Downside to Selling Outside U.S.?

[minousbijoux]

Hi I have had a number of PSers inquiring about the stones I listed here:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/precision-cut-stones-good-stuff-hee-hee-t169726.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/precision-cut-stones-good-stuff-hee-hee-t169726.html[/URL]

That is great and makes me happy. However, some of them are outside the U.S., and want to know if I am willing to ship there. Should I? How do you decide? What risk do I take as a seller? What risk do they take? I know it would cost more to send abroad, and it might take more time at the post office to figure out the safest way, but I would very much like to hear your thoughts. Would you do it?

Thank you and I mean no disrespect to the interested PSer, its just I want to understand the ramifications if I do.

TIA

 

[Maisie]

I live in the UK and have shipped preowned designer handbags to the US. I shipped using International Signed For by Royal Mail. I was able to choose extra insurance for loss or damage - £200 or £500. I didn't have any issues with this service and the items were received within a week of posting. I think the maximum I paid with extra insurance was around £10 (approx $15).

Hopefully you will have a similar service where you live?

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I am outside the US and I have purchased a lot of stones from all over the world, with only one missing package. As long as you track the package and warn the buyer that it may take a while, you should be fine.

 

[Dreamer_D]

You are charged an extra 1% by PayPal for money sent from another country.

 

[colorluvr]

The only way you can track a package with USPS from the US to another country is via Express International, which runs approx. $30. You can't track or insure any other way. Also, that means that you will need to put the actual value of the stone (what you insure it for) on the customs form and they will probably have to pay customs fees depending the country.

If you send it regular mail, you can't track it. I have never sent FedEX international, so I don't know how that works.

 

[Dreamer_D]

There is a new service that is pricey but good IMO. Global Expresss Guaranteed is run though USPS but FedEx actually delivers it. This is helpful because you can insure your items through USPS but get the security of FedEx Express. FedEx only allows up to $1000 insurance for jewlery, so the GEXG service is useful. Also good if you do not have a FedEx near you.

 

[colorluvr]

After spending several minutes with a grumpy UPSP counter person, I discovered that you can ship Registered International with tracking and a very limited amount of insurance, which is determined by the destination country - ie, if shipping from the US to Singapore, $47 is the max insurance you can buy AND it can't be sent in a padded envelope AND it takes a different custom's form... and.... and..... but, it would have only cost $14 for this service.

I didn't end up shipping registered because the PO was about to close and I already had the package ready to go in a padded envelope. I asked about Express International to Singapore and was told that the most I could insure it for was $100 (once again based on the country of destination) and it would be approx. $30....

I have had overseas buyers tell me they can track the package by the Custom's number once it hits their country, but I can't verify that and I truly don't remember where the buyer who told me that lived.

As far as insurance goes, I'm assuming that vendor's (precision cutters) who ship expensive stones overseas via USPS use their own insurance for coverage.

If anyone has had a different experience with USPS, please chime in, as the lady waiting on me at the PO was impatient with my questions, rude in her manner and only gave out information as I pulled it out of her (told me I couldn't ship registered in a padded envelope AFTER I tore up the first priority envelope and she saw that I had the stone in a padded envelope).

She kept saying it had to be a flat envelope to be shipped registered, and I said (thinking she meant flat as in FLAT) "but it's in a container, it won't be flat, does that mean it has to be in a box?????"... after a bit of back and forth, I realized she meant non-padded when she said flat, so flat (to her) meant flat before you put something in it. I'm still not sure why she didn't just say "non-padded" in the beginning....

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I always send usps registered mail. It can be in a padded envelope, but it must be paper, not these plastic envelopes. I just sent a return to Thailand in a paper padded envelope with the actual amount of the insurance equal to the cost, in this case 89.00. The cost was $14.00, but no tracking. I have been told they don't trac in another country with registered mail. I have insured up to $1,000.00 this way with no trouble. I always put mineral specimen down. The only country I have had a problem with is Great Britain. They tax packages excessively. They even opened up my packages. My son had an envelope opened up and they stole cash , but left my check.
These were Christmas gifts and he should have known better, but had cash , but not enough in his checking account at the time.
I've sent to India, Thailand, Singapore with no problems, all by registered mail.

Annette

 

[colorluvr]

I guess it's different rules with different Post offices then, because the padded envelope i had was paper (brown standard type) not plastic. Also, I was told the amount of insurance available was determined by the destination location - in this case $47 to Singapore for registered, BUT she said I could track it if it was sent registered.

I have sent a package back to Thailand, International Express with an insurance amount of over $1000, no problem....... but according to this PO, $100 was the limit to Singapore for Express.

 

[minousbijoux]

I guess it's different rules with different Post offices then

If this isn't the truth, I don't know what is! At this point I don't have any expectations when I go into the PO. I don't even try and gather packaging and slips before I go to the window, because no matter what I think is correct, they almost always tell me I need something else in some other packaging, etc., etc. TBH, I do as they say to get them to take my packages, but I honestly wonder sometimes if there was a mishap or loss with my package, would they honor it, or would I come to find out that I was "disqualified" because I hadn't packaged it correctly pursuant to the rules and regs. of the PO...