FAQ

Sign Up:

Q) Can you explain more about the address I will receive? Is it a PO Box?

Q) What does it cost to sign up with Bongo International?

Q) What is Form 1583 and why do I have to fill it out?

Q) How long does the sign up process take?

Q) Who can receive items with my address?

Receiving and Storage:

Q) How do I get my purchases to my US Address at the Bongo International warehouse?

Q) How does Bongo know that the package they are receiving is for me?

Q) How long does it take Bongo to update my mailbox with incoming shipments?

Q) Can Bongo take pictures of my items so that I know what it looks like before having the package shipped to me?

Q) What is "consolidation?"

Q) How long can I store my items at my US Address?

Shipping:

Q) Which carrier do you use to ship my goods?

Q) How does Bongo know what to ship me and when?

Q) Are there any countries that Bongo does not serve?

Q) Do you offer shipping services within the US?

Q) Are my packages insured?

Q) How long will it take for me to receive my packages?

Q) Does the size of a shipment impact the shipping cost?

Q) How long does it take for Bongo to send a package once I put in my request to have it sent to me?

Q) Can you mark my item as a gift or reduce the value of it to help me avoid duties and taxes?

Q) How are the exact values of my purchase determined by Bongo International?

Rates / Billing:

Q) Are there any start-up or sign-up fees?

Q) How are you able to provide such a competitive price for international shipping?

Q) Do you charge any fees to consolidate multiple items into one box?

Q) What does it cost to sign up with Bongo International?

Q) Can I pay by check or money order?

Q) Is Bongo International's price all inclusive? Does it include duties and taxes?

Q) Are there any additional fees for using Bongo?

Customer Service:

Q) How long will it take for Bongo to respond to customer service inquiries through your "Support" function?

Micellaneous:

Q) Many US Retailers won't accept my international credit card. Is there any way around this?




　

Q) Can you explain more about the address I will receive? Is it a PO Box?
A) Each client of ours receives a unique address within the warehouse. The address is not a PO Box, common carriers and the USPS are able to deliver to your address (customers are required to fill out a form and provide identification in order for us to receive USPS). Your address will look similar to:

