Help (please) - shipping to Australia = $$$$$ ?

[beaujolais]

Help (please) - shipping to Australia = $$$$$ ?

I'm sending a few "mineral specimens" to Australia. I stopped at the Post Office last week to ask them about how much that might cost (with tracking & insurance). Person told me about $15- $20 - cool.

I bring the package to the Post Office this afternoon, ask for an economical way to send it but I still need tracking and insurance. He gives me the price before he puts in through - $46.75 .

From what I had heard, here (on PS) it should be about the former set of figures - $15-$20.

Postal person said it should be pretty dependable to get to Australia without that the tracking & ins., but that is not that comfortable of a way to go.

(Package is 12" x 10" and 7" depth and it is quite lightweight; they said it is not the size of the box or weight, though.)

Ideas, dear knowledgeable friends?

Thanks !
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Oh, and they said the other carriers would cost about "3 times" that.

 

[FrekeChild]

Yikes! I shipped about 9ctw of stones to Australia not long ago and I think it was more in the neighborhood of $25?

I did Registered International, and I think I insured it for the full amount.

This might help
http://postcalc.usps.com/

 

[beaujolais]

Thanks so, so, so much, Freke.

Maybe I just got the wrong postal person. I wish I remembered which one I saw the first time.

I just did it, on your rate calculator and it came out to $12.75 but I don't think that includes tracking and insurance.

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Re: shipping boxes. This package measures 12" in length and I'm wondering it that will bump it up to large package.

"Large Package - Any dimension over 12"

It sounds like it "shouldn't", as it is just at 12". If I knew that, though, I'd have picked a different outer box.

 

[colorluvr]

Stones can go to Australia Express International with tracking and insurance, but it's pricey. BUT if you send it priority international it's less expensive in one of their flat rate boxes, however you can't track it and there is a maximum of $400 of insurance.

You can't send jewelry Express International - period.

You can send it Registered like Freke said, but I'm not sure of the price because I've only sent a ring that way and unlike the US, you can send a parcel registered to Australia in a padded envelope, (have to use a box in the US) you just have to use the paper tape around all the edges.

Can you tell I've been through this recently? When I send stones, I send them express international and pass the actual cost to the buyer. I've sent some things to Australia Priority without tracking, but with insurance, but only to someone I trust that has purchased from me before.

I do have to say that what they say I can and can't send and how I can and can't send it seems to vary depending on who waits on me at the PO.

 

[chrono]

Which type of mail are you using? I've always used Registered and it never cost more than $25. The size of the package did not matter.

 

[beaujolais]

Thanks Chrono & Color:

USPS first- class mail, international parcel, registered mail. That part is a reasonable price. When I added on the tracking & insurance, the price really went up.

Now, from this site: http://www.ehow.com/how_6562887_track-international-registered-mail.html?ref=Track2&utm_source=ask
it seems like you get a tracking number with registered mail.

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from e-bay, re shipping: http://reviews.ebay.com/Insuring-International-Packages-Through-USPS?ugid=10000000001517696

What is USPS Registered Mail and can it take the place of insurance?

USPS Registered Mail is not insurance, but does offer limited protection in the case of loss, rifling or damage as these packages are kept separate and locked away from regular mail with only limited access by certain postal employees in both countries. This service is only available for First-Class Mail International and Priority Mail International Flat-Rate Envelope and small flat-rate box items and is unavailable for Priority Mail International flat-rate or variable weight parcels, or Express Mail International services. The maximum indemnity limit is $47.93, regardless of the value declaration on the package. This means that if you send a $200 watch to Australia via Registered Mail and it disappears, you will only receive $47.93 maximum reimbursement. The cost of USPS Registered Mail is $11.50 per package, which really makes it not worth the cost since the amount of reimbursement is so little.

Should I insure my package?

