posted on October 4, 2006 10:15:12 PM new
I should remember this but I don't ship out of the US very often. What is the best way to ship a 2 1/4 pound item to England? Do I ask for a green money order? Is it safe to have them PayPal? I PROMISE I will write it down this time. :>0
posted on October 4, 2006 10:24:00 PM new
What we would do is ship via Airmail - Letter Post as long as it's under 4 lbs. That's the cheapest fast way to get it there.
We accept PayPal from England as long as they have a "Confirmed" address as that's supposed to be covered by PayPal's Seller Protection.
We also insure with DSI if it's something over $50 or so.
posted on October 4, 2006 10:41:46 PM new
Thank you, Wayne! I didn't know they had confirmed addresses in England. That's great. I'll ask him. What is DSI that I insure with?
posted on October 4, 2006 10:53:23 PM new
It looks like you can't insure airmail letter post, just parcel post. At least that is what I get out of the USPS international website.
I do get a small commisson if you purchase insurance through them by visiting through that link - but I'd recommend them even if I didn't.
We have a policy through them that I can select items I want to insure based on my own criteria (over $100 or so and any gut feeling I might get about the customer). I send them a report at the end of the month through Endicia and pay a small bill around the middle of the next month.
It's been debated here whether it's the customer's responsibility to pay for insurance, but I believe it's our responsibility to help guard against our own loss. Sometimes, our customers help us pay for insurance as we do ask them by making it optional on our invoices.
Let me know if you have further questions about DSI and I'll do what I can to answer them. Their customer service is top notch and we've had a great experience when we have had a claim (paid in about 7 days or less).
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on October 5, 2006 02:23:57 PM new
You can't easily get money orders in the UK (or indeed most of the developed world). Many people pay for online purchases by debit (or credit) card or electronic banking. As to PayPal - you are covered shipping to the UK if it's sent by a trackable method - ask PayPal for details.
Sadly, PayPal has incorporated a bunch of loopholes in the SELLERS UN-PROTECTION POLICY, enabling them to weasel out of honoring its terms at whim...FOR EXAMPLE:
"The seller provides reasonable proof of delivery from an independent shipper. The delivery must be trackable online. Proof of delivery should show that the address shipped to corresponds to the address on the Transaction Details page (see 3.c above). If a reversal occurs, you will need to provide PayPal with the name of your chosen shipping provider and the online tracking number. For your convenience, PayPal provides a list of popular and currently approved shippers"
Who provides THIS? As far as I can tell, neither USPS, nor UPS nor FEDEX provides THIS?
Essentially, methinks the SPP is a bunch of yadda-yadda-furple-belch...
posted on October 6, 2006 11:41:00 AM new
LOL Tom is yadda-yadda-furple-belch anything Ralphie conjures up?
I sent a package to UK on the 27th of Aug sent it Air letter post. You can see the custom's form was scanned on day I sent it but no further details, I should have insisted on Global priority- not that it would make much difference probably. It so far has not showed up at its destination assuming the buyer is honest and I believe he is. Super nice guy very patient and keeps me abreast as they say. Anyway still not there apparently it probably went surface even though it was marked Air letter post on all sides. Happened before taking too long to get there. SO I am probably out my money as I am going to refund him before his 45 day limit to file with Paypal. He agreed to repay me if it shows up some time in distant future. I was really PO'ed at first then decided to not fret and just refund take a loss of my shipping cost and just go on with life and not hassel with Paypal. I am due to refund on the 10 if it doesn't show up by then. Yep I could go through loops with Paypal but it ain't worth it, I loose the doll and shipping cost and if he is honest he will repay me when it arrives, if not I chalk it up to my first ever sort of screw over. Never had an item lost yet but could be my first one and I don't plan to spend all my time explaining to PP where it is. Thank goodness it isn't but $21.00 well plus what I spent on postage that will count as out of my pocket. If is had been over 50$ would have dealt with PP first.
************** Check it out
Ye points up one fly in the whole PayPal ointment:
Although the CUSTOMS forms are now susposedly also TRACKING, my experience so far has been that this "tracking" extends only to the US AIRPORT, and no further...
Thus, for TRUE TRACKING for INTERNATIONAL shipments, one needs to use either GLOBAL EXPRESS MAIL or UPS or FEDEX -- all of which are EXPENSIVE!
posted on October 6, 2006 05:00:10 PM new
Okay, now what? I told him I could send it for $221.25 to England by Air Mail Letter Post as it will be under four pounds. This breaks down as 202.50 + 15.30 shipping and 3.45 insurance through DSI. He says he has a confirmed address. But if I can't send it trackable Air Mail Letter Post, I could be in real trouble with PayPal if it becomes lost. He hasn't PayPaled me yet but he will tonight I am sure.
posted on October 6, 2006 05:18:08 PM new
I could be wrong, but it is my understanding that items send via air PARCEL post (not LETTER post) do get scanned at the time of delivery in most countries, including the UK. (Items sent via air letter post are not usually scanned when delivered. If you're waiting for an air letter post package to be scanned to "prove" delivery, I don't think that's going to happen.)
Sorry you're going through all this anxiety. Maybe selling to buyers in other countries isn't for everyone.
The reason we insure through DSI is to guard against loss or damage - which would include non-delivery. So, that limits the anxiety we have over dealing with PayPal.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
[ edited by TheFamilyBiz on Oct 6, 2006 05:25 PM ]
posted on October 6, 2006 07:36:19 PM new
Well, after tooling around the USPS website I can't confirm that packages sent airmail parcel post are scanned when they are delivered. I may have to go Global Express which is double the price that I quoted him. Anyone know for certain if they scan airmail parcel post when it is delivered?
posted on October 6, 2006 08:03:22 PM new
Here's how we used to deal with the PayPal requires online trackable shipping issue. (Not that it gave us any Seller Protection since NZ isn't covered.) Separate the shipping & handling for regular payments and PayPalers so they know beforehand the real cost of PayPal protection.
