Shipping stamps internationally
How do I ship stamps internationally on Ebay. I believe Ebay states that I can not use Ebay International ?
3 comments
How do I ship stamps internationally on Ebay. I believe Ebay states that I can not use Ebay International ?
1786davycrockett
·8 months ago@glw4853
After sleeping on your issue for a few hours (it's currently 21 degrees below zero here, and I probably had a brain freeze last night!), a simple solution to your issue occurred to me:
On your international shipping fees for stamps, use USPS Media rates (currently $4.47).
Go to any used book store which offers $1.00 (or less) used paperbacks (Half-Price Books generally has a "Close-Out" section of used books, DVDs, CDs, etc).
Purchase one of the $1.00 used paperbacks -- the title and subject matter is not important.
When you have an international sale on a stamp, make sure the stamp is inside a glassine envelope, and sandwich the glassine envelope (with stamp enclosed) between 2 thin, rigid pieces of backing material (such as the thickness of an index card, or similar).
Carefully insert the finished product deep inside the paperback book, about halfway through the book , so that the packaged stamp is snug along the inside spine of the book.
Wrap the book inside a plastic outer layer, and wrap that in an additional double layer of newspaper. For extra security, slab the package between 2 pieces of cardboard.
Insert the wrapped book inside a small box or other secure container, and ship to EIS at USPS Media rates.
Technically, you are shipping a book to your international buyer, so that USPS Media rates will apply. A tiny, insignificant item slipped deep inside the book should not be consequential -- I regularly find numerous unexpected items inside used books (even currency!).
Good luck.
wastingtime101
·8 months agoDo not follow the "ship in a book" idea @glw4853 . That violates all kinds of rules. Just to start, you'd have to list and sell books, not stamps, and with eIS it would be considered a mixed lot to ship books and stamps together. eIS doesn't accept mixed lots of different items with different HTS codes. It creates problems with customs paperwork. Stamps are not permitted with eIS and trying to game the system will only create problems.
1786davycrockett
·8 months ago@glw4853
"How do I ship stamps internationally on Ebay. I believe Ebay states that I can not use Ebay International ?"
You're correct -- eBay does restrict mailing postage stamps to other countries using eBay International Shipping (EIS).
And using USPS First Class International stamps to send merchandise of any form is also prohibited.
Which doesn't seem to leave too many inexpensive options, does it?
You could mail them as a package directly through your post office, without using either eBay labels or EIS -- but the shipping charges would be hideous.