I don't mean alternatives to shipping, as in teleportation.  I mean alternatives to the US Post Office.  I sell mostly paper, as in magazines or game modules.  A large percent of my sales have been to Canada, UK, and Down Under.  I've been using exclusively US Post Office, either First Class International or Priority Mail International.  95% of buyers choose FCI because PMI is about 250% more.  

Recently I've begun to see "lost" shipments.  "I never received it..." and they file a complaint with eBay or Paypal.  With FCI there is no tracking and no delivery confirmation, so there is no way to know where the package is, or even that it really was delivered.  So far most issues have been long delays - presumably at Customs (who can tell?).

But it occurs to me that the situation is ripe for a scam.  Someone buys a $400 item, then says it never arrived even though it did.  Paypal reverses the sale and I'm out $400.  

So I want an alternate service with tracking and/or delivery confirmation.  It should not cost an arm and a leg - in other words, not so much that it would turn the potential buyer off (as PMI would, apparently).

I see something called "UPS World Saver" but had no luck trying to figure it out.  Any advice?

I am afraid that tracking services as UPS or FedEx will be way too expensive for international shipments...
Priority mail (not flat rate) can provide a tracking number, so it is the best way to ship overseas I guess.

Actually, IIRC, Paypal does not ask for a tracking number but only a proof of deposit. At least, in France we just need that.

TheHistorian wrote:Use PMI.  You have to have tracking/insurance, until you've dealt with someone long enough to know they won't screw you.  For simple ebay sales, that's just the cost.  If international customers don't want to pay for it, then don't deal with them.  It's exactly the same when buying something from abroad.

I seriously doubt you'll find a much cheaper solution from UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.  Shipping is pricey, period.

Isn't there a minimum shipping cost before you can get tracking from the USPS international? And isn't that tracking only to the point where the packages are handed over to the foreign postal service?

The very last time I sold through ebay I had a tracking dispute within the USA and lost $10+ shipping as a seller with a delivery confirmation number. How does paypal handle disputes with international sales?

Tharizdun wrote:Just ship to N America. Most of the International guys have "friends" who will handle the deal. Then you have the added bonus of reading the overseas guys telling you how much $ you're losing:) those are always amusing!

Oh hey now....

Best regards,
Ronald

JasonZavoda wrote:
Isn't there a minimum shipping cost before you can get tracking from the USPS international? And isn't that tracking only to the point where the packages are handed over to the foreign postal service?

It's not exactly by shipping cost.  Some services can have tracking/insurance added, some can't.

I think the reality is meeting ebay/paypal's minimum standards, not actually worrying about tracking the package step by step in another country.


To be honest, I sell US only at this point.  Once ebay started taking a percentage on shipping, it became more effort to figure out my costs than I felt like dealing with.  I offer free shipping and bump up my starting price to cover that.

rhynne wrote:Wait... what?

Was hoping to buy some other CoC stuff from you sometime in the future...

Or maybe I'll end up asking you to bring it all to NTRPG Con next year?

I was referring to general ebay listings.  People I know/have dealt with here... who cares where you live?  

I offer both FCI and PMI on my listings.  I have had *one* buyer - from Italy - select PMI.  I suppose I can't conclude that all those other sales would have been non-sales had I offered only PMI, but I am sure that the percentage would have been high.

Maybe I'll start offering PMI-only on the more expensive stuff, or jack up the handling fee to cover third-party insurance.


Btw, is 6 weeks extraordinarily long to be hung up in customs?  (Australia, Canada)

TheHistorian wrote:Use PMI.  You have to have tracking/insurance, until you've dealt with someone long enough to know they won't screw you.  For simple ebay sales, that's just the cost.  If international customers don't want to pay for it, then don't deal with them.  It's exactly the same when buying something from abroad.

I seriously doubt you'll find a much cheaper solution from UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.  Shipping is pricey, period.

What he said. I use PMI and have had only one minor problem where is seems they ran the package through a roller-press.

As an international buyer (I'm in Uruguay), I think that for expensive items Priority Mail is mandatory, since it includes tracking and insurance, as well as being affordable when compared to UPS or FedEx. I recently bought Ptolus from a fellow gamer in Hawaii, and it arrived quickly and without issues (even though I freaked out when the online tracking system stated that it was in New Zealand   ).

That being said, the only times I got packages lost in transit were when the seller used one of those surface air-lift shipping methods (like the one used by bestbargainbooks or bookoutlet).