Shopping Tips

When purchasing using a non-US credit card, many sites will require you to enter a State. If available, enter APO, AFO or best of all, Armed Forces Pacific. You will need to enter the rest of your address absolutely correctly as US credit card transactions are matched to your billing details. This includes the ZIP code which will be on your bill. If the matching does not work, your transaction will be declined by the vendor.

Shop at well known and safe sites. We will recommend sites to you from time to time from member’s experiences but even these recommendations are no guarantee that the site offers a quality of product or service that you might expect.

Be sure to follow the recommendations of auction sites like eBay when purchasing, including using PayPal to pay for items. This will give you the greatest safety against credit card fraud.

Follow general safety rules around providing credit card numbers. If in doubt, contact your credit card issuer for advice or follow the advice of the web site you are purchasing from.

Shipping Tips

International shipping is cheapest for items that are not bulky. The cheapest size parcels to deliver shipments to New Zealand have a length + girth limitation of 79". They should not be too heavy.

Bulky but lighter weight items like cushions can cost a lot to ship. International shipping is calculated by size and weight. Beware of buying well but paying lots for these kinds of items.

We want to make sure your goods arrive in good condition. Make sure your vendor properly packages your goods. This can save money and damage. See our ‘packaging requirements’ page.

There are things we will not ship for legal or safety reasons. These items are detailed in our ‘conditions’ page. Please do not attempt to ship items prohibited under our conditions as we will either decline receipt, destroy the goods or inform appropriate authorities of contraband items.

Security Tips

Shop with companies you know. Anyone can set up shop online under almost any name. If you’re not familiar with a merchant, be very wary. Also, determine the company’s refund and return policies before you place your order. These should be posted on the company’s Web site.

Keep your password(s) private. Be creative when you establish a password, and never give it to anyone. Use a combination of numbers, letters and symbols.

Pay by credit or charge card. If you pay by credit or charge card online, your transaction may be protected by your credit card company and you may be able to dispute charges under certain circumstances and temporarily withhold payment while the credit card company investigates them. In the event of unauthorized use of your credit or charge card, most credit card issuers only hold you liable for the first $50 in charges (check with your credit card issuer). Some companies offer an online shopping guarantee that ensures you will not be held responsible for any unauthorised charges made online.

Keep a record. Be sure to print a copy of your purchase order and confirmation number for your records. Also, you should know that the US Mail and Telephone Order Merchandise Rules covers online orders. This means that unless the company states otherwise, your merchandise must be delivered within 30 days; and if there are delays, the company must notify you.

Visit www.safeshopping.org for more tips about online shopping safety.

Ebay and PayPal are trademarks of their respective owners and Shipbuktu™ has no formal arrangement, partnership or agency for these marks. We reference their names as advisory tips only.