posted on February 4, 2003 06:19:54 PM new
Okay... here's the deal. I sold an item to an Italian bidder. I ship only through the USPS. He requested shipment to be airmail and insured. Upon looking through the USPS website, I realized that insurance is not offered on airmail. I sent him an e-mail telling him that, and that I could ship his item via USPS airmail for $3.00 s/h. (the item is about 2 ounces). I also told him that I could add registered service for $7.50 and/or certificate of mailing for $0.90. He told me to go ahead and give him the total balance with it being registered airmail. I did... $15.49 (that's right... the item only sold for $4.99!!!) Anyhow... here's his latest response.
tomorrow I will send you the money.
Are you sure the cost of registered letter
it's $10.50? For same ship I pay in Italy Eur 3.00
and still now I seen all the registered letter
I received from U.S. with a very smaller price.
How do I respond to this guy?!?! He keeps telling me other sellers are sending items cheaper... but I'm not seeing how they could! (at least not through the USPS). I've even given him links to the USPS website to verify my s/h charges. Any help would be appreciated!
posted on February 4, 2003 06:35:55 PM new
Shipping overseas can be confusing. I just checked the rates for shipping a 2 oz. envelope or a package (same price for 2oz. for either) to Italy via Airmail post and the rate is $1.60. The size restrictions are: Max. length 24", Max. length, height, depth combined 36". With
registered confirmation, that adds another $7.50, so it looks like you quoted his price correctly. Maybe the cost of sending registered has gone up? I have'nt sent anything overseas that was registered lately, and I don't remember what the cost was in the past.
posted on February 4, 2003 06:52:19 PM new
Send him the USPS link and let him look it up himself. Oh duh. You did that. So it's take it or leave it time. He either wants it and pays or doesn't and gets NPB etc.. THis is too much time and aggravtion for the money.
[ edited by jensmome on Feb 4, 2003 06:54 PM ]
posted on February 4, 2003 07:13:54 PM newIMPORTANT NOTE: with REGISTERED MAIL, you MUST use PAPER TAPE ONLY -- all openings have to be stamped by the PO as evidence of proper sealing!
If you use any tape OTHER THAN PAPER TAPE (porous), the clerks SHOULD reject your package!
posted on February 4, 2003 07:15:35 PM new
why is insurance not available to italy??
registered mail is expensive,try certified mail.
try global priority envelope,no insurance but faster for 5.00-9.00,italian postal system is hopeless.
posted on February 4, 2003 09:40:09 PM new
You can send insured packages to Italy if you send them Air Mail Parcel Post or Global Express Mail, both ways are more expensive, but are insurable. Global Express mail insures automatically up to $100.00. Over and above that you pay for the additional insurance.
posted on February 5, 2003 10:57:08 AM new
If you send to Italy using anything other than Global Express you risk losing the packing or having significant delays. The postal system is a big joke. Wah, I never received the package I sent to myself in Jun 2002.
posted on February 5, 2003 12:22:04 PM new
Thanks all for your responses! I had forgotten to mention that I had also given him the price for Global Express (which was a whopping $23.00, I think!) Davidsmom... thanks for the info about AirMail Parcel Post. I never even look at that 'cause it's always SO much more expensive.... I figured it out and I could offer him that service with Insurance for $17.00 (which is still a lot more than the $10.50 Registered Airmail Letter Post). Anyhow... thanks for helping to keep me sane. Here's the reply I ended sending him:
I have checked and double-checked the rates at the USPS web-site and can not find a cheaper way to send the item to you (at least not if you still want it registered or insured). The method that I am using for you is Registered Airmail Letter Post. There is another kind of Airmail, called Airmail Parcel Post. I did find that insurance IS available for Airmail Parcel Post, however it is even more expensive than Registered Airmail Letter Post is. The s/h charge for Insured Airmail Parcel Post would be $17.00. So, it looks like the rate I previously sent you was the cheapest possible method. (unless you want it shipped for just $3.00 s/h with no insurance and not registered). As you can see, I am very willing to work with you on sending this item in whatever fashion you feel is safest. However, I am afraid I just don't have any control over the prices the USPS charges. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.
posted on February 5, 2003 01:32:41 PM new
can always send intl M-BAG and shove all kinds of magazines into the bag to make it worthwhile.
i dont ship to italy that much,but all arrived sooner or later,of course you want yours to arrive sooner rather than later.
italian customs also slapped a 20% customs duty on anything which is declared antique.
my italian suppliers do not use the post office,they all use fed exp intl.
posted on March 3, 2003 06:02:49 PM new
Grrr..... some bidders you REALLY wish never bid on your auctions! I thought I'd go ahead and post this gripe in this thread because it's about the same transaction. I received the bidders payment on 2/22/03 and shipped his $4.99 item on 2/24/03 (that he paid an extra $10.49 to ship!) So... I get an e-mail from him on the 27th asking if the item was shipped. I reply with the details. He responds with asking for feedback to be left. So... I give him my standard feedback-before-transaction-finished e-mail, which is as follows:
Even though the feedback program is completely optional, I always submit feedback after each transaction has been completed. This is usually after your item have been delivered and you have expressed satisfaction by leaving your feedback. Rest assured, I do reciprocate all feedback in a
timely manner.
I am confident that you will be pleased with my products and service. I take pride in every transaction conducted on eBay, making sure that
your item is shipped both quickly and efficiently. I will also be keeping in constant contact with you until our transaction has been completed successfully and to your satisfaction. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact me
again.
Anyhow... to this e-mail I get the following response:
I'm sure you are a very honest man and I will receive your item with my satisfaction. But I never left the feedback before the seller, simply why I don't think it's right: easy for the seller, obviously, but not right, because the buyer it's the only one that risk ever,
sending its money to an unknown seller (for two times I seen a seller missing after money arrival). As you tell, for the seller the eBay's auctions are ever a game and for the buyer are ever a tachicardya.
Still now all sellers understood my thought, the best and honest sellers left the feedback without request when received my money. I'm a serious man, but this is my thought, because so it's right. I hope you will understand.
I didn't really know how to respond to the e-mail... and finally decided that no response was even necessary. Now, he has sent the same exact message to me again.... I am wondering if I have to respond to him... and if so, what to say. Also worth pointing out is that in the terms of my auctions, I clearly state that I will reciprocate feedback on all completed auctions. (I know there is a diverse opinion on this... but I firmly believe that the transaction is NOT over until the buyer receives their product.) Anyhow... this buyer has been giving me a bad vibe since the transaction started... so I am DEFINATELY not going to leave him a positive feedback first (any guy who's crazy enough to insist on spending $10 to ship a $5 item could just slam me with a negative saying I overcharged on shipping!) Let me know what you think. Thanks for your advice!
posted on March 3, 2003 06:16:43 PM new
Stick with your normal procedures. If you feel a reply is necessary, simply forward a copy of what you already sent. Or send a simple, "Please let me know when the item arrives so I can leave you feedback."
Sniping works up a thirst"