International Shipping Costs Seeem Outrageous, USPS, UPS, FEDEX, DHL?

[Neal Chaves]

I have sold a few items to buyers outside of the US on eBay with their international shipping program. I have no idea what the buyers paid for shipping but it does not seem to have been unreasonable as I had no complaints. Now when I try to arrange for shipping directly for a buyer on this forum from the UK I am astounded at the price quoted. Does anyone have a workaround for this? It is a severe restriction of trade, limiting cost-effective shipment to only the most expensive items.

[domaz]

Have you tried First Class International USPS? There is a weight and size limit on that but it's the cheapest option I know. It is what it is, prices have been moving steadily upward on International shipping since well forever..

[Jon Shiu]

What is the weight and size of the package?

[Neal Chaves]

I asked my nearby PacMail operator, a DHL shipper, about it. I could have a similar box shipped to me from a Japanese dealer by DHL, fully insured, tracked and requiring my signature for about $100. He said that there are special corporate accounts that get much lower rates.

I ordered a print washer from UK and the DHL shipping the dealer added was quite reasonable. It was defective and the dealer refunded my payment and shipping and sent DHL to pick it up at my house. I know that if I tried to ship it DHL to UK it would cost much more than $300.

[Neal Chaves]

The box is 12X6X14 inches and 6 lbs. USPS is $120 with the maximum insurance of $600. I would like to insure for $1,000. Tracking is provided but no signature upon delivery confirmation. This is not acceptable to the buyer.

FEDEX, UPS and DHL are all nearly $300 with the proper insurance.

[Jon Shiu]

The box is 12X6X14 inches and 6 lbs. USPS is $120 with the maximum insurance of $600. I would like to insure for $1,000. Tracking is provided but no signature upon delivery confirmation. This is not acceptable to the buyer.

FEDEX, UPS and DHL are all nearly $300 with the proper insurance.

Okay, I looked it up. Cheapest would be UPS Expedited 57.87 plus 13.50 for Shipcover insurance from a site called Pirateship.com. Which by the way has deep discounts on domestic UPS and USPS also.


I use this pirateship service all the time and there is even a real cheap service called simple export rate that's cheaper than first class international for packages under 4 lbs.

[Daniel Stone]

Pirate Ship is great, it's allowed me to ship to countries that USPS does not service during the past year's drudgery. Their shipping partners tend to be commercial air freight to ferry things, and so far, it's been a tremendous way to keep customers satisfied not having to wait until USPS gets its head out of its bum

I have negotiated rates with UPS, which can save a ton on int'l shipping, but DHL just doubled their rates, essentially, so I no longer offer them.

[Tin Can]

Insurance is baloney

[r.e.]

Insurance is baloney

So when I purchased a not cheap Schneider-Kreuznach Super-Symmar XL f/5.6 150mm lens from a vendor in Germany in December, and had it shipped to me in New York, I shouldn't have bothered to insure it. Okey doke

Just checked what it cost to ship. The lens weighs 740g/26oz and was extremely well packed in its original box inside another box. It wasn't a light package. For standard shipping with insurance, DHL wanted US$89. Priority shipping, which the vendor and I opted for after he spoke with DHL, was $107. Given that DHL was hired by the German vendor, I imagine that that amount included German VAT, which I believe is 19%.

[Bob Salomon]

So when I purchased a not cheap Schneider-Kreuznach Super-Symmar XL f/5.6 150mm lens from a vendor in Germany in December, and had it shipped to me in New York, I shouldn't have bothered to insure it. Okey doke

Just checked what it cost to ship. The lens weighs 740g/26oz and was extremely well packed in its original box inside another box. It wasn't a light package. For standard shipping with insurance, DHL wanted US$89. Priority shipping, which the vendor and I opted for after he spoke with DHL, was $107. Given that DHL was hired by the German vendor, I imagine that that amount included German VAT, which I believe is 19%.

If he was shipping it to North America he would not pay VAT. Neither would you.