what is the best way to ship packages internationally

[timeaftertime2016]

Hi ebay sellers I am confused about shipping internationally . What do you find is the most cost effective and safest way to ship an item to a buyer thank you for your input

[silverpinups · Accepted solution]

Hi ebay sellers I am confused about shipping internationally . What do you find is the most cost effective and safest way to ship an item to a buyer thank you for your input

Keep your shipping locations to Canada, USA, Europe (exclude certain countries like Ukraine, Poland and Italy etc.... ), Japan and Australia.

Exclude everything else especially, Russia, China, Mexico and South America.

I've learned from experience to avoid these locations unless the buyer is willing to pay for Xpresspost-International, no exceptions.

Since Tracking to any International location isn't cost effective send them regular Airmail and never Surface mail (I have never had a package go missing, as long as you ship to "safe" locations Internationally).

If the package is expensive send it with Tracking, either Tracked Packet-International or Xpresspost-International. Even if you have to pay out of pocket, it isn't worth having the package lost in the mail and receiving a "item not received" claim through eBay. 

[ypdc_dennis]

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@timeaftertime2016 wrote:

Hi ebay sellers I am confused about shipping internationally . What do you find is the most cost effective and safest way to ship an item to a buyer thank you for your input

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Depends what you are selling. And to the USA is very different from the rest of the world.

If shipping outside Canada/USA never select a surface shipping method, because while inexpensive, it usually takes too long to arrive overseas (since it goes by boat, and there are number of ways it can get delayed).

If the item is not too expensive for International you can use one of the uninsured methods:

(1) lettermail or light packet (under 2cm thick, less than 500g)

(2) Small packet Air (less than 2.0kg), but does get expensive if over 500g

For insured: use Tracked Packet or Expedited -- but these will be expensive methods

-..-

When compared to the rest of the world USA rates are reasonable. ...

If the item is not too expensive (or fraud attractive) use one of the uninsured methods:

(1) lettermail or light packet (under 2cm thick, less than 500g)

(2) Small packet Air (less than 1.0kg)

For insured: use Tracked Packet or Expedited -- recommend using calculated shipping

For comparison:

USA - flat rates (Jan/2016)

051-100g ..  2.95 Lettermail (stamps)
101-200g ..  5.15 Lettermail (stamps)
001-200g ..  5.70 Light Packet

201-300g ..  8.23 Light Packet
001-250g ..  8.36 Small Packet

201-500g .. 10.30 Lettermail (stamps)
251-500g .. 11.07 Small Packet
301-500g .. 11.75 Light Packet
251-500g .. 15.75 Tracked Packet

501g-1kg .. 16.65 Small Packet
501g-1kg .. 18.19 Tracked Packet

-..-

Everything except Canada Post lettermail can be bought through paypal -- but Light Packet and Small Packet do not get discounts. Tracked Packet get a small discount and Expedited Parcel a larger discount.

-..-

[lucitabby]

Also, you might want to buy a few inexpensive items on ebay to hopefully establish some feedback.  Items that you can use like shipping supplies, stamps, soap, etc.