International Shipping

WingaWinga MrSouth Africa Icrontian
edited June 2007 in Trading Post
I have a few questions with regards to USPS and international shipping.
I'm hoping that the people who have had experience with it can clear up some issues I keep having.

1) Apparently the post office cannot assign a tracking number to packages sent via express or priority parcel mail to most international destinations. Is that correct?

2) Apparently they also not prepared to insure the parcels. At least not for packages of low value. I would have thought if it's insured even for a nominal value, then at least some form of tracking mechanism can be put in place. Can anyone verify if this is correct?

3) Is there any international shipping class within USPS that you can use that allows for a tracking number or insurance?

Comments

  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    Paging FatCat6 to this thread! Fatcat6 to this thread!

    (He's a USPS guy. He might be able to help answer these questions :) )
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I have shipped over 30 packages via USPS international and 4 times out of 10 they get stuck in customs and never make it back to me or the person I was shipping to.
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    Sledgehammer70 wrote:
    I have shipped over 30 packages via USPS international and 4 times out of 10 they get stuck in customs and never make it back to me or the person I was shipping to.

    Sorry about that Sledge. The problem is once we release custody of the parcel to foriegn "Postal Services" we can't control what they do with it.

    As for the main questions lemme see if I can help. I'll ask at work tomorrow also for ya!

    there is Global Express Guaranteed:
    Global Express Guaranteed® (GXG) is the premium international shipping option from the U.S. Postal Service with international transportation and delivery by FedEx Express. GXG offers date-certain delivery in 1-3 business days to more than 190 countries worldwide. GXG is available online on USPS.com and at thousands of participating retail locations throughout the United States.
    http://www.usps.com/international/globalexpressguaranteed.htm

    there is Express Mail International:
    Get fast delivery of documents and packages to over 190 countries.
    Send documents and packages around the world for some of the lowest prices around with Express Mail International® (EMI) service, with service guaranteed to select destinations.
    http://www.usps.com/international/expressmailinternational.htm

    there is also Priority Mail® International Insurance:
    At the sender's option, Priority Mail International (flat rate envelope not included) packages mailed to many destination countries can be insured against loss, damage, or rifling. Comparable insurance coverage is not available to senders who mail letter-post items to those same countries.
    http://www.usps.com/international/intlspecialservices.htm

    like i said ill also ask around work. Basically anything that is insured has a tracking number already included..

    fc6
  • GrayFoxGrayFox /dev/urandom Member
    edited June 2007
    Ship with UPS everything else is a giant headache. (At least in my experience.)
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    Ship with UPS everything else is a giant headache.
    My experience has been nearly the opposite. I've shipped to Canada, the UK, Germany, Norway, and a couple other countries. Yup, USPS shipments have been hung up at foreign customs, but the other parties always got what I shipped. Sledge, you didn't mention at what countries your shipments disappeared.

    I am not affiliated with the US Postal Service in anyway, but I will say that my experience with USPS international priority and domestic priority shipping has been a 9 on a 10 scale.
  • WingaWinga Mr South Africa Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    I must have received around a dozen packages from the US in the time I have been buying from overseas and have received every one of them.

    A few have been queried and held at customs, but have been released after I was able to provide the supervisor a satisfactory explanation. I found that as long as you pay them their dues and give a concise explanation as to the contents they not too hassled about letting it through. Well that goes for SA anyway.

    The problems stem from incorrectly completed customs labels.
    • I always ask that they marked as a gift. otherwise customs have a right to regard you as an international trader and they insist on reams of forms and documents that have to be produced.
    • Always indicate the true value on the customs label. When an item arrives in the country we have to pay VAT (general sales tax) on the value. There's nothing that pees them off more than understated vales.
    • If the item is used mark it as such. I had a big argument about that with customs once, where they insisted on the original invoice because the used item was so nicely packed in its original box and anti-static bag.
    That may sort some of your customs problems out :)

    Thanks for the links above but I am still none the wiser as to what can be tracked or insured and what can't. Is it possible that the clerk working at the post office doesn't know what they talking about? Sometimes people give me a tracking number other times they say the post office said they don't do int. tracking. Some insure, others say you can't

    I'm hoping someone on the ground who has sent packages overseas can clear this up for me.
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited June 2007
    If you are recieving packages from other countries...I have no knowledge of their policies regards to insured and tracking.

    And yes the clerks at the front windows are very under-trained. Always if you can go to the clerk who is older.
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