Frequently Asked Questions
- 1. How do you deal with Customs Duty?
- ShopUSA will pay Customs Duty and Customs VAT at the airport for all
packages entering Accra. In certain cases, we will ask the account holder to prepay customs duty prior to customs clearance. However, such packages are billed COD.
- 2. Are my packages insured?
- All packages will be insured at a cost of US$1.00 of declared value or portion thereof. Proof of delivery to our Miami office is required for all insurance claims. As a result, we do not recommend that you us Priority Mail of items of value unless the shipper has purchased Signature Confirmation for that package. If you do not want your packages insured, you will be required to sign a refusal form. We do not accept liability for fragile items that are not packaged properly or for packages that are detained in Customs.
- 3. Is there anything that I cannot receive through my ShopUSA account?
- Items considered Dangerous Goods by Aviation Regulations such as fireworks and hazardous chemicals will be put on hold in Miami and will not be sent to Accra. Personal items such as perfumes and certain cosmetics will incur additional charges and the processing time to ship to Accra will be at least 10 working days. If in doubt, please call us before shipping such items.
- 4. Can I drop off items at the street address to be sent to me in Accra?
- Anyone can drop off items at the street address in Florida to be shipped to you in Accra. The shipper will be given a tracking number for each delivery. Just have the individual address the package to you with your account number. Our opening hours in Florida are 8am-4pm (Miami Time) Monday – Friday. Please try to schedule deliveries between these hours.
- 5. Does ShopUSA provide pick up service in Miami?
- We can provide pick up service for packages that you want sent to you in Accra. This service is at an additional cost quoted on individual basis.
- 6. What size package can I receive through ShopUSA?
- You can receive packages of just about any size. What you have to keep in mind is that we use air freight only. Items such as furniture and large appliances can be sent through ShopUSA, but please call us for a quotation before shipping. If you request for us to hold a package in Florida for pickup, the service charge will be US$1.00 per pound payable in advance.
- 7. How long does it take to receive mail and packages?
- The overall turnaround time from when our cargo plane leaves the United States is 5-10 business days.
Shipping process:
- All cargo for our ShopUSA cargo plane must reach our Florida facility no later than Wednesday at 5:00pm to get your item the following week. (Time needs to be allotted for the paper work for international travel)
- Our cargo plane leaves the US on Saturday and flies through Europe to Accra.
- Goods will reach Accra anywhere between Wednesday to Friday of the following week.
- Once the goods have arrived, our customs brokers clears the goods and all mail and packages should be available the day after the shipment has been cleared.
You will receive email notification that your package is ready for pick up at our ShopUSA counter.
