USPS less expensive than UPS or DHL to Finland?

[itsjustasprain]

I have an interested customer - no bids yet - in Finland who thinks that UPS or DHL shipping would be cheaper than USPS. My listing for a 9 ounce box to Finland comes up as $24 for USPS 1st Class Package which is what i use. I have no handling fee ect. Just calculated shipping. This is not a big scam item and probably will go for $25 or $30 final sale at most.

I cant believe that DHL or UPS could do any better than USPS because those two would have brokerage fees at the other end - yes? I know USPS would basically go straight there and he wouldn't have to pay extra fees if its a USPS shipment. I have no plans to change my shipping methods to another carrier that i have 0 experience with but i WOULD like to honestly say that USPS will be cheaper for him in the end. Am I right?

[sam9876]

If you use DHL or UPS, the buyer would not pay them a brokerage fee.

However, the cost would probably be around $50. It would be easy for you to figure out the exact cost yourself.

[berserkerplanet]

FedEx international brokerage fees are included in the rates, pretty sure UPS also, and assume DHL too. (it's FedEx Ground International brokerage that is not).

Depending on the destination country postal service, the buyer's DO pay brokerage fees for USPS shipments (Canada post charges a $9.95CAD fee on dutiable/taxable pkgs (which would be all I think due to GST), Royal Mail in the UK charges 8GBP handling fee for duties/taxes, etc. (Your $25-30 item might be under thresholds in most places)

FedEx and UPS services would very roughly start at around $100-$200 depending on box size (dim weight) and where/how label is purchased. I doubt DHL is much less.

[pjcdn2005]

As far as I know, brokerage fees are included in a courier's price only if an express service is used. I don't know what types of services are available from the US to Europe but to Canada, there are a number of services and a brokers fee is charged for a number of them.   Even if an express service was used, the buyer would still have to pay any VAT or duties that were due. 

If a postal service was used, the buyer may still have to pay a service fee to the post office and VAT etc.  but that depends on how that country handles things. In Canada there is a $10 fee paid to the post office to process taxes and duty however, when a first class mail service is used and when the item is under a certain amount (amount isn't posted but I'll guess it's around $150) customs Canada will often ignore any fees due so there wouldn't be a processing fee either.

[pjcdn2005]

You can check the price by going to the courier's site but I am sure that it will be much more expensive to use a courier.  The buyer may not realize either that since you are shipping from outside of the EU, they may have to pay brokerage, VAT and duty on top of the shipping cost.  Those fees are often more expensive if a courier is used.

[sam9876]

The buyer will only have to pay a brokerage fee when "ground" shipping is used.

There is no ground service from the US to Europe.

[a_c_green]

USPS, as far as I can see, is no comparison to UPS or DHL for lightweight shipments direct to the buyer in Europe.

[richard1rst]

I have found the USPS is the cheapest rate available internationally, especially for small to medium weight packages..

HOWEVER

There is one other wrinkle to consider if the item is valuable enough to kick in import or customs taxes.

The post office will not deliver the package until the taxes are paid.

I once sent a package internationally by FedEx. I used them in this case because it was fairly heavy and a bit cheaper than USPS.

They simply dropped off the package and then billed the customer for the taxes. Remember, the buyer already has the package, so there is no incentive on their part to pay the taxes. After 30 days FedEx back charged ME for the taxes because the buyer refused to pay them. Their government wanted the money and they didn’t care who it came from. Those taxes more than wiped out the savings in shipping.

So the lesson is, unless you want to potentially be on the hook for taxes ONLY use USPS.

[berserkerplanet]

>>So the lesson is, unless you want to potentially be on the hook for taxes ONLY use USPS.

Yep. FedEx Ground to Canada. Buyer received shipment, refused to pay brokerage fee, any duties and taxes, and IIRC, approx $70 was back charged onto the FedEx account.

Last time I used FedEx Ground to Canada.

[pjcdn2005]

As far as I know, Fedex is the only one who does that.  I've received packages in Canada from Fedex, UPS and DHL and the last two always required payment before delivery.