Shipping to U.S. as lettermail

[shari_nat]

A large majority of my items are thin and light enough to be sent as lettermail.

I can't seem to get a consistant answer on the best way to do this. With or without a customs form? Which customs form? I've heard the green stickers are now obsolete. If so, what do I use?

Also, if you ship by lettermail or surface rate, how long can you hold your customers off until you'll issue a refund? Will you issue a partial refund, full or just make them wait and hope they don't file with Paypal?

I'm trying to figure out the best policy and would love some opinions from some seasoned veterans.

Thanks,
Shari

[recped]

Personally I never use a customs sticker for lettermail (to USA and over 50 other countries).

The Green CN22 is NOT obsolete no matter what any postal clerk tells you. They are to be used for lettermail/letterpost

I've sent thousands of packages and lettermail (10k+) and all have arrived with the exception of 5 (Germany, Brazil, France & USA (2)). It is generally the exception rather than the rule . I would ask a buyer who has not received an item to be patient for up to 30 days after that I would be inclined to refund ragardless of payment method. If it was PayPal of course you might as well as you will lose any claim.
"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

[making-space]

The new white customs forms are for small packets and now include insurance. The little green customs forms are for items sent in very small boxes (not recommended) or envelopes/padded envelopes. There is no insurance on lettermail. Never had a package lost forever - yet. Have had a couple that took the scenic route and then reappeared having been shipped as surface mail rather than airmail. Three times and each time to Australia.

Good luck, Lynn

[shari_nat]

Thanks for the replies.

Good to know those things. So lettermail is supposed to be sent as airmail but some gets sent as surface, right? I suppose that would explain such huge time discrepancies in delivery of my lettermail items. Some U.S. customers report 6 days delivery time and others have waited up to 4 weeks.

I'm still on the fence about using the green custom forms, at least I know they are not obsolete. I just wonder if using or not using them can effect delivery times. That has to be my most frustrating part of being a seller....dodging all the accusations of late shipping!!

Thanks again!

Shari