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Big Apple Buddy is a shopping concierge service based in the heart of New York City. Our service helps people from around the world buy from U.S. online stores that:
It’s very easy!
You should use our service to buy:
Our service fee is what we charge to help you purchase your item from the U.S. and ship it to your doorstep, hassle-free.
The service fee covers the entire purchasing process, including sourcing your item, purchasing your goods, inspecting your goods upon arrival at our facility, packing your items and preparing all necessary shipping and customs documentation.
The estimated delivery time will ultimately depend on what store shipping options are available and which international shipping option you choose.
It will usually take 2-7 business days for the goods to arrive at our facility from the store. The international delivery time is generally 1-8 business days.
The estimated delivery time for your order will be shown during checkout and displayed at the top of your order confirmation.
This will depend on your product and the manufacturer. Most products in the U.S. only come with a U.S. based warranty. We do recommend checking the manufacturer’s website prior to placing your order to confirm warranty details.
We only purchase from reliable suppliers and official retailers so you can be assured that your items will be brand-new and authentic. Please note that we do not assist our customers with used, refurbished, or open-box items due to the high risk of defects.
This depends on which country you are shipping to and what items you are buying.
If you would like an estimate of the potential customs charges/import taxes for your particular order, please feel free to contact us at support@bigapplebuddy.com
Your local customs office will also be able to provide you with a quote for these charges.
Big Apple Buddy is a shopping concierge service based in the heart of New York City. Our service helps people from around the world buy from U.S. online stores that:
It’s very easy!
You should use our service to buy:
Our service fee is what we charge to help you purchase your item from the U.S. and ship it to your doorstep, hassle-free.
The service fee covers the entire purchasing process, including sourcing your item, purchasing your goods, inspecting your goods upon arrival at our facility, packing your items and preparing all necessary shipping and customs documentation.
Big Apple Buddy can help you buy from online stores in the U.S.
We are looking to expand into other countries in the near future. To receive updates, please feel free to sign up for our newsletter here.
Parcel forwarders can be useful for international customers trying to shop from the U.S. However, it’s worth keeping in mind the following when using a parcel forwarding service:
Our service fee is what we charge to help you purchase your item from the U.S. and ship it to your doorstep, hassle-free.
The service fee covers the entire purchasing process, including sourcing your item, purchasing your goods, inspecting your goods upon arrival at our facility, packing your items and preparing all necessary shipping and customs documentation.
All quotes are displayed in USD. However, you can elect to pay in your local currency if you select credit/debit card at checkout. To see the approximate cost in your local currency, we recommend visiting www.xe.com.
Yes, you can. Please note however that the service fee and payment processing fee (e.g. credit card fee, wire transfer fee) set out in your order will not be refundable. Any expenses incurred in reversing the order (e.g. store return shipping costs, store restocking fees) will also be deducted from the refund amount.
If we are unable to return your items to the store, then unfortunately, we will not be able to process your cancellation.
The cost will be made up of the following components:
Shipping costs are passed through from the shipping courier (FedEx or UPS) and are based on your location and the weight and dimensions of your package.
The service fee depends on your total product cost and the number of items you are ordering.
TOTAL PRODUCT COST IS LESS THAN US$200
For each order, the service fee is $30 for the first item and $15 for every additional item.
TOTAL PRODUCT COST IS US$200 OR MORE
For each order, the service fee is $50 for the first item and $15 for every additional item.
The service fee is the same regardless of the type of item, or the number of stores you are ordering from.
In America, sales tax is charged if the U.S. store has a presence in the state in which the customer resides.
Big Apple Buddy is based in New York so an 8.875% sales tax may apply to your order.
Because we are purchasing the item on your behalf, the full product cost (including the sales tax) gets passed through to you.
To minimize costs, Big Apple Buddy will always try to source your item from a U.S. store that does not attract sales tax.
This depends on which country you are shipping to and what items you are buying.
If you would like an estimate of the potential customs charges/import taxes for your particular order, please feel free to contact us at support@bigapplebuddy.com
Your local customs office will also be able to provide you with a quote for these charges.
