[Updated August 2015]
Some time ago, my brother visited me, and saw one of the lucha masks that I have. It was a split Guerrero Maya Jr. / Multifacético mask, a design that Guerrero Maya Jr. uses only when facing Black Terry on independent shows. There aren't that many of these in existence: three, as far as I know, as of August 2015. Mine is signed to my real name by "Guerrero Maya Jr. antes Multifacetico". My brother asked me how much it was worth. I told him that I didn't know and that I was planning on never selling it.
Somewhat more recently, I was told by someone in Mexico, "What gives value [to a mask] as a collection item is the use [by] and signature [of the luchador]" (translated from Spanish and context added by me). I replied at the time that I didn't have a strong preference either way for new or used masks -- which, on the surface, was true: about half of the original masks I have are new, and half were used.
For those unfamiliar with the term, an "original" mask is one that was originally made for the luchador in question, or at the very least by the same mask maker (mascarero) using the exact same design and sizing, rather than by a different mascarero imitating the design. (The emphasis is on the "origin" part of original.) This is a matter separate from materials and construction quality, and separate from "official" masks. (A luchador can authorize a non-original mascarero's products by signing or tagging them.)
Non-original masks are often high-quality in and of themselves. The problem is that, if you value accuracy highly, it's very difficult for the mascarero to make things exactly the same with different proportions and such. And, especially with newer designs, it often takes them a few iterations (i.e., delays) to figure things out.
So the primary attraction for me in original masks is that I know that they will be accurate because the luchador in question has at some point looked at the design. That I can get the luchador to sign them is nice, but secondary to the fidelity of the design itself. If I care enough about the design (or the luchador) to care about the mask, I want the design to be exactly that, and I am willing to pay a premium for it, and am willing to make it worth someone's time.
As for whether a mask is used or not, obviously, when a mask has been used in a specific important or memorable match, that's one thing, but if it's an unremarkable weekday match, I would actually prefer an unused mask by default. I also highly prefer that the mask be intact -- ripping of a mask on a random storyline build kind of destroys the point for me; chances are that I'm not going to remember the middle of a long multi-month build. However, I'm not opposed to a lightly used mask in good condition.
Unless the luchador actually offers a specific used mask, I don't expect to be able to acquire one, though. However, this is something that actually varies among luchadors; some simply assume that, if you're buying a mask from them, you want it used and will use it once before selling it.
In my experience, luchadors generally (although not universally) charge for masks based on their own standing and on the cost of the mask itself, not whether the mask has been used. The person who told me that a used mask is worth more is right in that a used mask automatically has some story behind it. But since the value of original masks for me comes from their inherent accuracy of the design, I have to balance a worn mask against that.
And far more interesting than the stories of how the masks were used are the stories of how one actually comes to acquire them, especially if the luchador hasn't offered them publicly. (Although some do, many luchadors don't explicitly let you know that they have merchandise for sale; it's an unwritten rule of lucha libre culture that most luchadors will sell their merchandise if asked seriously, though. This trend appears to be slowly changing, though, with more guys being open about what they have or partnering with sites like Masked Republic.)
I'm especially grateful for the opportunities that I've had to buy original masks, given that this traditionally [again, Masked Republic excepted] involves a conversation not only
about the mask itself and price, but also the logistics of actually
getting said mask. This is not straightforward when the seller is not
supposed to reveal his real name and is some thousands of miles away. I
always feel as if they have better things to do, and I don't doubt that there are luchadors who would make this experience unpleasant. However, for me, things have generally gone extremely well, and the luchadors with whom I've interacted have been incredibly nice.
And in the end, there is no way to put a value on those stories.
Showing posts with label buying masks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label buying masks. Show all posts
Monday, July 21, 2014
Friday, May 17, 2013
5 pieces of advice to those selling internationally from Mexico
Edit: For the Spanish version, see: / Para la versión español, véase: http://tkd117.blogspot.com/2013/05/5-consejos-los-que-vendan-desde.html
Over the past several months, I've had the pleasure of dealing with several honest, nice people, including masked luchadors, from Mexico. The transactions have worked out well, but there are logistical details that have had to be worked out each time. Based on this, I've devised a list of things that Mexican sellers can do to help those of us abroad who want to buy things from them.