I'd say yes, especially for packages containing fragile items, however when mailing internationally it gets much more expensive and impractical. Generally, there is no point in spending more for insurance than you paid for the item or more than the item is actually worth. My suggestion is to only insure items that you absolutely can not afford to lose, whether because the item means a lot to you or because it really is too valuable to buy again or would be impossible to replace.
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I do have to say that what they say I can and can't send and how I can and can't send it seems to vary depending on who waits on me at the PO.

I absolutely do think so, Colorluvr. Sorry you were in the same shoes !

---------------------

Stones can go to Australia Express International with tracking and insurance, but it's pricey. BUT if you send it priority international it's less expensive in one of their flat rate boxes, however you can't track it and there is a maximum of $400 of insurance.


Thank. I have to look into this. ! Thanks so very much, all.

 

[beaujolais]

ColorLuvr:

So with Australia Express International, priority international, I call them and they arrange for a courier to pick it up?

With the $400 insurance, would you figure it to be more expensive than the USPS (with the tracking & insurance ) - $46.75 ?

Tx so much.

 

[beaujolais]

I'm bumping this, as I have to send it in a day or two. Hoping some of the professionals (and all you semi-pros) who ship internationally will chime in.

Please don't be annoyed; I think it's sort of annoying that I sent this to the top again; I do apologize !

I'm thinking that Multicolor.com, etc. & all the international e-bay vendors surely don't put (or charge you) $50 worth of insurance & tracking on their items, I should be o.k. to go the cheaper way.

I did wrap it really well (largish box (12" x 10" x 7"), box within a box (both name labeled & taped), prolific bubble wrap & shipping tape. That should help it to get there safely, I guess.

Again, apologies for the bump.

 

[melave]

Most of the stones i get from the USA, from memory, the shipping was about 15-25 dollars US. I am pretty sure they were sent Priority mail international. I don't think they were double boxed, One small box and LOTS of brown paper tape. But i have never received a stone that was damaged.


It takes about 3-4 weeks to get to me but i am very remote. There is no tracking outside of the US. I have never had a stone get lost *touch wood* and my post office is not the best,

Hope this helps

 

[minousbijoux]

Sonoma, how did this ever work out for you? I'm in the exact same position right now, and getting hugely varying recommendations each time I speak with someone at the PO. Help!

 

[ChrisA222]

Minou,

Ive sold a few times to Australia. When I was selling cheaper stones, I went with just the basic First class/No track or insurance. One of them never got there...still wonder where it is months later....

The last time, someone from Australia bought several nice stones from me, so I charged her $10 or $20 and then paid the difference myself to send them Express. It cost $42 but it got there in less than a week, was trackable and insurable. I really feel that its worth it, because of my bad experience sending out that one that never got there.

You can send it "registered", its cheap and slow, but not insurable. Going by the value of your stones you are selling/sold, I would strongly suggest spending the extra for the Express Mail. Just my opinion.

 

[minousbijoux]

Chris:

Thanks for your response - its really helpful. But come to find out from Colorluvr that sending stones Express International into Australia is prohibited, which means a risk at customs. From past threads, I gather that most make it through, but who wants to be the expensive package that doesn't arrive because it was caught at New Zealand or Australian (or probably Singapore, or...you get the picture) customs?

I can post the U.S.P.S. link that shows the prohibition, thanks to CL, but don't know if people would rather not officially know...

 

[tara3056]

I've sent a couple of things via Priority Mail international with the small-size flat rate box. I didn't get tracking or insurance, which was a risk, but a mitigated risk because the stones weren't worth all that much. I felt better about sending it Priority. Much cheaper than Express but still got there within about a week. It cost $15-20. You just have to ask for a flat rate box from the PO. Weight doesn't matter... you can stuff the flat rate box as full (or not) as you like and it will cost the same. I usually put a manilla envelope inside the box for extra security.

 

[minousbijoux]

Thanks - that is what I ended up doing, only I also sent it registered so it would require a signature and so I could insure it.