Unfortunately, we’re currently unable to assist with price-match requests.
Placing an order through the Big Apple Buddy store is easy:
The Big Apple Buddy store is one-stop-shop for international consumers to browse and purchase from U.S. online stores. Our website contains a wide selection of U.S. stores so you can conveniently purchase your favorite tech, fashion, beauty, outdoors and sporting products all from the one platform.
Yes, of course! We’re adding new products and brands to the Big Apple Buddy store on a daily basis. However, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, simply get in touch with us here for a free custom quote.
New brands and products are added to our store daily. If you can't find a particular item on our website, please feel free to get in touch with us here for a free custom quote.
All you have to do is let us know what item you would like to purchase. We’ll then source your item from an official retailer and provide you with a quote via email. The quote will set out the breakdown of costs (including the product cost, international shipping and our service fee). If you’re happy with the quote, simply make payment via the link provided. You’ll receive regular updates when your order is placed and shipped.
All quotes are displayed in USD. However, you can elect to pay in your local currency if you select credit/debit card at checkout. To see the approximate cost in your local currency, we recommend visiting www.xe.com.
If you would like to redeem a store coupon code, simply mention it when you request a quote and we’ll apply it to your order.
Big Apple Buddy affiliate codes can be entered during the checkout process through our store.
Yes, you can. Please note however that the service fee and payment processing fee (e.g. credit card fee, wire transfer fee) set out in your order will not be refundable. Any expenses incurred in reversing the order (e.g. store return shipping costs, store restocking fees) will also be deducted from the refund amount.
If we are unable to return your items to the store, then unfortunately, we will not be able to process your cancellation.
If the item you’re after is out of stock, simply join our waitlist and we’ll notify you once the item is available for purchase.
If you need to place an order that exceeds the quantity limit available through our store, please feel free to get in touch with us here for a free custom quote.
The estimated delivery time will ultimately depend on what store shipping options are available and which international shipping option you choose.
It will usually take 2-7 business days for the goods to arrive at our facility from the store. The international delivery time is generally 1-8 business days.
The estimated delivery time for your order will be shown during checkout and displayed at the top of your order confirmation.
We will provide you with a tracking number for your parcel upon dispatch from our facility so you can monitor your parcel throughout transit. Please note that we are unable to provide store tracking numbers for your order.
All quotes include shipping insurance for loss and damage during transit up to the product cost.
If you receive an error adding an item to your cart or checking out, please contact us at support@bigapplebuddy.com
If your country is not listed in the drop-down menu on our checkout page, Big Apple Buddy unfortunately does not currently offer shipping services to your location. To get updates on when we will resume service to your country, feel free to sign up for our newsletter here.
If you receive an error when entering your postcode or city, please double-check your entry and try again. Please note that our shipping couriers may register your city name differently than the local spelling.
If you’re still having issues getting a shipping quote, please contact us at support@bigapplebuddy.com and a member of our team will get back to you within 24 hours.
If your credit/debit card information was not processed, the transaction may have been decline by your bank. We recommend paying with a different card or contacting your bank to see if there are transaction limits on your card.
Your Big Apple Buddy order may be canceled if your payment has been flagged by our system or if we are unable to unable to secure your items for you. For orders that Big Apple Buddy is unable to fulfill, you will receive a full refund.
Unfortunately, we're currently unable to consolidate orders. We are looking to offer this feature in the near future so please feel free to check back for updates.
Unfortunately, we're currently unable to add items to an existing order. If you would like to order additional items, you would need to place a new order on our website. We are looking to offer this feature in the near future so please feel free to check back for updates.
Unfortunately, we're currently unable to amend orders. If you would like to change the items in your order, you would need to cancel the existing order and place a new order on our website. Please note that standard cancellations fees would apply.
If the item you’re after is out of stock, simply join our waitlist and we’ll notify you once the item is available for purchase.
Big Apple Buddy is based in New York and has access to over 100,000 U.S. online stores. Feel free to visit our store to browse the latest products and brands from America. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can request a custom quote here.