I realize that this post is in the wrong language for its primary intended purpose; I intend to translate it to Spanish at some point, but it's still much easier for me to hash out my own thoughts in English. In the meantime, hopefully it at least gives some perspective to buyers in terms of things to think about. (And maybe some bilingual people in Mexico will find it useful until I can translate it.)
Over the past several months, I've had the pleasure of dealing with several honest, nice people, including masked luchadors, from Mexico. The transactions have worked out well, but there are logistical details that have had to be worked out each time. Based on this, I've devised a list of things that Mexican sellers can do to help those of us abroad who want to buy things from them.
I realize that this post is in the wrong language for its primary intended purpose; I intend to translate it to Spanish at some point, but it's still much easier for me to hash out my own thoughts in English. In the meantime, hopefully it at least gives some perspective to buyers in terms of things to think about. (And maybe some bilingual people in Mexico will find it useful until I can translate it.)
- ACCEPT PAYPAL. In Mexico, it is common to pay by direct bank deposit, but this is a pain to do internationally, for reasons I'll outline in more detail in a moment, and is seen as very insecure in other cultures. PayPal does take a few percent of international sales, but, if you want to sell internationally, it's probably worth having an account, even if seldom needed, because many people will absolutely refuse to pay by direct deposit or wire transfer. Also, you will only have to reveal an email address and full name, not all of your bank details.
- Give your prices in pesos. Somewhat amusingly to me, many people will quote me prices in US dollars, I assume because they know that I'm from the US and they think that this is easier. It's actually not. Different services will give different exchange rates, and most of the time they're noticeably lower than what published exchange rates say, so either the buyer has to do the math anyway to make a fair payment, or you're going to have to accept a variable net payment based on not only fluctuations in the true exchange rates, but also the rates that the different services give. If you give your price in pesos, international buyers should be able to target that amount directly.
(By the way, it's roughly 12 pesos = $1 these days, not 10 pesos = $1.) - If you really want to paid by direct deposit, know your CLABE. CLABE is a standardized 18-digit cross-bank number that works for transfers throughout Mexico, and many services require the CLABE for international transfers inbound into Mexico. If you don't know this, call your bank, or possibly check your bank account online. Most international buyers cannot make a transfer based on a 16-digit debit card number.
- Be aware that international direct deposits require lots of personal details. At least for transfers from the US, we need to know the recipient's full legal name, address, and phone number. It is insufficient to know the name alone. If you are uncomfortable giving this information, you'll have to make a different arrangement -- possibly money pickup somewhere. Much more preferably, see item #1.
- If you are a masked luchador, get someone trustworthy to help you. Believe it or not, there are gringos who want to buy cool stuff from you but do want to respect your privacy. I don't want to know your name, even if you're willing to reveal it. (Note that PayPal reveals the name of the payee to anyone who makes a payment.) Get someone trustworthy -- an unmasked family member or a close friend -- to help you accept payments.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Lucha libre mask vendor review: Don Galle
If you follow me on Twitter, my avatars there for the last several months have been a sampling of the masks that I have purchased from Don Galle, who's located in Zapopan, Jalisco, but can be found on MercadoLibre on the Internet: http://eshops.mercadolibre.com.mx/don+galle/listado/_CategID_7831_Desde_1_DisplayType_L . (However, I've done direct email transactions with him after the first purchase; it makes for a smoother and more flexible transaction.) I'll cut to the chase and say that I'm generally really happy with his work. Examples:
The Rey Cometa mask was a custom order; the others are (or at least were) masks that he kept in stock or, at worst, with about one week's lead time. Additionally, I have several other masks not yet photographed, including Máscara Dorada (signed!), Volador Jr./Carnage, Stuka Jr., and Mr. Niebla. He keeps several other masks in stock.
His prices per mask generally range from 400 to 700 MXN (at the time of this writing, about US$30-53) each, depending on the luchador and style of mask, which is among the lowest prices I've seen for comparable quality. His shipping rates are reasonable, 200 MXX for one mask to the United States via EMS and 700 MXN for a 1-kg package (5 masks) via DHL.
One thing that I appreciated was that Don Galle haas been transparent in letting me know about minor differences in stock that he had remaining on hand (e.g., drawstring versus elastic band at the neck, minor size differences from standard size) and giving me the option to take what he had versus waiting a week or so for new masks. I appreciated being given the choice.
