The MLP Arena
TCB => Trader & Shipping Support => Topic started by: Whoa1234 on September 12, 2013, 01:54:02 PM
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Recently I've been working on selling off part of my collection.
I've had many inquires from the UK. Never in all of my sales have I ever paid more than $7 to ship a single pony.
I went to the post office to double check a shipping quote. $12.75 to ship ONE pony with no insurance to Great Britan!
I didn't want to believe it, so I just went to a different post office in my town and they came up with the same total.
I literally feel so sick to my stomach. This makes shipping to other countries basically unaffordable for me and unaffordable for people to buy from me!
I highly doubt the Ups or FedEx is any cheaper, since they have always been the pricier alternatives. >.<
Does anyone use any other methods to ship?
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Unfortunately earlier this year the US post service did a 40% increase in their out of country shipping. :( It made things very difficult for a lot of collectors and online buyers/sellers. The only good thing about it is that out of country shipping now automatically comes with a tracking number, which makes purchased a little safer. But yeah, costly now. -_- I don't know of any alternatives.
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$13 sounds about right, unfortunately. :( I remember paying out the ears to send a Rarity in a bubble mailer to a friend in Canada. He really loved her, so I was happy to do it, but it sure makes it hard for anyone to buy or sell from the US. I started selling a couple months ago and just went ahead and put US only, because I dont think anyone can afford to pay such high shipping for a G3 bait or a couple of blind bags. Come on, USPS, you'd get more money if I was able to ship out of country.
(You might ask the post office for the cheapest shipping method out of the states. That's what I have to do every time I take a big package in; they start quoting me for the highest shipping methods, so I just ask "what's the cheapest way to ship this?")
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Then how do I get packages of a single g4 from China for $1.99? I know it is expensive when I send it but how do they afford the shipping to me for such a low cost?
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That's why a lot of sellers are selling from the UK with multiple ponies. Maybe a 2 pony per sale rule?
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Then how do I get packages of a single g4 from China for $1.99? I know it is expensive when I send it but how do they afford the shipping to me for such a low cost?
A lot of the big Chinese sellers have some sort of deal with the PO/shipping service because they do so much business. (I'm sure someone else can explain it in full!)
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unfortunately $13 sounds right : / that price hike by usps was really rough for intl buyers. I don't think there is a way to send it cheaper otherwise people would be.
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How are you sending it? Bubble mailer? Large box? I just received a FS Rarity from an arena member and it was $8 shipping in a bubble mailer. My Lyra Funko Vinyl was $11 shipping and that was in a pretty big box, same with my white talking Princess Celestia (we're talking items that were paid and shipped to me in the last couple of weeks).
I honestly think $13 is overly high for one pony, but I live in Canada so I'm just basing that on what I've paid in the last few weeks.
**Edit** I just realized that I was referring to US to Canada... ignore my post lol
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And there will be another Rate increase on the Horizon.
As long as they are not allowed to make cuts where they want
and employees and people want to continue Saturday delivery...well rate increase was the choice they went with.
So be prepared for even higher shipping for domestic and International.
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Unfortunately that price sounds about right :huh:
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USPS was in financial or still is, the prices for international shipping are now aligned to the rest of the world :) we had it cheap for a long time !
people do pay the shipping , I have been getting even people on ebay paying for the Priority International, which allows for heavier packages of more than 4 lbs to be sent overseas in 6 to 10 days ,I have never used it before until recently when selling some sets of 6 funkos and the weight went over the 4lbs limit for First class international and sure enough the buyer was pleased with the delivery time frame and cost :)
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What rotten news :(
Thank you everyone, you've been very helpful.
I guess I will eventually get over the sticker shock. :/
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Wait a minute ... international shipments now come with a tracking number? An actual tracking number, or the custom's form number? I've been to different post offices, and they've all told me that you cannot get a tracking on an international package.
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Wait a minute ... international shipments now come with a tracking number? An actual tracking number, or the custom's form number? I've been to different post offices, and they've all told me that you cannot get a tracking on an international package.
Only Priority
First class customs # still does not provide tracking.
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Wait a minute ... international shipments now come with a tracking number? An actual tracking number, or the custom's form number? I've been to different post offices, and they've all told me that you cannot get a tracking on an international package.
the customs form number is a tracking key, but only for the usps locations/offices that it goes through before it goes to customs , after it leaves the country you can only see that the customs cleared the package sometimes ,not always, guess sometimes the form does not get scanned at all ,but most of them do .
Post Merge: September 12, 2013, 08:24:07 PM
the only thing i see is that it went to an international airport , mostly Chicago , North Houston , and sometimes Miami Fl shows up here and there
Well I just checked some packages that arrived to Canada and Netherlands , it does show "Delivered Abroad "
one of them was a Priority Intl and the other one a First Class Intl
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There is a change in the service all my parcels from america now arrive by courier to the door rather than through the postie who use to drop them off in the letterbox
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I'm so tired of high shipping costs -__- it's killing my ability to sell anything. Even small items, like an auction I have for 4 G1 combs, brushes, and barrettes is $15.80 shipping to the US :| that's why I started the auction at $2. Oh well, at least that high price DOES include coverage and confirmation... still, SO pricey D: I have bids on 3 items right now, which is going to be $12 profit for me and close to $50.00 to ship it all. Bleh.
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Wait a minute ... international shipments now come with a tracking number? An actual tracking number, or the custom's form number? I've been to different post offices, and they've all told me that you cannot get a tracking on an international package.
Only Priority
First class customs # still does not provide tracking.
