vajerzy Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 I have a box set on Ebay- I was asked for a quote to ship it to the UK. USPS seems the best option, starting at $17.00 and the next level is about $28.00. Any thoughts/suggestions on what you've used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 I have a box set on Ebay- I was asked for a quote to ship it to the UK. USPS seems the best option, starting at $17.00 and the next level is about $28.00. Any thoughts/suggestions on what you've used? Package weight and value would be of interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vajerzy Posted January 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 It's the Bill Evans Complete Riverside Recordings- the cube set, not the 12x12 large box. I estimated the weight to be 2 lbs and the worth to be $150.00, to obtain an estmated cost; either could be less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 The best combination of "cheap", "easy" and "reliable" I've found is the USPS. But then I think they kinda fudged the rules for me (or, more likely, didn't know what they were doing) in Pineville. At least it was always cheaper than going to the Alexandria PO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 The best combination of "cheap", "easy" and "reliable" I've found is the USPS. That's what I've generally found, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 USPS - they do the job - just pack well - I've had 2 packages (out of about 25) ripped open (intentionally) in overseas post offices (those damn Belgians...) - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vajerzy Posted January 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Ok- thanks everyone for your comments and views! USPS it is! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 From the point of view of the Brit getting the package (and if you want more business, maybe this is a point to think about) Fedex seems to provide a better service; quicker but also seems not to get caught in customs so much. If the difference isn't much, maybe you could offer the choice to yor customer? MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 I'd go for USPS too. Watch for customs charges though. In my experience items delivered by Royal Mail tend to escape fees more than commercial carriers. If it's uninsured you can ask the sender to declare a more modest value and mark it as a gift! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WD45 Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 If it's uninsured you can ask the sender to declare a more modest value and mark it as a gift! Yep. Just be prepared to have it sit there for a while. UPS was going to charge me $75 to do the same thing that the USPS did for $27! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 I'd go for USPS too. Watch for customs charges though. In my experience items delivered by Royal Mail tend to escape fees more than commercial carriers. If it's uninsured you can ask the sender to declare a more modest value and mark it as a gift! Funny, my experience is exactly the reverse. I suppose it's genuinely a matter of chance. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Watch for customs charges though. In my experience items delivered by Royal Mail tend to escape fees more than commercial carriers. That's been my experience too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 I prefer DHL, on the grounds that (1) they deliver the goods asap and bill you later for the charges (2) they only make a very low charge for the service of assessing and collecting the tax/duty. Oh, and the higher you declare the value the more the recipient will have to pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 I prefer DHL, on the grounds that (1) they deliver the goods asap and bill you later for the charges (2) they only make a very low charge for the service of assessing and collecting the tax/duty. Absolutely! It's totally iniquitous that the Post Office should charge five quid ($10 +) to collect one. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vajerzy Posted January 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 From the point of view of the Brit getting the package (and if you want more business, maybe this is a point to think about) Fedex seems to provide a better service; quicker but also seems not to get caught in customs so much. If the difference isn't much, maybe you could offer the choice to yor customer? MG MG- that's a good point- I haven't checked FedEx......I will ship whatever method the winning bidder wishes me to do. Someone from the UK requested an estimated shipping cost- thus the question. USPS was the cheapest and that's what I've used in the past. When I completed the customs papers for a UK address, I asked what value they wish for me to declare. I was shipping Mosaic sets. I haven't had a problem as long as I work with the buyers, which I'm more than willing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parkertown Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 I just sent a 12x12, 16 cd boxed set to a friend in The Netherlands. I sent it last Friday night...after 5pm. It cost $36. He wrote me early Wednesday morning to say it had already arrived, in good nick... Good 'ol USPS. I always get my mail...; especially all the bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 I just sent a 12x12, 16 cd boxed set to a friend in The Netherlands. I sent it last Friday night...after 5pm. It cost $36. He wrote me early Wednesday morning to say it had already arrived, in good nick... Good 'ol USPS. I always get my mail...; especially all the bills. Well, I wish we got that kind of service here. I had a book sent me fom the US (an Amazon seller) - sent 21 November 2007, arrived 11 January 2008. USPS. OK, Christmas intervened but... MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 I just sent a 12x12, 16 cd boxed set to a friend in The Netherlands. I sent it last Friday night...after 5pm. It cost $36. He wrote me early Wednesday morning to say it had already arrived, in good nick... Good 'ol USPS. I always get my mail...; especially all the bills. 36?? What...the Coltrane Prestige box? That including insurance? I just sold one last week and had shipping to Europe/UK posted at $25. Glad someone here bought it or I would have taken a hit on the shipping. Vajerzy, how much more do you think the 12x12 Riverside box weighs than your cube? A good bit.....or something marginal like the weight of 5 or 6 marshmallows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vajerzy Posted January 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Vajerzy, how much more do you think the 12x12 Riverside box weighs than your cube? A good bit.....or something marginal like the weight of 5 or 6 marshmallows? I'm sure more- I haven't wrapped it yet, in case someone wants additional pictures. .......I wrap in a few layers of bubble wrap and then a few layers of heavy duty paper over that- it tends to gain weight fast. I try to be conservative in my mail estimates- the worst thing I can do is give an estimate that's lower than the actual cost. that happened one time and I charged the person the estimated cost (to be fair)......on the other hand if the actual is lower that the estimate, then the buyer will be happy. I don't sell alot on ebay so I have the time to work with potential buyers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 be aware, too, that the last postal increase by the USPS caused foreign airmail to go up by about 50 percent - insane, and it makes things very difficult - it also increased priority mail costs enough to make it significantly chepaer to ship larger objects byt UPS or Fedex ground - I sell guitar speakers and things of that nature on occasion, and used to use priority just because the USPS actually handles things more gently than the package services - no longer can I do this, as it will cost up to 50 percent more to use priority on large things, as well - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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