Best way to ship internationally

[pzsaul]

Hello everyone, Old timer here selling over 20 years but new at selling collectible Vinyl LP’s from my collection. Can you tell me any tips on using the USPS for international. I have read a few items to steer away from Global for these items because of buyer end costs but I want to make sure it's insured, and get signature on delivery. Does First Class International work to cover this, insurance, signatures? Any feedback would be very much appreciated as I have a couple up right now and noticed my PiL Metal1 disc has a bid of $197 from a UK buyer with ZERO Feedback. Normally I might cancel the bid but figured ask from the gurus first as I have it shipping 1st Class International.  😉 Thanks PZSAUL

[orangehound]

As a relatively new seller, I would advise caution with international shipping.     The buyer end costs are sometimes a little higher with the Global Shipping Program, but the seller protections afforded by it are worth it for the seller, particularly if you are inexperienced with international shipping.

By the way, just because the buyer's account may be international, the shipping address can be domestic.

[monster-deals]

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@pzsaul wrote:

Does First Class International work...

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Depends on the country.

Depends on the method.

[a_c_green]

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@monster-deals wrote:

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@pzsaul wrote:

Does First Class International work...

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Depends on the country.

Depends on the method.

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I would just add here that it depends on the item as well. I wouldn't sell a smartphone internationally except at gunpoint. The risks with vintage albums are a bit lower. I have in the past helped the spouse sell a quantity of vintage jazz albums, which sold very well, and if I remember right, most went to collectors in Japan. 

We took clear photos of the disc as well as the album cover, and used special-purpose cardboard album mailers (purchased here on eBay), reinforcing the closure with a bead of Elmer's Glue in addition to the usual tape. Fragile 78s were also enclosed in bubblewrap within the mailer. We shipped via First Class International and all went well, though for purchases of $750 or higher, definitely use Priority Mail International with Signature Confirmation.

A buyer who has plonked down umpty-hundred dollars on the album should not suddenly start shrieking poverty at the Shipping charge, but be sure that you have it shown properly in the listing, because you do not get to change your Shipping charge later. (I think you can get SC on international Priority mailings, but will defer to others here on that, as I have not needed to do that myself.)

[pzsaul]

Okay thanks, but let me ask another way. What countries do you Not ship to because of previous experience?

[pzsaul]

Thanks AC, I would be shipping using the correct materials and spacers. That’s the one thing I do not skimp on when shipping my auctions. A couple of the vinyl LP’s could fetch over $500 each.
So with your experience have you found 1st class international to be pretty dependable and any countries that you do not ship to?
Thanks again

[monster-deals]

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@pzsaul wrote:
Okay thanks, but let me ask another way. What countries do you Not ship to because of previous experience?

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Anything South of Texas anything East of Germany.

[a_c_green · Accepted solution]

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@pzsaul wrote:
So with your experience have you found 1st class international to be pretty dependable and any countries that you do not ship to?
Thanks again

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In my experience selling mostly vintage bicycle accessories, I've had no problems shipping via First Class International, even to countries that are not e-DELCON participants and thus do not transmit tracking or Delivery Confirmation back to the U.S. However, if I had an item of $500 or so, I would definitely be shipping via Priority instead, as that will give me tracking and confirmation regardless of the destination. There are no countries that I would rule out unless I was selling something that they do not allow as imports.

In some cases (such as a couple of large vintage bike baskets that I have listed right now), I'm not offering international shipping at all, as the hassle of safe shipping or dealing with a return of a very large box is more than I want to risk. 

[pzsaul]

Thanks, and agree when I ship my vintage Brewery since etc. to keep domestic only.

[orangehound]

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@monster-deals wrote:

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@pzsaul wrote:
Okay thanks, but let me ask another way. What countries do you Not ship to because of previous experience?

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Anything South of Texas anything East of Germany.

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I've never had a problem with Mexico.

Two no-no countries are Brazil and Italy.

[argy_eyes]

@pzsaul 

PZ,

I got the following link from eBay a couple days ago. It describes a new international shipping service that looks like it is eBay's attempt to fix the Global program. From my reading of it, it gives you tracking and seller protection at costs somewhat less than USPS International, and it is not limited to Delcon countries. The best of all worlds!  I'm going to try it the next time I put international items up.

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/ebay-international-standard-delivery.html 

Currently I use USPS 1st Class for Delcon countries and USPS Priority Express for non-Delcon countries. [I use eBay shipping tables to differentiate.] I do this to ensure that I get tracking for everything I send overseas, but it makes non-Delcon shipping prohibitively expensive for all but high price items (I sell mostly cameras and lenses). Asia is a big market for collectable photo equipment, and I lost a lot of sales and bids from there when I stopped shipping USPS 1st Class to non-Delcon countries (e. g., China).

Offering overseas shipping for collectables gives you bids from and/or sales to a lot of affluent (and often interesting) buyers, so it is relatively rewarding. On the other side, any issue that emerges (non-delivery, late delivery, customs, not as described) is much harder to resolve. These problems are sometimes exacerbated by language difficulties. I always go overboard with photos, condition descriptions, and shipping details to head off these kinds of issues on international sales.

MIke

[pzsaul]

Thanks Mike, you have been a great help. I did look at the new program and it looks to me like for items less that $100. Take a look. I might be missing something though.

SPP is provided for your package (defined as a single shipping unit bearing a single Carrier identification number) and its contents against damage or loss from any external cause while in the care, custody or control of the company or organization ("Carrier") you select on the www.ebay.com website to deliver a Package to an eBay purchaser. Coverage applies only during transit from your premises to the shipping destination, EXCEPT as hereinafter excluded. Coverage is limited to the actual cash value, cost to repair or replace, or $100.00 USD, whichever is less. Your coverage becomes effective when you ship the package.

[argy_eyes]

PZ,

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@pzsaul wrote:
Thanks Mike, you have been a great help. I did look at the new program and it looks to me like for items less that $100. Take a look. I might be missing something though.

Coverage is limited to the actual cash value, cost to repair or replace, or $100.00 USD, whichever is less. Your coverage becomes effective when you ship the package.

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Thanks very much for finding this limitation. That would be a problem for me.  I'll have to think it through a bit more.

Mike