Is international shipping complicated from the US?

[movito]

Quite a few of the items I see for sale here (and other places) are limited to the US only. Many sellers reply that they will not ship overseas.

I live in Norway, which is reasonably modern and all that. Sending things abroad is easy-peasy. I might have to declare the value of the items shipped, but that's it.

Is international shipping complicated in the US or there some other explanation for this? My thinking goes like this: I pay via PayPal or bank transfer, you get your money and send the item – done.

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[sepiareverb]

The USPS has limited insurance on out of country shipments, something I don't like as a seller. The revamped customs form is much longer, but still only a page.

 

[rbiemer]

And the shipper has to actually go to their post office--if you're shipping with in the US, you can print a label and postage at home, box up the package and let the postal carrier pick it up.
I don't think you can do that with international packages.
It is still not complicated but can be a bit tedious.
I am lucky in that the post office here serves about 100 year round residents so there is never a line. There are rarely more than three people in the place at once--including the postmaster!
Rob

 

[Sonnar Brian]

You cannot use the automated machines at the Post Office, and have to have the item processed by the clerk. That means waiting an hour in line at some places.

 

[JRG]

If payment is to be by PayPal, the seller is very well-advised to ship so that a signature is required at delivery. For shipments inside the borders of the US, that can be done merely by shipping via USPS and insuring the parcel for any amount in excess of $200. Moreover, the shipping + insurance cost is very low, USPS absolutely will get a signature at delivery, and if need be, it's rather easy to collect on the insurance.

As soon as the parcel crosses the US border, all of those advantages disappear. Getting a signature at delivery becomes very expensive --- if it is possible at all --- and the mechanism may not be all that reliable. (I have had the experience of paying $25 to get a signature at delivery, after which the parcel was simply left on the buyer's doorstep while he was at work.) And for many countries, insurance is either not available, or limited to amounts far below the value of the item shipped.

Finally, many sellers have had the experience of being asked by the buyer to falsify the required US Customs document. That happens to be illegal. Enforcement may well be rare, but if that were to happen, it would be the seller, not the buyer, who would face charges.

 

[movito]

Thanks! I had no idea overseas shipping was so complex from the US. Is international shipping via UPS or FedEx just as complicated? Pickup/delivery/insurance/signatures, etc …

 

[Sonnar Brian]

International shipping via UPS or FEDEX is much worse than using The Postal System. Assume that customs and an extra service charge will be added to the cost for the recipient. Also- Global Express Mail in some countries is contracted out, and those companies make money based on customs and taxes collected. Long story, will never used Global Express again.

 

[Frontman]

When I lived in America I shipped packages internationally on a weekly basis, and never had a problem. All international packages leaving the US are now sent by priority mail, which includes a basic amount of insurance, and which also requires a signature from the recipient.

Personally, I think US buyers who don't ship internationally are losing out, especially with the US dollar as weak as it is. The Nikon SP which sold in the classifieds here for $799 would easily have fetched more than $1000 from a Japanese buyer ($799 right now equals 64000 Japanese yen, and an SP usually sells for at least 100000 yen in Japan). 5 years ago $799 was the equivalent of about 120,000 yen.

 

[Beemermark]

Shipping internationally to some countires, such as Japan, is easy. Other countries is hugely complicated. The reason is the transfer from the USPS to the other countries postal system. I recently sent a package to Russia, I won't do that again. Also I cannot insure packages to some counties. So pretty soon it gets very complicated to figure out what countries it is easy to ship to and which ones are not. Much simplier to say US only.

If you go to the USPS page and plan an imaginary shipment it is very easy to see what services are offered and get an idea of price. When a seller says US only send them an email with the information and ask if you can be included. I often see them make exceptions.

 

[Neare]

Doesn't sound any different than shipping things out of New Zealand and I do it all the time.
We don't even have postal pick ups or automated machines for domestic mail.

 

[Haigh]

Shipping from US

Shipping from US

All I know is that I have had stuffed shipped to Australia from the very excellent B&H NYC and it was easy.