Is USPS priority International the best way to ship from US to UK?

lynn1946

lynn1946

O.G.
Oct 15, 2006
601
0
#1
I have a bag to ship from the US to the United Kingdom. The buyer wants me to ship quickly rather than getting it USPS priority international. (I think that is 6-10 days.) I called FedEx and they want over $120 to ship the bag. (It's 4 lbs and is a MC LV Speedy so rather large box...11 x 11 x 14) I think I remember a thread about this but it's been a long time, maybe last summer. Is USPS Express mail better than using UPS? I was going to use USPS but just can't remember which carrier is faster and less expensive for the buyer....and reliable!
Thanks. :confused1:
 
#2
I ship USPS Express Mail, (EMS). Buyer got her bag in 5 days, but got slammed on duty charges since I declared the selling price as value because I insured the bag for at least the selling price.

With EMS you can track the package and get signature comfirmation and insurance.

Good luck!
 
#3
Least expensive and very fast is USPS express, from FL to UK my customers get their item in 2 days in most cases, but it all depends on where they live (rural areas take longer) and whether their own post will deliver on weekends. Haven't used UPS I've been told by some customers that UPS charges an additional delivery charge on top of customs.
 
#5
Thanks! That brings up another question....does everyone declare the actual selling value of the bag on the customs form? If not, what if it gets lost? I don't want to lie and also don't want to worry about the "what if it gets lost."

LT bag lady said:
I ship USPS Express Mail, (EMS). Buyer got her bag in 5 days, but got slammed on duty charges since I declared the selling price as value because I insured the bag for at least the selling price.

With EMS you can track the package and get signature comfirmation and insurance.
Click to expand...
 
#6
I would not ship global priority because you cannot track the package.

The only way you can track it is by shipping global express. I use it all the time for my international packages.
 
#7
does everyone declare the actual selling value of the bag on the customs form? If not, what if it gets lost?

Depends. Is it a USED bag? declare the value sold at auction. If the bag is NEW and can still be found at retail, then go with the retail...

If an item gets lost or destroyed the post office will want evidence of either (1) the retail value of the bag if NEW or (2)an average of what they might go for if they are USED.
 
#8
I declare the value of whatever the person PAID for the item, since that is the fair market value of it. FYI, I will not reduce the declared value despite requests from bidders to do so, because it's illegal. If you tell them that up front ("I know you wouldn't want me to break the law!"), they usually acquiesce and either buy the item and eat the customs fees, or don't buy it.
 
#9
I agree...whatever the ebay auction brought is what the delaration value should be. Sounds like I should use global express for delivery. Thanks guys!

mmmpurses! said:
Depends. Is it a USED bag? declare the value sold at auction.
If an item gets lost or destroyed the post office will want evidence of either (1) the retail value of the bag if NEW or (2)an average of what they might go for if they are USED.
Click to expand...
 
#10
I think if you say the item is a "gift" when it asks you what you are shipping, the customer does not have to pay customs and whatnot. Shipping a package thru USPS is the way to go for US shippers to out of country places. USPS doesn't get into the whole customs and all that thing from what I am told and has the customer pay for it upon delivery. If you use FedEx or UPS and the customer decides not to pay for customs even if they said they would, you will have to pay which could leave you screwed.

Back to the gift thing...if you mark it as a gift you nor the customer should have to pay customs or tax b/c it is saying that item is not going to be resold.

That is my understanding as I have been told. If anyone knows otherwise, please correct me.
 
#11
SonOz said:
I think if you say the item is a "gift" when it asks you what you are shipping, the customer does not have to pay customs and whatnot. Shipping a package thru USPS is the way to go for US shippers to out of country places. USPS doesn't get into the whole customs and all that thing from what I am told and has the customer pay for it upon delivery. If you use FedEx or UPS and the customer decides not to pay for customs even if they said they would, you will have to pay which could leave you screwed.

Back to the gift thing...if you mark it as a gift you nor the customer should have to pay customs or tax b/c it is saying that item is not going to be resold.

That is my understanding as I have been told. If anyone knows otherwise, please correct me.
Click to expand...

Whoa! USPS most certainly does "get into the whole customs thing", that's why you fill out customs forms when you send something from the post office. Remember: customs duties are mandated by the country that is receiving the package--it has nothing to do with the country from which it's being shipped, unless there are specific tariffs on goods sent from or manufactured in that country. So while the United States Postal Service gets zero revenue from any customs or duties incurred on a package they transported, there are still customs & duties due in many cases (make that nearly all cases where an item is a commercial item).

Marking commercial items (meaning anything that has been SOLD or BOUGHT) as a gift is illegal. End of story. It has nothing to do with whether the item will at some point in the future be sold by the recipient, it has to do with whether there was a financial transaction that took place in order for the shipment to be initiated.

Last point: even if an item IS legitimately a gift, certain countries will still charge customs duties on the recipient's end, based on the value of the item. If you mark a lower value, then you cannot insure the package for a higher value, also.

Not sure who told you all of this stuff, but it's incorrect, unfortunately. Hope this helps!!
 
#12
CynthiaNYC, thank you so much! I had no idea it was illegal to mark something as a gift if it was sold or bought. One of my friends recently sold something on eBay and we were working everything out on how she could get it to Canada and the buyer told her to mark it as a gift.
 
#13
No problem at all; I hope I didn't come on too strong, I just sort of panic when I hear things that might end up with someone incurring a huge governmental fine or worse (charges of mail fraud if it's a recurrent thing) just because they don't know! :wtf: I actually knew of an eBay seller who was Federally prosecuted for this. YIKES!
 
#14
So to clarify the OP's question.....the best way to send international would be EMS? I always thought that there wasn't a way to track it once it left the US since the other countries are not on the same computer system as the USPS does. At least that was what I was told at my post office. I always ended up sending FEDEX so that I can track it. FEDEX and UPS does cost a fortune but I am lucky to get 75% off with FEDEX through my brother.
 
#15
I wonder what international customers are willing to pay for express shipping + custom tax + product. I ship priority which includes insurance for up to 60. If they claim they didn't receive it - I don't have tracking, but have insurance to cover myself. No issues yet. By the way, you can track an international package by Customs form , the number is printed on your USPS receipt.
 
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