Using an Airbnb to order N

[flyaway]

I don't feel safe ordering N to my home address/the country I live in and since D doesn't ship to hotels, I'm planning to rent an Airbnb elsewhere and order it there. Do you think it will work out and what should I be careful with when doing this? I will not CTB there, I'll just need it to pick up my package. Any help is appreciated.

 

[DanWhoLikesPie]

You'd have to book a trip for a few days. At least in the US, even with Amazon Prime, my deliveries are constantly arriving either early or late.

 

[flyaway]

You'd have to book a trip for a few days. At least in the US, even with Amazon Prime, my deliveries are constantly arriving either early or late.

Yes, I'm planning to book it for a week at least. Is there any risk that my hosts find out about the package though and what can I do to prevent this happening?

 

[Crazy4u]

some hosts don't allow packages. You need to ask for permission first

 

[Interloper]

Yes, I'm planning to book it for a week at least. Is there any risk that my hosts find out about the package though and what can I do to prevent this happening?

I suppose they could have it set up so that the couriers that they use most often, send them a text/email to update them about the tracking of any package with their home as destination. I don't know if that works with packages sent between individuals though, but I thought I saw that was one of the ups my choice things, let me have another look.

edit: doesn't seem to specify to what packages it applies to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

All UPS My Choicemembers can see UPS packages from the past four months, as well as packages scheduled for delivery, in a convenient calendar view.

 

[flyaway]

Thank you all for the input. I guess it would really be better to ask for permission first but I have two main concerns about this.

First, let's say I ask them online before booking the Airbnb. Won't it be too suspicious that a person without reviews (it will be the first time for me using Airbnb) asks them to receive a package at their property and make them say no eventually?

The second outcome is even worse. I ask them during my stay, when the booking has already been made and I'm the other country. What if they still say no? There will be nothing I can do.

What could also be a good excuse for my order in case they ask more details about it? I live in Europe and I want to go to another European country with more lax customs to receive my package if that matters.

 

[myopybyproxy]

Order something else, perhaps a sleep aid (white noise machine, dark curtains or eye mask). That way if they find the contents of your package you can claim insomnia. Not sure how likely they will believe that, but better than nothing...?

 

[SomeoneDutch]

I don't believe any airbnb location will let you receive a package unless there'd be a good reason to trust you in that. Especially asking beforehand would raise suspicions, even more so considering you don't have any reviews. In my personal opinion I think it's better to have it shipped to your home address.

 

[_Seeking]

I have had packages delivered (one was from a compounding pharmacy) when I stayed at an AirBnB for a 3 weeks when the upstairs condo flooded my place. I didn't ask for permission, but I don't know if things are different in other countries. I think if you are staying for a longer period of time, it isn't so weird.

AirBnBs are most worried about people having parties or doing drugs in their place, if you tell them you are in town for business and make up a good backstory, it shouldn't look too suspicious. You could even tell them you need something for your computer to do zoom meetings, and couldn't get it delivered in time before your trip. But I've never heard of having to ask permission before for packages, so maybe I just got lucky that the host didn't care.

 

[flyaway]

I guess it really depends on the hosts. Some will be fine with it (or at least won't care), others won't. Does anybody know if it's usually explicitly written in the rules that you can't receive a letter/a package?

There is also another thing which really worries me. What if I order (with or without asking for permission) and the package gets "stuck" in customs? Not necessarily seized but stopped there so that you provide additional information like price or package contents. I've read that since last year, if you order to the EU from outside of it, it's more likely that it gets stopped for taxation purposes. And what if my booking is for 10 days for example and the customs hold it for 2 or 3 weeks? Can I talk to the delivery service in that case and ask them that I would like to pick up my package from their office after it's released? Or is there anything else that I can do?

 

[Interloper]

There is also another thing which really worries me. What if I order (with or without asking for permission) and the package gets "stuck" in customs? Not necessarily seized but stopped there so that you provide additional information like price or package contents. I've read that since last year, if you order to the EU from outside of it, it's more likely that it gets stopped for taxation purposes. And what if my booking is for 10 days for example and the customs hold it for 2 or 3 weeks? Can I talk to the delivery service in that case and ask them that I would like to pick up my package from their office after it's released? Or is there anything else that I can do?

If you do it through UPS, they will attempt a delivery and if no one is home they will leave an infonotice code on your door, which you can use to change the delivery location on their website. But of course if you are not there anymore this is useless. I simply called their customer support and I was able to change delivery location after they failed a delivery attempt without leaving the infonotice I needed; I changed it to a UPS point nearby. I just had to provide the name and address that's on the package and the tracking code. I could then go pick it up with my ID.

