Shipping Internationally From The U.S. Without Spending A Fortune

[Snoffsan]

Can we please add info about customs declaration also? When you send to Sweden its important to mark it as a gift and set the value to less than 35 dollars. If its not done like that we have to pay customs fees that can be very high!
I think there are rules like that to UK also.

 

[shooting4ownhand]

Unless you are using a regular envelope, and please do not get me started on people who use regular envelopes with no packing material, LOL; I do not see how you can ship them cheaper. It is $1.69 for a First Class Package up to 3 ounces and that includes Delivery Confirmation. Postage paid for online and printed at home.

I use bubble mailers and its still considered an envelope when I ship in the US and internationally...

 

[imp]

Can we please add info about customs declaration also? When you send to Sweden its important to mark it as a gift and set the value to less than 35 dollars. If its not done like that we have to pay customs fees that can be very high!
I think there are rules like that to UK also.

If people from various countries post the maximum gift amount here, I'll add the numbers to the OP.

 

[broncobilly83]

...I'm with you on the regular envelopes! I meant that you should also be able to use "Large Envelope" domestically, which I believe is slightly cheaper.

According to Stamps.com, yes a large envelope is cheaper by about $.30 but does not include Delivery Confirmation as far as I can tell, as I printed a couple of test labels. Then you have to add that at USPS for $.90 so it is not cheaper, actually more by about $.50

 

[Jazzy B Bunny]

UK - I'd say $20 incase they misread it as £20.

 

[Snoffsan]

If people from various countries post the maximum gift amount here, I'll add the numbers to the OP.

Set the value for Sweden to 25 dollars Max to be safe.
And when you send from Sweden to USA its never trackable and we can not track packages from USA to Sweden. But I have been both sending and recieving packages a lot and have never lost anything. Of course it happens but not more often than domestic I think.
i really hope there will still be people wanting to trade with us non USA people. Otherwise I think I Will just have to stop this hobby because we dont have any Disney Store in Sweden so I would have no chance of getting pins

 

[Goofy_Moe]

I had a thought on this as well... I was considering setting up a couple hub points with traders in UK, Canada, East Coast, and West Coast...

The thought behind it was to get a group of local traders to ship their international items through me at the older rates and I would ship large packages via Fed-Ex to the associated hub and they would then distribute them locally... and vice versa...

Of course to do this would require fairly large groups at each end to make feasable to save on bulk shipping costs...

I figured the boxes would ship every other week or so and it would save everybody in the group on shipping fees...

But again this would require a lot of coordination to happen, but it was a thought I had when the prices started getting ridiculous...

 

[imp]

OK I printed these instructions and packaged to pins according to the directions I did the test everything. I just got back from the post office who informed me even after I did the test in front of them that because its not "paper" inside and that if the pin shifts it doesn't bend. So I went back and repackaged so that it did not shift they still refused to send them as large envelope. I think it's really going to depend on who you get at the post office and how rigid they are. I finally gave up arguing it wasn't getting me anywhere.

Just another thought on this: they seem to think that only "paper" can be in a large envelope, but the rule for "Uniform Thickness" specifically refers to securing "non-paper" contents.

 

[starry_solo]

If you ship as a large envelope, it won't need a customs declaration.

The United States Postal Service® monitors outbound international packages to ensure mailers comply with U.S. Government export laws and regulations. These laws and regulations establish export controls on certain U.S. commodities, as well as restrictions on specific individuals, both senders and recipients, and countries.
U.S. export laws and regulations govern international shipments via private carriers and the Postal Service™, including items sent as Global Express Guaranteed® (GXG®), Express Mail International®, Priority Mail International®, First-Class Mail International®, International Priority Airmail™ (IPA®), International Surface Air Lift® (ISAL®), and Global Bulk Economy™.
The Postal Service is dedicated to moving outbound international parcels as quickly and efficiently as possible. To avoid delays, as a mailer, you are responsible for…

• Knowing and complying with restrictions on what can be mailed internationally.
• Ensuring that all required information, including the contents of parcels, are listed completely and accurately on the appropriate customs forms.
• Providing the required Internal Transaction Number (ITN) on the customs declaration form before mailing items with a value of more than $2,500, unless exempt under Census Bureau regulations. Ensure the ITN or exemption legend is clearly indicated on the customs declaration PS Form 2976-A in block 11.

 

[imp]

If you ship as a large envelope, it won't need a customs declaration.