We source products from popular U.S. brands and reputable retailers. However, please note that we are not affiliated with these brands so we’re unable to provide specific information regarding their company and products.
To ensure that you’re not at risk of receiving defective goods, we only purchase from reliable suppliers and official retailers.
Please note that we currently cannot assist with purchases from:
We cannot help you purchase items that are considered illegal or hazardous. Please visit your local customs and border protection websites for a list of prohibited and restricted items that cannot be imported into your country. We are also unable to assist with items that are extremely fragile, bulky or heavy.
This will depend on your product and the manufacturer. Most products in the U.S. only come with a U.S. based warranty. We do recommend checking the manufacturer’s website prior to placing your order to confirm warranty details.
If your product is covered by an international warranty, you should contact the product manufacturer directly to process the warranty claim. We recommend checking to see whether the manufacturer honors international warranties before providing any order information to them. Otherwise, we may be prevented from making a warranty claim on your behalf at a later stage.
We offer a warranty return service for products purchased through Big Apple Buddy for a fee of US$99 per item. You will be responsible for all shipping fees, customs charges and store-related costs associated with the return/exchange. If you are interested in this service, please contact us at support@bigapplebuddy.com.
Please note that we are currently unable to provide store receipts to our customers.
We only purchase from reliable suppliers and official retailers so you can be assured that your items will be brand-new and authentic. Please note that we do not assist our customers with used, refurbished, or open-box items due to the high risk of defects.
We can certainly assist with customized or personalized products. Simply send us your preferred design and we’ll prepare a free custom quote for your item. Please note that some stores may have extended delivery times or charge additional fees for special items or services such as monogramming.
Yes, of course! If the item you’re after is not yet available for purchase, you can join our waitlist and we’ll notify you once it is in stock.
The estimated delivery time will ultimately depend on what store shipping options are available and which international shipping option you choose.
It will usually take 2-7 business days for the goods to arrive at our facility from the store. The international delivery time is generally 1-8 business days.
The estimated delivery time for your order will be shown during checkout and displayed at the top of your order confirmation.
We will provide you with a tracking number for your parcel upon dispatch from our facility so you can monitor your parcel throughout transit. Please note that we are unable to provide store tracking numbers for your order.
All quotes include shipping insurance for loss and damage during transit up to the product cost.
We ship to over 100 countries around the world including:
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Belgium
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Canada
Cayman Islands
Cook Islands
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Fiji
Finland
France
French Polynesia
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Kuwait
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Malaysia
Maldives
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritius
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Papua New Guinea
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Seychelles
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
St. Lucia
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
U.A.E.
United Kingdom
Vatican City
If your country is not listed, please feel free to sign up for our newsletter here and we’ll notify you once our service is available in your location.
We've partnered with courier services, FedEx and UPS, to offer fast and reliable shipping to your chosen destination.
The available shipping options will be displayed at checkout or at the bottom of your custom quote. You should choose the option that suits your preference for price and delivery speed.
Please note that we no longer ship via the standard postal service due to reliability reasons.
Unfortunately, our couriers do not ship to P.O. Boxes or APO addresses. Please note that FedEx and UPS require a full street address for delivery.
Unfortunately, we do not ship to parcel forwarders due to the increased risk of parcels going missing or being mishandled.
Unfortunately, we do not ship to hotels due to the increased risk of parcels going missing or being mishandled.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide our shipping address for parcel forwarding services. Please note that all orders must be purchased by Big Apple Buddy.
Your city/postcode may attract a rural surcharge if it falls outside FedEx or UPS’s standard delivery areas.
Unfortunately, we are unable to change your shipping address after you have placed your order. All orders must be shipped to the exact shipping address entered at checkout.
If you would like to change your shipping address, you would need to cancel your order and place a new order on our website. Please note that standard cancellation fees would apply.
This will depend on your product and the manufacturer. Most products in the U.S. only come with a U.S. based warranty. We do recommend checking the manufacturer’s website prior to placing your order to confirm warranty details.
