An international buyer is asking me if I want to ship overseas. The item in question is light and under $10. I checked with USPS. They want $13 for International Priority Mail and another $12 for certified mail. So $25 total for a small $10 item. It doesn't make much sense. Is it possible to ship this inexpensively with tracking for PP/SPP or you just roll the dice for shipping something this cheap? Thanks!
Message edited by: LongDongSilver on 2009-10-12 22:38:23 CDT
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I shipped a $10 item via first class mail international many times. It costs about $1 per ounce to ship (no tracking). Over the course of the last few months I have shipped about 40 items and 1 was lost (or so the buyer says). I issued a refund for the item but not the shipping charge.
I also use priority international flat rate envelopes (no tracking or insurance)for heavier items. I have shipped about 500 items over the last year with this method and had about 5 lost.
I use priority mail with tracking and insurance or express mail flat rate envelope for more expensive items (both have tracking and insurance)
I actually had one flat rate priority mail envelope that I shipped to the UK show tracking on the UK tracking website. This proves it is possible but the USPS doesn't want the extra labor cost.
Stoned said:Over the course of the last few months I have shipped about 40 items and 1 was lost (or so the buyer says). I issued a refund for the item but not the shipping charge.
Don't you have to refund shipping charge too for INR?
LongDongSilver said:Stoned said:Over the course of the last few months I have shipped about 40 items and 1 was lost (or so the buyer says). I issued a refund for the item but not the shipping charge.
Don't you have to refund shipping charge too for INR?
Yes, if it becomes an official Paypal INR dispute and you loose then Paypal will refund the total cost paid by the buyer.
I wouldn't worry about tracking for small/nominal priced items sent international. Use first class mail and take your chances. However I don't do international unless the item would command a significantly higher price in foreign countries.
LongDongSilver said:Stoned said:Over the course of the last few months I have shipped about 40 items and 1 was lost (or so the buyer says). I issued a refund for the item but not the shipping charge.
Don't you have to refund shipping charge too for INR?
Only one was disputed through Paypal (the buyer disputed the item price and not the shipping charge so I gave a refund and the dispute was closed), I state on my listings no refund for shipping charges. Most international buyers go along with this especially when I tell them that, more than likely, customs consfiscated the item.
I posted this is another thread but my experience with PMI tracking has been very bad. I generally either tell people I won't ship mid-value items (~$30-40) overseas because of the expense relative to the item cost. I leave the option open, however, in case some people bite (and they sometimes do). DSRs no longer count from overseas buyers so this mitigates it somewhat.
They get the item (albeit a bit more expensively), I make a sale, everybody's happy.
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