Out of the 10 or so masks I've purchased for Don Galle, one (a different Sin Cara mask from the one pictured above) had the piece and the bottom center of the mask very noticeably curved to the side. Don Galle was happy to exchange (although I did ship back at my own expense), and I haven't had a problem since. I do ask for photos of masks that he has in stock now, though. Otherwise, in terms of quality, the masks have been excellent. I suppose that one other minor quibble is that the evenness of the stitching could be a little better overall. Even though slight variation is always to be expected, there's probably just a little more of it on average here for a professional-quality mask. Don't get me wrong; it's not as if the stitching is bad, but I think it could reasonably be a little bit tighter in spots.
He's usually prompt with communication and answering my questions, although a few times I've had to ping him for status updates when original ETAs have passed.
Nonetheless, the masks are overall great and very reasonably priced. Given how the Rey Cometa mask turned out, I'll probably be asking Don Galle to make me an Aero Star mask in the upcoming months.
Update: Someone asked in the comments how to contact him directly. With his permission to post his email address publicly, he can be emailed at dongallezap2010 [at] yahoo [dot] com [dot] mx . He's also on Facebook (which I rarely use) as Don Galle Delgadillo at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001120442436 (Note that I don't think that he speaks English; hopefully, your written Spanish is decent enough to be understood.)
The Rey Cometa mask was a custom order; the others are (or at least were) masks that he kept in stock or, at worst, with about one week's lead time. Additionally, I have several other masks not yet photographed, including Máscara Dorada (signed!), Volador Jr./Carnage, Stuka Jr., and Mr. Niebla. He keeps several other masks in stock.
His prices per mask generally range from 400 to 700 MXN (at the time of this writing, about US$30-53) each, depending on the luchador and style of mask, which is among the lowest prices I've seen for comparable quality. His shipping rates are reasonable, 200 MXX for one mask to the United States via EMS and 700 MXN for a 1-kg package (5 masks) via DHL.
One thing that I appreciated was that Don Galle haas been transparent in letting me know about minor differences in stock that he had remaining on hand (e.g., drawstring versus elastic band at the neck, minor size differences from standard size) and giving me the option to take what he had versus waiting a week or so for new masks. I appreciated being given the choice.
Out of the 10 or so masks I've purchased for Don Galle, one (a different Sin Cara mask from the one pictured above) had the piece and the bottom center of the mask very noticeably curved to the side. Don Galle was happy to exchange (although I did ship back at my own expense), and I haven't had a problem since. I do ask for photos of masks that he has in stock now, though. Otherwise, in terms of quality, the masks have been excellent. I suppose that one other minor quibble is that the evenness of the stitching could be a little better overall. Even though slight variation is always to be expected, there's probably just a little more of it on average here for a professional-quality mask. Don't get me wrong; it's not as if the stitching is bad, but I think it could reasonably be a little bit tighter in spots.
He's usually prompt with communication and answering my questions, although a few times I've had to ping him for status updates when original ETAs have passed.
Nonetheless, the masks are overall great and very reasonably priced. Given how the Rey Cometa mask turned out, I'll probably be asking Don Galle to make me an Aero Star mask in the upcoming months.
Update: Someone asked in the comments how to contact him directly. With his permission to post his email address publicly, he can be emailed at dongallezap2010 [at] yahoo [dot] com [dot] mx . He's also on Facebook (which I rarely use) as Don Galle Delgadillo at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001120442436 (Note that I don't think that he speaks English; hopefully, your written Spanish is decent enough to be understood.)
General considerations on choosing lucha libre masks
I probably should blog more than once a month, but I'm a slow writer. :-p Anyway, some final, non-vendor-specific tips on buying masks, before I start reviewing individual sellers.
