Help with International tracking SVP

[snoopwiz]

Hey all.   I rarely have the occasion to ship international with tracking but have a buyer in Saudi Arabia  insisting I do for them.  It is for a standard manila envelope, (12 x 9 x 1/2")  weight 180 grams.    

Checking the Canada Post website (how's that for a Saturday treat?)  and could only find the uber-expensive Xpresspost & Priority that offer tracking.

Does their small packet international air offer door to door tracking or...?  Thanks much. 

[pierrelebel]

What is the value of the shipment?

[snoopwiz]

A whopping $15 yet the buyer is insisting on tracking. 

[ypdc_dennis · Accepted solution]

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@snoopwizwrote:

Hey all.   I rarely have the occasion to ship international with tracking but have a buyer in Saudi Arabia  insisting I do for them.  It is for a standard manila envelope, (12 x 9 x 1/2")  weight 180 grams. 

Checking the Canada Post website (how's that for a Saturday treat?)  and could only find the uber-expensive Xpresspost & Priority that offer tracking.

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https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGIntDestDetails-e.asp?table=tblCountry&txtLetter=SA

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Those are the only two tracked Canada Post choices available for Saudi Arabia.  Since Priority is handed off to FedEx -- you'll need to read the section on required documentation if you pick that service.

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Some sales are just not worth the extra shipping cost.

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[pierrelebel]

Tracking is meant to protect the seller, not the buyer.

Since you assume all responsibilities in case of loss, shipping by Canada Post using "Letter-Post" ($10.30 for less than 200g)  should do the trick.

Registration would cost an extra $17 or so and not worth it.

Good Luck

[snoopwiz]

@snoopwizwrote:

Hey all.   I rarely have the occasion to ship international with tracking but have a buyer in Saudi Arabia  insisting I do for them.  It is for a standard manila envelope, (12 x 9 x 1/2")  weight 180 grams. 

Checking the Canada Post website (how's that for a Saturday treat?)  and could only find the uber-expensive Xpresspost & Priority that offer tracking.

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGIntDestDetails-e.asp?table=tblCountry&txtLetter=SA

...

Those are the only two tracked Canada Post choices available for Saudi Arabia.  Since Priority is handed off to FedEx -- you'll need to read the section on required documentation if you pick that service.

...

Some sales are just not worth the extra shipping cost.

And this would be one of them. 🙂      I already told him I could ship USPS Priority Mail (about $45 through CCE))  and he was ok with that but then...........the "guilt" set in, causing me to try and find something cheaper with tracking for him.   In his defense, he is being more that cordial, polite about it but, ........as we know, 1% of our sales sucks 99% of our energy.

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[snoopwiz]

Tracking is meant to protect the seller, not the buyer.

Since you assume all responsibilities in case of loss, shipping by Canada Post using "Letter-Post" ($10.30 for less than 200g)  should do the trick.

Registration would cost an extra $17 or so and not worth it.

Good Luck

Thank you for the heads up. 

[femmefan1946]

he was ok with that but then...........the "guilt" set in, causing me to try and find something cheaper with tracking for him. 

He is happy with the price.

You are over-thinking this.

He can't buy it locally and the shipping cost is worth it to him.

Buy the $45 service.

Ship.

[pjcdn2005]

@snoopwiz

According to usps, there is tracking to Saudi with first class international delcon.

https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2017/pb22468/html/updt_002.htm

[snoopwiz]

According to usps, there is tracking to Saudi with first class international delcon.

https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2017/pb22468/html/updt_002.htm

Tracking information includes the date and time an article was delivered or, if delivery was attempted but not completed, the date and time of the delivery attempt. The sender can check delivery status by going to usps.com and clicking on Track Package.

Thanks so much for digging that up.   Never having used that method, does it only show actual delivery/attempted delivery on line or does it show like a USPS first class does,  complete with various scans along the way?  Thanks again. 

[snoopwiz]

He is happy with the price.

You are over-thinking this.

He can't buy it locally and the shipping cost is worth it to him.

Buy the $45 service.

Ship.

I fully understand and respect your suggestion, We will however have to agree to disagree on this one. Even though he has agreed to the price, that does not always equate to being "happy" with it. 

As I would hope a seller may do for me (as a buyer), I am merely trying to give my buyer what he needs  at a low a possible price as I can make available to them. I have no issue spending a few minutes longer than most of my sales tend to take to try to do so.  

[pjcdn2005]

I'm not sure. You might want to ask on the US selling board.

[recped]

Hey Snoop......

ChitChat -> DHL Tracked International.......$13 to the UAE (up to 250gm).

Delivery time probably about 7 - 10 days.

[recped]

Hey Snoop....me again......

Somehow I confused Saudi Arabia with the UAE!

To SA DHL offers only "partial tracking" whatever that means (probably tracked only to SA customs but nothing after that).

It would however give the buyer the impression it was being tracked and by the time they figure out that local tracking didn't happen they will have received the item.

[snoopwiz]

Hey Snoop....me again......

Somehow I confused Saudi Arabia with the UAE!

To SA DHL offers only "partial tracking" whatever that means (probably tracked only to SA customs but nothing after that).

It would however give the buyer the impression it was being tracked and by the time they figure out that local tracking didn't happen they will have received the item.

Hey B.  The first place I looked was with CCE int'l tracked and saw it was only partial.  Never saw the point in using partial other than lulling the buyer into the proverbial false sense of "its cool"     

My buyer already sent the extra riyals and I will ship as agreed.  I really just wanted to know, should this crop up again, if there was a cheaper way. I will ask on the U.S. sellers board about the Saudi Delcon tracking.  

Matzos & peanut butter it is. 

[femmefan1946]

It would however give the buyer the impression it was being tracked and by the time they figure out that local tracking didn't happen

Generally a good point, but tracking is a Seller Protection and this cheap service gives the seller none unless it is Confirmed Delivery.

@snoopwiz

Buyers and sellers have to think differently.

The price should always be fair. But 'fair' is not always the lowest price.

Both parties have to be protected.

The eBay buyer is protected by the MBG.

The seller is only protected by using Delivery Confirmation.

And this is from a seller who normally ships using no tracking whatsoever, trusting that most people are honest and what's in my Cookie Jar.

[reallynicestamps]

It seems to me there was a thread on dotCOM about Saudi Arabia and tracking a week or so ago.

The buyer, who was posting (I think) told the American members that the SA post office would either deliver to his home OR if no one was there, would not release the parcel unless it had been tracked to his door.

I remember it (poorly) because it struck me as an interesting way to supplement wages for the postal staff.

As I say, my memory is fuzzy.

[snoopwiz]

As R.R.D. would have said

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.............Never Mind