to Malaysia, some merchants doesn’t ships to Malaysia though..
But, i am worry about the Kastam tax when it arrives here later, as this is depends on luck too, whereby my recent order is a kitty toy which is suppose to tax, but, somehow it didn’t , i just signed and received, maybe because the shipping was international priority, so..
Yee Yean, i also encountered the same problem saying that it doen’t ship to my address.. so, what do i do about that??
You can use vpostasia.com, it’s all there in my FAQ above. Read it again and have fun shopping.
do i need to inform them (vpostasia.com) when i’m ordering from amazon.com??
i just ordered some stuffs from amazon.com
and used vpostusa address..
but now, there a huge problem
i tried signing in at vpostasia with my account that i just made this morning
and it said that my account didn’t exist.. so what do i do now..
i can’t cancel my order from amazon.com..
please help..
Go and cancel your Amazon order (you can cancel if it hasn’t been prepared for shipping yet). I don’t know about the vpostasia problem because as I’ve written in the FAQ, I’ve never used them before. I’m only aware of their existence.
i can’t..
my order has already been prepared..
and it’s being shipped soon
Wow Ana, thats really quick indeed, i assume you are using priority shipping??
I never placed an order that didn’t ships to me, i usually just dump the idea or maybe look elsewhere like Ebay..
IN your case, seems you made an account at vpostAsia, maybe you can contact their support about your account login issue and information??
Have you activated your account with them? Maybe check on the confirmation email Vpost sent to you??
http://www.singpost.com/feedback/feedback_sp2.asp
It looks like the shipment will be ships to the usa address at vpostAsia, then you will have to pay for the shipment fees before they ship your item to you..
It seems to me Vpost is a Singapore company and savings only made to Singapore address, i am concern about the extras shipping fees that you will have to pay though..
hey i want to buy sumthing from amazon…but….i dunno how to put in my address….lets say if its No.9 Jalan bukit mewah 59, taman bukit mewah, 43000 kajang, selangor…how do i put it?
You need to create an account with Amazon first. That’s where you fill in your shipping address, credit card details and all that.
I’ve bought all kinds of books with Amazon.com, no problems so far. BTW, another online store you should try out is Alibris.com, they sometimes have books which even Amazon.com doesn’t have.
Nice sharing info from you,i’ve been searching on why amazon marketplace doesn’t ship to Malaysia when they stated there were only 29 countries covered by them.Because my last purchased on books at amazon was handled directly by amazon.com so its little bit confusing for me when i try to place order on used item at amazon marketplace.Now i knew that it is totally different division between the amazon.com and amazon marketplace where they permit for independent seller to sell their new and used item there within the covered countries only.Thanks again for this precise explaination.keep it up buddy.
didnt know this is possible. thot amazon doesnt ship to msia. cool. cuz kino and mph dont sell the stuff i wanna read.
hi..i ordered 2 books from amazon…using standard shipping..but later i heard that an order by standard shipping has low chance to arrive…i tried to change it to priority shipping, but the books was already in preparation for shipment..(darn)..anyway keep my fingers crossed
Whoever told you that was inaccurate. I’ve ordered many books and DVDs using standard shipping and they’ve arrived just fine. It just takes a long time, around 2-4 weeks. Lost shipments do happen sometimes unfortunately but I’ve written about that in the post above. Go read it again. It’s all there.
well tq…u r right that amazon has books not available here..n also cheaper inclusive of shipping cost…anyway, i emailed amazon abt the shipment..and they changed it to priority..next time i will try standard shipping..glad to find ur page here..thanks for ur help..happy reading..
Can Malaysian sell on Amazon.com?
If yes, how and where do we ship the items and products to for Amazon?
Yes, Malaysians can sell on Amazon.com. Author and film director Amir Muhammad has several books listed on Amazon.com and he’s Malaysian (you can ask him for more details at info@mataharibooks.com)
Amazon Marketplace? No. As I’ve stated in the FAQ above.
Hi Khairul,
I think Amazon accepts debit cards now ( it states in the payment description). I have try inputting my Maybank2u debit card details and so far the system accepted the payment. ( they sent me email confirmation of the purchase and the shipping details etc, therefore I assume they accepted it?) However they still havent deducted the amount from my bank accounts considering online purchase were made just about half and hour before i write this comment.
I ll come back to this post to confirm once i get the book in my hand! [edited by Malaysian Reader: Nurul has informed me that no, Amazon does not in fact accept non-US issued debit cards.]
Btw, thank you, it’s this post that me me realize how much cheaper the books compared to one being sold in the malaysian bookshops!
Hi Khairul and Nurul,
Actually, I’ve been using debit card (never owned a credit card anyway) for shopping with amazon since 2002. I’m using PBB Visa (Electron) Card.
I always received my order within two weeks after the shipping date as notified by them. (Barnes & Noble took a month).
“Barnes & Noble does not accept my debit card but my nephew who resides in Houston, prefer to shop with Barnes & Noble and my birthday present from him always come after more than a month.”
