What exactly is Standard Shipping from China/Hong Kong/Taiwan to worldwide?

[delwynnpawn]

I mean is this China Post? Or something else? I’m asking because an item I’m looking at has an option for Standard SpeedPAK ($3.99) and the Standard Shipping from China/Hong Kong/Taiwan to worldwide ($4.99) and I was wondering what exactly is the dollar difference for. Like, aside from the shipping speed (the latter estimates a speedier arrival and narrower arrival date range), are these two actually carried out by different couriers? For those who might have used this shipping option before or those who might be familiar with it, this newbie would appreciate any insight! 🙂 Thanks!!

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

EBay has a presence in more than 100 countries around the world and sellers use more than 100 different postal services as well as a plethora of private couriers.

Which is to say that Standard Shipping is a meaningless term.

It's probably slow and cheap. From Asia it's likely to be Surface unless specifically stated that it is Air Mail.

It might or might not be tracked. International tracking i s very expensive for the seller (the average income in China is $13,000 USD annually)

And the same seller might use different carriers for every shipment he sends depending on weight, destination, and the phase of the moon.

With Standard Shipping the seller decides how much he will charge for shipping. Three different sellers of the same item using the same actual carrier could have three different prices.

Actually, by offering Standard or Express Flat Rate shipping, all three could offer two different prices for shipping and still ship the same way. You do not know.

If you need an accurate price for shipping, look for a seller who is in the same country as his products who offers a named service and uses  Calculated Shipping.

Basically you are asking the wrong questions.

What is the window for delivery that eBay gives?

This tells you how long you have to wait for the purchase. By extention if the seller is using Air Mail.

Is there tracking?

This is actually only a Seller Protection, but it does indicate that the seller has sent something.

Can I upgrade to Air Mail?

Because the longer any shipment is in transit, the more likely it is to get damaged.

[femmefan1946]

By the way, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan have three different postal systems.

Hong Kong and China are not exactly the same country, although China is tightening its rule over the former British colony.

And China is actually at war with Taiwan, which it regards as a rebel province.

[delwynnpawn]

Thank you very much! This is exactly what I was looking for and more hehe. SpeedPAK estimates Dec. 14 2020 to Jan. 11 2021 for example, while the Standard Shipping estimates Dec. 14 to 31. Since SpeedPAK was such a specific option, I was confused about what standard shipping is exactly etc. Didn't know it's more like a place holder name for a variety of services. Thanks again for clarifying! 🙂 I've since asked the seller what service they'll use (item is in China).