Those are unquestionably the best rates for international. And you're correct, the more expensive option is the only one with tracking. If you don't use 1st Class parcel, you will forfeit tracking.
It's up to you whether you want to do it or not for inexpensive items and take the risk. Personally I don't feel it's worth the aggravation. It can take awhile for a 1st class international item to transit to some destinations, and even an honest buyer can get antsy and file a claim if the parcel is crawling along. Without tracking you are defenseless.
There was a time over a decade ago when it was fairly commonplace to send 1st class items, especially to Canada, without tracking. At that time there wasn't really a cost effective way to send with tracking. It worked out well and I did it on occasion, and I consider myself to be pretty cautious in any selling transaction.
Now, I wouldn't send so much as a toothpick without tracking. It was a different dynamic back then, and not to sound like some grizzled, old curmudgeon, I think without doubt the buyers were more educated. In my opinion that started to change after the feedback policy was amended in '08. Buyers who received negative feedback ran the risk of ending up on a lot of blocked bidders lists, and that could affect their ability to purchase on eBay. They had to understand how eBay worked, and this was especially true of international buyers who valued the opportunity to purchase here. If nothing else that was, to an extent, an incentive to be a knowledgeable buyer and a good member of the community.