I also pre-ordered from amazon with 1-Click Settings several times, and they only charged us only after they shipped our order – this is not so with MPH, who immediately charged us, even though the books will be published months after.
I only used 1-click once. It’s a convenient way to shop at Amazon because it takes a short cut through the ordering process but I prefer to see every detail before I place my order
If they send your package to the door, what if nobody’s home?
Well, officially the mailman has to leave a card telling you to go pick up your parcel. But sometimes they just leave it there by the gate, door, whatever. That’s why I give my office address as the delivery address. There’s always someone there during office hours.
I ordered a DVD from Amazon on Friday. I tracked it daily and then one day, I didn’t see my DVD in the My Orders section. I also did not get an email from Amazon. Did Amazon cancel my order? I checked recent orders and my DVD was still not there.
Email them. State your order # and the issue you’re facing (check your confirmation email from Amazon. It has the order # for that particular shipment).
For some strange reason, I did not get an email from Amazon stating my order number, even though I have placed my order.
Email them anyway.
Hello I am still very confuse with amazon.
I wanted to order this item, it says it is available to ship in my country and all that but apparently they still say that they don’t ship to this to the address I input. Any item at all. So I’m guessing it’s my address problem. Any idea? Is there a format I have to follow? I read the FAQs but still am confuse.
My Address is.
[address deleted ~ The Malaysian Reader]
Strange. What was the item that you wanted to order?
A comic book
Batman: Arkham Asylum – A Serious House on Serious Earth, 15th Anniversary Edition
But I don’t know somehow it just won’t go through. Maybe it’s my card but I’m not sure.
Shoot an email to Amazon and ask them why. There shouldn’t be a problem for a M’sian to order a book from Amazon. And your address looks good. Amazon doesn’t deliver to P.O. Box addresses which your address is not.
Hi there. Do you have any experience in returning items to Amazon.com? You see, I bought one book just last week and it is different from what I have expected, so I figured that it would be best to return it to them. Problem is, after reading the instructions on the website, I still couldn’t understand some things.
How does one actually return items to them? Is it through international courier like UPS or DHL? And what type of shipping should I use? The cheapest one or the expensive ones like International Priority Shipping? And does Amazon.com cover the return shipping cost in addition to the book’s price even though the order is my mistake?
Yes, I have had to return one book a few years back. It was my mistake. You need to visit the ‘Help’ page and click on the ‘Returns and Refunds’ and click on ‘International Returns’. Just follow the instructions there; you need to print out the return label and all that and paste it on the envelope. You must return the book within 30 days of delivery. Just mail the book back using regular mail. They will credit your card once they receive the book.
Thanks for the help. By regular mail, you mean using Pos Malaysia/PosLaju?
One more to add: How should I notify Amazon.com of the shipping cost?
They won’t reimburse you the shipping cost. Just the price of the book. And yes, I mean regular Pos Malaysia.
I’m Malaysian. I don’t have credit card or something. How can I pay all the cost to Amazon.co.jp if I buy books from Amazon JP, did I need to pay Yen to somewhere?
International customers need a credit card to shop at Amazon. Be it Amazon US, UK, Japan, France etc etc.
I saw in Amazon.co.jp that customers can use gift card or gift certificate to buy goods. Actually what is gift card or gift certificate
Gift certificates are like vouchers that have value and can be used to purchase items at Amazon, like books. To use the gift certificates, you have to buy the certificates and then ask Amazon to email it to the person you want to give it to (you can send it to yourself, no problem). But how to buy the gift certificate? You still need a credit card.
Nice, man. Thank you for this. I love your blog and this info, uh, FAQ thingy. Really helpful, thanks again.
Hi, recently i went to US and did purchase things from amazon.com. They offer very good price n im happy for that. I bought those mobile phone accessories like gel case, in car charger, docking station which were hard to find in Malaysia and also expensive if can find.
My question is, now im back in Malaysia and if i continue buying things like im mentioned just now, will it be taxable by local custom? Of coz im using amazon international to ship my things back into Malaysia and the cost sure bit high but is worth to ship combine item then separate shipment.
Please somebody answer my Question, many thanks
I’ve no experience when it comes to electronics. But based on my dvd purchases which is liable for tax, it’s all random. Sometimes I was taxed, most times I wasn’t.
I am a malaysian. Just a while ago, I wanted to order books from amazon.com. Of-course,this is my 1st time dispatch books from overseas.
There is a column :Shipping address. I type down my home mailing address but fail to access next page.
Is it a format problem or they really need a courier company’s aid(maybe fedex or post malaysia)to make a proper shipment?
I don’t understand. There should not be any problem when you fill in your address. Did any message pop up telling you why you cannot access the next page? Amazon can deliver to any address except P.O. Box addresses.
Thank you for reply. Eventually I found the problem is that one of my books on order list is sold from others seller(not from amazon itself),The process success after I change the shipping address to singapore(I mean that book).
