Constant "undelivered" items to EU.

[arronb2009]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this -

I have probably about 30% of items sent outside of the UK lost and undelivered, I dont send them by tracking due to the high price and send them by airmail RM packet. I know the address is correct as I keep my proof of posting recipts and check and double check the address and everything is fine. The lost items are usualy to eastern euro countrys - bulgaria, latvia, russia etc.

Could this be dishonest buyers claiming they haven't recieved the item when they have? due to not having to sign for the item. Or is customs just not letting them through? The items are not vero or dodgy.

This just seems weird to me , Im now having to charge a lot more to send by tracking.

Thanks for reading

[oompaloompa]

some dishonesty, some of them lost/nabbed....alot of people live in flats too with shared foyer and parcels are dumped or hang out of the lockboxes....

they are more likely to stick it to a foreign seller as nothing can happen eg, you will not turn up at their door or report them to their authorities....

if they claim too many losses they will get their accounts terminated....

If you were a domestic seller in their country I bet your loss rate would be way way less...

you have 2 problems, one is the cost of tracking, plus the cheaper tracked options eg via royal mail are hard to track on other side or find a signaure, which is often not taken, but I would say tracking would put alot of people off claiming loss....up to you.

[Elijah]

Depending on the total value of the items, a 30% loss rate would make me consider using tracking immediately. That is simply too high.

Royal Mail's prices for signature confirmation/tracking internationally are just ridiculous though... which is why I wondered the value. If they are cheaper then it is simply not worth it.

[NoneOther]

Personally I always use tracked/signed for delivery for overseas, If they want an item they will pay the shipping cost regardless as long as it is correct.

Doing this you will generally only get genuine buyers.

Shipping abroad without tracking is an open invitation to scammers.

Common sense really.

[J1mgg]

All my packages i send are recorded 1st class in the UK, and if i do get an international sale I will do it by international signed for.

I dont think it affects the sales in the UK as people will be more trusting and plus i see people selling similar items as me at £2.99 postage for second class and obviously ripping the piss when i can send my item for £2.15 then "0p for packaging.

If i was you I would weigh up how much you are losing by each item going missing, as this will be cost price plus what it cost you to send and package against how much trade you would lose buy charging the extra few pound to go for signed for.

[baigosho]

Just want to add that 30% is crazy high. The posts over here aren't very fast but almost always deliver. There's no customs in the EU. As for Russia, everything's possible there. At the end of may the stopped ALL inbound mail from abroad for about a week. Just like that. All of it. If you sell a lot in Eastern Europe find someone to send all the stuff to and he can forward it more locally.