Help finding least expensive shipping to UK from US

[wessleysbest]

Had a request from a UK buyer to make an exception to my domestic only sales policy.   This would be a fairly simple shipping project, quilt patterns (unbreakable) and weighing under 2 lbs.   I am gobsmacked by the rates I have been able to find.  Is there a flat rate system or cheaper USPS rate that  I don't know about.  Thanks for your help.

[tools*]

Only if the buyer were to send a PayPal "Friends & Family" payment or a wire transfer where the sender pays the fee. You could then use the least expensive shipping method that has no tracking and might take a few months.

[wessleysbest]

Ugh!  Sounds too complicated for me.  Thanks so much for your help.

[biggymoe]

I don't sell international, but know there is the eBay Global Shipping Program.  You would have to add that to your listing.  You would also have to remove their country from your excluded list.  Then you only pay domestic shipping to Kentucky.  eBay charges the buyer the additional international shipping charges.

Someone will come along, who has used it, and can explain better.

[48hrs-clothing]

My advice would be to only use a reliable domestic carrier's tracked& signed service and I know that USPS partner with Royal mail IN UK. 

Less well established/ known postal service is fraught with danger for you.

In most cases buyers will not consider what favours you did for them or attempted to do.

They will simply hold you responsible for any problem.

I would get a quote and then add eBay's FVF to this amount + Manage payments / Pay pal's fees + 0.30 and if buyer agrees then complete the transaction.

[48hrs-clothing]

GSP is easy and I have been using it for quite a while and had only 1 problem of goods getting damaged in transit between GSP and final customer.

Case was opened by buyer and I was told simply to wait and following day I got notification that buyer has been refunded as GSP records showed that item was in perfect condition when they received it from me therefore no liability on my part and buyer was refunded by eBay/ GSP.

Delivery times to final customers are better than track& signed service offered by other carriers.

[pjcdn2005]

First class international looks to be about $25 for 2 lbs. Is that what you are seeing?

eBay international standard which can be fairly slow would be $21 for up to 2 lbs.

[lamber9347]

@wessleysbest I have used the Global Shipping Program since it became available and never had any issues. I will sell to anyone, anywhere, that is willing to purchase from me. That's why I sell online, to sell my items. My buyers pay for all shipping and fees. I only am responsible for my item being delivered to the station in Kentucky, which has always worked for me. I also don't sell very heavy items, normally under 2 lbs. at the most. As I write this I have one package on it's way to Greece, another to Canada, and another to the UK. Last month I shipped to Italy and France. Best of luck to you....

[richard1rst]

Pirateship will send 2 pounds for $17.49 as regular first class mail with tracking to the customer's door.

If you can get it down to one pound it will be $15.49

[chapeau-noir]

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@wessleysbest wrote:

Had a request from a UK buyer to make an exception to my domestic only sales policy.   This would be a fairly simple shipping project, quilt patterns (unbreakable) and weighing under 2 lbs.   I am gobsmacked by the rates I have been able to find.  Is there a flat rate system or cheaper USPS rate that  I don't know about.  Thanks for your help.

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Slap it into an envelope with a card stiffener and ship it via first class international.  I wouldn't bother with GSP, etc. - in many cases it's a huge solution for a pretty straightforward, simple issue and it may be for this one.  Pirateship used to have simple export rates which were the best deal, but they've changed it around to mid-stream 3rd party handling so I don't know how it's going, it might be fine.  I had to stop international shipping due to packages becoming lost during Covid - I'd been shipping international before then since 1999 and had never had problems before.  I haven't started up again yet, though (I no longer sell things people overseas are panting for).  And yeah, it's expensive. 😒

[richard1rst]

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Pirateship used to have simple export rates which were the best deal, but they've changed it around to mid-stream 3rd party handling so I don't know how it's going, it might be fine.

*****

FYI

I have been using the new system. It has been going fine. Thing is, that where USPS has the Delco program (I think I spelled it right - if not you surely know what I mean) that does NOT offer door to door tracking to all countries, the system Pirateship uses does seem to offer door to door so it is definitely a plus.  They bundle the packages in California then ship it in bulk to a European sorting facility. It is then turned over to the individual countries postal system.

HOWEVER - they will also let you opt out if you prefer to use USPS the way it used to be.

[chapeau-noir]

@richard1rst  - thanks for the info - that's super helpful.  I'd only read the bulletins from PS about it so had no inside knowledge.  I need to get back to international sales, it's just that I don't have a whole lot for that market these days so have been lazy in updating shipping costs, etc.

[4mir41]

It's really thrilling to appearance back on some of those portions and spot what they had been offered for and wherein after which what they bought for at the side of the date link! Think I will start posting some of those reminiscence portions considering the fact that I am restricting no longer most effective my shopping for, however my travel as nicely.