I seldom insure anything unless its truly expensive or unique. Insurance is grossly overpriced from any of the carriers. The best way to get through customs fast is to put a low value, keeps things under the radar and pretty much eliminates pilfering or disappearance.
David Murphy
Veteran
Each to his own, but I'd not dream of shipping something like a $1000 Leica M lens without full insurance and tracking. With eBay you are on the hook 100% for a loss. If the buyer uses a credit card to pay with PayPal (outside of eBay) you are also on the hook for a full charge back. I'm certainly not going to expose myself to those sorts of loses. I will also not fall on the sword just so some big bank or payment service can provide the buyer with loss insurance at my expense.
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john_s
Well-known
I'm in Melbourne and I've received many parcels from the USA using USPS. Everything has been quite fast except a shipment from B&H which took about 8 weeks. I think they used a lower rate that is no longer offered.
Anything with a declared value of $1000AUD including postage and packaging will attract customs' attention. I've never had anything "lost" in customs, on the contrary, they are brutally efficient. And with the economic turndown leading to diminished tax revenues, they might be even more efficient.
Anything with a declared value of $1000AUD including postage and packaging will attract customs' attention. I've never had anything "lost" in customs, on the contrary, they are brutally efficient. And with the economic turndown leading to diminished tax revenues, they might be even more efficient.
leicashot
Well-known
Never had issues, usually within a week. Delays have nothing to do with distance to Australia or Aus customs.
john_s
Well-known
Once Tony Rose (Popflash) sent me (in Australia) a new 50mm Summilux by mistake (it should have been 35mm). He said to mail it back to him at his expense, no insurance or tracking necessary. I have always found the service to be secure.
David Murphy
Veteran
Yes, here too (though not really in customs). The state always bulls everyone out of its way to feed at the front of the trough in hard times - that's one time when the powerful really flex their power.
I can't count how many packages I've shipped without insurance. It's called 'self insurance.' 
Ship a lot and it adds up.
Best to buy insurance from insurance companies rather than shipping companies, who buy it from insurance companies and mark it up 1000%.
Ship a lot and it adds up.Best to buy insurance from insurance companies rather than shipping companies, who buy it from insurance companies and mark it up 1000%.
David Murphy
Veteran
Yes I know all of that, except I don't pay the insurance, the buyer does (unless I've struck a deal to do so). I don't misrepresent items on customs documents either. I will help a buyer in any way I can, but I won't cut corners on shipping, safety, or the law. A big reason for insurance is, as I said, the policy of the payment services to offer buyer protection and try to take it out the hide of sellers. It turns out though I won't play.I can't count how many packages I've shipped without insurance. It's called 'self insurance.'
Best to buy insurance from insurance companies rather than shipping companies, who buy it from insurance companies and mark it up 1000%.
Insurance is a good thing, of course, as long as it is priced properly. There are several ways to get cheaper insurance on an ad hoc basis. But it is almost never worth insuring something under $500 or so. The chances of loss are essentially zero, of course, the stories are always about the person that shipped two packages in two years and one gets lost...one never hears about the 1,000 shipments with zero losses...
You are correct about buyer protection. The key there, as posted in many RFF threads, is always get signature confirmation for $250+ shipments. Without that, the seller always loses ebay/paypal disputes.
You are correct about buyer protection. The key there, as posted in many RFF threads, is always get signature confirmation for $250+ shipments. Without that, the seller always loses ebay/paypal disputes.
sienarot
Well-known
I've shipped from Canada to Australia (and vice versa) many times and for the most part, it's been pretty good. I've shipped to RFF member hunghang on two separate occassions and it took a week both times when I sent it via air mail. Surface mail has always been about a month of waiting. The only really bad experience was when I shipped a pair of binoculars to Australia. It took over 2 months to arrive (via surface mail). Fortunately the buyer didn't jump to any conclusions and I made the effort to have the postal service put in a trace when it finally arrived.
peterm1
Veteran
Generally its faster - usually 7-10 days, occasionally 14. But I have had one instance where a shipment from US took around 3 weeks. So this amount of time is unusual but not unheard of. Is there no means of shipment tracking? Do not panic yet but you are entitled to worry.