 

[beaujolais]

I just saw this, sorry MB ! I forget exactly how I sent it (sorry). I do remember I had to speak to several post office personnel before I got a good answer and what seemed to be the right way to do it. It cost about $25 (or was it $35) from NY to Australia. It got there fairly fast, about 10 days. It was a bit of a pain to figure out the shipping, yes, but I met a very lovely PSer through this transaction.

You know why may know about shipping to Australia - cm366 who posts here. I think he can be found on some JXR amethyst threads.

sonoma

 

[chrono]

Minou,
For international shipping, tracking (and perhaps insurance goes hand in hand with this) ends once it leaves the US.

 

[minousbijoux]

Minou,
For international shipping, tracking (and perhaps insurance goes hand in hand with this) ends once it leaves the US.

But then how can they offer tracking on some mail service, like Express International? Hmm. Now you have me thinking that maybe the only things they offered for EI was signature confirmation for delivery and insurance. Maybe I just assumed tracking.

 

[pinkjewel]

I sent a parcel to England registered mail and another to Portugal(this was a gem stone). There is no tracking with it, and it was slow- but the advantage was it has to be signed for at each stop and it is locked up at each place, so safer!! Portugal took about 2 weeks to arrive and I don't remember how long for England, but seem to remember it being longer.

 

[beau-wy]

I use Priority International flat rate for less expensive gems (less than $1000 dollars), or any method the recipient prefers; this runs $16.95 to most countries, and I've had no problems with deliveries to Australia. My caveat to the buyer is, it will be properly declared as merchandise at the price paid.

For more expensive items, or the best tracking, Fedex is in my opinion the best and most reliable. Because I can't control foreign customs, or the honesty of foreign courier services' employees, and most international insurance is either of nominal value/high cost, or has so many loopholes to allow the carrier out of paying, I don't insure. If a buyer doesn't like these terms, I am happy to refund their purchase and not ship the gem(s).

 

[chrono]

Minou,
Has your package been sent? What shipping method did you use and options did you get? What did the PO say about tracking? From past experience (but it has been a while), there was no update once it left the US.

 

[minousbijoux]

Here are the options that I know of:

1. Priority Mail: provides nothing but is the cheapest. No insurance, no tracking and no signature upon receipt. Takes 5-7 business days.

2. Priority Mail, Registered: According to the PO, safest way to send something. Costs priority mail price, plus a significant fee for sending it Registered, depending upon the country. This is the service where they wrap the box in their special brown tape. No tracking but insurance and signature upon delivery. Takes 5-7 business days.

3. Express International: insurance, tracking (I think) and signature. Gets there, depending upon location, in about 3 business days. IIRC, starts at $40 to Australia for basic service and is weight based. Cost of insurance is extra.

I'm not sure if there is a limit on insurance levels on the USPS options (sorry, its starting to all run together in my head since I did multiple packages to multiple countries in multiple ways!)

4. Fed Ex International: most expensive, over $100. Insurance costs extra. Gets there in 2-3 days.

Bottom line: if gemstones are really prohibited, then none of these methods may be allowed, but I guess so many people do it, that while it might be a rule, it seems that the majority of the packages get through...

Cross your fingers for me!

 

[minousbijoux]

Sorry - I wrote it wrong Priority International take 6 - 10 business days.

 

[chrono]

I thought there's no such thing as Priority Registered, meaning you are basically sending Registered and the Priority fee is "wasted" because it has to be locked every night at the station.

What about DHL? Do they provide insurance? I know they have tracking and might be less costly.
UPS will insure but only on mounted stones, not loose stones.

 

[minousbijoux]

I thought there's no such thing as Priority Registered, meaning you are basically sending Registered and the Priority fee is "wasted" because it has to be locked every night at the station.

What about DHL? Do they provide insurance? I know they have tracking and might be less costly.
UPS will insure but only on mounted stones, not loose stones.

Yes, this is correct - I found it out today, only after sending three packages in as many days, where no one at UPS bothered to tell me this, despite the fact that I was very clearly trying to find out the cheapest way to send packages internationally.

 

[chrono]

I'm sorry Minou.