Shipping to Guam: Getting Great Deals on the Mainland Back Home

Living in Guam is expensive. On average, Guam residents spend 42% more on goods than Americans on the Mainland.  An extreme example of the disparity is the price of a gallon of milk, which runs at $11.09 – nearly a 250% premium on a daily essential!  You probably won’t be buying your year’s supply of dairy and shipping it back, so what about all the other stuff? If you are looking to purchase fun items like electronics, new threads, and home goods on the Mainland, you’ll need a cost-effective method to ship them back to Guam.  Let’s take a look at what you can expect, and how you can send those goodies back over the Pacific.

Rising Prices on Guam

Consumer goods prices on Guam are exorbitant when compared to the Mainland U.S. More labor, more resources, and longer transportation times go into moving products to the tiny Pacific Island. This increase in effort translates to higher price tags on store shelves. To compensate for these high prices, you might try turning your family vacation to the Mainland into a shopping spree for the upcoming year. We know our brothers and sisters at DeWitt Guam love heading to the mall when they are here in City of Industry, CA.

Prices are set to rise over the coming years, so finding alternative ways to buy is a must for any family on a budget. Couple backyard barbecues, sightseeing and family time with a trip to the many malls around the United States. Buy ahead and ship back to Guam. You’ll save money and stay up to date with the latest trends in fashion and technology.

Your Options for Shipping to Guam

With baggage fees on the rise and airport security ramping up, what are your options?

Stick with Conventional

When shipping small items like records, a few pairs of jeans or a couple of shirts, consider sending your items via the United States Postal Service. The limitations of parcel services like the USPS and UPS mean you won’t be able to ship that gorgeous 4k LED TV. However, when attempting to transport your kids’ back to school wardrobe, you might be able to squeeze out a few dollars in savings.

In addition to small dimensions, the number of packages you mail back through a parcel service needs to be low as well. If your shopping trip yields a hefty bounty, the cost of your shipping might be too high. Paying a lot for shipping will erase any savings you scored from the lower prices. Pay close attention to the rates, insurance, and limitations of this method.

Get Creative with a Freight Forwarder

Don’t let your preconceived ideas of a 3PL steer you away from this option. Most freight forwarders will ship just about anything as a part of their “mix” of general cargo. Finding the right freight forwarder to handle your haul of electronics and clothing is simple. Ask about their pricing structure and shipping process. Find out if they offer insurance on your items. If they don’t – finding marine insurance is painless and an excellent provider will point you in the right direction.

Asset-based 3PLs like Approved Freight offer unique solutions for shippers of all kinds. Most forwarders will charge by the cubic foot, which means you’ll only pay for the dimensional footprint that your items occupy on a container. Instead of a flat rate for a parcel, you’ll only pay for space you actually use. If you have several bulky items, your best bet is to ship with a freight forwarder. Their team will secure your purchases to a pallet and send it safely over the ocean. You won’t be juggling a stack of suitcases as you trudge through airport security. A freight forwarder will schedule door-to-door shipping service to Guam. Hassle-free expert service. What’s not to like?

Weighing the Benefits of Each

You will need to calculate the cost-benefit of each method. Weigh your options. Find out what makes the most sense and communicate what you need to your prospective transportation provider. We recommend you reach out to a freight forwarder to walk you through the best shipping options to Guam. Start planning before your trip, so you’ll know exactly how much you can send back, while still staying within your budget. This way, you can get those great deals on the mainland and still save money on shipping to Guam.