Has anyone used USPS international first class?

[musicyouneed]

Still working on my international shipping.   I usually sell 5 to 15 per month internationally, of course more when it is cheaper shipping  and less when I charge Canada Post rates.   Using Canada Post, maybe only 1 per year goes missing. 

Chit Chat standard international shipping is really cheap about $5 to $6 per CD but it takes at least 6 weeks to reach the buyer and there is no tracking.  It just doesn't work for ebay purchases. 

Canada Post small packet is good but costs approx $12.  Delivery is close to the estimates except for Australia.  

Now I could use USPS first class international with tracking for about $2.00 more.  

I'm just wondering if anyone has used that service and what do you think about it?

[musicyouneed]

Just so you know I would be doing this through Chit Chat who handles all my US mail now.  I would buy the USPS international shipping and it goes through the US on to the international destination.   My question is it worth the extra $2.00 for tracking?  Would buyers pay that extra $2.00?  Shipping would go from $13.00 to $15.00 Canadian with tracking.

[pjcdn2005]

No I haven't used it but depending on the item I would probably would use a service with tracking if it was just $2 more.  But keep in mind that there is only tracking for first class int'l to some countries. You'll find them on this page...

https://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immc2_022.htm

[musicyouneed]

Hi PJ, that's good.  I only ship to western Europe, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.  I guess even with tracking they can still lose the item. 

[pjcdn2005]

Yes, but at least you know for sure it was lost.

If you are going to use tracking, why not expand the locations that you ship to?

[musicyouneed]

Hi PJ that's a good idea.  I may have to just to keep up my international purchases.  I know that when I had the shipping at $8 to international, boy did I notice an increase in sales.  But as soon as I put it back to $13, I haven't had any sales.  At $15, I don't know if buyers will continue to buy from me.  At least I would be the same price as the US sellers.

[hlmacdon]

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@musicyouneedwrote:

My question is it worth the extra $2.00 for tracking?  Would buyers pay that extra $2.00?  

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Yes. For some perspective I ship thousands of packages a year with USPS, of that a decent amount is international. I can't think of a year where I have had more than 1 package go missing and had 3 in 5 years that were returned by USPS due to damage in transit.  I have not had any premature INR cases opened since moving to USPS tracked only. The other aspect is USPS First Class Package International maps to the UPU's Post Expres (our tracked packet) service level for any of the countries that are e-delcon (tracking) eligible, meaning it has a faster service level than anything that falls under UPU's non tracked services and general gets priority for customs clearance. You are at the same price range for shipping as US sellers which is going to be your realistic competition. 

[recped]

I don't know what ChitChat are doing with your International stuff (from BC). I use them from Toronto, packages to Europe (and most other countries) rarely take more than 10 - 14 days. Even to South America I'm not sure I've ever had one take 6 weeks.

Australia is a bit of a wild card.

I did use USPS International years ago when it was cheap, it wasn't then and probably isn't now any faster than Canada Post Small Packet.

[hlmacdon]

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@recpedwrote:

I did use USPS International years ago when it was cheap, it wasn't then and probably isn't now any faster than Canada Post Small Packet.

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In the past both USPS first class and Canada Post small packet were the same UPU class so the services were identical. It's a mixed bag now as the service falls under two different UPU classes, at the same price whereas we get small packet and tracked packet at an enormous premium.

[momcqueen]

If it were me, I wouldn't hesitate to use a tracked service for $2 than an untracked one. (Are you speaking in CAD or USD?) Also, I would probably add it to my item price so as not to increase the postage cost. I think a buyer would rather pay more for an item (which implies it's more valued or valuable) than to pay more for shipping (which is a throwaway expense whose value evaporates the second they hold it in their hands). 

[musicyouneed]

Apparently in BC the international is handled differently than from ONT and that is the problem.  I even spoke to Chit Chat in ONT and they confirmed that.  

[reallynicestamps]

I'm not a fan of tracking. On anything.

But my items are mostly cheap enough when I buy them that the very occasional claim doesn't hurt me.

I'm below the 1% loss to 'shoptheft' that WalMart admits to.

And even then it seems those are late deliveries rather than never delivered.

I agree with momcqueen that if you do add the tracking cost that it should be on the selling price rather than on the shipping cost.

Buyers detest paying shipping. Even though a little thought would show that Free Shipping just means the shipping is included in the asking price.

This also allows you to target when you use tracking.

JUNO Awards 1989 at $100? (and who knew?) tracked.

An ordinary $10 CD, not tracked.

Most people are honest.

[musicyouneed]

Thanks Stamps, really a good suggestion.  The higher priced CD's would go tracked and the lower ones not.  I'd say anything over $10 US should go USPS international tracked. 

That Juno CD for 1989, you couldn't and can't buy the CD anywhere.  They had the Juno's in 1987, missed 1988 and then 1989, the Juno's came back.  The CD wasn't for sale.  Only found one for 1987 on the river.  I'm not sure if they were only available at the actual Juno awards.  

[recped]

I'd say anything over $10 US should go USPS international tracked. 

On a $10 sale paying $2 more (a 20% premium) would mean you have to lose 20% of your shipments just to break even.

Do you have (fraudulent) INR claims on 20% of your shipments?

[reallynicestamps]

Think in terms of procurement cost rather than selling price.

If you can buy it for a nickel and sell it for $10 losing the odd one (for whatever reason) is no biggie.

If you can't replace it, or if it had a substantial procurement cost, track.

[musicyouneed]

Well on international shipments.  Only 1 was lost in the past year and maybe 3 or so in the last 2 years.  

Out of the 25 or so that I shipped internationally over the last 90 days only 3 were over the $10 US mark.  1 at $17.99, 1 at 16.99 and 1 at 10.99.  All the rest were in the $5 to $9 range.  

Out of 1,516 only 300 CD's are above $10 US, the other 1,216 are all under.  

I would like to thank everyone for sharing their ideas.  

[juhech-0]

I got the same confirmation for Chit Chats International Standard.  The delivery time is slightly longer from the BC region versus ON region. It still goes by air. I did hear that they will be offering a new international tracked service within the next month or so which has very competitive rates WITH tracking and really great delivery times.  Hoping this is available soon as I know many of my international clients would appreciate the faster delivery times with tracking.