First "international" shipping

[bigdaddyhen1980]

I have sen mixed on if this falls under the global shipping program or not, but I have an item I am shipping to an APO address.  During the shipping label printing process, it prompted to provide some data for a customs form.  I provided that, from what I could find, but not sure should be going "in" the package versus what goes on the outside with the label.  When it produced the label, it looks like there are two parts, with a piece to cut off with instructions.  The top part includes the normal shipping label stuff, including bar codes, to/from address, but then also includes customs declaration information, including the item value.  Does this whole upper part need to be included as the label (didn't format nicely for thermal label).

[1786davycrockett]

@bigdaddyhen1980 

Yes -- the customs form, after you fill it out, needs to be affixed to the package as well.

And you need to physically hand the package to the USPS counter employee, to have the customs form signed by them and validated.

[1786davycrockett]

@bigdaddyhen1980 

By the way -- the eBay Global Shipping Program is no longer in existence.  The new program is called eBay International Shipping (EIS), and all of that additional paperwork is normally done by them -- not you.

So are you actually using EIS -- or mailing internationally on your own?

[soh.maryl]

Question:  Since an APO address is presumably that of military personnel, what would be the point of using EIS? 

[bigdaddyhen1980]

Honestly, not sure, and that is why I called out that I was not sure it was part of the program or not.  I thought I read the APO stuff was not, as it was technically "US based".

This is just the first time this is even coming up, so wanting to make sure I am doing it correctly.  So this whole top part gets attached to the package..  Closest I have been in the past is some stuff to Puerto Rico, but that just went standard mail.

[richard1rst]

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@1786davycrockett wrote:

@bigdaddyhen1980 

Yes -- the customs form, after you fill it out, needs to be affixed to the package as well.

And you need to physically hand the package to the USPS counter employee, to have the customs form signed by them and validated.

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NOPE - never have had to and they all get delivered quite nicely. However, the SHIPPER (that would be the OP) has to sign and date it.

[richard1rst]

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@bigdaddyhen1980 wrote:

.  Closest I have been in the past is some stuff to Puerto Rico, but that just went standard mail.

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And an APO address is exactly the same standard mail. It does NOT require any international shipping service.

OK you then ask - so then why the customs form?

Although the military base is consider by law and custom to be U S territory it is still subject to a Status of Forces agreement in which the host country can set rules as to what can be shipped to the APO. The idea is that something not allowed in the host country could be shipped to an APO and then walked off the base and sold in the black market. Alcohol to a Muslin country for example.

[fm2000]

The shipper signs and dates the customs declaration, and the package is mailed like any other package, including having them picked up by USPS (I have had hundreds of these picked up over the years.) No need to go to the post office to mail it.

APOs are domestic mail and would not use the EIS program. But require a customs form since they are going into/through foreign countries as stated.

I don't know why eBay's system insists on printing out those annoying instructions every time a buyer purchases a label with a customs form. It wastes a label when printed on a sheet of two 8 x 5.5 labels in a regular printer, and won't print properly on a 4x6 thermal label.

[cgs_shu]

How do you set up shipping to use the eBay International Hub.  When I drop down for the choices it only shows USPS International options?  I'm located in the US trying to ship to a buyer in Germany.  I originally excluded international shipping on the listing but the buyer asked me if I can included shipping to Germany.  I also saw that I'd need to be licensed to sell specifically to Germany as an eBay business seller.  Technically, I'm not set up as a business and I wasn't sure if it applied to what I was selling.  Something about selling electronics but I am not selling electronics .  Thank you.