How to ship from US to China (simple please)?

[chriskco2011]

I'm in Nashville, TN, USA. I have 32 books to ship. I plan on putting 11 books per box = 3 boxes, each box weighing around 43 lbs (so total of around 130 lbs).  I have a China buyer wanting to buy it but don't know how to ship there. I'm thinking FedEx? I'm just looking for a do-able and reliable way as this is a big sale, I don't necessarily care if it's the cheapest or not.  Thanks (-:

[a_c_green]

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@chriskco2011 wrote:

I'm in Nashville, TN, USA. I have 32 books to ship. I plan on putting 11 books per box = 3 boxes, each box weighing around 43 lbs (so total of around 130 lbs).  I have a China buyer wanting to buy it but don't know how to ship there. I'm thinking FedEx? I'm just looking for a do-able and reliable way as this is a big sale, I don't necessarily care if it's the cheapest or not.  Thanks (-:

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If you're talking about that entire set of Encyclopedia Britannica, I would not recommend shipping it... well, anywhere, really, but especially not all the way to China, partly because of Customs concerns (what does the encyclopedia have to say about Falun Gong, for example?) and partly because shipping multiple 43-pound boxes of anything stands a major risk of not ending well. You will be on the hook for a full refund if the recipient claims Shipping damage on arrival.

Technically, you can charge the buyer whatever you work out as a total for all boxes, and you can print multiple labels for one sale, but I would politely decline the offer, and make the listing Local Pickup Only, or at least domestic (U.S.) only.

P.S. That completely wacko canned product description that eBay put in for that item is a hoot.  I wonder if they will ever fix it.

[no_zero369]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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@chriskco2011 wrote:

I'm in Nashville, TN, USA. I have 32 books to ship. I plan on putting 11 books per box = 3 boxes, each box weighing around 43 lbs (so total of around 130 lbs).  I have a China buyer wanting to buy it but don't know how to ship there. I'm thinking FedEx? I'm just looking for a do-able and reliable way as this is a big sale, I don't necessarily care if it's the cheapest or not.  Thanks (-:

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If you're talking about that entire set of Encyclopedia Britannica, I would not recommend shipping it... well, anywhere, really, but especially not all the way to China, partly because of Customs concerns (what does the encyclopedia have to say about Falun Gong, for example?) and partly because shipping multiple 43-pound boxes of anything stands a major risk of not ending well. You will be on the hook for a full refund if the recipient claims Shipping damage on arrival.

Technically, you can charge the buyer whatever you work out as a total for all boxes, and you can print multiple labels for one sale, but I would politely decline the offer, and make the listing Local Pickup Only, or at least domestic (U.S.) only.

P.S. That completely wacko canned product description that eBay put in for that item is a hoot.  I wonder if they will ever fix it.

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@a_c_green 

Would it make any sense for the seller to change the listing to shipping through the GSP?  Let GSP handle the international leg, import duties, etc.  Plus the buyer is off the hook on damage portion of the MBG?  no?

oh and instead of 3- 43# boxes how about 4- 30# boxes?

[a_c_green]

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@no_zero369 wrote:
Would it make any sense for the seller to change the listing to shipping through the GSP?  Let GSP handle the international leg, import duties, etc.  Plus the buyer is off the hook on damage portion of the MBG?  no?

oh and instead of 3- 43# boxes how about 4- 30# boxes?

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I would say that sounds a bit better, yes, especially in terms of packing a slightly larger number of slightly lighter boxes that might be less likely to burst open under their own load if dropped.

However, I still think shipping encyclopedias to China of all places is more than a little risky, and the seller will be on the hook for a full refund if anything goes sideways.

In looking for any further details on possible Shipping restrictions to China, I came across this interesting paragraph on books in particular by an outfit named Parcelcompare.com: 

"If you are sending books as part of your personal effects, keep in mind that all imports and exports of books in China must go through one of two authorised companies for customs clearance. This normally comes with a small fee charged by customs, and the receiver will be contacted to pay this fee before the shipment can be cleared."

Ref: https://parcelcompare.com/international-parcel-delivery/china/prohibited-items 

I'm not really optimistic that a relatively modern and culturally wide-ranging item like a full set of Western encyclodias is going to arrive on a Chinese buyer's doorstep without a whole lot of official attention. I just don't see this ending well.

[no_zero369]

@a_c_green 

I guess I must have taken a stupid pill at dinner this evening as I still am not getting it.

