Pros: Easy to use site design, range of shipping options
Cons: Internet account access costs $20 per year, high annual costs with fees and shipping charges
Bottom Line: May work for you if you are a frequent shopper, but the "hidden" charges might get you.

Access USA caters to shoppers outside of the US who want to get their goods shipped to a US mailing address in Sarasota, FL before being shipped on to you. Their service provides an email shipment advisory, but if you want internet account access it will cost you $20 per month. They primarily ship via DHL and you can choose Express, Air, or Surface depending on how quickly you want to get your deliveries.

In addition, you can choose how frequently you receive your shipments, immediately, weekly, bi-weekly, scheduled, or upon your request. You can have up to 3 additional names on your account. Depending on how you plan to use the account, you'll need to watch out for their handling and packing charges.

They offer free handing and shipping of your regular mail items such as letters, magazines and catalogs. Access US also gives you the option to consolidate your packages. Although the consolidation service is only free for the first two packages, and costs $3 per box thereafter. You'll also find that they'll provide the commercial invoice, if required, for an $8 fee and you may get hit with a $5 per box, per month storage fee on anything they have longer than 6 weeks.

Additional Services

Access USA provides a range of additional services including:

• A merchandise purchase option (for a fee)
• A personal shopper option (for a fee)
• A list of shopping sites
• The ability to order catalogs and magazines
• An affiliate program for merchants
• International callback (for a fee)
• Telephone and Voice messaging (for a fee)
• Fax forwarding (for a fee)

Rates

All accounts incur a $25 set-up fee, annual fees of $132, or monthly fees of $15. The web access is another $20 per year. Check their web site for the full details for your country.

Our Tests

Brazil
Using their rate calculator, our monthly express shipment of 4.55 Kg (10 lb.) would be about $68.32. Our annual cost for this account would be $996.84 (setup fee: $25 + annual fee: $132 + web access: $20 + shipping charges 12 x $68.32).

Canada
The shipment to Canada is about $56.23. Giving us an annual cost of $851.76 (setup fee: $25 + annual fee: $132 + web access: $20 + shipping charges 12 x $56.23).

England
The shipment to England is also about $56.23. Giving us an annual cost of $851.76 (setup fee: $25 + annual fee: $132 + web access: $20 + shipping charges 12 x $56.23).

Japan
The shipment to Japan is also about $56.23. Giving us an annual cost of $851.76 (setup fee: $25 + annual fee: $132 + web access: $20 + shipping charges 12 x $56.23).

Singapore
The shipment to Singapore is also about $56.23. Giving us an annual cost of $851.76 (setup fee: $25 + annual fee: $132 + web access: $20 + shipping charges 12 x $56.23).