Using Amazon.com from South Korea

January 6, 2011 12:51 AM

Can I order books and CD's from Amazon.com to be sent to my home in Korea, but using a US-based debit card?

South Korea has decent resources for English-language books, but there are a few titles I want that I highly doubt I will ever find over here. Amazon.com has some information on international shipping, but I'm curious if any of you have ordered stuff to a home address in South Korea. FWIW, I'd be using my US-based bank card (with which I can book hotels here, no problem).

I've heard conflicting things from FFF's (fellow foreigner friends). So what's the deal?

Thanks in advance.

posted by bardic to Shopping (7 answers total)

I've ordered stuff from Amazon France, Amazon UK and Amazon Germany and had it sent to America. I've also had stuff from Amazon US and Amazon UK sent to various countries in Europe. I can't imagine why South Korea would create a problem.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 1:04 AM on January 6, 2011

I've ordered from Amazon.com, live in France (so shipped to my French address), paid with a US-based debit card. Like Dee, can't imagine how shipping to South Korea could pose a particular problem. You might try checking on other Amazon sites, such as the UK, just to see whether shipping would be cheaper. I can often find English-language titles that I come across on Amazon.com (US) by searching for them on Amazon France, for instance, and those are actually shipped via Amazon.co.uk, but for whatever reason (logistical, I'm assuming), they're cheaper overall when ordered from Amazon.fr than from co.uk. And much cheaper than from Amazon.com, due to shipping. But it's true that some US-published titles just can't be found outside US sites. (Powells.com can be great too, though shipping is a bit higher — I've done the same with them, ordering from France with a US-based debit card, all OK.)
posted by fraula at 1:25 AM on January 6, 2011

Best answer: You can, I have done it several times. If your bank card would work in the US when ordering from Amazon.com, it will work here. I use my US credit card for my Amazon purchases. That said, you will get hit with ugly, ugly international shipping fees if you order from Amazon.

Although the per-book price may be a bit higher than amazon, it's usually cheaper to order books through www.whatthebook.com, which is an Itaewon bookseller that delivers nationwide. Cheaper still if you pick them up in person.
posted by holterbarbour at 1:30 AM on January 6, 2011

You could also try ordering from amazon.co.jp. They have a pretty big selection of foreign language books, particularly English ones, and you can order in English as well. I imagine the shipping rates and time are much better than ordering from the American Amazon.
posted by ultrabuff at 4:14 AM on January 6, 2011

Bookdepository also has free shipping anywhere in the world and is quite wonderful.
posted by Ljubljana at 4:43 AM on January 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

It really depends. I'm in Canada and I can order a lot of the items on Amazon.com, but they won't ship electronics to me, and a few various other items. Books are usually fine.
posted by blue_beetle at 5:24 AM on January 6, 2011

Most people tend to use remailing services to get things forwarded outside the US at a decent price.
posted by turkeyphant at 11:52 AM on January 6, 2011