Shipping knives to Russia? USPS lady tells me it won't go through.

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Apec

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Today I shipped a Spyderco Military to Russia using International Priority. However, the lady at the desk was telling me it wouldn't get through unless I used Priority Express, and couldn't exactly tell me why plain old priority wouldn't work. She also told me that International Priority could not be insured, and that priority packages containing knives were being returned - based on some other sender who had been getting the run around from Russian customs.

I didn't really buy what she said, so I told her I'll take my chances. But I'm curious. Has anyone here ever had any recent problems with sending a knife to Russia?
 
I shipped a small traditional knife international priority to Russia about 6 months ago. I believe it took almost two months to be delivered but there were no other issues. You may have a somewhat long wait to see how it works out, but I hope it goes off easily for you.

Edit:
Oops! I was mixing up my experiences with shipping to Australia and Russia.
I shipped out a small slipjoint to Moscow first class international August 8th of this year, and it arrived August 30th with no issues. Looks like I may have just been lucky.
 
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Knock on wood first...I've been very successful shipping to Russia using USPS first class tag with Register mail (+ $12.95) roughly $27...register mail provides a tracking number beginning with RE or RA...maximum insurance coverage for register mail is $45.

Priority Flat Rate ($25) has NO tracking number. You can buy insurance up to somewhere like $500

EMS express provides a tracking number, insurance is extra, cost about $47

Register mail will slow down deliver speed buy its safer because every transfer must be signed signature.
 
estate4life said:
Register mail will slow down deliver speed buy its safer because every transfer must be signed signature.
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Not after the package leaves the US.

We frequently ship to Russia, Ukraine, etc. Priority International works OK. Express International works good.
 
Express has a greater chance of getting there in foreign shipping, they don't let it sit around long enough to get inspected. I have had priority never arrive, instead getting returned to me 6 months later!! I shipped to the same address via express and it got there just fine.
 
I ship to Russia fairly frequently. While it appears that most of you have had better luck with Express mail, I have found standard Priority (not Flat Rate) to be the most reliable followed by First Class. Standard Priority and Express are trackable and insurable up to $5000 (for parcels containing merchandise) according to USPS.com -> http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/ps_013.htm (this link contains the current mailing conditions to Russia) I do NOT use First Class on most international shipments that I can't afford to lose and replace as First Class is not trackable** or insurable (through USPS) to most destinations to my knowledge.

Some interesting, maybe helpful tidbits -
A large, online, third party insurance company no longer provides coverage to the Russian Federation (tracked or not). They had provided coverage previously.

I currently have two USPS insurance claims out for parcels that went to Russia. I started an inquiry for a third one yesterday. I may be starting a fourth inquiry soon. ALL went Express. It is my experience that Russia is, bar none, the single worst country to ship to with regards to time frames and safe arrival. This pertains to Russian customs and the Russian postal service, not the customers.

**FWIW, there are a few countries that do have Delivery Confirmation using First Class and Priority Flat Rate (envelopes and small boxes)**. I believe this is the most current list -> Canada, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and Switzerland. I have used it successfully to most of these countries.
**You MUST purchase AND print the shipping labels online! Here are the rules -> http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immc2_022.htm
**Purchasing First Class International postage at your post office will NOT give you Delivery Confirmation and is typically more expensive and time consuming.

Hope it helps,
Rob
 
Alpha Knife Supply said:
Not after the package leaves the US.

We frequently ship to Russia, Ukraine, etc. Priority International works OK. Express International works good.
Click to expand...

I think registered is honored if it is available in the destination country as well. I regularly ship to India via first class + registered and for that $25 or so I get end to end tracking. It is slow, and takes about 3 weeks though.
 
Update - In my previous reply, I mentioned that I had just opened an inquiry with USPS regarding a parcel that was shipped to Russia. The tracking was updated to "Origin Post is Preparing Shipment" For those "not in the know" that means that Russia is sending it back to me. Unfortunately, that most likely (NOT always) means that it will come back missing the contents. Again, this was shipped using USPS Express.

Hope this helps,
Rob
 
National_Knives said:
Update - In my previous reply, I mentioned that I had just opened an inquiry with USPS regarding a parcel that was shipped to Russia. The tracking was updated to "Origin Post is Preparing Shipment" For those "not in the know" that means that Russia is sending it back to me. Unfortunately, that most likely (NOT always) means that it will come back missing the contents. Again, this was shipped using USPS Express.

Hope this helps,
Rob
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Rob,
Sorry to hear about this.
After I had a similar experience a few years back I decided that I just won't ship to Russia anymore.

Even if your buyer is honest, There are to many other hands for the package to go through once it leaves the USA.

When I stop hearing recent stories like yours, then I may ship to Russia again?
 
Thanks for the input. Well, hope this turns out well, and for those of you with packages in limbo there, hope that gets resolved.

National_Knives said:
A large, online, third party insurance company no longer provides coverage to the Russian Federation (tracked or not). They had provided coverage previously.
Click to expand...

