An international buyer is asking me if I want to ship overseas. The item in question is light and under $10. I checked with USPS. They want $13 for International Priority Mail and another $12 for certified mail. So $25 total for a small $10 item. It doesn't make much sense. Is it possible to ship this inexpensively with tracking for PP/SPP or you just roll the dice for shipping something this cheap? Thanks!
international priority (excluding flat rate envelope) is tracked. no need to add certified on top of that.
Stoned
Senior Member
posted: Oct. 13, 2009 @ 1:03p
I shipped a $10 item via first class mail international many times. It costs about $1 per ounce to ship (no tracking). Over the course of the last few months I have shipped about 40 items and 1 was lost (or so the buyer says). I issued a refund for the item but not the shipping charge.
I also use priority international flat rate envelopes (no tracking or insurance)for heavier items. I have shipped about 500 items over the last year with this method and had about 5 lost.
I use priority mail with tracking and insurance or express mail flat rate envelope for more expensive items (both have tracking and insurance)
I actually had one flat rate priority mail envelope that I shipped to the UK show tracking on the UK tracking website. This proves it is possible but the USPS doesn't want the extra labor cost.
Stoned said: Over the course of the last few months I have shipped about 40 items and 1 was lost (or so the buyer says). I issued a refund for the item but not the shipping charge.
Don't you have to refund shipping charge too for INR?
LongDongSilver said: Stoned said: Over the course of the last few months I have shipped about 40 items and 1 was lost (or so the buyer says). I issued a refund for the item but not the shipping charge.
Don't you have to refund shipping charge too for INR?
Yes, if it becomes an official Paypal INR dispute and you loose then Paypal will refund the total cost paid by the buyer.
I wouldn't worry about tracking for small/nominal priced items sent international. Use first class mail and take your chances. However I don't do international unless the item would command a significantly higher price in foreign countries.
pieTime
Member
posted: Oct. 14, 2009 @ 1:50p
when you say "lost" in actual life those items were no doubt confiscated by Customs
Stoned
Senior Member
posted: Oct. 16, 2009 @ 12:46p
LongDongSilver said: Stoned said: Over the course of the last few months I have shipped about 40 items and 1 was lost (or so the buyer says). I issued a refund for the item but not the shipping charge.
Don't you have to refund shipping charge too for INR?
Only one was disputed through Paypal (the buyer disputed the item price and not the shipping charge so I gave a refund and the dispute was closed), I state on my listings no refund for shipping charges. Most international buyers go along with this especially when I tell them that, more than likely, customs consfiscated the item.
Stoned
Senior Member
posted: Oct. 16, 2009 @ 12:48p
pieTime said: when you say "lost" in actual life those items were no doubt confiscated by Customs
Yes, most probably. One buyer in Canada claimed he received the flat rate envelope but it was ripped open and was empty. That one sounds fishy to me!
I posted this is another thread but my experience with PMI tracking has been very bad. I generally either tell people I won't ship mid-value items (~$30-40) overseas because of the expense relative to the item cost. I leave the option open, however, in case some people bite (and they sometimes do). DSRs no longer count from overseas buyers so this mitigates it somewhat.
They get the item (albeit a bit more expensively), I make a sale, everybody's happy.
Disclaimer: By providing links to other sites, FatWallet.com does not guarantee, approve or endorse the information or products available at these sites, nor does a link indicate any association with or endorsement by the linked site to FatWallet.com.
Members of our community may attach files to a post in accordance with the User Agreement. FatWallet is not responsible for the content, accuracy, completeness or validity of any information contained in any attached file. Files have *not* been scanned for viruses. Be especially wary of Excel files which may contain malicious content.