Is it true that standard shipping allows you to track your items too?
No you can’t. They say it’s trackable but it’s not. Only priority shipping can be tracked.
Hi, just wondering whether your dvd which you bought from US can be played in our dvd player. Since most of the dvds there falls under region 1. About items which are taxable by local custom, other than dvds, how about children toys? Thanks.
Yes, dvd players sold here are region free so they can play all dvds. I’m not sure about the new blu-ray format because I haven’t upgraded yet (or will ever upgrade…I’m not movie obsessed).
I don’t know whether toys are taxable because I never bought any.
Hi, even though our dvd players are region free, but it is actually for certain DVDs. I bought original DVDs from amazon too, for TV shows and movies.
I can play the Supernatural (Region 1) anytime. But, I cannot play my Harry Potter (Region 1). The player only allowed me to play three times. After that it has been locked. But, I can still play my Supernatural (Region 1)
Wait, what? I can play all my R1 DVDs on my region free, Msia bought Panasonic player. Including Potter movies which are all R1.
I would like to know how to call Amazon care line from Malaysia(KK)
Don’t know. I usually just email them.
kalau saya order kasut dlm 3 pasang, adakah pihak kastam akan menahan brg2 tersebut?
Saya tidak pasti sebab saya tidak pernah membeli kasut dari Amazon. Hanya buku dan dvd.
tried purchase some camping bags fr amazon but kept prompting Not Able to Ship to the home address in Penang. Is it restriction for shipping to Malaysia or is the Zip code and City required some other codes ?
Maybe that item cannot be delivered to M’sia? Email Amazon for clarification. I only shop at Amazon for books (and sometimes DVDs).
this post is amazing.
thank you and now, i’m up for some books shopping time..
Hi, glad that I find this.
I had order fr Amozon for 2 books last month. Its estimated delivery is on 18 July 2011, and sad to say I yet receive any until todate, 15 July 2011.
It mention ship carrier is i-parcel. Normally which carrier service will forward to us in Malaysia? Is that post Malaysia?
If I need to write to Amozon customer service, may I have their e-mail add?
Thanks a thousand in advance.
YF
I think you mean 15 August. You used standard shipping right? So it’ll be delivered by Pos M’sia.
To contact Amazon customer care:
- log onto your Amazon account
- click Help at the top right corner of the screen
- click Contact Us
- sign in
- Now you’re in the Customer Service page. Just click on the options.
Hi there,
I ordered a couple of CDs and books on the 15th of August and it was dispatched on the 16th. I ordered it on the Amazon.co.uk website and the websites says that it will arrive within 7-10 days for standard shipping from date of dispatch. However, the delivery estimate says that it will arrive on the 7th of September. Is this because it’s close to Raya?
The delivery address is in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Thanks
Amazon always over estimates the delivery date. Always. In my experience, Amazon UK deliveries should arrive within 10-14 days. This is because there are regular daily flights from UK to M’sia so deliveries from that country is quicker when compared to Amazon US. It still takes 10-14 days because the holdup is with the Msian customs, not Amazon. There are literally tons of parcels from Amazon and other sites arriving in M’sia everyday.
However, since it’s so close to the Raya holidays, your order could arrive later than expected. This is due to Pos M’sia and not Amazon. Amazon has no idea what the heck Hari Raya is. You should receive your orders eventually. Don’t worry.
What about purchases like record players- a little bulky but will it be shipped to M’sia. Also would there be customs inspections & taxes for these items?
Yes, browsing the items at Amazon I found that there are no restrictions barring them from M’sia. Will it be taxed? No idea.
Hello there! I want to buy Fossil watch from amazon.com. Unfortunately, they don’t ship to Malaysia. So, what should i do now?
Did you miss the part where I wrote about vPostAsia.com? It’s up there in the post, seventh question from the top. It’s the only method I know where M’sians can purchase stuff that cannot be delivered to M’sia directly.
hi there..i have just ordered 2 sweaters from amazon.com, using a credit card..but they nvr asked for the CVC number when i placed the order, is that normal? does that mean that they will debit my credit card automatically or what? i’m confused..
and i was not given any options to choose from for the delivery options..it was chosen priority international mail automatically..weird..
i hope u could clear my doubt..thanks!
Amazon has never asked for your CCV number. If your order has been received that means they’re satisfied with your card. Also, expensive items are automatically delivered overseas by priority mail. This is to ensure that the shipment can be tracked and reduces the risk of it being lost in the mail. They will only give you a choice of shipping if you order books and DVDs (or some other cheaper, easily-replaceable-if-lost item).
This blog automatically closes the comments when the particular post reaches it’s one year anniversary and this post is already one year old. So to anyone who just stumbled upon this FAQ (which is the most popular post in this blog by the way. Thanks, Malaysians!) and wish to leave a comment…well, you can’t. Read the post and the comments above and chances are your questions have been asked and answered.