WOW - Cost of shipping a 3 oz package to AU using Gobal Shipping Service

[thingsoldandnew10]

What would you consider a reasonable cost to ship a 3 ounce package from the USA to Australia using e$bay's Global Shipping Service???????

It's $23.33. The item sells for $7.56 with "Free Shipping " to the USA. The total price a Australian customer paid was US $30.89. Unbelievable.

Here's the breakdown:

Item Cost: $7.56

Shipping and Handling: $16.94

Import Charge: $6.39

Total Paid: $30.89

Pitney-Bowes uses Fed-Ex for shipments to Australia. Am I alone in thinking the Australian customer is being fleeced - shipping charges inflating the item cost 4X?

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

To Australia I would never use GSP and especially not for an item that lightweight.

You can get Delivery Confirmation to Australia and ship International First Class.

[jerrythecrazyguy]

It's only around $10 using an eBay label without the Global Shipping Program. I can actually see the Global Shipping Program being a good idea if it was a complimentary service (no additional cost).

[thingsoldandnew10]

We offer International First Class to Canada but will be rethinking of offering it also to Australia. The reason we didn't offer International First Class to Australia was two poor performances by Australia Post - they failed to deliver or delivered without confirming delivery which cost us approximately $38.

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@myjunqueyourtreasure wrote:
To Australia I would never use GSP and especially not for an item that lightweight.

You can get Delivery Confirmation to Australia and ship International First Class.

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[luckythewinner]

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@thingsoldandnew10 wrote:

Am I alone in thinking the Australian customer is being fleeced

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Yes, it certainly sounds like the seller is forcing the buyer to pay a lot more than the buyer needs to. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

GSP has never been a good fit for lightweight items. It's really better for inexpensive, heavier items.

[thingsoldandnew10]

We were well aware that lightweight items ship better to Australia using International First Class when the listing was set up. But with Australia Post having failed to deliver or deliver and confirm delivery on two other transactions which I previously posted as having cost us $38 - lost both items and shipping costs after refunding. BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY but am amazed at some individuals like being burnt. Hope they don't play with matches.

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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@thingsoldandnew10 wrote:

Am I alone in thinking the Australian customer is being fleeced

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Yes, it certainly sounds like the seller is forcing the buyer to pay a lot more than the buyer needs to. 

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[luckythewinner]

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@thingsoldandnew10 wrote:

We were well aware that lightweight items ship better to Australia using International First Class when the listing was set up. But with Australia Post having failed to deliver or deliver and confirm delivery on two other transactions which I previously posted as having cost us $38 - lost both items and shipping costs after refunding. BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY but am amazed at some individuals like being burnt. Hope they don't play with matches.

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I have been shipping overseas for 20 years - Australia included - and had a couple shipments go missing over those two decades.

I don't consider that as "playing with matches" or "liking being burned". I used my experience to inform my decision.

You clearly had a different experience and made a difference decision, which is why your buyers are paying significantly higher prices in the GSP. You wanted to be insulated from Australia Post, and your buyers are paying the cost of that.