As a note, I'll be focusing on professional-grade masks, since that's what I've been personally buying. I don't have the experience to judge the quality difference between a vendor's pro-quality masks and their next step down, or to recommend whether the savings would be worth it. I do know that I'm happy with most of my masks, and that there's enough variation within what's nominally called "professional-quality" to give me enough material to write about. :)
Know what you want, how much you want to pay, and how long you want to wait
This may seem obvious, but there are infinitely many variations on any given mask style, and any good mascarero will be able to change colors, materials, sizes, and styles on demand, especially for pro-grade masks. Some may keep some sort of stock on hand, especially for masks of the more well-known luchadores, but will be happy to do a custom order if you're willing to wait. Lead time varies depending on how complex/different the order is and the size of their backlog, but 4-8 weeks is reasonable for a style that the mascarero isn't used to making. (I waited about 8 weeks for my custom Rey Cometa mask; it was worth it!) Be sure to ask ahead of time and to be prepared to be very specific about what you want. (Pictures help here, if it's a style that the luchador has actually worn.)
Even if you aren't placing a custom order, it's possible that the mascarero has lots of different styles available for a given mask (including, in some cases, variants that were rarely or never actually worn by the luchador), so be ready to choose among more options than you were originally thinking about.
Know whether and where you're willing to compromise
If you aren't willing to wait for a custom order and can't find someone who has exactly what you want, have an idea of how much you're willing to compromise from what you originally wanted, and in what aspects. Perhaps a different color is available, or perhaps an open-/closed-mouth variant is acceptable, or perhaps a lower-quality version is okay for what you want.
Also, have an idea of how much of a stickler for accuracy you're going to be. Do keep in mind that masks are hand-made and that a given luchador has possibly worn masks with more minor variants than you might be aware of, so a strict, hard-line comparison to single reference image or video may not be the best idea, even for the purposes of looking for something like alignment of one part of the design with another. (For example, the exact placement of the cross on the forehead of the Rey Mysterio mask varies considerably. A quick Google image search shows this rather readily, but making this sort of determination for lesser known luchadores is going to be harder.)
Ask for more pictures if necessary!
If you need pictures from different angles (especially with designs on the back of the mask becoming more common) to judge whether you want to buy, don't be afraid to ask for them! Sometimes vendors, especially private sellers on eBay or MercadoLibre, don't take as many (or any!) pictures of the back of the mask, or don't take photos at high enough of a resolution to be able to judge the quality of details, such as stitching.
If you suspect that the mask would be on hand, it might be worth asking whether you can see photos of the exact copy that would be sent to you before you buy it. This might be a bit toward, but I explain that I'm a serious buyer, understand that masks are hand-made and, because of the shipping distance and cost, want to be sure beyond a doubt that I'll be happy with what I'm specifically buying.
As a note, I'll be focusing on professional-grade masks, since that's what I've been personally buying. I don't have the experience to judge the quality difference between a vendor's pro-quality masks and their next step down, or to recommend whether the savings would be worth it. I do know that I'm happy with most of my masks, and that there's enough variation within what's nominally called "professional-quality" to give me enough material to write about. :)
Know what you want, how much you want to pay, and how long you want to wait
This may seem obvious, but there are infinitely many variations on any given mask style, and any good mascarero will be able to change colors, materials, sizes, and styles on demand, especially for pro-grade masks. Some may keep some sort of stock on hand, especially for masks of the more well-known luchadores, but will be happy to do a custom order if you're willing to wait. Lead time varies depending on how complex/different the order is and the size of their backlog, but 4-8 weeks is reasonable for a style that the mascarero isn't used to making. (I waited about 8 weeks for my custom Rey Cometa mask; it was worth it!) Be sure to ask ahead of time and to be prepared to be very specific about what you want. (Pictures help here, if it's a style that the luchador has actually worn.)
Even if you aren't placing a custom order, it's possible that the mascarero has lots of different styles available for a given mask (including, in some cases, variants that were rarely or never actually worn by the luchador), so be ready to choose among more options than you were originally thinking about.
Know whether and where you're willing to compromise
If you aren't willing to wait for a custom order and can't find someone who has exactly what you want, have an idea of how much you're willing to compromise from what you originally wanted, and in what aspects. Perhaps a different color is available, or perhaps an open-/closed-mouth variant is acceptable, or perhaps a lower-quality version is okay for what you want.
Also, have an idea of how much of a stickler for accuracy you're going to be. Do keep in mind that masks are hand-made and that a given luchador has possibly worn masks with more minor variants than you might be aware of, so a strict, hard-line comparison to single reference image or video may not be the best idea, even for the purposes of looking for something like alignment of one part of the design with another. (For example, the exact placement of the cross on the forehead of the Rey Mysterio mask varies considerably. A quick Google image search shows this rather readily, but making this sort of determination for lesser known luchadores is going to be harder.)