The United States Postal Service® monitors outbound international packages to ensure mailers comply with U.S. Government export laws and regulations. These laws and regulations establish export controls on certain U.S. commodities, as well as restrictions on specific individuals, both senders and recipients, and countries.
U.S. export laws and regulations govern international shipments via private carriers and the Postal Service™, including items sent as Global Express Guaranteed® (GXG®), Express Mail International®, Priority Mail International®, First-Class Mail International®, International Priority Airmail™ (IPA®), International Surface Air Lift® (ISAL®), and Global Bulk Economy™.
The Postal Service is dedicated to moving outbound international parcels as quickly and efficiently as possible. To avoid delays, as a mailer, you are responsible for…

• Knowing and complying with restrictions on what can be mailed internationally.
• Ensuring that all required information, including the contents of parcels, are listed completely and accurately on the appropriate customs forms.
• Providing the required Internal Transaction Number (ITN) on the customs declaration form before mailing items with a value of more than $2,500, unless exempt under Census Bureau regulations. Ensure the ITN or exemption legend is clearly indicated on the customs declaration PS Form 2976-A in block 11.

Even if the USPS doesn't require one, it would be better to have a customs declaration. Otherwise, you're going to have a problem with the other country's customs office.

 

[broncobilly83]

Even if the USPS doesn't require one, it would be better to have a customs declaration. Otherwise, you're going to have a problem with the other country's customs office.

I think that is a catch-22 there. If you want it as a large envelope, then you have to follow those rules, which in turn says no customs forms. If you use a customs form, isn't it a package then?

 

[imp]

I think that is a catch-22 there. If you want it as a large envelope, then you have to follow those rules, which in turn says no customs forms. If you use a customs form, isn't it a package then?

A large envelope actually requires a customs declaration if it contains anything other than documents.

 

[broncobilly83]

Sorry, I didn't realize that you can't use a customs form on a large envelope. I haven't noticed whether there is a customs form on the ones I've received. I haven't failed to receive anything yet, so I'd take my chances.

You might be able to have one for a LE, but I would think by using one, you are basically flagging it as a package, aren't you?

 

[imp]

You might be able to have one for a LE, but I would think by using one, you are basically flagging it as a package, aren't you?

A Large Envelope requires a customs declaration if it contains anything other than paper.

 

[Mad hatter]

Ok an issue I came across recently I wanted to ship a valuable pin to someone in Ireland and I have no problem marking the customs as gift and putting like 25.00 HOWEVER I also wanted to insure it as it wa worth around 250.00 sooo the postal working noticed this mad told me its either or I can mark as gift and value it at 25.00 so they don't pay additional fees or I can insure it for what it's worth .

 

[imp]

...so I called USPS. The woman I spoke to agreed with me, for whatever that might be worth, that small rigid object like coins or lapel pins could be sent as "Large Envelope" (assuming uniform thickness & securing items so they don't shift).

 

[imp]

Ok an issue I came across recently I wanted to ship a valuable pin to someone in Ireland and I have no problem marking the customs as gift and putting like 25.00 HOWEVER I also wanted to insure it as it wa worth around 250.00 sooo the postal working noticed this mad told me its either or I can mark as gift and value it at 25.00 so they don't pay additional fees or I can insure it for what it's worth .

That one's a no-win. You really should be putting a fair value on the customs declaration. Most pins will be well under the max. Many others will be arguable - is it worth $20? $40? ...so I think you could reasonably say $25. But the biggies that should be insured? - the person you're sending to has to decide whether they're willing to incur the additional cost of customs duties.

 

[Connies_Hobby]

Thank you SO MUCH for this info. I need to mail out two Int'l packages tomorrow.

 

[imp]

Thank you SO MUCH for this info. I need to mail out two Int'l packages tomorrow.

I'd love to hear how it goes...hell, I'll start keeping a list of post offices with smarter staff if I have to!

 

[imp]

I had a thought on this as well... I was considering setting up a couple hub points with traders in UK, Canada, East Coast, and West Coast...

The thought behind it was to get a group of local traders to ship their international items through me at the older rates and I would ship large packages via Fed-Ex to the associated hub and they would then distribute them locally... and vice versa...

Of course to do this would require fairly large groups at each end to make feasable to save on bulk shipping costs...

I figured the boxes would ship every other week or so and it would save everybody in the group on shipping fees...

But again this would require a lot of coordination to happen, but it was a thought I had when the prices started getting ridiculous...

This is a great idea. Unfortunately, I don't think we have enough Canadian DPF'ers to make it work at this end, but if someone wants to be my "hub" at that end I'll be thrilled. Some U.S. traders won't trade internationally at all because there's no reliable tracking.