If your product is covered by an international warranty, you should contact the product manufacturer directly to process the warranty claim. We recommend checking to see whether the manufacturer honors international warranties before providing any order information to them. Otherwise, we may be prevented from making a warranty claim on your behalf at a later stage.
We offer a warranty return service for products purchased through Big Apple Buddy for a fee of US$99 per item. You will be responsible for all shipping fees, customs charges and store-related costs associated with the return/exchange. If you are interested in this service, please contact us at support@bigapplebuddy.com.
Please note that we are currently unable to provide store receipts to our customers.
Unfortunately, we currently only offer after-sales services (returns and warranties) to the original Big Apple Buddy customer. Any subsequent owners of products purchased through Big Apple Buddy will not be able to use Big Apple Buddy for after-sales services.
This depends on which country you are shipping to and what items you are buying.
If you would like an estimate of the potential customs charges/import taxes for your particular order, please feel free to contact us at support@bigapplebuddy.com
Your local customs office will also be able to provide you with a quote for these charges.
Customs charges and import taxes are levied by FedEx and UPS on behalf of your local customs authority. They will contact you once the parcel is in transit with payment instructions. Most of our customers pay online or over the phone. If required, BAB may collect these charges from you on behalf of FedEx or UPS.
FedEx/UPS will contact you once the parcel is in transit with payment instructions. Once your payment has been received, they will proceed with delivery to your nominated address.
Please note that customs charges/import taxes are not included in our quotes or website prices.
Unfortunately, we currently do not offer prepaid customs charges/import taxes.
We recommend contacting your local customs authority to get an assessment of customs charges/import taxes.
If you would like an estimate in the meantime, please feel free to get in touch with us at support@bigapplebuddy.com.
Unfortunately, we cannot declare a lower value for your items. We are legally required to declare the purchase price of your products on the shipping and customs documentation.
Unfortunately, we cannot declare items as gifts. We are legally required to declare the purchase price of your products on the shipping and customs documentation.
FedEx may request your importer registration/identification number (e.g. EIN, SSN, VAT, GST, RFC) for customs clearance so we recommend having this information ready when they contact you. If you are importing items as a company rather than an individual, the clearance process can take a little longer and you may be required to provide additional information such as your Tax ID.
Please note that the customs process is different in each country so we recommend contacting your local customs authority for more information before placing your order.
A package may fail customs clearance for different reasons. Some common reasons include failure to make payment of duties and import taxes, not having the necessary import licenses or attempting to import a prohibited good.
Please note that customs regulations differ between countries. We recommend contacting your local customs authority prior to going ahead with the order to ensure you can import your item into your country without any issues.
If your shipment does not clear customs and is returned to BAB, you will be responsible for any return shipping costs and customs charges. These costs will be deducted from your refund amount.
After receiving the item back from the shipping carrier, if we are able to return the item to the store within the store’s return window, you will be refunded the product cost less any store-related fees. Any ancillary fees from the original order (e.g. service fee, shipping costs, card fee) will unfortunately not be refundable.
If we are unable to return the item to the store within the store’s return window, unfortunately, you will not be eligible to receive a refund.
A package may fail customs clearance for different reasons. Some common reasons include failure to make payment of duties and import taxes, not having the necessary import licenses or attempting to import a prohibited good.
Please note that customs regulations differ between countries. We recommend contacting your local customs authority prior to going ahead with the order to ensure you can import your item into your country without any issues.
If your shipment does not clear customs and cannot be returned to BAB by the shipping carrier, unfortunately, you will not be eligible to receive a refund.
We currently offer four payment methods:
Stripe charges a 1.9% fee for each transaction. Unfortunately, because of the way our pricing is structured (whereby we charge a flat service fee regardless of the product cost), the Stripe fee gets passed through.
Yes, you can pay by PayPal at checkout.
TransferWise is service that that allows you to send money internationally. You do not need a U.S. bank account to use this method and can even elect to pay in your local currency. Simply create a free account here and enter your bank details. Unfortunately, TransferWise is not available for all currencies, so we recommend checking the supported countries here.
