Anybody who's ever thought they were getting the world's best deal on UPS Ground shipping to Guam has learned this the hard way.What are my best options?
Priority Mail: Also known as USPS Priority Mail, this is the most common method of shipping to Guam. Sites like Amazon.com use Priority to ship to Guam. This is usually the most practical choice in shipping if you want to trade off speed for pricing. For instance, a small package of DVDs might cost between $3-$6 dollars. Shipping typically takes 10-14 days. However, I have gotten priority mail in 4 days on rare occasions. I have also had priority shipments take 3-4 weeks to arrive.
Unlike the continental U.S., package tracking is not available when shipping. So prepare to check your mail often, if you're the impatient type.
USPS Express Mail : This is the U.S. Postal Service's express mail service. We've expereinced is a 5-7 day shipping time on typical USPS Express service. Cost can vary depending on the shipment, but is typically 20-30% less than other services some retailers offer. Unfortunately, this is the rarest of all the shipping options we've encountered. Another great advantage is tracking numbers that you can check online.
3-day express: Often with DHL or UPS. After USPS Priority, this is the second most common option I've seen for shipping to Guam. The strange thing is that some retailers charge wildly less than others for this shipping (I've paid between $30 and $70 for similar sized orders). I am in communication with several retailers and am attempting to find out why. Anyway, 3-days is just about right, provided you order in the beginning of the week. You can track your packages with no hassle and it's easy to communicate with UPS and DHL on Guam should you need more service.
EMS: Express Mail Service: This is the Holy Grail of shipping options. Cheap and fast. How fast? I've gotten a package in 2 days for less than $7. You are most likely to get this with products shipped from Japan. If you see this, snap it up ASAP.
AVOID THE FOLLOWING (If you can help it, anyway)
Bulk Mail: If this is your only choice, leave the site ASAP. I've had some bulk mail take up to 4 months to arrive.
Any class lower than first : You never know when these will arrive. No tracking. No accountability. No way.
Overnight anything : Unless it's your only option, don't use this. Very often, it'll cost more than your package. Use this only for documents if at all possible. Advantage: FAST.