Ask for more pictures if necessary!
If you need pictures from different angles (especially with designs on the back of the mask becoming more common) to judge whether you want to buy, don't be afraid to ask for them! Sometimes vendors, especially private sellers on eBay or MercadoLibre, don't take as many (or any!) pictures of the back of the mask, or don't take photos at high enough of a resolution to be able to judge the quality of details, such as stitching.
If you suspect that the mask would be on hand, it might be worth asking whether you can see photos of the exact copy that would be sent to you before you buy it. This might be a bit toward, but I explain that I'm a serious buyer, understand that masks are hand-made and, because of the shipping distance and cost, want to be sure beyond a doubt that I'll be happy with what I'm specifically buying.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Lucha mask sizing, laces, and display heads
No, I haven't forgotten that I had started a "series" of posts about lucha libre masks; I've just been busy. I thought I'd spent this post describing some things that aren't immediately obvious about lucha libre masks, at least based on my experience.
Sizing
Mascareros have a notion of a standard adult size for masks. As far as I can tell, this standard size is consistently roughly aimed at what we'd consider in the US to be a head size of around 7 1/4 to 7 3/8 or so. My size is around 7 1/2, and every "standard size" mask that I have fits, but usually just a bit snugly. (I usually do order standard size, though, just because it's easier and more likely to be on hand. I do have one mask that was measured at 1 cm larger, and it fits more naturally.) This means that if you wear, say, size 8, you'll need to make special orders. :) Also, lace-up masks will obviously have a little more leeway than masks that are closed in the back.
As far as neck size goes, my collar size is 16", and, again, every standard-size mask with snaps or Velcro fits snugly, so take this as a sign that if your neck is any bigger than that, you'll probably need a larger mask around the neck/chin. Masks with a single piece of elastic around the neck have some stretch room to spare for me, so you might have more leeway with those masks.
Laces and display heads
Some mascareros will ship laces with lace-up masks; others don't and expect you to buy laces on your own. Amazon.com is a good place to find laces of all sorts of wacky colors to match masks. Length will obviously depend on how many eyelets the mask has and how tightly you'll be able to lace to mask. For a point of reference, Deportes Martinez masks have 14 pairs of eyelets in the back and ship with 60" laces
If you want to put masks on display, you can get mannequin heads made out of styrofoam or plastic on Amazon as well. I bought these for my office: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000V9PYHY/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details
They're significantly smaller than an average human head, but they serve their purpose well enough, and are fairly inexpensive. My only real complaint is that they're so light that it's a bit difficult to keep them in place while trying to get a closed mask with an elastic neckband on them, so maybe next time I'll try to find something a little bit heavier and/or larger.
Next post, I'll start actually talking about specific mask vendors.
Sizing
Mascareros have a notion of a standard adult size for masks. As far as I can tell, this standard size is consistently roughly aimed at what we'd consider in the US to be a head size of around 7 1/4 to 7 3/8 or so. My size is around 7 1/2, and every "standard size" mask that I have fits, but usually just a bit snugly. (I usually do order standard size, though, just because it's easier and more likely to be on hand. I do have one mask that was measured at 1 cm larger, and it fits more naturally.) This means that if you wear, say, size 8, you'll need to make special orders. :) Also, lace-up masks will obviously have a little more leeway than masks that are closed in the back.
As far as neck size goes, my collar size is 16", and, again, every standard-size mask with snaps or Velcro fits snugly, so take this as a sign that if your neck is any bigger than that, you'll probably need a larger mask around the neck/chin. Masks with a single piece of elastic around the neck have some stretch room to spare for me, so you might have more leeway with those masks.
Laces and display heads
Some mascareros will ship laces with lace-up masks; others don't and expect you to buy laces on your own. Amazon.com is a good place to find laces of all sorts of wacky colors to match masks. Length will obviously depend on how many eyelets the mask has and how tightly you'll be able to lace to mask. For a point of reference, Deportes Martinez masks have 14 pairs of eyelets in the back and ship with 60" laces
If you want to put masks on display, you can get mannequin heads made out of styrofoam or plastic on Amazon as well. I bought these for my office: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000V9PYHY/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details
Next post, I'll start actually talking about specific mask vendors.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Logistics of international payment and shipping
This post is part 1 in (at least) a 3-part series on buying lucha masks from Mexico. This post will be dealing with paying for and getting stuff shipped internationally, since there quite a few aspects here that wouldn't be obvious at the outset.
