International Shipping

Information on shipping, storing and repairing your art, plus your reviews on products for art collecting, making, storing, etc..
skinkrawl
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Wed Aug 15, 2012 2:38 pm

Have a guy from the UK who wants to buy a print. Is there any way to get full tracking from US to UK without using a service like Fed Ex who charge $100+? I know many people here ship to the UK, but this guy is on Ebay and not EB, which multiplies the risk of him being a scammer in my eyes. I stopped shipping overseas on all my Ebay stuff when they went to the policy of no delivery confirmation, no payment, you lose your item and your cash, but I'm open to it if I can find a way not to get ripped off. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks everyone.
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xN3rDx
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Wed Aug 15, 2012 2:43 pm

I thought you could get signature/delivery confirmation with USPS Express International and USPS Priority International to the UK, but I have only done so to Australia and Canada personally so can't confirm.

Around $30-$60 depending on service and size of tube.
skinkrawl
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Wed Aug 15, 2012 3:16 pm

I've seen some forums say that the USPS will only cover as far as getting it there in terms of confirmation, then it can be a toss-up as to any info posted after that. And since Ebay/Paypal will only cover you if there is delivery confirmation, that's what has me worried.
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philipanderson
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Fri Aug 17, 2012 11:48 am

OK - I'm in the UK, and have had quite a few posters sent from the US now. I just went to look on one of the empty tubes for you.

It is marked as USPS Priority Mail International and cost the seller $39.05 to send it to me from Minnesota. I had to sign for it and he had an online tracking service.

According to the value of the print, one way to make sure that you don't get scammed (if you don't trust your buyer) is to make sure that the detailed description of goods marks the poster as a purchase (not a gift) and that it has a value well over £15 (obviously converted to US dollars). Once it hits this threshold, it will get scooped up at UK customs and a surcharge will be applied. The UK buyer will then have to pay that surcharge online and arrange delivery, at which point he or she will have to sign for it. This is as close as you can get to a guarantee that you won't be scammed.

In reverse, I have to tell you that I have STILL fallen foul. I paid nearly $75 for guaranteed tracking to the US. The person receiving the item in the US claimed that he or she didn't receive it. When the tracking was checked, it said that the "driver had left at front door - no signature". The entire process had taken so long to investigate, that I couldn't claim compensation off the delivery company, because the claim had to be filed within 30 days.

I should imagine that the same *could* happen in reverse. But I'd hope it was very rare!!
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summoner
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Fri Aug 17, 2012 11:56 am

I can confirm that USPS Express International will give you tracking along the way, as well as signature delivery. That being said, tracking inside the US is done with USPS and they can only report what is given to them by the receiving country's postal system. If they do not receive updates, then none will be displayed.

The only way to absolutely guarantee tracking along the would would be to use something like FedEx.
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philipanderson
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Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:06 pm

summoner wrote:
The only way to absolutely guarantee tracking along the would would be to use something like FedEx.
Would you believe it was FedEx that left the parcel on the doorstep in the US?? :hanging:
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summoner
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Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:10 pm

philipanderson wrote:
summoner wrote:
The only way to absolutely guarantee tracking along the would would be to use something like FedEx.
Would you believe it was FedEx that left the parcel on the doorstep in the US?? :hanging:
I said tracking, nothing about actually getting a sig. :wink:
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philipanderson
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Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:14 pm

summoner wrote: I said tracking, nothing about actually getting a sig. :wink:

Heheh - it's always useful to get tracked confirmation that somebody lost your parcel!! :D
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Codeblue
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Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:17 pm

Codeblue wrote:Shipping internationally is not for the faint of heart. If you're not fully prepared for the package to disappear and be out the money, then ya prolly shouldn't do it. Many times you're making at least 25-50% more on the sale because foreigners are the only ones with money these days. How often does a package go missing? I've never had a single package go missing (runs and knocks on wood). I don't insure international shipments (unless they're over a grand) because it seems to cause more problems (eg. being held up and mangled in customs), and collecting is often a bitch or impossible due to the aforementioned strict requirements. It's all about risk/reward.

On another note, I've found international buyers to be generally friendlier, more honest, responsive, and likely to leave feedback than domestic buyers.
RupertPupkin wrote:I live by this rule and this rule alone: people are drymounting idiots.
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philipanderson
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Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:21 pm

Codeblue wrote:
Codeblue wrote:Shipping internationally is not for the faint of heart. If you're not fully prepared for the package to disappear and be out the money, then ya prolly shouldn't do it. Many times you're making at least 25-50% more on the sale because foreigners are the only ones with money these days. How often does a package go missing? I've never had a single package go missing (runs and knocks on wood). I don't insure international shipments (unless they're over a grand) because it seems to cause more problems (eg. being held up and mangled in customs), and collecting is often a bitch or impossible due to the aforementioned strict requirements. It's all about risk/reward.

On another note, I've found international buyers to be generally friendlier, more honest, responsive, and likely to leave feedback than domestic buyers.
That works in reverse too!

I've traded with some great guys in the US, who have been a breath of fresh air compared to some of the people in the UK I've had to deal with.

Only one parcel sent to me FROM the US has ever gone missing - and one the other way - and that's not just posters - that's years of buying and selling things over eBay.
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exadore
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Wed Aug 29, 2012 11:44 am

Does PayPal confirm Australian addresses? Or does it even really matter?

From what I can see through PP's FAQs, they only confirm US, Canada, and the UK.
latetotheshow wrote:Flipping is like jerking off. Everyone does it, but nobody wants to get caught.
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shaunhoff
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Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:53 pm

with usps can you add more insurance than what's claimed?

example print is worth 900 , buyer only wants me to put $75 so he wont have to pay a lot with fees to get it, is there a way to still add $900 of insurance on it or will he just have to pay the fees?
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soam24
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Tue Mar 25, 2014 9:01 pm

shaunhoff wrote:with usps can you add more insurance than what's claimed?

example print is worth 900 , buyer only wants me to put $75 so he wont have to pay a lot with fees to get it, is there a way to still add $900 of insurance on it or will he just have to pay the fees?

pay the fee's.
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shaunhoff
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Tue Mar 25, 2014 9:07 pm

copy, thanks!
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soam24
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Tue Mar 25, 2014 9:09 pm

shaunhoff wrote:copy, thanks!

yeah np, there's no way to insure it for say $500 but on the paperwork say it's worth only $50.

ask your UK buyer for tariff codes to write on the tube... the UK thread has exactly what to write
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