Now if that will work before they make their first delivery attempt I don't know, but I don't see why not.

Something else that you might have to consider: I had to pay about 10 euros import costs for UPS, for which I just got the paper bill per mail, 2 weeks after receiving the package. So when you pay your import cost on the UPS website make sure you change the billing address.

 

[flyaway]

If you do it through UPS, they will attempt a delivery and if no one is home they will leave an infonotice code on your door, which you can use to change the delivery location on their website. But of course if you are not there anymore this is useless. I simply called their customer support and I was able to change delivery location after they failed a delivery attempt without leaving the infonotice I needed; I changed it to a UPS point nearby. I just had to provide the name and address that's on the package and the tracking code. I could then go pick it up with my ID.

Now if that will work before they make their first delivery attempt I don't know, but I don't see why not.

Something else that you might have to consider: I had to pay about 10 euros import costs for UPS, for which I just got the paper bill per mail, 2 weeks after receiving the package. So when you pay your import cost on the UPS website make sure you change the billing address.

Thank you very much for providing this information. It's good to know that changes in the address are possible after the package has been shipped. But I think I got another idea.

In order to avoid dealing with hosts that don't allow packages to their property and making excuses what the package is, can't I just book a regular hotel but without giving its address as a delivery location? As a place of delivery I could just point out a location nearby, preferably a bigger residential building and not a house, with a very similar address - for example same street but different number. Then I could observe from the hotel window and as soon as I see the delivery person, to go to him, tell him that the package is for me and get it. In case he asks me questions, I could simply say that I'm staying at the hotel nearby but gave the wrong address (the package will be with my real name). It should somehow make sense since I will be a person from another country/not familiar with the area etc. so it would be easier for me to get wrong. And in case the package gets seized, the only bad thing that could happen to me would be losing my money since there will be no such person at the given address. Do you think that's a good idea?

And one more thing - is there some period of time between the release of the package from customs (1-2 days or more) and the actual delivery? Did you also go to the customs in person or just paid the money to UPS?

 

[Interloper]

As a place of delivery I could just point out a location nearby, preferably a bigger residential building and not a house, with a very similar address - for example same street but different number. Then I could observe from the hotel window and as soon as I see the delivery person, to go to him, tell him that the package is for me and get it. In case he asks me questions, I could simply say that I'm staying at the hotel nearby but gave the wrong address (the package will be with my real name). It should somehow make sense since I will be a person from another country/not familiar with the area etc. so it would be easier for me to get wrong. And in case the package gets seized, the only bad thing that would happen to me would be losing my money since there would be no such person at the given address. Do you think that's a good idea?

Maybe? Depends on how serious the UPS workers take their jobs in your country, don't think it would work in mine. Can't say for certain, I wouldn't have the focus to have a stake-out like that.

And one more thing - is there some period of time between the release of the package from customs (1-2 days or more) and the actual delivery? Did you also go to the customs in person or just paid the money to UPS?

I paid online, there will be a big notice on the tracking page, probably not a good idea because I took full responsibility for the package after paying but I kind of ran out of shits to give at that moment.
Roughly 30 hours after payment it cleared customs, 13 hours after that it was scanned in some facility, and 8 hours after that scan they made a delivery attempt.

 

[flyaway]

I paid online, there will be a big notice on the tracking page, probably not a good idea because I took full responsibility for the package after paying but I kind of ran out of shits to give at that moment.

Why isn't it a good idea? Does it make a difference if you pay online or in person? You are still admitting the purchase, aren't you? Do you always have to pay in advance or can you do this when you pick up your package? And did you pay to UPS or directly to customs?

Roughly 30 hours after payment it cleared customs, 13 hours after that it was scanned in some facility, and 8 hours after that scan they made a delivery attempt.

Wow, that's a really short period. Maybe I could try ordering it to the wrong address from my home country first and then, immediately after it clears customs, to call their customer service and change it to a delivery location. I have to be veeery fast in that situation though. At least I'll save money for transport and accommodation this way - I'll only be travelling if my package has successfully arrived. And the money I'll eventually lose will only be the money for the N itself.

 

[Interloper]

Why isn't it a good idea? Does it make a difference if you pay online or in person? You are still admitting the purchase, aren't you? Do you always have to pay in advance or can you do this when you pick up your package? And did you pay to UPS or directly to customs?

I think I got stuff mixed up in my head yeah, my bad. I didn't know I could go pay in person somewhere when using UPS. When I thought of paying in person I was thinking in the sense of paying the delivery driver as he came to deliver, which would have meant the package had already cleared customs (which would be impossible because I have to pay taxes before it can even continue to customs) my head's not making much sense right now.