# Parcel - UK to UAE - need PO Box?



## Lamplighter (Jul 20, 2010)

Hi there

My wife and I are expecting our first baby!!  My family in the UK wish to send us some goodies, but I'm not sure how to advise them.

We live in an apartment in The Greens, but I don't have a PO box number, nor have I set one up for my business yet either.

I know that Emirates Post require inbound mail to be delivered to a PO box, but this doesn't seem to be the case with couriers (eg Aramex) who will call to arrange delivery.

So how should I advise my senders in the UK? Should I tell them to use a courier and that using my residential address and stating my mobile number is OK, or should I find someone's PO box to use here in order that they can send via The Post Office in the UK?

TIA Lamp


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Via normal post a PO Box is required. Via courier a physical address.

Which option you choose will depend on weight (thus price) or value (as courier safer) and speed (courier quicker).

Congratulations


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## Lamplighter (Jul 20, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> Via normal post a PO Box is required. Via courier a physical address.
> 
> Which option you choose will depend on weight (thus price) or value (as courier safer) and speed (courier quicker).
> 
> Congratulations


Thanks Elphaba, that's pretty much as I thought. However, do you know whether parcels posted via _ParcelForce_ at the UK Post Office are routed through to a local courier or through Emirates Post (or indeed can you request this)?

Cheers


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## Laowei (Nov 29, 2009)

May help, i use shop and ship which is run by aramex. I have found it excellent for receiving parcels from UK or US. Cost is a one time set up fee of $45. For this you get 3 addresses, 1 in UK, 1 in US and 1 in China. So for example if you family want to send a parcel from the UK they would address it to you but at an address in Slough (with your unique DXB code) as soon as this arrives in slough delivery centre its then shipped to you via aramax in Dubai, at your address which you nominate.

I cant believe it took me 3 years to use it, has opened a whole new world of on-line shopping as well (amazon, ebay etc). rates are reasonable its around 75aed per KG which you can pay on line once goods are received or C.O.D. Delivery from UK usually takes around 3 days and is fully tracked via sms or email.

FYI i have used my office PO for deliveries and also my home address which doesnt have a PO. For family packages it will save you family cost as well as they are only shipping inside UK, my mother would often send stuff out here at huge cost to her.

Shop and Ship :: Home

Contragulations with the new baby as well


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## Lamplighter (Jul 20, 2010)

Laowei said:


> May help, i use shop and ship which is run by aramex. I have found it excellent for receiving parcels from UK or US. Cost is a one time set up fee of $45. For this you get 3 addresses, 1 in UK, 1 in US and 1 in China. So for example if you family want to send a parcel from the UK they would address it to you but at an address in Slough (with your unique DXB code) as soon as this arrives in slough delivery centre its then shipped to you via aramax in Dubai, at your address which you nominate.
> 
> I cant believe it took me 3 years to use it, has opened a whole new world of on-line shopping as well (amazon, ebay etc). rates are reasonable its around 75aed per KG which you can pay on line once goods are received or C.O.D. Delivery from UK usually takes around 3 days and is fully tracked via sms or email.
> 
> ...


Hi Laowei

I had a quick look at Aramex Shop and Ship some time ago, whilst looking at using Amazon and getting deliveries organised to UAE. But I never took it any further, and didn't consider it for this sort of use - I will certinaly take another look! Is aed75 / kg reasonable for international shipments - it doesn't seem too bad, but I have no frame of reference...

Thank you so much.


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## Moe78 (Oct 29, 2010)

Yup Shop and ship is useful in these cases cheaper than couriers but it will often take up to a week to receive things once they get into Aramex's hands provided there is no delay. Be aware that they do have restrictions on what you can ship so read those carefully before you order/send something through them. And yes 75-80 per kg is cheaper than a courier and even most express services but you do sometimes wait a bit longer for packages.


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## Laowei (Nov 29, 2009)

as a few examples, my mother makes her own card so there fairly bulky shipping by royal mail cost her nearly £30. recent purchases i made:

T-shirt from US = 45aed
signed harry Potter from ebay US = 75aed (for my daughter not me!)
Clarice cliff jug = 125AEd (packaging was bulky because of bubble wrap
Various other Clarice cliff items = (50aed - 100aed) 

i was worried aboout shipping antique / collectables out here but the shippers wrapped them well and the packages were not damaged by aramex.

Ive ordered a few things for christmas off amazon, including a dslr camera which was 1000aed cheaper on line than here so even with expected packing costs of around 150aed still works out cheaper (unless customs nab me on duty!)


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