First Class is now supposed to included delivery confirmation to certain countries (there's a list around somewhere). The tracking to Canada has been in place for several months and has worked pretty well. The other countries were added about a month ago. So far, the tracking worked on my package to New Zealand but not to the UK (I've had Priority tracking occasionally not work there either). I did have a package get scanned in France, but it doesn't show as delivered, and I haven't heard from the buyer to know for sure whether it arrived. The only other country I've shipped to since they added the tracking is Brazil and that hasn't been scanned since leaving the country nor have I heard from the buyer (it's been long enough that it should have arrived). Tracking within the US has improved though - only one package I've sent since they added the feature has missed being scanned on its way out of the country.
I always cringe when I have to get an international shipping quote for someone and am amazed at how often the buyers don't seem to mind. It does kill a lot of trades though and some sales do fall apart too. I particularly hate it when the shipping costs more than the items.
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Not true anymore if your package isn't over 1 inch in thickness it's considered First Class to ship overseas and you can not buy tracking and they do not supply tracking or customs forms. I mailed a package of MH Shoes to Pink and asked her if she wanted a box or bubble wrap for obvious cheaper shipping reasons. I got there assuming they would do a customs form which has at least the Customs tracking number on it..nope I kept asking the Postal Worker if I could pay extra for tracking and he kept saying no they do not do that anymore because of people filing false claims because of certain countries NOT scanning in the packages and using the tracking numbers.
Infact I am having problems with a member over this and I told her I have no proof that the item didn't arrive as other packages I sent to her have and they never scanned them in. It was a large order too money wise she did not want insurance added onto shipping. She has poor communication and to my knowledge has not tried to locate the package on her end. While I have contacted my post office by phone AND gone there physically and have been told the same thing. They did not scan it once it got into their country, I have proof it made it over there and they do as well and that it left the United States. So it's on the other side and can not issue a refund etc and I have no proof that the item didn't show there and she is having buyer remorse. So I told her point blank I can not issue a refund until the items show back up here on my door step. I would make a post about it but honestly there is nothing that can be done about it and I actually made a post standing up for and supporting this person and wish I didn't. I will not be doing a transaction with her again or anyone in South America because they do not scan in Customs Forms or Tracking Numbers.
Unfortunately earlier this year the US post service did a 40% increase in their out of country shipping. :( It made things very difficult for a lot of collectors and online buyers/sellers. The only good thing about it is that out of country shipping now automatically comes with a tracking number, which makes purchased a little safer. But yeah, costly now. -_- I don't know of any alternatives.
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Recently I've been working on selling off part of my collection.
I've had many inquires from the UK. Never in all of my sales have I ever paid more than $7 to ship a single pony.
I went to the post office to double check a shipping quote. $12.75 to ship ONE pony with no insurance to Great Britan!
I didn't want to believe it, so I just went to a different post office in my town and they came up with the same total.
I literally feel so sick to my stomach. This makes shipping to other countries basically unaffordable for me and unaffordable for people to buy from me!
I highly doubt the Ups or FedEx is any cheaper, since they have always been the pricier alternatives. >.<
Does anyone use any other methods to ship?
Sadly it's about the same on this end, too :( Cheapest starts at about...$7 for up to 100g, I think? No tracking. Tracking is 3x the price and isn't even guaranteed to be tracked once it has left the country :( I remember fondly when I could get a bubble envelope with a bunch of stuff shipped to me for the US for less than $5.
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And still, at least for me, $13.00, even as expensive as it is, doesn't equals to the +- $10.00 next-day shipping method where I have a lot of trouble with (*censored* Estafeta, Multipack, etc. that never find my address!!).
It's barely triple the price than shipping nationaly for me (but it's up to a kilo for +- $5.00... but not many ponies to buy for the same people), so that's why sometimes I still prefer from US when it's for 2-3 cheap/decent priced ponies than locally one expensive pony at a time -.-
Don't worry, doing maths still halp selling ponies =) Maybe not as fast as one would like to buy/bough but it's still possible when comparing local prices.
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Sadly, it's been $13 since January... I can't stand it. At least it gest much more "reasonable" when you get larger "weights" to ship. :( I hates it. Been killing my trades internationally... I feel like I don't have as many overseas trade penpal type people as I used to when things were like, half that cost! :(
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I feel your pain. Canada Post is just like that. I'm selling my G1 collection off right now and even for me to send 1 pony within Canada, it's $12, I can send about 3 to the US for $8. It makes NO sense, and is really hurting my sales :/
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The USPS is jacking up prices right now, according the the news they other day. They are in a financial crisis right now. Apparently making far less money than they take in? Personally, I still get as much mail as my parents did pre-internet. So I don't see it, but perhaps the cost to transport mail is getting too much with gas/fuel/wages costs.
I take advantage of the flat rate shipping whenever it comes out cheaper, but for one pony, that does seem steep! It cost me $60 to ship a relatively small parcel to Australia once, but I had already quoted my customer a certain price, so I bit the bullet to keep from getting any negative feedback, but it still stunk.
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shipping is insane anymore overseas. I had shipping shock recently too when i shipped a G4 single to Canada and it was $8! it used to be like $3 if that! I completely understand your frustration.
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I had an eBay buyer from Russia ask me how much it would cost to send the Ponyville Teapot Palace.
$85
>_<
It's insanity!
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I had an eBay buyer from Russia ask me how much it would cost to send the Ponyville Teapot Palace.
$85
>_<
It's insanity!
:faint:
You've got to be kidding me!
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I had an eBay buyer from Russia ask me how much it would cost to send the Ponyville Teapot Palace.
$85
>_<
It's insanity!
why 85??, how many lbs is this Set?