Background and scope
If you're a lucha fan like me who lives nowhere near Mexico, and doesn't (or can't) plan on traveling there any time soon, the Internet is probably your sole venue of getting lucha masks. Though I don't consider myself an expert, I've had some experience buying from different vendors in Mexico over email and the Internet, and what I've learned (especially concerning logistics) may be helpful to other people, so I thought I'd write about it.
I was originally envisioning a gigantic post about this, but it kept growing and growing, and although my target audience is probably not uninitiated to long blog posts, I felt that it'd be better in the long run to talk about a few aspects separately. So instead I'm going to do a series of posts. From this point on in this post, I actually won't be discussing masks or specific sellers at all, although that's probably what most people would be eager to read. You can be patient. :)
I'm going to start off by discussing logistics of paying and shipping, since I learned quite a bit (and ran into a few things that surprised me) along the way. Some of what I write will be specific to having packages shipped from Mexico to the United States, but I'll try to note this where possible. At the same time, many of the caveats here would apply equally as well to other international transactions, so even more reason to break this out into its own post.
Payment
International payments are tricky. Basically, your viable options are, in decreasing order of preference:
If you're dealing with a well-established merchant, they may be able to charge a credit card directly. This is fine, but be aware that direct international transactions, at least in my experience, tend to get flagged more readily by credit card companies as suspicious (more so than transactions that go through PayPal), so you may end up calling or getting called by your credit card company to verify the transaction. This can be slightly inconvenient.
In Mexico, it seems to be more common and accepted to use wire transfer services, such as Western Union or perhaps MoneyGram, for payment. These have a stigma in the US because of the potential for fraud. If your seller doesn't have a PayPal account, you should decide whether you trust him/her enough (ideally, you'll be able to see feedback from other buyers) and whether the fees charged by these services are acceptable to you. You'll also need to exchange full legal names, agree on where to send money to, and wait for the money to become available there.
Some of these services (MoneyGram) require you to specify the payment in the originating currency (i.e., yours) -- or at least I had to. Do your seller a favor and round up a bit to make sure that they don't get short-changed by exchange rates. Tell them to keep the change (it'll be a few pesos at most if you did your math right).
I've didn't have a problem with the two sellers whom I had to pay via wire transfer, but, again, do due diligence and check references and/or feedback. Also, encourage your sellers to get a PayPal account; it'll save them from having to go somewhere to pick up payments. :)
If you can't use PayPal or a credit card, and don't trust a wire transfer service, the last recourse would be an international money order. I've never had to do this, but you'd have to pay for the money order, then pay to ship the order, and wait for it to arrive and clear. This would be expensive by any means, even more so if you actually want the payment to get there in a reasonable amount of time.
Shipping
Always confirm with your seller that they will ship internationally, what they would charge for international shipping and what shipping methods they would offer. Ideally, your seller would be able to ship via a DHL, UPS, or FedEx expedited service at a reasonable cost. Some sellers are able to ship packages under one pound, or half a kilogram, for about US$20-30 from Mexico to the United States. I personally don't know how they get those rates, because international DHL/UPS shipping is more expensive for me, as well as for many other sellers; we seem to be quoted about double that cost. Nevertheless, the cost may be worth it for larger or valuable shipments. Although expensive, these services clear customs quickly, and have accurate tracking. DHL is able to get stuff from Torreón, Mexico to me in Connecticut in less than 24 hours, door to door.
Assuming that you can't get a good rate on third-party carriers, your next best bet is Express Mail (or EMS). This should cost about US$15-20 for a small package (again, from Mexico to the United States) and goes through the postal system. Expect this to take at least a week, and probably more realistically two weeks: 2-5 days to get out of Mexico (depending on how close they are to Mexico City), 2-7 days for customs clearance inbound into the US, and 2-3 days from customs to you. Customs shouldn't pose a problem unless you have a big order; I've never had to pay any duties or had an issue. Your mileage may vary if you are buying from other countries or live outside the US.