IF the seller ships to a Freight Forwarder and GSP is just a fancy FF'er, then the seller is done, no? GSP or FF bears the responsibility?  So if the Communist Gubmint rejects or seizes the packages, so what? that is on the buyer not the seller.  Maybe the GSP is different?  But a seizure by a customs can't be visited on the seller who shipped it domestically and it was forwarded from there?  That would be the "simple way" to get item to China, buyer bears risk of seizure.

I get what you are saying about these books and it makes sense.  Might not be successful import due to government restrictions.   Just not the seller's concern if a FF type situation is used.

Or you have the antidote to the pill?

[a_c_green]

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@no_zero369 wrote:

IF the seller ships to a Freight Forwarder and GSP is just a fancy FF'er, then the seller is done, no? GSP or FF bears the responsibility?  So if the Communist Gubmint rejects or seizes the packages, so what? that is on the buyer not the seller.  Maybe the GSP is different?  But a seizure by a customs can't be visited on the seller who shipped it domestically and it was forwarded from there?  That would be the "simple way" to get item to China, buyer bears risk of seizure.

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Putting it like that... it does sound plausible, yes. GSP is known to hold on any item that it doesn't think will be allowed in the destination country. It then reimburses the buyer, and flips the product via one of its own affiliated sellers (who have been said to copy the original seller's photos and description for their own listing, effectively adding insult to injury). 

So that could address an Item Not Received dispute. It would not help a Not As Described, though, and given the combination of package(s) weight, mass and distance involved, it seems way too easy for either real or fictitious damage to be claimed. Officially the GSP is supposed to handle damage claims for items that it forwarded. A private freight forwarder would not, and I think the seller would be left holding the bag on that.

[no_zero369]

So if that is all true, then it would make sense for OP to sell through the GSP.  IF the Communist Gubmint won't allow the item to be imported then in effect the seller has sold the item to the GSP!  That would be a HUGE win!

So if GSP covers items damaged in shipment then that is a win for the seller as well. Does not matter if a Freight Forwarder damages an  item in transit.  As long as tracking shows it delivered to the USA address the seller is done and reshipping voids the MBG for the buyer!

So it looks like the answer the OP seller needs is to sell it through a FF or GSP?

[dtexley3]

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@no_zero369 wrote:

So if that is all true, then it would make sense for OP to sell through the GSP.  IF the Communist Gubmint won't allow the item to be imported then in effect the seller has sold the item to the GSP!  That would be a HUGE win!

So if GSP covers items damaged in shipment then that is a win for the seller as well. Does not matter if a Freight Forwarder damages an  item in transit.  As long as tracking shows it delivered to the USA address the seller is done and reshipping voids the MBG for the buyer!

So it looks like the answer the OP seller needs is to sell it through a FF or GSP?

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I agree, the items should only be shipped via GSP or if the buyer wants to enroll with a freight fowarder through the FF.

[mspirit57]

Ship via the GSP.  

Revise your listing for international via GSP. 

You only need to get the books to KY. 

Hope you can make the sale!

[a_c_green]

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@dtexley3 wrote:
I agree, the items should only be shipped via GSP or if the buyer wants to enroll with a freight forwarder through the FF.

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I'll go along with that too. I'm not sure if you can actually make changes to the existing listing, though, if any offers have been made. The OP may need to end the listing and relist with GSP. If the buyer can be convinced to sign up with a freight forwarder, that would not require any changes by the seller; the buyer would just need to use the reshipper's address when making payment.

I should add here that I don't think the buyer is a scammer; I just have problems with the shipping risks and the destination country.

[lja440]

This is cut and pasted from the prohibited page for packages to China ONLY A PARTIAL LIST, please note the second paragraph.

Rhino horns
Any opiates
Syringes, both with and without needles
Needles of any description
Stethoscopes
Videogames
Games operated by coins
Refrigerators

Videotape recorders
Digital cameras
Wired phones
Television sets

Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of goods that are prohibited for shipping to China. For the complete list, please see the Chinese English Service Guide.

China also restricts printed matter and other media which is detrimental to the political, economic, cultural and moral interests of the People’s Republic of China. If you’re not sure whether this applies to your package you should contact Chinese customs to make sure that your parcel will be allowed into the country.

One excerpt of many that they probably would object to.

https://www.britannica.com/place/China/Political-developments

[johnrj1226]

@a_c_green 

Agree with you nothing could  go right with this multi box shipment especially to China.