 

[suzanneb]

I really want to start doing this. Today I mailed a 0.7 oz LBE to HK. I was hoping I'd get a 1 oz price. SURPRISE! It is still $6.55 b/c it is UP TO 2 ozs for that price...again ANYWHERE international- whether Canada or HK!!! wahhhh :-(
Can we still put customs forms on the "large envelope"?

 

[imp]

I really want to start doing this. Today I mailed a 0.7 oz LBE to HK. I was hoping I'd get a 1 oz price. SURPRISE! It is still $6.55 b/c it is UP TO 2 ozs for that price...again ANYWHERE international- whether Canada or HK!!! wahhhh :-(
Can we still put customs forms on the "large envelope"?

This is from website page http://about.usps.com/forms/ps2976.pdf :

Customs Declaration CN 22 – Sender’s Declaration Instructions for Completing Customs Declaration
A PS Form 2976, Customs Declaration CN22 – Sender’s Declaration, must be used on all First-Class Mail International® package- size items (small packets), Priority Mail International® Small Flat Rate Boxes, M-bags, and certain Express Mail International® items. Refer to the International Mail Manual (IMM®) at pe.usps.com for additional information.
Also use this form on a First-Class Mail International mailpiece or Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes if ANY of the following applies:
Please retain this copy and the detached customer copy from page 2 for your records. You will need the information contained on these pages if you contact us about the article(s) you mailed.

The mailpiece weighs 16 ounces or more (the maximum weight limit is 4 pounds); The mailpiece exceeds 3/4 inch in thickness; or The mailpiece contains dutiable goods.
NOTE: Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes and First-Class Mail International large envelopes (flats) containing only documents, weighing under 16 ounces, and meeting the flat-size characteristics do not require a PS Form 2976 (emphasis added)

Since it refers to "First-Class Mail International Large Envelopes" not requiring a customs form if they contain only documents, they must require a customs form if they contain anything other than documents. (also note that this is yet another USPS reference to Large Envelopes containing things other than paper)

 

[starry_solo]

First Class International

https://www.usps.com/send/first-class-international.htm


Letters

• Must be rectangular.
• Minimum size is 5 1/2" long x 3 1/2" high x 0.007" thick.
• Maximum size is 11 1/2" long x 6 1/8" high x 1/4 thick.
• Maximum weight of 3.5 oz.
• Letters will be charged a nonmachinable surcharge if it’s a square letter of 5" x 5" or larger, it doesn’t bend easily, has clasps or similar closure devices, has an address parallel to the shorter dimension of the letter, contains bulky items like pens, or the length divided by height is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5.
• There are restrictions for mailing restricted and hazardous materials.
  What’s considered restricted and hazardous?

Large Envelopes

• Must be rectangular.
• Minimum size is either more than 11 1/2" long x 6 1/8" high OR 1/4" thick.
• Maximum size is 15" long x 12" high x 3/4" thick.
• Large envelopes that exceed these dimensions will be charged package rates.
• Can weigh up to 64 oz.
• There are restrictions for mailing restricted and hazardous materials.
  What’s considered restricted and hazardous?

 

[imp]

First Class International

https://www.usps.com/send/first-class-international.htm


Letters

• Must be rectangular.
• Minimum size is 5 1/2" long x 3 1/2" high x 0.007" thick.
• Maximum size is 11 1/2" long x 6 1/8" high x 1/4 thick.
• Maximum weight of 3.5 oz.
• Letters will be charged a nonmachinable surcharge if it’s a square letter of 5" x 5" or larger, it doesn’t bend easily, has clasps or similar closure devices, has an address parallel to the shorter dimension of the letter, contains bulky items like pens, or the length divided by height is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5.
• There are restrictions for mailing restricted and hazardous materials.
  What’s considered restricted and hazardous?

Large Envelopes

• Must be rectangular.
• Minimum size is either more than 11 1/2" long x 6 1/8" high OR 1/4" thick.
• Maximum size is 15" long x 12" high x 3/4" thick.
• Large envelopes that exceed these dimensions will be charged package rates.
• Can weigh up to 64 oz.
• There are restrictions for mailing restricted and hazardous materials.
  What’s considered restricted and hazardous?

If you look at the definition and examples of restricted and hazardous, pins wouldn't qualify. In any event the exact same restriction applies to packages.

 

[LuvSimba]

It might fly at your local US post office, but what about when it reaches a main hub, such as Tampa, Atlanta, NYC, ect? One can't be at each and every stop to try and defend the rules.

While I appreciate all your time and effort and agree 100%, the US post office makes their rules and they can bend them anyway they wish. They are so broke, they aren't going to give one inch where money is concerned. They think by upping the postage rates it's going to solve their 'problem'. It's not, it's just a bandaid. They keep doing business as usual, people will find other ways to ship stuff.