Caribbean Residents Taking Advantage of Mid-Year Cyber Sales Look for Shipping Options to Get Their Purchases Home
(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.; July 15, 2015) – Caribbean island residents taking advantage of big, midyear and back-to-school online sales over the next few weeks need to remember that online retailers do not deliver to customers’ doors in the islands, and that alternate delivery services must be arranged.
“The good news is – placing an online order and getting it delivered in the Caribbean is easier than most people realize,” said Tony Otero, vice president, for Crowley, which has been providing shipping services in the Caribbean for 60 years. “When you go to your online shopping cart and check out, you are typically asked for a billing address and a shipping address. The key is to enter the shipping address of your logistics service provider. For example, if you enter our Miami warehouse as your shipping address, Amazon, Walmart or whoever you are purchasing from, will deliver your goods there. Crowley will then consolidate your shipment with other cargo going to your island, and transport it. The process is easy and straightforward, and the shipping services affordable.”
July is one of the bigger months for retailers, with sales typically reaching between $65 to $70 billion in July and August (with some of that coming from back-to-school shopping as well). Caribbean shoppers not making purchases online will often visit Puerto Rico or the U.S. mainland (typically Florida) for major, mid-year shopping.
“The process for consumers to get their in-store purchases home to the Caribbean is very similar to that for those shopping online,” said Otero. “The shopper just needs to deliver purchases to a logistics facility, like those operated by Crowley in Miami and San Juan, or have the retailer make delivery there. Some shoppers will even pay their taxi drivers to deliver their purchases to Crowley facilities and put them in barrels to take advantage of our low-cost, barrel shipping service.”
Crowley has prepared a simple downloadable shipping guide and checklist for shoppers making purchases online. Puerto Rico- and Caribbean-based customers can learn about specific services provided in their respective markets by clicking here.
Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 123-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company. The company provides project solutions, energy and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean Liner Services, Latin America Liner Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Marine Services and Technical Services. Offered within these operating lines of business are: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response through its TITAN Salvage subsidiary; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture through its Jensen Maritime subsidiary; government services, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales. Additional information about Crowley, its subsidiaries and business units may be found on the Internet at www.crowley.com.
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