How to buy items in the US without a US credit card

Not all US online stores will accept your local or International credit card and will require you to have a US credit card to purchase from them. So here's my guide on how to work around it.

You should only consider these steps if you can't buy using your normal credit card. Otherwise, read my guide on How to buy directly from US websites and have it shipped to you via freight forwarder - comGateway.

So, how to buy items in the US?

One way is to use a freight forwarder. It's essentially a freight forwarder is an organisation that will receive freight (goods/ items) on your behalf and forward it to you.
comGateway with their BuyForMe service (US founded) and vPost4U from SingPost (Singapore founded) offers you the ability to buy from an overseas merchant that does not accept international credit cards. They both work by allowing you to pay them first, and then they will buy the item/s on your behalf. They both will ship to many countries around the world such as Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, etc.

Here's how I used comGateway's BuyForMe service to buy items for me.

Step 1 - Sign up for a US address at comGateway

As soon as you register with comGateway, you'll be given a free, sales tax-exempted U.S. shipping address, and the fun can begin!

Step 2 - Start shopping and find the items you want

Start shopping and find the item that you're looking for. That is, shop at your favourite U.S. online stores, ship packages to your new U.S. address. As the store won’t accept your credit card, we will use comGateway's BuyForMe service.

Step 3 - Once you find your items enter the details in the BuyForMe section of comGateway

Once you find your items enter the details in the BuyForMe section of comGateway. This is under the "Tools" menu.

Fill in your items in your BuyForMe cart

Step 4 - Check out at BuyForMe

Once you are ready, check out and pay for your items with your local or International credit card. comGateway will then buy your items on your behalf.

Step 5 - You will see a confirmation BuyForMe screen

Step 6 - You'll also receive a confirmation email

You'll also receive a confirmation email with details on your comGateway BuyForMe purchase.

Please note the 5% service and admin charge below that comGateway will add to your bill for buying the item on your behalf and factor this into your costs.

Dear Vu,
Thank you for shopping with comGateway BuyForMe service.
We have received your order request with AMAZON.COM. View your Orders here.

BuyForMe order Confirmation

Product Description	Quantity	Unit Price	Sub Total

AMAZON.COM
TP-LINK N300 Wi-Fi Range Extender (TL-WA850RE) Amazon.com	1	US$19.86	US$19.86


Sub Total			US$19.86
BuyForMe service charge			US$0.99
Total			US$20.85

You have chosen free or lowest cost domestic delivery.
You have chosen to hold the order if one or more items are unavailable.

Next Step:

We will proceed to place your order within the next 48 hours. We will send you another email when your package arrives at your U.S. Address.

Step 7 - Check your Dashboard for your items

Check your Dashboard for your items. Once they are received by comGateway, you will see them in your dashboard.

comGateway dashboard. Packages will be here once they arrive from the US online stores

Step 8 - Packages are shipped to your US Address at comGateway

comGateway notify you as soon as your packages arrive. When you log in, you'll have full control over what happens to your package next.
This includes:

View full scans of each package's invoice and chargeable shipping weights
Enjoy 30 days of free storage while all your shipments arrive for consolidation
Make easy returns if you change your mind
Manage international shipping options and track your packages

Tip - It's generally best to group all your items together if you are buying from many different US online stores. This helps you to maximise your purchases and make save you from paying more than one freight postage costs.

Step 9 - When you're ready, ask comGateway to ship your packages home

Make sure everything you ordered has arrived, tell us how you want them packed, and give us the OK to ship them to you. You’ll be able to track the packages until they arrive in 3-8 business days. comGateway uses FedEx and DHL to manage their logistics delivery here for you.

Step 10 - Enjoy your new items!

Enjoy your new goods, shipped directly from the US.

Sound good? Happy shopping!