International Shipping

DWood

DWood

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Feb 3, 2007
Messages
165
I have an interested buyer in Lithuania. For those who have shipped internationally, what service do you recommend?
 
Depends on the price. UPS, Fedex, DHL should all be more reliable, and much faster, than USPS. However, they're also more expensive - like 2-3 times as much.

If you know someone who has a corporate account with UPS/Fedex/DHL, see if they'll get a label for you - that'd be much closer to USPS prices, or even less.
 
Well, been recieving packages from the US to the Netherlands for years. Hundreds of packages by now, I guess.
Least problems with USPS, no Fedex or UPS for me. Just good old USPS.
 
bigfish said:
Well, been recieving packages from the US to the Netherlands for years. Hundreds of packages by now, I guess.
Least problems with USPS, no Fedex or UPS for me. Just good old USPS.
Click to expand...
I agree, I’ve been shipping to a friend in Australia for the last couple of years with no problems. He uses me when he buys from a vendor who will not ship internationally and for him it has been more cost effective.
 
I went in the fedex to ship something international to the Netherlands if I remember correctly, they setup an account for me talked up the service that I’d have tracking the whole way, it would be far cheaper with the account they were setting me up with etc etc. got all the way through the process after 15-20 minutes and to the point where the lady actually put in the address and got a price for me, cheapest option was $120 for a 4x4x8 box. I seriously asked if she was kidding and said I’ll go next door to usps where the international options start at $12-$15. So for me I use usps, even if you add options so it can be tracked it doesn’t come close to fedex, the funny thing is the lady at fedex sounded shocked that the post office was that cheap for international
 
The most idiotic thing I had with UPS was a couple of years back. I sold a beautiful and expensive fixed blade made by Shane Sibert to a gentleman in Canada. Since it was quite expensive, I wanted to make sure offcourse the buyer got it in a quick and safe way, undamaged. So I opted to have it send Global Priority with insurance and the whole shabang by UPS.
Packed it up real good and went to the nearest UPS service point. All formalities done, custom papers, you know the drill.
Package was weighed and a price was set ....€110 for superfast, supersafe transportation to Canada ( I even believe they said a guy in a tight blue suit with a red cape would personally take care of it...)
O.k. after the initial shock, it was a done deal, package was send, money was paid and I went home.
Couple of days later...I get a letter with a bill from UPS stating; “whe made an error with the weighing, the package is heavier than we initially weighed, you still owe us €20 !!!!”
From that point things got nasty, offcourse I refused to pay. It took me 4 months, a lot of writing and help from my legal insurance to get rid of these idiots.
So UPS? Never again....Nein danke!
Luckily the gentleman got his knife fast and undamaged and is enjoying it ever since.
Offcourse this is a rare exception, but I’m just not overly impressed by these companies, given the service they provide for the money asked. Packages got lost a few times, o.k. , got found in the end, but doesn’t give me a solid feel.
USPS has never ever let me down. Their tracking system works perfect, not one package was ever lost and it’s the cheapest option by far. If there is a drawback, yeah, it might take a little longer for it to arrive.
But here in the Netherlands we have a very active customs control. Once your package arrives by airmail, it falls in the hands of customs to be checked and priced for taxes. Sometimes it can take up to 3 weeks for your package to clear customs! So you can pay a shitload of money for superduper fast and expensive postage, It evaporates in the custom department.
Another good excuse to use USPS.
 
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Came home shitfaced last night....”where have you been?” my wife asked.
“Just for a drink with the guys”, I said.
“That’s all, Superman?” my wife replied.
“Well...we also went to this stripjoint, but nothing happened” I said.
“Ok, you sure that’s all, Superman?” she asked.
“Well.....John wanted to go to this brothel, so we went along, but a-b-s-o-l-u-t-l-y nothing happened dear!” I replied
“Yeah wright, Superman, you didn’t do anything” she said, seemingly irritated.
“No, I didn’t, offcourse not! But damn woman, whats with that Superman everytime?”
“ Superman also wears his underwear over his trousers, you idiot!!”
 
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Sent a knife from Canada to Germany with Canada Post Xpresspost - the most expensive option.The delivery is handled by DHL in Germany.ATM after two months has yet to arrive.It was last in Customs but not anything else afterwards.I submitted a mail inquiry two weeks ago and have yet to hear back but due to the pandemic, I regret not going with Fedex or UPS.

I have shipped to several European countries before but ATM very hesitant.
 
From the Europe end I can say that USPS 1st Class Intl has nearly always bettered other forms in terms of delivery time AND cost. However, it depends WHERE in Europe it's going to plus the COVID chaos is making delivery v.unpredictable . I had a knife sent to me here from US that stayed at Chicago airport from 29th March till 2 weeks ago!:eek: well worth the excessive wait though:thumbsup:

Lot depends on the terms of selling you set up.

DHL ? disaster not just waiting to happen but happening :D:D
 
Right now using anything other than FedEx or UPS or DHL Express (separate company from DHL regular, DHL Express has their own planes) is just asking for trouble. I switched over from DHL to FedEx July 1st and it's night and day compare to DHL Germany. 2-4 days, boom package arrives. Yes, it is slightly more expensive than DHL but I still have one DHL package sent on May 11th, last racked on May 13th. Never arrived in New Orleans and even though I purchased the extra insurance, DHL is dragging heir feet to refund me. 3 months after I shipped it. I have long replaced the order for my customer and shipped it FedEx and he had it a few days later. Almost €800 value too.

In order to get decent prices from any of the named carriers you will need to have a business and ship a certain number of packages per month. If you are a private customer shipping one box at their published rates, you will really get hit with some high prices. Upwards of €100 for a small package. Still, shipping goods that never arrive or take months is also no bargain.
 
Yeah it is such a crap shoot. I've had the best experience receiving FedEx in the UK from the US. Import taxes - applied and paid through FedEx, delivered to door. USPS gets quarantined by our mail system and then ransomed for import duties and their 'handling fee' on top. Currently have a USPS parcel on the way, ordered on 21 July, got a notification it has just left the US today, afyer sitting 14 days in Chicago. Oh well.
I agree SENDING FedEx is stupidly pricy unless you're a business.
 
bigfish said:
Well, been recieving packages from the US to the Netherlands for years. Hundreds of packages by now, I guess.
Least problems with USPS, no Fedex or UPS for me. Just good old USPS.
Click to expand...

sf fanatic said:
I agree, I’ve been shipping to a friend in Australia for the last couple of years with no problems. He uses me when he buys from a vendor who will not ship internationally and for him it has been more cost effective.
Click to expand...

......yeps....for me it's also in the hundreds from the US to here and the only issues I have had were with Fedex. USPS has delivered all but one safely in the last 18yrs (and that one I honestly do not believe was ever shipped to me). USPS is a bit slower at the moment thanks to C19 of course.
 
I've always shipped through DHL Germany (DHL belongs to German Post) or through German Post. In more than 15 years maybe 3 packages were lost or failed to arrive. But this Covid virus has changed everything. Neither DHL or German Post have their own airplanes, it all goes air freight in standard airline flights and these are mostly not flying. Once the package arrives in the foreign country, it is delivered by the country's own postal system. Right now that's a recipe for Lost in Translation, ah, transportation.

FedEx, UPS and DHL Express (another separate company!) all have their own planes and handle or subcontract the actual delivery too. Makes a world of difference. Also in price, no question but the trouble, wasted time and unhappy customers who had to wait months on an order were worse. If you have a business, contact the carriers and get them to quote you prices for your business shipping or if you know somebody with a business, maybe you can ship through them.

Otherwise I think you made a wise choice not to ship internationally.
 
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