Tips for Purchasing a Dermatoscope While Traveling

A common question we receive:

“Hi, I’m a physician visiting from outside the U.S., and I’m only here for a few days attending a medical conference. If I order a new dermatoscope today, will it be delivered to my hotel before I leave?"

Unfortunately, many times the answer to these types of inquiries is “no.” When purchases aren’t well planned—especially when the customer waits until they arrive in the US to place their order—they run the risk that their dermatoscope won’t arrive during their short stay. When this happens, the package is often returned by the carrier (USPS, FedEx, etc.), the order is refunded, and the customer heads back home without the dermatoscope they were hoping to receive during their trip.

The way to avoid problems like this is to plan ahead.

When to Order

On average, orders for dermatoscopes and accessories are fulfilled on the first or second business day after the order has been placed. For example, if an order is placed on a Monday, it would likely be shipped out the following day (on Tuesday) or the day after (Wednesday).

However, there are exceptions either way. While orders placed early in the day may get shipped out later that same day, backorders or high volume can sometimes delay shipment by 4–5 days.

But again, most orders are fulfilled on the first or second business day after the order has been placed.

For non-US customers who may not be familiar with the term 'business day,' it's worth clarifying that weekends are not included in shipping time estimates. For example, the earliest that an order placed on a Friday would ship out would typically be the following Monday (we're closed on Saturday and Sunday).

Because of these variables, placing your order a few weeks prior to your trip is the safest option to ensure that you receive your package before you leave. However, many customers choose to wait until the last minute, and this is where most problems occur. 

Where to Have It Delivered

If you have a friend or colleague who lives near your travel destination and they can receive the package for you, we recommend placing your order in the weeks prior to your visit. Your friend/colleague could simply hold on to the package and later deliver it to you directly when you visit.

Although having a package delivered to your hotel is an option, doing so isn’t without risk—most notably due to the limited timeframe during which hotels will accept deliveries. In general, hotels only accept packages for guests during the exact dates of their stay, not before or after. In our experience, the most common reason customers fail to receive their order in time is reliance on hotel delivery. Since the hotel can't accept the package in advance, customers often wait until the last minute to place their order, hoping it arrives during the very short window of their stay.

So for customers who don’t have friends or family near their destination who can receive and hold an order in advance, we recommend considering a “Hold for Pickup” service. These services (such as FedEx Office or The UPS Store) can accept your package and hold it securely until you arrive. You can learn more about these services here.

Bottom Line

If you wish to purchase a dermatoscope but you’ll only be in the US for a brief window of time, please first reach out to us at ‘contact@dermatoscopes.com.’ 

Simply explain to us that you will be traveling, and let us know:

• Which item(s) you wish to order.
  • Most dermatoscopes and accessories are always in stock, but there are occasional exceptions (backorders, supply chain interruptions, etc.). By notifying us in advance, we’ll confirm if the item is anticipated to be “in stock” and ready for shipment during your trip.

• The dates of your trip.
  • This is among the most important information we need.
  • Do not include the date you will arrive, nor the date you are leaving:
    • For example, if you’ll be arriving April 4th, but flying back home on April 9th, your realistic “window of time” to receive the package would be April 5th – April 8th.