Ordering stuff online - where do they go?

[Sparksy]

Hi,

If someone receives a parcel to an apartment in Tenerife, how does one receive the parcel? Is it delivered to the door? Some pickup point? I ask because I know the system does differ between different countries, even though people generally assume it is the same.

[polremy]

You'll probably receive a card telling you that your parcel is at the depot for you to come and collect. Not ideal if you don't gave a car.
At our complex the postman hands over all post, letters and parcels, to our president.
She will only accept parcels for those owners who are resident all year round.

[Sparksy]

It is the same in my country, but usually the places to pickup parcels are very close, even if one lives in a small town. It could be the local gas station or grocery store, for example. If one lives in a pretty central location in Tenerife, is it not usually very close to pick up a parcel?

[Mia]

We have numbered individual post boxes inside our complex and the postman comes in and puts mail into the corresponding boxes.

If he has a parcel he comes to the door but if there is no one in, he leaves a card in the post box and you have to collect from the post office/sorting office which in our case is in Adeje.

Although we believe he rarely has parcels because he usually delivers on a motor scooter so therefore just brings the card to let you know the parcel is at the sorting office and it is left to you to collect it.

This is obviously if it sent by post. For parcels delivered by couriers, I am not certain how they deal with it.

[Arona1]

I have always had mine delivered to the door here in tenerife, if im not in they leave a notice to pick up at the post office

[cressrt]

Only true if it is Correos delvering, a lot comes by courier eg DHL and that can be different.

[Arona1]

Only true if it is Correos delvering, a lot comes by courier eg DHL and that can be different.

Had a few parcels delivered by DHL to my front door

[Sparksy]

It depends on what you order online,if it is say some sort of electronic item (laptop,camera,tv box,etc) and you want it delivered via courier,DHL,SEUR etc,it will go through customs,the courior company will phone you pre delivery and tell you if you have to pay any duty on said parcel,if you are not bothered about how long you want your parcel,book it registered post via Correos and you will not pay any customs that may be due.
If you use Correos they will deliver to your door (if parcel is small) if large they will put a yellow/blue ticket in your post box and you will have to go to your local post office with ticket and ID,(passport,N.I.E etc) to collect it.........you have 15 days to collect said parcel or Correos will return it to sender.

It does sound like it is exactly the same as in my country. I think I will manage it, thank you! Hopefully that post office is not very far away, as I do not have a car. Not that I plan on ordering anything big however!

[ChillSmith]

You'll probably receive a card telling you that your parcel is at the depot for you to come and collect. Not ideal if you don't gave a car.
At our complex the postman hands over all post, letters and parcels, to our president.
She will only accept parcels for those owners who are resident all year round.

What happens to the other parcels then? Thrown away?

[Dvaidluiz]

Only true if it is Correos delvering, a lot comes by courier eg DHL and that can be different.

Had a few parcels delivered by DHL to my front door