Jane Doe
955 Connecticut Ave.
Suite B1811
Bridgeport, CT 06607
　

Q) What does it cost to sign up with Bongo International?
A) Bongo offers several subscription options, two choices for individuals and one for businesses. You can review the subscriptions and additional information on how we bill here. Please note that subscription and business options carry a 3 month minimum commitment.
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Q) What is Form 1583 and why do I have to fill it out?
A) Form 1583 is a form that the United States Post Office requires Bongo International to file in order to be your mail receiving agent. This is the only way we can send and receive packages as well as mail from the USPS on your behalf. Customers who wish to accept deliveries from the USPS MUST fill out this form. A pre-populated 1583 form will be provided in your bongo account after sign up.
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Q) How long does the sign up process take?
A) The sign up process takes only a few moments. Once you complete this you will have your US address. Please understand account activations can take up to 4 business days. Your account must be fully active in order to forward goods.
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Q) Who can receive items with my address?
A) We can only receive packages and mail for the account holder. We can not accept items in other peoples names. We can; however, receive items for a spouse or children of the account holder. Two forms of ID and a signed 1583 USPS form will be required. If the spouse should have a different last name, a marriage certificate is required as well.
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Q) How do I get my purchases to my US address at the Bongo International warehouse?
A) When you make a purchase from a US retailer, you request them to send the shipment domestically to the US address we have provided you with your account. You will need to make sure you give them your suite number and the full name that was used when creating the account Otherwise, there can be a delay in the processing of your shipment. It is also important to contact your credit card company so you can add this address as a viable "ship to" address. This will allow US retailers to see our Bongo warehouse as a valid shipping address.
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Q) How does Bongo know that the package they are receiving is for me?
A) We request that you pre-notify Bongo through our website that a package has been sent to your US address. If the retailer provides you with the tracking number, please give this number to Bongo. This will help ensure the package arrives to us and entered into your account.. If you do not pre-notify Bongo, then we still will know that the package is for you by the Suite number and name. on the shipment. However your items will not be listed individually. If an invoice is not included the goods will be listed at 'Fair Market Value'.
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Q) How long does it take Bongo to update my mailbox with incoming shipments?
A) We strive to enter all information into your mailbox within 4 hours of receipt of your goods.
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Q) Can Bongo take pictures of my items so that I know what it looks like before having the package shipped to me?
A) Yes. Bongo will take digital pictures or scans of any items you would like prior to shipping. There is an additional cost of $2.00 per image for this service.
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Q) What is "consolidation?"
A) Consolidation is the process of packaging multiple items into one Shipment. Only subscription members and business members have this option.Bongo will create a commercial invoice that will list all of your items in the box along with their values. The package is then sealed and sent to it's final destination. Consolidation helps Bongo customers save a tremendous amount of money on shipping as the cost per pound decreases as the weight of a shipment increases. Calculate savings.
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Q) How long can I store my items at my US Address?
A) We will hold items as long as you like on the condition that your account remains in good standing. We will hold items for 45 days free of charge. After that we charge $5 per week per item.
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Q) Which carrier do you use to ship my goods?
A) We only ship with DHL express for all international shipments. For all domestic shipments we only use FEDEX.
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Q) How does Bongo know what to ship me and when?
A) Once all your items are received and entered into your account's inventory you will let us know what to ship and where. You simply create a work order by selecting the items and delivery location. Subscription and business members have the option of additional delivery locations. Pay per use members have one delivery address that will be given at sign up. All work orders must be received by 4 PM EST for the goods to be shipped the same day.
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Q) Are there any countries that Bongo does not serve?
A) We provide service to 223 countries. However, there are a few that we do not service. Please click here to see our full listing of countries served.
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Q) Do you offer shipping services within the US?
A) Yes. We have competitive rates to ship within the US for Business Customer only.
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Q) Are my packages insured?
A) Inbound packages need to be insured by the shipper. Bongo will insure your outbound packages for up to $100. However, additional insurance can be purchased for $.70 per $100 in value with a minimum charge of $2.50 .
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Q) How long will it take for me to receive my packages?
A) Typical international transit is 2-3 business days. However, there are some countries that will take longer to deliver to and custom delays may affect transit times. Most of our packages are delivered within 5 days. You can look up transit times here.
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Q) Does the size of a shipment impact the shipping cost?
A) Yes, per industry standards Bongo International charges either the actual weight of a shipment or the dimensional weight, whichever is greater. Information on dimensional weight, also referred to as DIM weight can be found here.
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Q) How long does it take for Bongo to send a package once I put in my request to have it sent to me?
A) If your request is received before 4:00 Eastern Standard Time, then the package will be sent out the same day. Any shipment request received after 4:00 will be processed the following day.
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Q) Can you mark my item as a gift or reduce the value of it to help me avoid duties and taxes?
A) No. It is against US regulations to inaccurately report the value of an exported item.
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Q) How are the exact values of my purchase determined by Bongo International?
A) We enter the value listed on the packing slip when the shipment is delivered to Bongo. If there is no packing slip in the box(s), then we will determine a fair market value for the goods or we will request the receipt from our customers. We ask that you inform us of incoming shipments to ensure the correct value is listed.
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Q) Are there any start-up or sign-up fees?
A) For subscription customers you will be charged your first months billing at sign up, please note that the subscription and business services do carry a 3 month minimum commitment that you can chose to cancel by notifying us after the minimum commitment is met. Pay Per Use customers are subject to a $5 sign up fee. The sign up fee is non-refundable if you chose to upgrade once a member.
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Q) How are you able to provide such a competitive price for international shipping?
A) Bongo International has been able to negotiate discounted rates with common carriers due to the high shipment volume of our customers.
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Q) Do you charge any fees to consolidate multiple items into one box?
A)A) No! This is one of the many advantages that Bongo offers. We allow our subscription and business customers to consolidate multiple items into one box for FREE! This results in huge cost savings to our clients!.
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Q) What does it cost to sign up with Bongo International?
A) Bongo offers three standard membership options, two choices for individuals and one for businesses. You can review the subscriptions here.
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Q) Can I pay by check or money order?
A) No. We accept payment by Visa, Master Card and American Express only. The Personal Shopping service may require wire transfer depending on the total cost of the order.
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Q) Is Bongo International's price all inclusive? Does it include duties and taxes?
A) Bongo's price includes a full door-to-door transportation cost, however, there may be additional duties and taxes charged by customs in the destination country. These charges are the responsibility of our clients to pay upon receipt of the goods. Please see your local customs office to get more specifics. Information about duties and taxes can be found through the resources provided here.
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Q) Are there any additional fees to use Bongo?
A) There are no hidden fees with Bongo's service however a few options have their own fee associated with them:

Returns: $10 return fee plus shipping costs.
Re-weigh of items: $2 will be charged for the request; however, if Bongo is incorrect the fee will fully be refunded.
Images/ Mail scanning: It will be $2 for ever image requested or $2 per mail item requested. The scans will be of the entire contents of the envelope.
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Q) How long will it take for Bongo to respond to customer service inquiries through your "Support" function?
A) We will respond to all Support inquiries within 1 business day. Bongo Customer Service Agents respond Monday - Friday during the hours of 9:00-5:00 EST.
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Q) Many US Retailers won't accept my international credit card. Is there any way around this?
A) Of course! You have two options:

1. You can set up your Bongo International address as a secondary address to your current card. This will allow US retailers to see a domestic address on your credit card. This process works most of the time.
2. Use our Personal Shopper option. With Personal Shopper, you can provide us with the exact URL and we will make the purchase for you by using our US credit card. The cost of this service is 10% of the total transaction.
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