A third option, which would be even less expensive (about US$10) would be Registered Mail (the name is similar in Spanish, if I recall: correo registrado). This is supposed to be the most secure shipping method, but, because of the security, you cannot track the package in the USPS system until/unless an inquiry is lodged, and that can't happen until the allotted 21 days permitted for delivery (after the package enters the United States) have elapsed. Suffice it to say that your package will probably get to you, but you had better be a patient person. I don't recommend using this, because the loss of tracking information is extremely annoying, and EMS has been reliable enough for me, even though I do complain about its variability in delivery time.
If you do use the postal system (either EMS or Registered Mail), be aware that the same tracking number should work in both the originating country's tracking system and in the USPS' system, once the shipment reaches the US. This may seem perhaps obvious, but it wasn't immediately clear to me the first time that I had something shipped internationally (via Registered Mail).
One last quirk: If you have goods shipped from Mexico, the Mexican tracking system uses the confusing status «Depositado en Valija» ("Deposited in Mailbag" -- i.e., more or less "out for delivery") to signify that it has handed the package over to the receiving country. At this point, you should continue to track the package in the receiving country's tracking system.
In summary: use a third-party delivery service (DHL, UPS, or FedEx) if you can afford to do so; otherwise use EMS (which translates to Express Mail International on the USPS side).
Addressing
Mexico's postal addressing system that is rather different from the one used in the US. Mexico uses postal codes, cities, and states, but within cities in Mexico, there are "colonias" (roughly, "neighborhoods") that are a vital part of the address (e.g., you may be familiar with the Colonia Doctores in which Arena México lies). Also important to the address are the intersecting streets in between which an address is located.
Some vendors unfamiliar with US addresses will try to fit your address into Mexico's postal addressing system, and thus will ask for colonia or intersecting streets (often designated in a form as simply the entre field). Neither of these components make sense in a US address, so politely insist that they write the address as you've given it. (I have my packages delivered to work, whose street-level address is simply a building name and floor. I've had to explain how this is impossible to fit into a form that asks for número exterior, número interior, calle, and colonia.)
On the other hand, postal code (or ZIP code in the US) and city are universally recognized and useful, regardless of country, and some carriers will want them noted separately to help them route (and perhaps price) the package. You may need to point these out separately to the shipper.
Background and scope
If you're a lucha fan like me who lives nowhere near Mexico, and doesn't (or can't) plan on traveling there any time soon, the Internet is probably your sole venue of getting lucha masks. Though I don't consider myself an expert, I've had some experience buying from different vendors in Mexico over email and the Internet, and what I've learned (especially concerning logistics) may be helpful to other people, so I thought I'd write about it.
I was originally envisioning a gigantic post about this, but it kept growing and growing, and although my target audience is probably not uninitiated to long blog posts, I felt that it'd be better in the long run to talk about a few aspects separately. So instead I'm going to do a series of posts. From this point on in this post, I actually won't be discussing masks or specific sellers at all, although that's probably what most people would be eager to read. You can be patient. :)
I'm going to start off by discussing logistics of paying and shipping, since I learned quite a bit (and ran into a few things that surprised me) along the way. Some of what I write will be specific to having packages shipped from Mexico to the United States, but I'll try to note this where possible. At the same time, many of the caveats here would apply equally as well to other international transactions, so even more reason to break this out into its own post.
Payment
International payments are tricky. Basically, your viable options are, in decreasing order of preference:
- PayPal
- Direct credit card charge, if the seller can accept these
- Wire transfer service (like Western Union)
- International money order
If you're dealing with a well-established merchant, they may be able to charge a credit card directly. This is fine, but be aware that direct international transactions, at least in my experience, tend to get flagged more readily by credit card companies as suspicious (more so than transactions that go through PayPal), so you may end up calling or getting called by your credit card company to verify the transaction. This can be slightly inconvenient.
In Mexico, it seems to be more common and accepted to use wire transfer services, such as Western Union or perhaps MoneyGram, for payment. These have a stigma in the US because of the potential for fraud. If your seller doesn't have a PayPal account, you should decide whether you trust him/her enough (ideally, you'll be able to see feedback from other buyers) and whether the fees charged by these services are acceptable to you. You'll also need to exchange full legal names, agree on where to send money to, and wait for the money to become available there.