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
I've personally found that things sent via the USPS to Oz via un-tracked shipping can be pretty variable in arrival times. My experience has mostly been with books shipped by Amazon (photograpy items tend to be tracked and/or via courier). Any time between 4 days and 6 weeks can happen, though with most clustered around a guesstimated 12 day mark. I wouldn't even start to worry 'till about 4 weeks have passed. (The 6 week shipment I referred to above had Amazon concede the shipment had been lost. They were about to ship a 2nd set of books when the 1st arrived.)
I don't know where things get delayed, but will note that tracked shipments seem to go much more smoothly (I wonder why? ) However, experience - and chats with post office staff - lead me to suspect mail handling within the big mail centres at good old Aussie Post. (The Redfern mail centre here in Sydney has a particular, um, reputation which doesn't seem to have changed much in decades.)
...Mike
I don't know where things get delayed, but will note that tracked shipments seem to go much more smoothly (I wonder why?
) However, experience - and chats with post office staff - lead me to suspect mail handling within the big mail centres at good old Aussie Post. (The Redfern mail centre here in Sydney has a particular, um, reputation which doesn't seem to have changed much in decades.)...Mike
fergus
Well-known
One thing worth trying is the get the receipient to physically go to their delivery post office and ask if there's a package waiting. Many, many times Australia Post forgets to leave the little card telling you it's there.
It's probably just sitting at the post office!
It's probably just sitting at the post office!
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I've bought a lot of stuff from the US via normal post and nothing has taken more than two weeks.
My 'slow' record was a camera from the Ukrain that took three months ... then it turned out to be defective so I had to send it back!
(Iskra)
My 'slow' record was a camera from the Ukrain that took three months ... then it turned out to be defective so I had to send it back!
(Iskra)
ChrisN
Striving
No problems here so far with parcels from the US. I received a lens yesterday (12 Sept) that was sent on the 3rd, so that's nine days with USPS Express EMI and Australia Post for the final 300km. Mind you, I was charged US$50 for that service, so it had better be good!
KEH have been good enough to find a service that minimises the cost, by using FEDEX combined with Australia Post. It's slow - three to four weeks - but at about $15 for the typical camera or lens parcel it's much more affordable.
KEH have been good enough to find a service that minimises the cost, by using FEDEX combined with Australia Post. It's slow - three to four weeks - but at about $15 for the typical camera or lens parcel it's much more affordable.
I shipped a medium format camera to Adelaide area about a week ago, took 3 days via USPS 'Global Express Guaranteed.' This is actually a Fedex shipment, as subcontracted by USPS. Was cheaper than Fedex (but I don't have a Fedex account with decent discounts) but was a bit of a hassle having to wait in line at the post office to drop it off. There is never a wait for a preprinted airbill at Fedex of course.
Mark it under $1000 AUD and it'll breeze through customs...
Mark it under $1000 AUD and it'll breeze through customs...
tony vac
Newbie
I have sent Items all over the world. I use USPS all the time my Items I sent ware under $1000.00. For Customs Declaration I put camera/parts or camera for repairs. Incase some body wants to get lucky with my package. They think I do not want a broken camera. I have never had any problems I use UPS one time because it was over 80 pounds knock on wood I keep having good luck on the delivering my packages to my customers. I have one Nikon 250 film back going to Netherlands right now I hope it will be deliver on time
adrianzg
Established
i'm in adelaide and i've had 2 items go missing in the mail, one from canada and the other from germany. to be fair, that's only 2 out of the 80+ i've received over the past 4 years, so i'll say auspost is pretty efficient, especially when it comes to trackable parcels.
your parcel is probably held up at the customs, they sometimes open them to check for items that need to be quarrantined. i've had that happen to me a couple of times.
your parcel is probably held up at the customs, they sometimes open them to check for items that need to be quarrantined. i've had that happen to me a couple of times.
john_s
Well-known
I had to wait for a lens from the USA that had been thoughtfully packed in a padded lens bag. When it eventually arrived with a notice from customs that it had been opened I noticed that it had a very distinct odour of a "special" sort of cigarette that the vendor presumably was in the habit of smoking.