Anyone know a cheaper way to ship with Tracking to the UK?

[teenytrinkets]

I sold an item to a buyer in the UK and thought there was a small tracked packet rate, like to the US - but there isn't!  It's $43!!! The item is a t-shirt, but it was rather expensive.  If I ship without tracking, I am out $58+$9 shipping if I get INRed.  If I ship tracked, I lose about $7 on the transaction.  I usually roll the dice, but I've been burned once on an INR for an expensive item I shipped there last year.   I am selling another, so not too fussed about the loss, but hoping I can find a cheaper way to ship with tracking!  Anyone know if there is?

[mrdutch1001]

The cheapest Canada Post tracking method to the U.K. would be Tracked Packet and unfortunately the rates are NOT cheap!

[teenytrinkets]

No - not cheap.  And buyer doesn't have any recent feedback (very low and very old feedback - currently says 0%).  This has me worried.  I fear I need to cancel the transaction due to error in allowing a sale to UK shipping address, but I've never done this before.  I am not fussed that it will affect my seller score (it's pretty high), but I  don't want to upset the buyer.  Ugh, I really need to stop including international shipping on my listings!

[mrdutch1001]

I stopped including International shipping in my listings a few years ago...Any potential International buyers are required to message for shipping quote. Obviously, I rarely get asked but I have found much peace of mind by not outright offering International shipping...

The other option has always been to quote higher shipping costs...it's better to err on the high side than the low side.

[teenytrinkets]

Yeah, I rarely include international locations in my listings, but sometimes it makes sense to.  In this case, it was definitely a boo-boo, but live and learn.  I messaged the buyer and he seems like a nice enough guy, so I'll eat the loss.  Sometimes my selling turns into a pay it forward venture rather than a profitable business...lol.  But it's kinda nice when I see my buyers get excited about a purchase, especially if I am getting rid of something sentimental that I've owned a while.  Nice to know it's going to a good home!

[ricarmic]

Hi teeny, if the buyer seems like a decent person, you might want to consider going the untracked route, you still bear the risk but the % likelihood is lower now that you've talked to them and they seem good.

I ship untracked stuff to GB all the time, it is rare to have a loss there.

[teenytrinkets]

Thanks - I may do that, but I am very nervous about it since he has no recent feedback.  I messaged him to confirm a shipping address discrepancy and he responded right away, so that's definitely a positive sign.  The difference in shipping is $32, so it's very tempting!  Crazy!

[snoopwiz · Accepted solution]

Have you looked into Chit Chats Express (Vancouver & Burbs)?  They use an international service (Asendia) that often offers attractive international tracked rates. 

[pjcdn2005]

You could ship untracked and buy insurance from a third party such as shipsurance/u-pic. That would probably cost under $4.  Just make sure that you have proof of shipping. I usually print a second label and then at the postal outlet I either attach the receipt that they give me or have them stamp the extra label to show that it was shipped.

[teenytrinkets]

No - but this is EXACTLY what I was hoping for!  Thanks!  I signed up, and it was just over $9 to ship tracked!  I am dropping it off now.  It's a 30 minute drive, but the gas money will be well worth the trip!  THANK YOU!!!

[unique-attic-treasures]

This is why on anything above $25 we ship tracked....but reading about this shipsurance thing is interesting i'm gonna look into this more myself...glade you found some help from others

[ypdc_dennis]

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@unique-attic-treasures wrote:

This is why on anything above $25 we ship tracked....but reading about this shipsurance thing is interesting i'm gonna look into this more myself...

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If buying an ebay label through Shippo you can add 3rd party insurance from Shipsurance to Small Packet Air.  But you do need to get a scan or stamped receipt at the post office/outlet to prove the package was turned over to Canada Post for shipping.

Countries with no 3rd party insurance coverage:

Afghanistan
Angola
Bolivia
Burma
Congo
Cuba
Iran
Iraq
Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire)
Liberia
Nigeria
North Korea
Paraguay
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Sudan
Syria
Venezuela

Russian Federation has restricted coverage.

-..-

[15westcoast]

I have shipped items to the UK, but I give the buyer a quote on the

Postage with tracking as I will not post without it.  I have had some buyers

decline and some have accepted as the rate is quite high.  I hate to loose the

sale but I have been scammed in the past by posting (anywhere) without tracking.

[ypdc_dennis]

This was mentioned on another thread, but eBay has tracking of a sort for Small Packet USA.

Canada Post and USPS websites do not show any scan info, but if you enter the bar code number on the label (the really tiny number under the bar code) as a tracking number for the package -- then eBay will provide details when you click on the order tracking link.

Judging from the results it looks like ebay leaned on the USPS to cough up the internal scan information.

......

No idea if this will work for other countries, but I have 2 small packet air sent this week to the UK and Japan, so I'll see what happens.

-..-

[ricarmic]

This is very interesting indeed!

Because I'm a stamps on the box kinda guy my PO receipts do not have this, however, for ones that are close to the "worry about" limit (ie almost worth enough to put real tracking on) I'll get my PM to let me copy down the code off the actual label they put on the package and I'll try watching some of them/adding to the item tracking!!

THX for sharing (Again), I did not notice it in the other thread!!!

[luckylegend]

I just shipped to a buyer in UK with tracking and will lose 160 cad on this transaction, not clear I will get my package back. I strongly suggest against it.
If you need more details check my post

[unique-attic-treasures]

We will NEVER use Shippo again...the Shippo account we had was hacked and someone tired to take 25 grand out of our account(which we don't have like most people) in "pre-authorized" payments....it was a whole thing and happened about a year ago...Shippo still hasn't said it was a problem on there end at all...it was PayPal that saved us because we have used PayPal since the beginning and have never had an issue...now we ship direct through Paypal with Canada Post...but seeing the other companies out there like ChitChat and Shipsurance we have beeing thinking of using the ChitChat 

Thanks for the info though...appreciate any help or suggestions from fellow Ebayer's here in the wonderfull Great White North

[pjcdn2005]

I don't understand how you would lose that kind of money in Shippo.  There is no money in your Shippo so what account was someone trying to take money out of?