Was it U-Pic, or something like that? I remember the Russian I was dealing with telling me to use them, then I checked their site and informed him that they did not offer insurance on packages destined to Russia.
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
Rob,
Sorry to hear about this.
After I had a similar experience a few years back I decided that I just won't ship to Russia anymore.

Even if your buyer is honest, There are to many other hands for the package to go through once it leaves the USA.

When I stop hearing recent stories like yours, then I may ship to Russia again?
Click to expand...

After seeing the latest tracking update of "Origin Post is Preparing Shipment" yesterday and taking into consideration the increase of problems I have had with parcels sent to Russia, I have suspended all sales to Russia until all the parcels I currently have in transit are delivered or ??? I am getting too good at filling out insurance forms.

Apec said:
Thanks for the input. Well, hope this turns out well, and for those of you with packages in limbo there, hope that gets resolved.



Was it U-Pic, or something like that? I remember the Russian I was dealing with telling me to use them, then I checked their site and informed him that they did not offer insurance on packages destined to Russia.
Click to expand...

Yes, it was U-Pic. U-Pic use to insure parcels going to Russia, but no longer. That is not much of a problem as long as USPS is offering $5000.00 in coverage for trackable Priority and Express parcels. I just don't have the time to:
1. gather all the relevant information
2. call USPS
3. wait for assistance
4. give all the info. to USPS
5. wait for the inquiry to complete - for Russia it's 5 working days
6. wait for a return phone call from USPS telling me the latest info and how to proceed
7. call USPS, because number 6 never happened within the specified amount of time
8. possibly fax info. to USPS (this actually belongs in the number 5/6 position)
9. wait for insurance forms to arrive in mail
10. call USPS because insurance forms didn't come in the specified amount of time (remember you have a clock ticking when it comes to insurance claims)
11. fill out the forms
12. take it to the local post office
13. get razzed by the employee(s) for continuing to send parcels to Russia
14. razz employee(s) back for getting really good at processing insurance paperwork
15. wait for payment <- this takes a while, have patience.

Rob
 
I'm afraid she may be right. I stopped using USPS as a mail carrier for Russia in particular. I only use FedEX and buyers pays for shipping.
 
I shipped a Kabar to an individual in Russia with no problem. The USPS lady said to list it as "cutlery". I had no problems.
 
Please don't worry about shipping to Russia as soon as you:
1. Use USPS Express Mail Int
2. Insure it
3. Don't sending fixed blades (normally <=9 centimeters works fine though)

Big fixed blade is "Russian Roulette". It may work but in 60% it doesn't

USPS Express Mail Int. is handled by dedicated courier service called "EMS". It is very secure and reliable if applied to knives. Don't use anything except it -- I have lot of bad expericence with USPS Priority / USPS First Class
 
Seven1Niner said:
I'm afraid she may be right. I stopped using USPS as a mail carrier for Russia in particular. I only use FedEX and buyers pays for shipping.
Click to expand...

FedEX / DHL doesn't work good for Russia. In fact it is much more worse then USPS Express.

Russian Post is a big monopoly here (in fact the only one international carrier) and it simply prevents other carriers working normally. This includes "difficulties" with customs...
 
National_Knives said:
After seeing the latest tracking update of "Origin Post is Preparing Shipment" yesterday and taking into consideration the increase of problems I have had with parcels sent to Russia, I have suspended all sales to Russia until all the parcels I currently have in transit are delivered or ??? I am getting too good at filling out insurance forms.

Rob
Click to expand...

What is your USPS Service? Priority / First Class / Express?
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
Rob,
Sorry to hear about this.
After I had a similar experience a few years back I decided that I just won't ship to Russia anymore.

Even if your buyer is honest, There are to many other hands for the package to go through once it leaves the USA.

When I stop hearing recent stories like yours, then I may ship to Russia again?
Click to expand...

You can check my feedback and ask sellers about their experience. Use Express Mail Int with insurance and you'll be fine. US sellers don't realize that First Class / Priority in most cases doesn't even have international tracking number. Without tracking number it isn't possible to find it once lost. And very often post workers / customs workers use this :(
 
Sorry to Hi-Jack your thread, but.....You wanna hear a horror story.

My buddy decided to take a very large offer on a 1 of a kind custom...$6000

Buyer said he would take responsibility for the item once it left the states, so my bud shipped it priority with no insurance.

Lo and behold it just disappeared or was delivered but since there was no proof of delivery who knows...

The buyer reneged on his offer and set up a PP claim, got his $6000 back and most likely has the folder as well.

So my buddy is out $6000X2.

Always use a service with end to end tracking and insure.
 
tillias said:
What is your USPS Service? Priority / First Class / Express?
Click to expand...

Shipped Express. Just received a phone call minutes ago on this one from USPS, my hunch was correct - missing contents. They sent insurance paperwork yesterday.
 
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