International Shipping and PayPal

[shmup-o]

So... I thought I had the whole PayPal international shipping experience nailed down with the USPS International Priority flat-rate boxes/envelopes. Pretty decent price, could ship multiple games, supposed to be pretty quick, and had tracking.

Just found out that there is no tracking - I guess when I switched from regular USPS International Priority to flat-rate packaging I didn't realize there was no tracking. Now I'm getting screwed over by a few Ebayers.

So... what is the best method? Express just got jacked - is that really the only option?

Really frustrated here, if someone could chime in that would be awesome.

[jonny5]

did you not realize there was no tracking when you shipped the item and there wasnt a tracking number?

[brentsg]

did you not realize there was no tracking when you shipped the item and there wasnt a tracking number?

It seems USPS always gives you some sort of number that looks like a tracking number, but actually isn't. If it can't be used for tracking then when you go online it will show confirmation that you mailed something. And with domestic Priority Mail being a really preferred shipping option that -does- include tracking, I'm surprised to hear that international Priority does not.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

If you do go with international registered mail shipped from the USA, it is trackable. Plus, the post office makes you sign some additional forms as well.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[shmup-o]

did you not realize there was no tracking when you shipped the item and there wasnt a tracking number?

Correct, had no idea that it did not track or confirm receipt. Every other shipping option you can select from PayPal has tracking and/or confirmation.

It seems USPS always gives you some sort of number that looks like a tracking number, but actually isn't. If it can't be used for tracking then when you go online it will show confirmation that you mailed something. And with domestic Priority Mail being a really preferred shipping option that -does- include tracking, I'm surprised to hear that international Priority does not.

Correct, they give you a "tracking number", but it's actually just a Customs number - found that out yesterday calling the USPS. It actually just says that you printed the label and that is it. I guess that is why the flat rate is so much cheaper now than regular International Priority - they don't track or confirm.

If you do go with international registered mail shipped from the USA, it is trackable. Plus, the post office makes you sign some additional forms as well.

I think this is actually the best bet - I just can't believe it would cost $20 and include me going in and filling out forms. Doing everything online is so much easier.

On top of that, how can shipping be so cheap and reliable from Japan to the US, but if you go the other way around it's expensive and horrible?

[brentsg]

I've become pretty irritated with the USPS.

-It's expensive as heck
-Every time I go in, the people who work at the 2 local branches act like they are doing everyone some kind of favor.. not like they're glad to have a good job
-Along the lines of above, it seems when I'm there they are frequently whining about how the PO needs another rate increase. "bla bla people want us open until 7PM but nobody wants to pay, and we really need bla bla"..
-I started trying to do everything online, but still have to wait forever in line if it's over 13 ounces..
-When you do everything online they grill you about how you filled everything out (like it's not self explanatory) and if you're off by 1 ounce on a 10 pound package you'd better get out the wallet because they're gonna make you even up. I even bought their "official" digital scales hoping this would be fixed up, but the fact is it's still not always exactly spot on with theirs.

The actual mail carriers, in my experience... are awesome!

[Dave_K.]

Some simple facts people (mostly foreigners) may not be aware of:
- US economy in shambles
- US dollar in the toilet
- USPS is run by...United States government
- international shipping prices have increased over a year ago (check the website for current rates)
- options for tracking packages with anything other than Express is non-existent (check the website for current services)
- I don't care that you got a priority package with tracking for $15 in 2004...its 2010 now!

Go here http://ircalc.usps.gov/

[Magic Knight]

Recently I've been buying quite a few PCBs from the US, and on every occasion I've had to explain to the seller the different rates and shipping methods the USPS provides. As you say, it's all there on http://ircalc.usps.gov/.

It has indeed gotten more expensive though. I'm paying over $60 a time for one PCB to be shipped to Japan. Still cheaper than buying the games here though.

[neorichieb1971]

Don't ship international via ebay. Retarded fucks are everywhere on there.. You don't stand a chance. Nigeria and Italy are 2 of the worst countries. I'm half Italian so no racial stuff please.

[Skykid]

Recently I've been buying quite a few PCBs from the US, and on every occasion I've had to explain to the seller the different rates and shipping methods the USPS provides. As you say, it's all there on http://ircalc.usps.gov/.

It has indeed gotten more expensive though. I'm paying over $60 a time for one PCB to be shipped to Japan. Still cheaper than buying the games here though.

Lol, that's fucked up!

Don't ship international via ebay. Retarded fucks are everywhere on there.. You don't stand a chance. Nigeria and Italy are 2 of the worst countries. I'm half Italian so no racial stuff please.

