Is there an alternative to USPS International.

[richard1rst]

I sold a baseball cap to a buyer in England. Sent it USPS and it got caught in the "now going by boat". 8 weeks later and it is still not there.

He wants to buy another and ask if I can send it by "one of the more reliable private courier companies".

It has a shipping weight of 8 ounces.

Any suggestions as to who I can use or is that just a pipe dream?

[orangehound]

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@richard1rst wrote:

Any suggestions as to who I can use or is that just a pipe dream?

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FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc.

The Global Shipping Program also uses these carriers, and others.

[richard1rst]

Thank you for the quick response.

When I go to print the label I see "eBay International Standard Delivery" as a choice. Is that what you mean?

And that does NOT go by USPS? Any guess on normal transit time to the UK so I can forewarn my buyer.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@richard1rst 

Remember if you choose to use another service...ie Courier, there could be customs processing charges. It depends on the service and the country. Usually fees are higher compared to postal services.

-Lotz

[yuzuha]

My experience with DHL (between Asia and the US, not sure about Europe) is that it takes an average of 3-4 days.  My last DHL package (from Japan to the US) was shipped late Monday afternoon and was delivered on Thursday.

[orangehound]

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@richard1rst wrote:

When I go to print the label I see "eBay International Standard Delivery" as a choice. Is that what you mean?

And that does NOT go by USPS? Any guess on normal transit time to the UK so I can forewarn my buyer.

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eBay International Standard Delivery uses USPS, and that is different than the Global Shipping Program.

The Global Shipping Program has to be activated for your listing before it sells (there is a check-box in the listing creation).  When the buyer purchases a GPS item, then you will receive domestic postage to send the package to Kentucky (unless you have free domestic shipping), and Pitney-Bowes (in Kentucky) will receive money to ship it to the international destination.

[pjcdn2005]

Unless something has changed, I'm sure that International standard goes by DHL, not USPS. 

[jen@selling · Accepted solution]

@richard1rst 

You can use eBay international standard delivery as an alternative.  Packages through this service are not crossing the Atlantic with USPS.  This chart and related information about shipping delays due to Covid-19 will help give you some insights as to what locations globally are seeing long delays and also by which service.  

The packages sent in April were impacted the most by lengthy delays as USPS had to pivot from air to ocean freight because of cancelled flights. We hope to see some of this resolving itself in the near future, but will keep our community posted under announcements and on this COVID-19 shipping page. 

Have a good weekend! I hope your next sale works out. 

Jen

[a_c_green]

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jen@selling wrote:

The packages sent in April were impacted the most by lengthy delays as USPS had to pivot from air to ocean freight because of cancelled flights. We hope to see some of this resolving itself in the near future, but will keep our community posted under announcements and on this COVID-19 shipping page. 

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April was two months ago, and I've seen no evidence of them using ocean freight as a substitute for air travel these days.

For example, a First Class Package mailed from Chicago on June 8 was delivered in the UK yesterday.

Another sent to Thailand on June 5th left the US on the 10th, after some dithering at Chicago ISC, flew to an intermediate overnight stop in Tokyo, then departed from there to Thailand, and that also was delivered yesterday. It looks to me like anything using a shipping method that normally travels by air is currently doing so as usual.

[richard1rst]

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@a_c_green wrote:

April was two months ago, and I've seen no evidence of them using ocean freight as a substitute for air travel these days.

Well that is encouraging. On that basis I went at looked at a few of my recent international sales.

I had package going to Belgium. Mailed May 28. Tracking shows it went by air (not ship) and was handed over to an agent in the Netherlands on June 11. Although it is still showing a delivery date of Oct 11.

I had a package to the UK. Mailed on May 27 - delivered June 6.

I had a large envelope going to Japan. It was mailed on Jun 4 and tracking shows it as in Tokyo on 6/8. BUT it is still showing estimated delivery date as July14.

Another large envelope going to Germany. Mailed June 9. Tracking shows it as in Frankfurt on June 14. But it is showing estimated delivery date as Sept 20.

So I guess things have improved but the information is still a bit sketchy.

By the way, these all went as regular USPS first class mail, not eBay's international delivery program.