TransferWise payments do not attract a surcharge. Please note that your bank may charge a fee for the outgoing transfer. Any outstanding costs will need to be settled via Stripe.
Please note that TransferWise payments can take 3-6 business days to clear. If your order is time sensitive, we recommend paying by credit/debit card instead.
We require your payment in full before we can purchase items on your behalf.
For custom orders, we will provide you with a quote setting out the costs for your order. If you decide to proceed, you can select your preferred payment option and shipping method via the quote link. Once we receive your payment, we will purchase your items and ship them to your international address.
Unfortunately, we do not currently offer cash on delivery. Please note that we would need to receive your payment in full before we can purchase items on your behalf.
Unfortunately, we do not offer financing options. Please note that we would need to receive your payment in full before we can purchase items on your behalf.
Unfortunately, we're currently unable to apply store gift cards to your order.
Yes. We currently accept all major credit and debit cards via Stripe's secured payment system. Please note that your payment will be subject to a 1.9% Stripe surcharge.
All quotes are displayed in USD. However, you can elect to pay in your local currency if you select credit/debit card at checkout.
All credit and debit card payments are processed via Stripe's secured payment system and protected with 256-bit encryption. We never store any payment information.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide original store receipts as they contain our billing and shipping information. However, we’d be more than happy to provide a Big Apple Buddy invoice with a breakdown of costs.
Please note that we are unable to split payments, address invoices to a third party or back-date invoices.
You can indicate different billing and shipping addresses for your order. However, please note that our shipping couriers are unable to use a separate billing address for customs charges/import taxes. The customs invoice issued by FedEx/UPS will be addressed to your shipping address.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide store order numbers to our customers.
We’d be more than happy to assist with any returns for items purchased using our service. Please note that you will be bound by the store’s return policy and you will be responsible for returning the items to the U.S. and paying for any shipping fees, customs charges and store-related charges. A US$50 service fee will also apply for each item. Please note that only the product cost will be refundable for store returns. Any ancillary fees from the original order (e.g. service fee, shipping costs, card fee) will unfortunately not be refundable.
Unfortunately, if we are unable to return the item to the store within the store's return window, we will not be able to assist with the return.
Unfortunately, we're currently unable to assist with exchanges.
Please note that you would be responsible for returning the items to the U.S. and paying for any shipping fees, customs charges and store related charges. A US$50 service fee will also apply for each item.
If your return is accepted, we will issue a refund once we receive the credit from the store. Stripe refunds may take 5-10 business days to process.
If you need help with a return, please contact our team at support@bigapplebuddy.com. In your email, please provide your name, order number and a detailed description of the issue you’re experiencing.
Unfortunately, we currently only offer after-sales services (returns and warranties) to the original Big Apple Buddy customer. Any subsequent owners of products purchased through Big Apple Buddy will not be able to use Big Apple Buddy for after-sales services.
A package may fail customs clearance for different reasons. Some common reasons include failure to make payment of duties and import taxes, not having the necessary import licenses or attempting to import a prohibited good.
Please note that customs regulations differ between countries. We recommend contacting your local customs authority prior to going ahead with the order to ensure you can import your item into your country without any issues.
If your shipment does not clear customs and is returned to BAB, you will be responsible for any return shipping costs and customs charges. These costs will be deducted from your refund amount.
After receiving the item back from the shipping carrier, if we are able to return the item to the store within the store’s return window, you will be refunded the product cost less any store-related fees. Any ancillary fees from the original order (e.g. service fee, shipping costs, card fee) will unfortunately not be refundable.
If we are unable to return the item to the store within the store’s return window, unfortunately, you will not be eligible to receive a refund.
If your item arrives defective, we would be more than happy to help you return it to the store for a refund.
Please note that you will be bound by the store’s return policy and you will be responsible for returning the items to the U.S. and paying for any shipping fees, customs charges and store-related charges. A US$50 service fee will also apply for each item.
Please note that only the product cost will be refundable for store returns. Any ancillary fees from the original order (e.g. service fee, shipping costs, card fee) will unfortunately not be refundable.
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