Shopping-Best way to send purchases back to the United States

Mail or carry with you.
if your purchases consist of prosciutto, mortadella, sausages or salami hide them inside yourself as if you were carrying cocaine. Stay far from the US Customs dogs when you arrive. Their nose can tell apart a Prosciutto di Parma from a San Daniele.

You can ship from a Mail Boxes Etc. in most Italian cities and towns. It is not cheap, but it is dependable and you can insure your shipment. Works just like in the U.S. You can wrap the items yourself, or have them do it.

If you use Mailboxes Etc, have someone to whom you can send the package. Although I would have far preferred slow and cheap, even their slowest shipping got the package back to the US within a few days – long before I was going to arrive home.

What do you all think of bringing an extra suitcase and paying for it's check in. I am planning on buying ceramics and wine.

Thank you all for your help

depending on your airline, a checked bag might be free (mine was on swiss air out of venice this summer) i'de be a bit fearful of putting ceramincs in checked luggage.....maybe wine and dirty clothes in a checked bag and carry your ceramincs?