International Shipping Question

Dboneesq · October 2, 2011 11:04AM

I had someone on eBay ask me if I would ship an item to Australia. It's just one PSA card with a cost just under $50.00. I have never shipped Internationally. How do I best protect myself? THANKS!

WinPitcher · October 2, 2011 12:06PM

USPS World Express I think it's called and it starts at 30.00.

For that I'd simply send it International Priority mail with DC, that might be PP compliant.

On second thought I don't think you can DC internationally like that.

Dpeck100 · October 2, 2011 12:11PM

You can ship International first class for less then $4.00 with DC to Australia.

vladguerrero · October 2, 2011 12:36PM

<< <i>You can ship International first class for less then $4.00 with DC to Australia. >>

I don't think so.

EagleEyeKid · October 2, 2011 3:08PM

There is no DC with first class international mail.
Express mail is expensive and a lot of these buyers won't go for it.

Wouldn't registered mail work? You get a tracking # with that service.
I used to send it that way to Canada and it shows the date delivered.
The PO accepted bubble mailers as long as it had the gum tape (brown paper tape)
covering the sealing part of the envelope. I believe the service now is $10 + whatever
the postage weight is.

Dboneesq · October 2, 2011 9:40PM

Thanks guys. Does anyone know what way will protect me best with PayPal? I trust you guys more than the customer support people on the other end of the line at PayPal, but I'll give them a call as well.

EDITED TO ADD: Just spoke with someone at PayPal. They were real helpful ( ) I asked the person from PayPal the same question. I was surprised that I did not have to interpret what he was saying to me. He actual spoke English quite well. HOWEVER .... His Answer? Use UPS or the Post Office!!!!! WOW ... thanks a lot! Then he said to insure the package (Well THAT was a BIG help). Then he said to use tracking. OK ... I am so glad I called. I guess I will go to the Post Office and see what they suggest.

StickNutzman · October 2, 2011 9:53PM

I'm curious about this too as someone on ebay messaged about shipping to Taiwan. I was obviously leery at first but they've got over 600 positive feedback.

Dboneesq · October 2, 2011 10:03PM

I just spoke to someone at my post office. I was told the ONLY way I could get tracking and or insurance was to use PRIORITY INTERNATIONAL. So sending ONE card worth $50.00 to Australia would cost $28.75. Not too sure the buyer is going to want to buy the card now! LOL

Dpeck100 · October 2, 2011 11:01PM

I stand corrected. I have sent cards their but I guess the customs tracking information is not what you were wanting.

If you use standard international shipping you can send cards to many places for less then $4.00.

bking · October 2, 2011 11:44PM

Thanks for all the reminders about why I never want to sell outside the US.

vintagechris · October 2, 2011 11:59PM

Doug, for me personally, I would look at the person's feedback. If he had a high score I would probably just go ahead and send it regular First Class mail. I have done this several times and never had an issue. That of course doesn't mean there can not be one.

At the end of the day, I would say it is a risk-reward deal. You have to balance the risk with the reward. I don't normally ship to France but had someone email me and ask if he could bid. I decided to let him and he has become a regular customer and I just ship regular International First class to him and have never had an issue. Some of these international bidders just want a chance as many US sellers block them.

Dpeck100 · October 3, 2011 1:07AM

I have shipped severall times to Australia, Japan, and Canada without any problems. I agree if the feedback looks good you should be fine. Severall of the transactions were cards valued at greater then what you listed and I think they just know that the US market has a big selection to choose from.

The shipping charges to all three for a bubble mailer with graded cards inside were less then $4.50 and if my memory serves me the shipping to Canada was less then $2.00.

storm888 · October 3, 2011 1:59AM

The PayPal compliant method is still:

Express Mail International

About $30. (First $100 insurance is included.)

Do NOT check the "signature waiver" box. Checking the box
allows the delivery agent to sign for the item. Often, that sig
will be rejected by PayPal, if a corrupt buyer files an INR claim.

Listening to some of the USPS clerks regarding this subject is
very dangerous. I have no idea how some of them are able to
enter DC info into their cash-registers on some lower classes of
intl mail; when they do so, they are collecting money for NOTHING.
The packages will NOT be scanned on delivery, the are NOT online
viewable, and they are NOT PayPal compliant.

The complex USPS site makes it clear that EMI is the correct service
level to use. THAT is why fewer and fewer sellers are able to ship
intl; they simply cannot charge buyers what it costs to use EMI.

EBAY and PayPal have Taken The WW Out Of The WWW.

vladguerrero · October 3, 2011 3:12AM

<< <i>I stand corrected. I have sent cards their but I guess the customs tracking information is not what you were wanting.

If you use standard international shipping you can send cards to many places for less then $4.00. >>

DPeck, the bar code on the customs sticker does not track anything, it simply indicates what location (your post office) that it was mailed from. It's a common misconception but probably keeps some scammers at bay!

And Doug, that was hilarious.

vladguerrero · October 3, 2011 3:12AM

DP

vladguerrero · October 3, 2011 3:15AM

And as mentioned sending registered is safe (it will show delivered) but not PP compliant, and it's not an expedited service so people sometimes get grumpy that it takes so long, shipped international really isn't a big deal, pass the costs to the buyer if he doesn't like the actual costs which give both of you PP protection it's probably someone you don't want to do business with anyways.

Dboneesq · October 3, 2011 3:33AM

Thanks for all your help guys. I emailed the potential buyer and told them about the "EMI" shipping and the cost. I'll wait to get a response and take it from there.

brendanb438 · October 3, 2011 5:25AM

<< <i>I have shipped severall times to Australia, Japan, and Canada without any problems. I agree if the feedback looks good you should be fine. Severall of the transactions were cards valued at greater then what you listed and I think they just know that the US market has a big selection to choose from.

The shipping charges to all three for a bubble mailer with graded cards inside were less then $4.50 and if my memory serves me the shipping to Canada was less then $2.00. >>

As mentioned this offers zero protection and if the buyer claims you never shipped the item PayPal will rule against you everytime.

Hence why I don't sell outside of the US anymore, the little extra profits are just not worth the large headache.

The great thing is if you do ship to someone the way that does protect you as a seller internationally they are likely to ding your stars because shipping is too much or even outright neg you. So screw all of you abroad, especially Canada.

International Shipping Question

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