International parcel post

[AndyD]

Hi,
Hoping someone can offer a bit of advice.
I'm finally clearing out some of the accumulated 'treasures' from the bike sheds and have started listing various bits on eBay.
So far been reasonably simple for a newbie to selling anything but I've got a couple of bits on which have got interest from abroad and I've no idea what's involved in posting these.
From a very dull Google session I can manage UK postage but didn't really grasp the international side.
Current example is a set of clocks for a GS1000S so a medium size but quite fragile package and a guy in Australia has asked what cost would be to send this.
From experience, does anyone know where to look for costs on postage, explanation of paperwork involved.
Finally any views on whether posting overseas is 'reasonably' safe or a very high risk.

Any views and advice very welcome!

Cheers,
Andy

[Johnwebley]

Try the website Parcel 2 go.

It will give options for size,weight and quickness of delivery,

It may be easier to use a courier

Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk

[oldchuffer]

Hi Andy

Try googling "ebay global shipping program" - i sold a camera a while back to a guy in Estonia, all i had to do was send it to an ebay distribution centre in the UK (lichfield i think) and they did the rest including sending it abroad and charging the buyer directly. It definitely worked for me.

Worth a look

Steve

[Bryanj]

Worth looking at ups as well one that size was about £26 to USA and they collected it from my door.
I find parcel to go rarely get the cost right but the post office web site is ok and you can pick level of compensation BUT you need to ask buyer if he wants full value on customs paperwork as import duty is charged on declared value and thats the most compensation they will pay

[AndyD]

Brilliant thanks,
I'll Google a bit on those options and see how costs look.
Bryan - thanks for the advice on the customs value - that's the sort of thing I was also worried about not getting 'right' and causing problems later.

Cheers,
Andy

[MCTID]

I REVISED my post as Laverda Dave's comments prompted me that I'd noted Parcel to go when I meant Parcel Monkey ! DOH.

Parcel Monkey is cheap....for a reason. If something goes astray and you contact them, they simply refer you to the Courier who they placed your parcel with. In effect they are just acting as a 'go between' so they have no responsibility for loss, delay or damage......that's why they are cheap ! UPS is OK for large parts (Frames etc) as their prices are reasonable....it's just their Website is a PITA to negotiate (IMHO) but otherwise I have found UPS to be OK. I never did figure out why the Triumph Frame I sent to Cornwall (from Blackpool) - spent a week sitting in their Norwich Warehouse !

Parcelforce is OK although my local PO Staff are another PITA if every T isn't crossed and every I isn't dotted 100% correctly, but the Parcelforce Drivers are really good so nowadays I book it Online and the Drivers collect it from me. They are probably the most expensive service, but as always you get what you pay for. Forget E Bay Shipping estimates - steer well clear of them when placing a sale on the E Bay Website ! They haven't got a clue about the real world and their Profit seems to be the only thing they care about ! I don't send anything overseas any more....too much hassle.......too expensive, too much red tape and too much grief !  If you undervalue your parts on the Customs Declaration (or ask Sellers to do so) you are actually defrauding the Taxman so think long and hard about doing so.........not worth it really and many Sellers won't entertain it - especially US Dealers who I have bought a lot of parts from over the years. I haven't used DHL, Hermes etc to ship anything, although their deliveries to me seem to be OK. The local Hermes bloke is excellent, but that might just be because he's a conscientious and decent bloke.

Like most things, do your research on shipping various sizes/ weights and destinations (especially overseas) then you'll settle into a routine....and BEWARE of Companies offering you unbelievably cheap deals just to get your business as there is ALWAYS a catch !

[Laverda Dave]

And steer well clear of Parcel Monkey, absolute rip-off. They gave me a quote based on size and weight of parcel, collected it and two days later charged me more than double the original quote!

[Nurse Julie]

And steer well clear of Parcel Monkey, absolute rip-off. They gave me a quote based on size and weight of parcel, collected it and two days later charged me more than double the original quote!

I use Parcel Monkey as an agent at least twice a week, mainly for quite heavy items, usually 10-20kg.
I've only ever had one problem and that was an item that arrived after 3 days, when I booked a 24 hour service. That wasn't Parcel Monkeys fault though, it was DPD, which was the courier for that load. Parcel Monkey customer service department is excellent.

[Nurse Julie]

Hi,
Hoping someone can offer a bit of advice.
I'm finally clearing out some of the accumulated 'treasures' from the bike sheds and have started listing various bits on eBay.
So far been reasonably simple for a newbie to selling anything but I've got a couple of bits on which have got interest from abroad and I've no idea what's involved in posting these.
From a very dull Google session I can manage UK postage but didn't really grasp the international side.
Current example is a set of clocks for a GS1000S so a medium size but quite fragile package and a guy in Australia has asked what cost would be to send this.
From experience, does anyone know where to look for costs on postage, explanation of paperwork involved.
Finally any views on whether posting overseas is 'reasonably' safe or a very high risk.

