How to ship internationally and still get PayPal, Google Checkout Seller Protection ?

[ebay-sucks]

Who do you guys/gals use for shipping to countries outside of the US?

Since we need a tracking number incase they pay with pp, I get 5-6 emails every single day asking to ship to Japan, Germany, Canada etc and checked into UPS and wow, the cost is unreal. I am currenty not shipping outside the US.

Who do you suggest and do they have a tracking number? I will not take the chance without a tracking number, lesson learned on that on.

Appreciate input!

[the_blue_messiah]

I always you usps to ship any of my items i sell outside of the US, mainly because the price is the lowist compared to fex or ups. They also give you tracking numbers. UPS and FEX are more secure and more costly.

[ebay-sucks]

I looked into this and you do not get tracking for eveyr box and tracking is not available to all locations.
Is there something I am missing?
How do you ship then? Express ?

[ebayhateluv]

HI:
It used to be that Global Priority was the best option, but now there is NO Tracking / once it leaves the USA...
--This only leaves Global Express ..which for a envelope sized item, it ranges from like $17.99 for Canada,,,up to $26.99 to places like Spain.
-- If youre shipping needing Insurance as well, when overseas- my experience has been, they never pay claims..
--So, when I ship a $600, $900 clock--it goes ups, the customer pays the $75-$125, it gets insured for full value, they get it cleared through customs in 2-3 days.
--- yOU ALSO need a Telephone Number for Customs paperwork. They also request a EIN if going UPS.
--
Pro's/Cons

Pros: The mdse gets there, or they pay you full value,
If you have a Paypal limitation in process--you get proof of delivery fast
UPS will not just leave the pkg-they get a signature, or else it gets returned.
All the Customs papers can be filled out on line, and the pkg either picked up on your daily pickup, or else dropped at a staples store/ups store.
They provide large and extra large boxes, 10kg, 25kg, for overseas International shipments.
They use a Clearing house/Brokerage Firm, on your behalf, they start clearing the pkg once it starts in transit-they transmit the paperwork to that country customs office via fax.

Cons:
Price, versus post office
If customer wants shipped to a po box overseas-postal will deliver here/ups will not.

However;; if you ship high ticket goods- there is no comparision. Yo must use a Fedex or ups, you want your money fast/ you dont need to play games for 3-4 weeks with the post office, then call an 800#, fill out a slew of papers, wait 6-8 weeks to get paid, if they loose the pkg,,

[ebay-sucks]

I think I will just limit selling to Canada and use UPS. Price isnt too bad and the package can be tracked. Save the headaches.
I just checked UPS for a box to Germany...OMG it was 126.00! No customer is going to pay that.
USPS would have allot more business since they are cheaper but without tracking I am not willing to take the chance.
Thanks EBLV

[Jonas]

I think you can get away with saying in your auction "paypal to USA only unless you want to pay $45 for global express guaranteed"

[ivegotinfo]

i use canada post, cheapest one with tracking for me

[the_blue_messiah]

Most of time I ship with priority mail which gives a track numbering, never had a problem with it. Your right does not supply some locations, but most of them should not have a problem with it if you want to track it, or if the buyer wants to. Most of the locations won't ship to is like contries no poor postal systems. I guess ...but I never had a problem with shipping over seas and tracking.

Like, if i ship something by usps to china, the buyer can track it from the usps website. Then onces it gets to china buy would be able to track it by their goverment mail system.

My advice if you want to save money would be to use usps priority mail, infact they give you an tracking number automatically each time with priority mail. But you if you don't sue priority mail and you can still ask for it at the post office, cost would be something like an dollar and 50 cent more for that.If the postage is purchased online you get a discount from what you would pay at the post office; if you are shipping using Priority Mail, tracking is free if purchased online.

[the_blue_messiah]

Oh and I never use express unless buyer paids for it.

[ebayhateluv]

Blue:
How do you track Global Priority once it leaves the USA??
All it says is... Left Origin... or Departs USA..
You cannot get around a Paypal chargeback with this...
YES--its convenient and cheap for the buyers...BUT, what about us Sellers--Protection?
I have tried this, at least 30 times,, NO Tracking once it leaves the USA.. Paypal will charge you back-if the buyer says did not receive...
Please check again... Thanks!

[ebay-sucks]

I asked the postal clerk and she told me that it can only be tracked by the postal clerks and not by us or paypal, so therefore it is useless. If pp cannot track it online you will get nailed from them.

Also, tracking is only if you purchase online, I do not want people who read this to get it confused because if you pay for yours at your local PO it doesnt have tracking unless you add it on.

Blue, thanks for the info but it only takes one non tracked package and pp will go after you, the customer gets the freebie and pp takes your money and hands it to them on top of that.

I am getting tons of emails about global shipping and thought to ask because it would add some good numbers to my daily sales but I cannot see people paying the extra so I can cover myself for pp.

[GreenBean]

If these potential customers are that keen, might they consider your offer of Global Express Guaranteed shipping? If you can expand your market, it may be worth considering.

[the_blue_messiah]

"Left Origin... or Departs USA.."

Hmmmm, yup thats exactly what its saids. Shipping overseas is really slow and so is the tracking number days.

Once its shipped out you cant track it more by usps. It goes though customs, but you have to find out the countries postal system. Usps is our system we are in the usa.

Say someone sent me something by hong kong post. Do i check it on usps website? I can't because the package havent arrvied at us customs. Once it gets to customs it would that scaned in the postal serivces system then I would be able to track it. But until it reaches us customs I would have to track it by hong kong post. Likewise everyone.

You send a package overseas than, you can track it until it gets to customs.... Its going to take a day or so to pass and also update the track number. Then after that if you tried to track it from usps it would just say , Left or Departs USA.

From that point on you need to find the contries postal service website and you can track it there with the same number you had been tracking it while it left off in customs.

however some countries postal services do scan these numbers into their systems when the parcel reaches them, but unfortunately it does not happen 100% of the time and is only those postal services that have a reciprocal arrangement with the USPS....