We have had many orders for customised items, and they are fantastic! If you’d like to stand out in a crowd, let us help you feel special. See our See our FAQ on how to order custom items, from stores such as Nike, Timberland, Vans, Converse, Puma, Adidas and Ralph Lauren.
Our featured custom Nikes below were designed by DJ Roko Maqisa, from Australia.
Check us out in the December ’09 issue of Australian Shop Til You Drop magazine!
And also in the October ’09 issue of Australian Madison…
Lil’Shoppa is featured on Beso.com! Read full article at Beso.com/blog
Not long ago, we discovered LilShoppa.com from a tweet on what they thought were the hottest Prada motorcycle boots, which they discovered on beso. We took some time to sit down with Michelle, the founder of LilShoppa.com, to learn about their unique service for international shoppers. LilShoppa.com is a personal shopping and mail forwarding service for international customers who want to make online purchases from retailers that don’t ship internationally or don’t accept international credit cards.
Using the service is very straightforward: international shoppers can either place their orders themselves and have the merchandise shipped to LilShoppa’s U.S. address, or they can have LilShoppa.com place an order for them. They charge 15% of the merchandise costs plus shipping.
When we asked Michelle where she got the idea for this service, and we learned that it’s the classic case of her having identified an unmet market need. Michelle shared that, after moving to the States from Australia, many of her friends and family members would ask her to make purchases on their behalves at U.S. stores and websites and then have her mail them the goods. The draw for these shoppers was that they now had “access” to the U.S. market. The benefit went beyond overcoming the international shipping limitations; in many cases, the goods they had Michelle forward to them cost considerably more in their home country.
Michelle soon realized that this was a service she could offer to a broader market of international shoppers, which she brings to them through her website. Through word-of-mouth and press, LilShoppa.com now serves hundreds of customers each month in countries all over the world. Buyers from Australia, the U.K., Singapore, Malaysia, Romania, and Greece rely on LilShoppa.com for access to high-end products from premium brands likes Christian Dior, YSL, Christian Louboutin, Gucci and more.
Recently, she shipped a Christian Dior Babe Python Frame handbag to a very satisfied customer in Malaysia.
Christian Dior Python Babe Frame HandbagA customer from Australia is now cherishing her Yves Saint Laurent Evening clutch that they would otherwise be without were it not for LilShoppa. And, she says that buyers in Japan love their Christian Louboutin shoes.
Christian Louboutin Mini Peep Toe PumpSo, international shoppers rejoice: the abundance of U.S. retail shopping options is no further away than your Swarovski mouse.
We offer many useful tools on our website, one of them being a USA size chart. Generally speaking, US sizes tend to run a little on the larger side. Every store differs slightly with their sizing, but our guide gives instructions on how to measure yourself for the most accurate fit. We also list European and Asian sizes side my side for comparisons, as well as shoe sizes and accessories.
Mail Forwarding Service Comparison Chart (based on fees per year)
| LilShoppa | Bongo | USAMail1 | USA2ME | EarthClass
|
USGlobal
|
|
| Setup fee | FREE | $0 | $49.95 | $15+ | $25 | $0 |
| Annual membership | FREE | $180 | $120 | $120 | $9.95 | $150 |
| Additional name on mailbox | FREE | $0 | $25 | $60 | $36 | $0 |
| Consolidation | FREE | $0 | 6.95 box | 50% shipping | N/A | $3 box |
| Commercial invoice | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Storage | FREE | $60 | $12 per lb | $12 per lb | $8 box | $12 per lb |
| Mail Scanning | N/A | 50c page | 25c page | 25c page | 25c page | No |
Check U.S. Sizing Chart => Here
We buy from auction sites on your behalf, such as Ebay. We can only make buy-it-now purchases however, but are more than happy to receive and forward your purchase for our low handling fee. See something that doesn’t ship to your country? Let us buy it for you! Simply fill out your order form with the link to your item and we will nab it before anyone else does!
At Lil’Shoppa we make no distinction between mail / package forwarding and personal shopping. Whether we buy online for you or buy in-store, we do our best to get your items, wherever they may be and for all one low fee. Unlike other services, we do not charge a separate fee for personal shopping. We love our job and are happy to shop to for you!
Most mail-forwarding services simply facillitate you with a US postal address. They charge you set-up fees, expensive payment plans or memberships to simply re-route your purchases. But Lil’Shoppa prides itself on a personalised service!
• We personally shop, order and receive your items.
• We forward items purchased by you from online stores.
• We check that your items are what you ordered before sending them on.
• We buy from websites that don’t sell online as well as ones that do.
• We will find your item for you, at no extra charge.
• We DO NOT require a mailbox setup, membership dues or credit card information.
• We use flat-rate boxes and combine shipping for your items
• We are involved in every step to make sure your USA shopping experience is as easy and stress-free as possible.
• We will buy items for you from non-retail websites (items that are only available in-store) at no extra charge.
• We will find your item for you from a picture and description submitted with your order form.
• We do not have any processing fees, cancellation or exchange fees.
• We always endeavour to find coupons, free shipping codes and online discounts to apply to your order.
• We can cancel your order at any time and issue you a full refund before we post your package.
• All costs are itemised in your invoice, there are no hidden fees or “duties”.
• We regularly give away gifts with every order you place.
• We are a small business and give detailed service to every customer.
• We support you making purchases yourself and using our address.
Our service is pay-per-use. This mail forwarding option is ideal for consumers who do not want long term commitments and are looking for a one time . There are no memberships and all services are included in your one handling fee.
Should you prefer to receive your items from a company other that USPS, please tell us in the “additional information” box on your orderform. We are more than happy to go through another carrier. This may be a good option for very valuable items, or for items you wish to receive as quickly as possible. Any other special instructions are appreciated so that we can serve you better. All information for other carriers can be found on their websites.
Lil’Shoppa does not provide mailboxes, so there is nothing to manage! That’s the beauty of our system. As soon as we receive your order, we ship it out to you, same or next day. While we consolidate items, we do not bulk-ship, as this makes your packages subject to import duties and taxes. We are also not a big company charging you fees and memberships to cover our overheads. We are small and personal. Your “mailbox” (our office) is emptied everyday and forwarded to you for one low fee per package. That’s it!
 | Michelle Vecchione likes |