Oh the pain of Italian postal services know no bounds. And because any tracking you paid for ends when it gets handed over to the Italian postal services, you've got no chance of finding out where the item went to when it gets inevitably lost.
Worst part is the Italian buyers don't really care if they have the worst postal service on earth, they have no sympathy. They just want the money back, pronto.

[Ed Oscuro]

A lot of folks in the US (myself included, during the very first few sales I made) are used to abusing Media Mail, but now I just use Priority for everything. Within the US I figure it's basically $5-$10 for a boxed cartridge game.

The USPS seems bad to many (and some make a good argument for privatizing it, kinda like Japan Post or the German post office I think) but I have a bit of pride in it. All it's ever done to me is just tear up some shipping slips, nothing too major. It's the customs regimes in some countries that are horrible, and also a few countries have the occasional strike or whatever.

Isn't the Spanish postal system rather slow as well?

[system11]

You think USPS is expensive?

Oh wow you guys would hate it over here. The UK postal system is -insane- for international post.

[jonny5]

You think USPS is expensive?

Oh wow you guys would hate it over here. The UK postal system is -insane- for international post.

i know...i laugh every time somebody in the US complains about international shipping costs.....

i sent 2 pcb's to france....only option with tracking was EMS(im sorry....im not sending anything to france without tracking)and it was like $120cad....so like $100-110USD..... more than i expected to be sure....the guy basically got the PCB's for the cost of shipping(the boards were like $120usd)....i dont back out of a deal...especially when its my mistake for not getting an exact quote and guestimating weights and sizes....

wont make that mistake again

how bout them apples

[Skykid]

You think USPS is expensive?

Oh wow you guys would hate it over here. The UK postal system is -insane- for international post.

Speaking of prices in the UK, public transport is right up there on the insanity meter...

...And the TV licences...

...And the council tax...

...And the income tax...

...And the stamp duty...

...And the inheritance tax...

...Fuck man, I don't know how I can even afford to buy games.

[Magic Knight]

You think USPS is expensive?

Oh wow you guys would hate it over here. The UK postal system is -insane- for international post.

Speaking of prices in the UK, public transport is right up there on the insanity meter...

...And the TV licences...

...And the council tax...

...And the income tax...

...And the stamp duty...

...And the inheritance tax...

...Fuck man, I don't know how I can even afford to buy games.

When I tell people in Japan the VAT rate in the UK (17.5%) and Ireland (21%), they always ask me how anybody could ever afford to buy anything.

[Ed Oscuro]

You think USPS is expensive?

Oh no, I'm just making a point about people abusing the system and thinking that's how it's supposed to be. As I said, USPS Priority is cheap enough that I don't worry about factoring it into most items (or say it's a round figure, I should look at that again though as rates can change).

Though games I import from the UK or elsewhere rarely get too terribly expensive...

[Skykid]

When I tell people in Japan the VAT rate in the UK (17.5%) and Ireland (21%), they always ask me how anybody could ever afford to buy anything.

Well most can't really afford to buy anything meaningful. Most spend their disposable income on beer... some on videogames. Not many can afford property and if they do the mortgage gets passed to their children.

In most cases people just live uncomfortably within their meagre pay band for life and don't have much opportunity to much else.

[neorichieb1971]

When I tell people in Japan the VAT rate in the UK (17.5%) and Ireland (21%), they always ask me how anybody could ever afford to buy anything.

Well most can't really afford to buy anything meaningful. Most spend their disposable income on beer... some on videogames. Not many can afford property and if they do the mortgage gets passed to their children.

In most cases people just live uncomfortably within their meagre pay band for life and don't have much opportunity to much else.

UK banks by lending preposterous amount of money to "would be, first time" buyers have essentially raised the house prices even further out of our reach. They have in turn lost billions in repossessions, got loads of people into debt and bankruptcy, and personally I don't even think its the individuals fault. The house prices would have come down if the banks just refused to offer anyone above the 2.5 annual wage rule.

[jonny5]

You think USPS is expensive?

Oh wow you guys would hate it over here. The UK postal system is -insane- for international post.

Speaking of prices in the UK, public transport is right up there on the insanity meter...

...And the TV licences...

...And the council tax...

...And the income tax...

...And the stamp duty...

...And the inheritance tax...

...Fuck man, I don't know how I can even afford to buy games.

ya...our public transport is up to like $3 per ride now.....

[Skykid]

ya...our public transport is up to like $3 per ride now.....

Ha ha, don't go to London man, it's just... let's not even talk about it.

last time I took a $3 ride in London was like 1995.