Some of these services (MoneyGram) require you to specify the payment in the originating currency (i.e., yours) -- or at least I had to. Do your seller a favor and round up a bit to make sure that they don't get short-changed by exchange rates. Tell them to keep the change (it'll be a few pesos at most if you did your math right).
I've didn't have a problem with the two sellers whom I had to pay via wire transfer, but, again, do due diligence and check references and/or feedback. Also, encourage your sellers to get a PayPal account; it'll save them from having to go somewhere to pick up payments. :)
If you can't use PayPal or a credit card, and don't trust a wire transfer service, the last recourse would be an international money order. I've never had to do this, but you'd have to pay for the money order, then pay to ship the order, and wait for it to arrive and clear. This would be expensive by any means, even more so if you actually want the payment to get there in a reasonable amount of time.
Shipping
Always confirm with your seller that they will ship internationally, what they would charge for international shipping and what shipping methods they would offer. Ideally, your seller would be able to ship via a DHL, UPS, or FedEx expedited service at a reasonable cost. Some sellers are able to ship packages under one pound, or half a kilogram, for about US$20-30 from Mexico to the United States. I personally don't know how they get those rates, because international DHL/UPS shipping is more expensive for me, as well as for many other sellers; we seem to be quoted about double that cost. Nevertheless, the cost may be worth it for larger or valuable shipments. Although expensive, these services clear customs quickly, and have accurate tracking. DHL is able to get stuff from Torreón, Mexico to me in Connecticut in less than 24 hours, door to door.
Assuming that you can't get a good rate on third-party carriers, your next best bet is Express Mail (or EMS). This should cost about US$15-20 for a small package (again, from Mexico to the United States) and goes through the postal system. Expect this to take at least a week, and probably more realistically two weeks: 2-5 days to get out of Mexico (depending on how close they are to Mexico City), 2-7 days for customs clearance inbound into the US, and 2-3 days from customs to you. Customs shouldn't pose a problem unless you have a big order; I've never had to pay any duties or had an issue. Your mileage may vary if you are buying from other countries or live outside the US.
A third option, which would be even less expensive (about US$10) would be Registered Mail (the name is similar in Spanish, if I recall: correo registrado). This is supposed to be the most secure shipping method, but, because of the security, you cannot track the package in the USPS system until/unless an inquiry is lodged, and that can't happen until the allotted 21 days permitted for delivery (after the package enters the United States) have elapsed. Suffice it to say that your package will probably get to you, but you had better be a patient person. I don't recommend using this, because the loss of tracking information is extremely annoying, and EMS has been reliable enough for me, even though I do complain about its variability in delivery time.
If you do use the postal system (either EMS or Registered Mail), be aware that the same tracking number should work in both the originating country's tracking system and in the USPS' system, once the shipment reaches the US. This may seem perhaps obvious, but it wasn't immediately clear to me the first time that I had something shipped internationally (via Registered Mail).
One last quirk: If you have goods shipped from Mexico, the Mexican tracking system uses the confusing status «Depositado en Valija» ("Deposited in Mailbag" -- i.e., more or less "out for delivery") to signify that it has handed the package over to the receiving country. At this point, you should continue to track the package in the receiving country's tracking system.
In summary: use a third-party delivery service (DHL, UPS, or FedEx) if you can afford to do so; otherwise use EMS (which translates to Express Mail International on the USPS side).
Addressing
Mexico's postal addressing system that is rather different from the one used in the US. Mexico uses postal codes, cities, and states, but within cities in Mexico, there are "colonias" (roughly, "neighborhoods") that are a vital part of the address (e.g., you may be familiar with the Colonia Doctores in which Arena México lies). Also important to the address are the intersecting streets in between which an address is located.
Some vendors unfamiliar with US addresses will try to fit your address into Mexico's postal addressing system, and thus will ask for colonia or intersecting streets (often designated in a form as simply the entre field). Neither of these components make sense in a US address, so politely insist that they write the address as you've given it. (I have my packages delivered to work, whose street-level address is simply a building name and floor. I've had to explain how this is impossible to fit into a form that asks for número exterior, número interior, calle, and colonia.)
On the other hand, postal code (or ZIP code in the US) and city are universally recognized and useful, regardless of country, and some carriers will want them noted separately to help them route (and perhaps price) the package. You may need to point these out separately to the shipper.
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