Buying things from the U.S.A.

After having lived in this country for a little more than 5 years, you kinda get used to not having certain things at your fingertips–like size 13 shoes, long-sleeved shirts that fit, and tomatillo salsa.

A trip stateside soon turns into a gorge-fest of all pleasures denied. Buying clothes that fit and food to stock the shelves becomes priority numero uno during any trip, and family and friends reconfirm their fears that Korea must really be this backwards and struggling economy if my first thoughts upon landing turn to my stockpiling and hording instincts.

Living in Korea, you learn to do without…you learn to get by…and you learn to improvise.

The PCC (Pre-Costco Cheese) era in Korea, only 4 years ago, is a period that we Expats look back at with relief–do you know how hard it was to get a piece of cheddar?

Basically back then you had three choices:
1. Black market
2. Luxury stores
3. Bring it from home

Oh, how the times have changed. You can now get almost any of the previously “black market only” products at your nearest Costco. And, if they don’t have it, there are now a few international companies that ship product out to you.

The first company that i recently heard about was iShopUSA. They ship to anywhere around the world. I took a look at their site and found them to have quite a few partner sites– but you are not limited to just those sites. You can order from ANY US based website. Just fill out their web form and it will calculate the shipping information. For example, i set the form to purchase a $99 pair of shoes. iShopUSA was going to charge me $65 for shipping. Pricey, but reasonable. Just don’t forget to keep your purchase and shipping total less than $150 USD ,otherwise you will be charged a customs duty.

And then there is ExpatExpress. Ths find is a goldmine. What they do is charge a flat rate for shipping and can offer quite a few products to Expats.

This is from their website:

Why ExpatExpress?

Tired of explaining to customs why you’re bringing back two suitcases full of Jell-O? Fed up with trying to find a place in your apartment for that case of toothpaste? If these questions are familiar to you, then ExpatExpress is your answer. ExpatExpress brings common, everyday U.S. grocery items right to your home abroad. Unlike shopping groups, however, you need not buy in quantity, there are no case requirements, and there are no long waits for your purchases. Shopping with ExpatExpress is the closest thing to actually shopping at a grocery store in the U.S.

ExpatExpress brings you:

• Single Item Shopping - no bulk ordering requirements or per-case items!
• Fast Shipping - ExpatExpress ships by air, you’ll have your purchase within 5-7 business days of ordering.
• Competitive Pricing - ExpatExpress brings you great service at great prices.
• Selection - Over 2,800 items to choose from in our ever-growing inventory.
• Low $50 minimum order.

Not too bad if you ask me…

And, Expats of Korea, if all else fails–grow it or make it yourself–i recently became the proud owner of a corn tortilla machine complete with crank and rollers. And, i just had my first harvest of tomatillos a few weeks ago.

or find a basebuddy…