CONUS...

[mediumcool]

You do have to physically go to the PO to drop off the package, but that's it.

How else do you get there?

 

[JSK]

the other way around..

I have had so much issues with US Post. Getting stuff from overseas.

It takes few days to get to US and takes about 1-2 months sitting around in their facility.

I recall a lens I bought from europe was in New York for a month (I am in NYC) and suddenly moved to Kentucky for another month. No reason or rational what so ever.

You can't track or do anything with it. Just hope that it will show up at your door. When things go 'missing', you are pretty much out of luck and people there don't care or willing to help.

 

[madmaxmedia]

I think a point that the OP may have been unconsciously thinking about is that the-rest-of-the-world seems to have less of a problem with international shipping. [generalisation]

Some of the replies/justifications here do sound like rather like laziness and/or centre-of-the-universe exceptionalism to this antipodean correspondent.

There is some of that I'm sure, but I think it's more the laziness part. It's easier for USA sellers to be lazy, because the USA is one of the largest markets for buyers.

Inevitably though, the closer the buyer, the easier it can be for the seller regardless of the scale. The ideal situation being selling gear to your next-door neighbor for example (who may be from another country! )

We've heard enough stories about Nigerian nightmares and fraud in other countries, that one might decide to just generally not to bother with overseas buyers out of fear.

I personally have had great transactions with overseas buyers and sellers myself. A little caution and care (and good communication with your partner regardless of where they are) go a long way to making all transactions successful.

 

[darr]

If you ship internationally and need to show proof of USPS system acceptance, you need to have your receipt stamped with the official USPS date stamp. You can only get that by going to the counter, giving the shipment to a USPS employee, and then they will stamp your receipt and scan your shipment into the system. Just dropping it in the post office box is not always proof if it does not get scanned into the system.

Anyone ever have to do an insurance or PayPal claim for "lost" or never received by buyer when they did not have their receipt stamped?

 

[Araakii]

Tracking reason. Once the item goes out of the country, it's hard to track where it will end up at.

 

[mediumcool]

The ideal situation being selling gear to your next-door neighbor for example (who may be from another country! )

A friend of mine says he prefers selling interstate or overseas (eBay) because a local buyer would be on his doorstep or on the phone with any problems!

 

[mediumcool]

Incoming
My worst experience has been with Poland, with China pretty shambolic, but cheap.

Canadian Post has been expensive, and very slow. [but my sample size is not large]

USPS or private US services are all similar in my experience, good to excellent.

Outgoing
Australia Post is being gradually privatised, and getting worse—more expensive, damage in transit (fragile stickers not used any more), outright disappearances aka theft, and unreliable tracking [I sent $3K worth of medium format camera, lens and accessories to India with paid tracking, which didn’t work, but it showed up in Chennai a few weeks later in good condition—the buyer had to bribe a customs officer to avoid paying monstrous fees because they had decided that the camera was new.

 

[monza]

Anyone ever have to do an insurance or PayPal claim for "lost" or never received by buyer when they did not have their receipt stamped?

I've never had a box not be received into their system after a drop off, and in fact, have never had a box lost since I started using USPS about 5 years ago. Probably 2000+ shipments. Knocking wood.

Also, to get around corrupt customs I usually mark the value low. There is nothing to grab attention like a high valuation on the outside of the box. $3k could be several years wages in some countries...

 

[Don Libby]

I've no real problems shipping overseas just so long as I can have some sort of tracking information. I feel tracking and insurance protects both the buyer and seller. Often I'll include shipping/insurance if sent in the US or Canada however it's up to the buyer to pick it up if outside.

Shipping international isn't the easiest to do since there's much more paperwork involved. Also I normally like to ship UPS as there's an office nearby however I have started shipping postal; just need to drive further.

One thing I've learned is that shipping international can be more expensive than what was led to be believed.

Bottom line is good communication.

Don

This question pops up every once in a while and it's good to keep it fresh.

 

[mediumcool]

Also, to get around corrupt customs I usually mark the value low. There is nothing to grab attention like a high valuation on the outside of the box. $3k could be several years wages in some countries...

Problem with that approach, and I do understand the reasoning behind it, is that you then cannot insure to the true value (what the recipient paid).

 

[Brian S]

I have had problems with Global Express mail to some countries where the service is contracted out. I sent a used camera out at no charge, no cost- for inspection for a possible trade. Customs official decided to charge for the no cost item, was refused on the receiving end- so came back to me. Another lens, the recipient also refused the customs charge on their end- came back to me. I've found that First Class International to many countries is the safest way to go. Of course this means knowing the person on the receiving end. On a forum like this, the member's regular posts are their reference. No problem shipping overseas when you converse with someone.

I have a small post office at work, so the line is short. If I had to deal with the wait at the regular post office, I would probably think twice about it. An hour of time on the weekend at the Post Office- not worth it for most items.

Deliveries to Canada are slow, I had two shipments to Indonesia that went much more quickly.

 

[devildog]

I opened a thread in "For Sale" titled "CONUS" hoping to pick-up Vermont, New Hampshire, Montana and Washington at fire-sale prices. Even though I live in Canada, shipping wouldn't have been a problem.

- N.

ps. Just use Fedex. Not UPS, not Puralator. Just Fed Ex. Everytime. They never miss, the brokerage gets done and it gets anywhere in the world in 48 hours. Life is too short for the mail.

 

[darr]

I opened a thread in "For Sale" titled "CONUS" hoping to pick-up Vermont, New Hampshire, Montana and Washington at fire-sale prices. Even though I live in Canada, shipping wouldn't have been a problem.

- N.

ps. Just use Fedex. Not UPS, not Puralator. Just Fed Ex. Everytime. They never miss, the brokerage gets done and it gets anywhere in the world in 48 hours. Life is too short for the mail.

Aren't the custom fees high? This is the reason USPS is popular for some.