Any views and advice very welcome!

Cheers,
Andy

On your ebay sales, just tick the box 'offer International shipping' or words to that effect and
Ebay sort everything out for you and the customer. All you are responsible for is posting to GSP in Lichfield (at local UK postal rate) and that's your only involvement in the process.

[AshimotoK0]

Agree with others ..just use Global Shipping option (GSP).. then you just shell out  the normal UK delivery.
Probably a bit of a rip-off for the buyer ...not sure... but certainly a lot less grief on the part of the seller.
They are very good too ...they email you as soon as received by their UK outfit in the midlands  and another email when it arrives at the destination. No custom forms either. Worth noting that if you post yourself and the postage is a high amount then eBay will charge you a % on the shipping fee, in addition to fees on the item. They also slap on a surcharge for 'overseas transaction', certainly with the Global Shipping option.
The only downside may be that you are marked down in the overall experience from buyers (the 5* system thingy), as you may get marked down on 'reasonable shipping costs', because the buyer paid a lot for the shipping.

I would be interested on other peoples experience on the GSP as I shied away from it initially because of bad reports.... but overall I have only had good experiences wheres the direct shipping has thrown up a few problems, like the buyer doesn't want to pay for tracked & traced delivery ... which is OK until a parcel goes astray.

[MrDavo]

I've bought a few parts from abroad using eBay's Global Shipping Program, the best bit is that you pay a fee that includes any duty or VAT, there is nothing more to pay so you know the exact cost. Normal International delivery you don't know what extra you are paying until it's arrived at you local Post Office, who add on VAT and duty, then charge an extra £15 or so to collect it. Downside is the speed, I have tracked a couple of parcels from the US that got very quickly to a central depot in Kentucky, then just sat there for a week or two, before suddenly showing up in the UK one morning at the airport next to Donington Park.

I sold a NOS Z1 footrest to a bloke abroad recently using the GSP, totally painless, as stated above eBay do all the donkey work, you just post it to Litchfield. Ash got me into using Parcel Monkey, when I needed to send my CB750 K1 paintset to Germany for Menno to paint. If you pick the right option, you just fill in an online form, pay online, and a man appears the next day on your doorstep to collect it with a label. Speed and service depend on the options you choose, you tend to get what you pay for.

[flatfour]

It might also be useful to consider the delays in service that have existed in recent times. Our regular parcels to and from Japan have, in the past, taken between four and seven days to arrive. Currently the average is over three weeks, although some take much longer.

Charges have also increased significantly, typically our postage cost (via Royal Mail tracked) was around £15 - £18.00. Now it is more like £25 - £40.00 for the same parcels. As VAT etc. is charged on the whole cost, this has gone up too for items that we receive.

The whole situation has discouraged us from making regular shipments any longer, after some 40 years without problems.

Like so many things in life, the simple and straightforward has now become complicated and expensive!

[AndyD]

Thanks everyone,
Sounds like GSP might be the way to go for me - don't think it'll be a regular thing for me and this at least sounds straight forward.
Am I right that I can simply go back into my live eBay ad and add the international shipping option - the bidders can then get the cost on eBay depending on where they are without any further details from me?

Cheers,
Andy

[AndyD]

Haven't got very far with this!!
Had 3 chats with eBay about adding GSP to a couple of live listings and after the final one I now understand that on one I can't add it as a bid has already been placed and on the other one for some reason it shows as excluded from the GSP system (it's a Speedometer).
They did give a couple of options to work around this but it means going back to me arranging postage and to be honest I understand so little about international postage that I really can't be bothered Googling any further.
As I have had numerous overseas enquiries asking if I'll ship abroad, I feel a bit guilty saying no all the time and I just wondered if it is an option to simply say that I won't post but if anyone buys it they can arrange collection themselves.
I thought maybe this would avoid me having to get costs for shipping or any involvement in customs paperwork / charges etc. - presumably I could just package the bits and have them ready for collection.
Does that sound sensible / workable or have I missed something important (more than possible!).
Cheers,
Andy

[Bryanj]

Dont work that easy on small parcels mate.
Customs costs are nothing to do with the sender(you) the only extra paperwork is a cn22 customs form which i find the post office will fill in.
Post office web site is easy to get price you only need weight of parcel,not item, and sizes of parcel