Worldwide Airmail: US$3.50
Worldwide Courier: US$25.50 (required for all PayPal shipments) includes Track & Trace, Signature + Insurance
The Courier we use goes through the international Postal network and is often carried by DHL. It provides online "proof of delivery" including the recipient's signature.
For many high-value international shipments, we will often split shipments so buyers aren't lumbered with a large tax or duty bill.
posted on October 6, 2006 08:13:52 PM new
I emailed the guy and laid my cards on the table. I can ship it cheap if he pays with something other PayPal, otherwise it looks like Global Priority for about $35.00. Now if he takes me up on the airmail letter post to get the cheaper rate, how should I have him pay other than PayPal?
posted on October 6, 2006 08:22:16 PM new
Regarding shipping via air PARCEL post:
http://www.vendio.com/mesg/read.html?num=2&thread=633060
The above thread should help explain that the shipment is required to be scanned at the time of delivery by the UK post office. (Which may or may not cover you as far as Paypal is concerned.) Air PARCEL post packages automatically qualify for a small amount of postal insurance (the amount varies by the weight of the shipment, I believe); additional postal insurance can, of course also be purchased (or you can purchase your insurance elsewhere for a discount).
Below is a link and outline of the scanning requirements per the USPS.
Scanning Requirements for Global Express Mail and for Air, Surface/Economy, and Insured Parcel Post Items:
All inbound and outbound Global Express Mail® (EMS®) and air, surface/economy, and insured international parcel post items must be scanned or manually entered at retail acceptance and/or delivery. Scanning information allows the Postal ServiceTM to provide customers with mail status information via the Product Tracking System and to respond to customer inquiries in a prompt and cost-effective manner.
Effective January 1, 2006, the following scan events, as appropriate, need to be provided for all international parcels (both air and surface parcels):
• Inbound Arrival (AR).
• Attempted Delivery (02).
• Refused (04).
• Undeliverable as Addressed (05).
• Return to Sender (09).
• Dead Letter (11).
• Final Delivery (03).
• Signature on Delivery.
Also effective January 1, 2006, the Postal Service will be liable for loss, damage, or rifling for all ordinary (which is identified by the Customs label) and insured parcels sent to and from the United States. Accurate acceptance and delivery scanning information is essential for appropriate Postal Service handling of indemnity claims and to prevent revenue loss.
For international EMS items and parcels, remember to scan and follow all prompts before getting the signature from the addressee. Specifically, remember to do the following:
• Scan the barcode or, if a barcode is unavailable or unreadable, enter the article number manually.
• Enter the appropriate event.
• Follow the prompts on your scanner screen.
• Obtain the recipient's signature.
• Scan the barcode on PS Form 3849, Delivery Notice/Reminder/Receipt, with the recipient's signature.
Retail employees are also reminded to use the handheld scanner to capture the above information for "left-notice" parcels and for parcels that customers pick up from Post Office box addresses.
Some countries may place on the parcel a nonbarcoded label or a stamped endorsement with a handwritten article number. Under these circumstances, follow the manual entry procedures to enter the data into your scanner.
Following the procedures above will help improve customer service and reduce potential liability for missing scan data. Your assistance in obtaining this scan data is appreciated.
— Global Business Development,
International Business, 11-10-05
I told you how "WE" ship to the UK - accepting PayPal and insuring through DSI. (You may want to scroll up to see that's what I wrote in the very first line of my response...)
As a matter of fact, we are shipping 2 items tomorrow - one to Canada and one to Germany - both accepting PayPal. If they're not in Canada or the UK with confirmed addresses, we insure the shipment and include that in the cost of shipping/handling.
If it doesn't get there and is "lost" then we're covered by the DSI insurance. Isn't that why you purchase insurance?
What's the problem now? If I knew you were shipping something worth $200.00 (BTW, you didn't mention the value in your initial post) I would have suggested Global Express Mail because it is trackable and speedy.
Of course, I would have provided that quote to my buyer before the end of the auction or had a way they could check on their own - not surprising them with a high shipping cost afterward.
I wonder what your buyer is thinking now that he has received the changing price and conditions e-mails you've sent? I'd probably want out of the deal - but that's just me.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on October 6, 2006 10:21:39 PM new
Problem solved. I am shipping it to his father here in the States, and he has the address confirmed there, too. I knew he wouldn't back out of the sale because too many other people had bid on it. After this I will remember to say I don't ship outside the US when they use PayPal. It isn't worth all the hoops you have to jump through. Next time I ask a question here I will direct it to Ralphie. He is never wrong. Woof! Woof!
Next time - send them my way. I'll take sheckles from anyone who willingly sends them to me. Guess I don't have that fear any more.
We like sellers who restrict their sales to the US. Leaves the rest of the world open.
As I mentioned, maybe international shipping isn't for everyone. Sorry you don't feel I provided you with the right info. I'll make a note that I don't answer any of your questions in the future since they'll be directed to Ralphie.
Meow...
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on October 8, 2006 08:05:06 PM new
FamilyBiz, I agree with you whole heartedly since some weeks my international sales are 33% of my total sales. However, they do have a much higher rate of going sour - item not received, payment not received. A cost I can absorb in most cases since my average international price is about $10. I am much more careful when the item sells for higher. When a $60 Slovic sale goes sour (they will bid sky-high and never pay) I require Paypal payment only on my relist.
posted on October 10, 2006 02:13:09 PM new
Auctionchex is also a safe option for USA sellers and they can even remit payment to you in USD via PayPal (after they get paid in any number of local hard currencies)...
try again? 
