BLSoaps Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I've got someone wanting me to ship about 13 lbs of products to Australia. I started plugging in details into UPS, FedEx and USPS Global to get shipping quotes. USPS came out the cheapest by far at just under $80.00. UPS and FedEx were both nearly $200. Is this normal? Or am I doing something TOTALLY wrong? If anyone has suggestions on how to knock these shipping costs more, I really need the help. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggedy Dani Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 NO That's normal....lol I ship all over world and I've seen bizzare prices in Shipping. it's insane!!USPS would be best way to go. But it just take alot longer.Dani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystical_angel1219 Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 USPS Global Priority is definately going to be the most cost effective.Anything I have ever shipped that went out of the country- I checked every carrier I could, and even as close as Canada- USPS was the best rate.It is going to take a few weeks to get there and make it thru customs.Been there, done that~ it is a process. I can't stress enough how important insurance is on this package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggedy Dani Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I wonder..... those USPS global...u know how u can ship 4lbs for 9.50wonder if you would to take 3 boxes for 28.00 is better than paying for one box at $80.00I was checking out global shipping, it has to be under 4lbs and it's flat rate of $9.50. not sure if Australia is one that get that privileges.I would contact post office bout it. make sure you get the right boxes and label for them.Dani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ah-soy Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I always use USPS to ship internationally. The others (UPS and FedEx) will charge your customer some kind of surcharge (I forget what it's called) that is hefty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 UPS is so expensive because they do have a guaranteed date delivery plus tracking is available. I think it comes with insurance too.For relatively small packages, USPS is the best way to go although there won't be a way to track it, plus there's generally no insurance or delivery confirmation. Neither is there a guaranteed date delivery, so it could be anywhere from 1 week to several weeks. You could try certified mail but this isn't available to all countries, and one time when I used it, the postal service on the other end did not bother to obtain recipient's signature (it was just left in her mailbox), so the fee was paid for nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSoaps Posted February 27, 2007 Author Share Posted February 27, 2007 Yikes... It's a decent sized order, which is why I want it to work. Basically, this is part of a pre-buy I'm doing on Flavor Oils & Lip Balm Containers. Her order would finally push us up over the minimum we need for this, so I don't want to lose it.But I just thought of one last, and very possibly major hang up. I've been digging through the USPS shipping regulations regarding cumbustible liquids. I'm finally beginning to grasp them (wow it made my head spin though!), and I obviously will comply with them. But are there still chance of it never making it to her because of it?I'm already beginning to think that I'll probably package it in a couple different boxes. Containers separate since no one in customs should have issues with that. Then she has three 4 oz bottles of flavor oil. Yikes, what a headache. But I really want to make it work! So PLEASE keep the good advice coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggedy Dani Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 With the liquid part, as in combustible item. I would send that by boat that is if it's not allowed on air.I sold couple of linen sprays to Australia and the post master here called to make sure it's allowed, since It had little alcohol in it. Anyhow, It was allowed.Australia have alot of no no to be allowed in their country. Such as plants and rosehips is one of them. Strange. Cause one of my customer wanted fixins and couldn't UNLESS she pays 40-50 dollars for customs to spray debugging stuff all over this poor little 4 dollar bag of fixins...crazy..by the time they're done...it won't smell so good..lolAsk this customer if she's ever had this delivered to her before, that way you'll know that it went thru ok.Just make sure insurance is included when shipping USPS. It's little extra but not alot. HTHDani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 UPS is so expensive because they do have a guaranteed date delivery plus tracking is available. I think it comes with insurance too.For relatively small packages, USPS is the best way to go although there won't be a way to track it, plus there's generally no insurance or delivery confirmation. Neither is there a guaranteed date delivery, so it could be anywhere from 1 week to several weeks. You could try certified mail but this isn't available to all countries, and one time when I used it, the postal service on the other end did not bother to obtain recipient's signature (it was just left in her mailbox), so the fee was paid for nothing.Actually I'm tracking all the boxes I receive from your country, even if they are airmail or surface mail. The USPS tracking service it's amazing, it even tells me when the box is at italian customs and when it leaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doris Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 [The USPS tracking service it's amazing, it even tells me when the box is at italian customs and when it leaves.Wow!!! Canada post could learn from them. Their tracking system told me my package was still in Edmonton (not the usual way to go from ON to NS) when it was actually in my town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 [The USPS tracking service it's amazing, it even tells me when the box is at italian customs and when it leaves.Wow!!! Canada post could learn from them. Their tracking system told me my package was still in Edmonton (not the usual way to go from ON to NS) when it was actually in my town.LOLThe Italian tracking system sent me an email with delivery confirmation of a box after 2 weeks it was at destination! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NattyCat Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 It's true - even if you don't buy insurance for USPS parcels, there is a long number that usually starts with CP followed by a series of numbers on the customs form you had to fill in. This number can be used by the recipient to track their parcel. I get stuff by USPS all the time and never had a loss. Had a few delays, the most significant one where a parcel took 3 months to arrive after having sat in the world's smallest airport in Nigeria for 2 months before someone realised it was in the wrong place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 It's true - even if you don't buy insurance for USPS parcels, there is a long number that usually starts with CP followed by a series of numbers on the customs form you had to fill in. This number can be used by the recipient to track their parcel. I wasn't aware of that, so went to find the receipt for a package I had mailed last month. After typing in the customs form number into the tracking screen, I got this message:"Your item was accepted at 1:47 PM on January 17, 2007 in BURNS, OR 97720. No further information is available for this item."Doesn't say it arrived or anything. It shows proof of mailing but nothing else. How were you able to get more tracking info than this? Because if there's a way I don't know about, I would like to learn it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NattyCat Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I wasn't aware of that, so went to find the receipt for a package I had mailed last month. After typing in the customs form number into the tracking screen, I got this message:"Your item was accepted at 1:47 PM on January 17, 2007 in BURNS, OR 97720. No further information is available for this item."Doesn't say it arrived or anything. It shows proof of mailing but nothing else. How were you able to get more tracking info than this? Because if there's a way I don't know about, I would like to learn it.I don't know how it works in the USA, but I go to the UK company's website who will be delivering the parcel (in my case, that's Parcel Force) and I type the number in. It tells me when it left the USA, when it hit customs and when it will be delivered. Once the parcel has left the USA, if I tried to enter the number into any USPS site it wouldn't have any information - the tracking gets switched over to the receiving delivery agent once it gets shoved on the plane.It depends where you are mailing the item? If you're mailing it to the UK you need to check www.parcelforce.com if you're mailing it to Germany or Australia or wherever, you need to find out who will be delivering the package in that country and check their website with your customs number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 It depends where you are mailing the item? If you're mailing it to the UK you need to check www.parcelforce.com if you're mailing it to Germany or Australia or wherever, you need to find out who will be delivering the package in that country and check their website with your customs number.Ah yes, I understand what you're saying now. I think it depends on the destination country. For Canada, which was where the package in the above example was going, I went to their website, but no further info was available. This is what I got:"International item has been posted in origin country.Please note that this is the most up to date information available in our system. Our telephone agents have access to the same information presented here."And of course this package has already been delivered, yet nothing is showing to that effect. Looks like they're better in UK about getting this stuff updated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NattyCat Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Here's what we get. You can see that the original number which was CP940608385US got changed to the ECO.. number - but I only had to type in the CP number for this information to show up. I can then view who signed for it, and also the actual signature so I know if "N MAYSON" signed for it, but I didn't get the parcel, I can see if it's my signature or not. It's all pretty cool!Here's the text from parcelforce:Progress of the parcel you've enquired about is displayed below. Parcel number:EC048320600GBStatus:DeliveredSigned for by:N MAYSON DateTime Location Tracking Event20-02-2007 13:05 Tonbridge Depot Parcel delivered20-02-2007 02:39 Tonbridge Depot Out for delivery20-02-2007 01:29 Tonbridge Depot Arrived at delivery depot19-02-2007 18:21 National Hub Sorted in hub19-02-2007 09:25 International Hub Arrived in destination country09-02-2007 18:00 CAPE FOREIGN CENTER JERSEY CITY NJ 099 Left origin country05-02-2007 17:19 Delivery Agent - UNITED STATES AMERICA Collected from customer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellen Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I'm an Aussie and I buy HEAPS of things from the States. I always try and go for the priority mail boxes..it seems the cheapest.When I have been unable (due to size and weight) I usually pay priority USPS...seems the cheapest.CheersHellen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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