Do folks in the US genuinely get charged more for shipping?

[PGowdy]

Had a few annoying shipping quotes recently from US sellers completely pricing me out of items.
The things i'm talking about are very light. The sort of items that could be sent in a small padded envelope or tiny package.
I post to the US all the time (almost always envelopes or small packages) and the postage is never over £4-£5 and that rare that it's that high. An envelope packed with 4 or 5 packs of stickers or trading cards, so quite bulky, is usually about 2 quid or just over. Yet several times i've been quoted 10 times that from US sellers. Today i enquired about shipping for a handful of loose Panini stickers from a US seller. The stickers are going for $12 and the shipping quoted was $29. When i replied stating my shock at such a high quote for something so small he replied "sorry, that what UPS quoted me"
Last week i bought some items from the US (a sticker album and a box of stickers). The cost of the items were $21 and the cost of the shipping... $32! I bit the bullet 'cos the profit i make on these items is pretty good but it still really stuck in my craw paying more than the items in shipping.

So -
a) are the sellers being truthful?
b) Are UPS or similar expensive delivery services the only option in the US? (ie, they don't have a Royal Mail type service)
and
c) do they just have to pay more than we do to ship abroad?

Interested to know people's thoughts on this as it's something that's bothered me (and prevented me from buying dozens of items) for a while.

 

[tiefighterboy]

Prices have gone up Pete. I was shocked at what that package I sent you cost. Some sellers are just being dicks and overcharging (Both in the us and UK as well, but for the most part things have gone up. A larger padded envelope could cost $12.00 or more to ship. Our gas prices are almost the same as yours which was unheard of 10 years ago.

 

[tiefighterboy]

by the way United States postal is the cheapest, UPS charges way too much, same for DHL and Federal express.

 

[Joseph_Y]

Yeah, our shipping prices have gone up. IF a seller tells you a price quote and you're not sure if he's being honest, check http://www.usps.com they have a postage calculator for overseas shipping based on size of box and apx weight. Hope that helps. Generally I use that when calculating shipping and sometimes it's a different price when I get to the PO, IF it's less, I refund the difference, if it's more I eat the difference.

Cheers
Joe

 

[PGowdy]

Thanks guys, that's interesting.

"United States postal", so you DO have a "Royal Mail"...! all that ever gets mentioned to me is UPS or DHL etc so i always assumed that was the only option. I'd never dream of using a company like that to send a small package or envelope.

 

[tiefighterboy]

Thanks guys, that's interesting.

"United States postal", so you DO have a "Royal Mail"...! all that ever gets mentioned to me is UPS or DHL etc so i always assumed that was the only option. I'd never dream of using a company like that to send a small package or envelope.

Not exactly royal, but it is our self funded government postal system.

 

[aussiejames]

"Items valued at over $100 we only ship via express mail to International locations, which our minimum charge for is $39"
for one loose figure :shock: from my experience signed for with insurance is twice any other method. I understand it's a Paypal requirement but it still sucks as a buyer.

 

[shawn_k]

Those prices you are being quoted Pete are priority mail prices. As has been said, that is the only way that a seller is protected on ebay/paypal as that method is insured/trackable. It really sucks for something small like those stickers. When I sell internationally, I offer the option if it is someone that I know somewhat well and they are liable if something happens while it is in transit. Besides a bad ebay return, I've luckily never had a problem, but the risk is certainly there.

 

[edd_jedi]

With overseas postage, the size and weight makes a dramatic difference. Sending a MOC in a fridge freezer box full of carboard reinforcement is stupid. I always post international items ins the smallest and lightest box I possibly can, of course not sacrificing protection. A MOC will quite happily travel in a box with 1 inch to spare on all sides if it's bubble wrapped. I once got a single MOC through the post from an American guy that was in a box about 1 metre square, it costs him $40!

 

[PGowdy]

Possibly my favourite quote yet... (6 times the value of the item/s)

 

[aussiejames]

From the UK recently I got a MOC well boxed for 5 pounds postage (10 days) and a cardback for 8 pounds postage- signed for ( 2weeks :roll: )

$260 is crazy

 

[tiefighterboy]

Pete he is ****ing you, get a quote to my address, unless the boxes are huge and 100 tons.