Shipping Letter Post Over Seas

[sylviebee]

I'm thinking of sending a small plastic item via letter post.

I'd put it in a well padded envelope which would be roughly under 2cm thick and well under 100 grams and just stick a bunch of stamps on there.

I'm only thinking about shipping method and not riskiness of country.

Does anyone know if that works?

[mrdutch1001]

Perhaps this will help:

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGletterml-e.asp#1397895

[ypdc_dennis]

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@sylviebee wrote:

I'm thinking of sending a small plastic item via letter post.

I'd put it in a well padded envelope which would be roughly under 2cm thick and well under 100 grams and just stick a bunch of stamps on there.

Does anyone know if that works?

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Rule of thumb: Feels like lettermail, looks like lettermail is treated like lettermail.

Based on my dvd mailing experiences.

100g - $6.25

Looks like a purchase, then Small Packet Air.

100g (UK) - $9.96

-..-

[sylviebee]

So mailed in a padded envelope would pass as letter-mail?  or

Mailed in the plastic eBay mailers with padding inside would pass the test as long as dimensions are within their guidelines?

[ypdc_dennis]

The main restriction for oversize international letterpost is that it be less than 2cm thick.

Lumpy letters are frowned upon -- too easy to get bunged up or torn open.

An eBay branded envelope would raise a sale/purchase flag -- as of last year international letterpost is not supposed to used for sales.

[sylviebee]

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@ypdc_dennis wrote:

The main restriction for oversize international letterpost is that it be less than 2cm thick.

Lumpy letters are frowned upon -- too easy to get bunged up or torn open.

An eBay branded envelope would raise a sale/purchase flag -- as of last year international letterpost is not supposed to used for sales.

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These are the questions that have me unsure.  I have an offer I'd like to accept but shipping cost by anything other than letter mail won't work.......... just too high to the country I'd be shipping to.   Under 2 cm but it would be a bit lumpy.

[zee-chan-jpn-books]

I use regular paper envelope to mail everything letter-post. I use padded envelope only for domestic lettermail and small packets. I sell books so they are all paper and flat and thin. 

[ypdc_dennis]

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@sylviebee wrote:

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@ypdc_dennis wrote:

The main restriction for oversize international letterpost is that it be less than 2cm thick.

Lumpy letters are frowned upon -- too easy to get bunged up or torn open.

An eBay branded envelope would raise a sale/purchase flag -- as of last year international letterpost is not supposed to used for sales.

---

These are the questions that have me unsure.  I have an offer I'd like to accept but shipping cost by anything other than letter mail won't work.......... just too high to the country I'd be shipping to.   Under 2 cm but it would be a bit lumpy.

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Try sandwiching it between two sheets of thin cardboard before putting in an envelope.

For some mailings I put the item inside a greeting/Xmas card to smooth things out (and add a bit of protection) -- but weight is a factor.

-..-

[teenytrinkets]

I agree with the cardboard trick. I do it successfully all the time.

I also mail all lettermail in a "regular" o/s envelope so visually it looks like documents. I feel like purchased padded envelopes scream "product" and draw attention.

If I risk shipping to another country, I try to put it in a greeting card envelope with the cardboard, so it feels like an oversized musical card.

[reallynicestamps]

Slightly off topic.

When I ship to what looks like a business address, but to a person, I write "Personal Documents Enclosed".

The postal system doesn't care. Most of my items don't require stiffeners.

But it keeps Tiffani, the nosy receptionist, from opening the package.

[hlmacdon]

You can do it, but the foreign postal service may return the package or simply abandon it now that UPU members are enforcing no physical goods in lettermail to boost postal revenues. USPS has recently started enforcing this for international shipments.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@sylviebee 

If your item does happen to get inspected and items can display as "What the heck is that" passing through an Xray machine followed by the inspector deciding it has value it could get held up for lack of customs documentation. I've never wanted to risk it so at a bare minimum I use Intl Small Packet for anything going internationally and US Small Packet for anything US-bound. All it takes is an inspector having a bad day for items to end up in the I'm going to make an example of you pile.

-Lotz

PS. An episode of Border Security can be highly enlightening. 

[ypdc_dennis]

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@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

... I've never wanted to risk it so at a bare minimum I use Intl Small Packet for anything going internationally ...

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Using Letterpost for International only makes economic sense for up to 100g.

Between 100g and 200g it is very similar to Small Packet Air in price. And over 200g the price advantage shifts to Small Packet Air.

[zee-chan-jpn-books]

"And over 200g the price advantage shifts to Small Packet Air."

Still depends on location. For European countries, yes small packet air is usually cheaper. For Australia letterpost is still cheaper but the different is only a dollar with SfSB rates.