International shipping from U.S.

[tsteele93]

I offered to send a few modules to a forum member and I really don't want to charge them anything for such a small favor. I figured that I would throw them in a small bubble wrap envelope and go to the post office and mail them off for a few (less than $10?) bucks.

I checked online and I am seeing $16.95 which is crazy for a few modules.

Does anyone have experience with international shipping from the U.S. and is what I am seeing typical, or am I missing a cheaper alternative?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

[Blord]

No way it cost so much. It don't need registered mail or something fancy.
Moh ships them for $1.75...

 

[tsteele93]

Yeah, I know! I went to USPS and it was showing $16.95 - I know that I am doing something wrong. I may just have to go there and talk to a human. LOL

Don't worry, I'll get it sent out!

 

[Ghostchrome]

Yeah, it's pretty cheap to send stuff first class international. That sounds like a priority mail price that you got from the usps website.

 

[Ozzy357]

I sent a flashlight to San Fransico .8lbs with first class shipping and tracking for $3 and some change.

 

[DTR]

The least expensive USPS package shipping is $3.78. Here is a 2 ounce or less package sent internationally. Canada and Mexico are the only exception and they are about $1 cheaper.

 

[AnthoT]

^^^
Wow here in Canada shipping is a ripoff most of the time. To ship a tracked package to another Canadian is at least 7$ (most of the time. And to the US it's not that bad of a price it's 13$ for express tracked "priority"

-Anthony

 

[Sigurthr]

Just be careful when sending things out International First Class... Lase is STILL waiting for HeNes I sent him back in February! The tracking never updated beyond Ohio. I was told there could be up to an 8 week delay in outgoing international shipments with first class.

 

[tsteele93]

DTR was correct. $3.78. My wife sent it and she called and asked me how to fill out the customs forms. I told her $5 value (which was accurate) and to call it flashlight parts which is pretty much close enough. I wasn't sure what else to call them.

BUT she didn't ask and I didn't think to tell her to declare them as a gift. So she chose "merchandise." Hopefully that isn't a problem to Belgium?

I'm learning!

 

[Blord]

I am the receiver from tsteelt93 in case you guys missed something.
Sending stuff from US to Belgium is fast, on average a week the package will arrive.
I have ordered a lot of stuff from the US LPF members and only once it went wrong.

 

[tsteele93]

The least expensive USPS package shipping is $3.78. Here is a 2 ounce or less package sent internationally. Canada and Mexico are the only exception and they are about $1 cheaper.

Where are you seeing that Jordan? I keep getting everything BUT the cheap option. I am at the USPS Click n Ship page. Do they not let you do that for first class?

Thanks!

 

[DTR]

If you look in the second row which I actually cut off the description up top it says that first class is not offered online from USPS. Paypal does not do it either. Ebay does and so does stamps.com. If you don't have either of those options then you will have to go into the post office to purchase the first class international postage.

 

[tsteele93]

Thanks, I will try stamps.com

I can't believe the USPS doesn't offer that online. So they would rather you go into a post office and use an employees time instead of just printing it online? Makes no sense to me.

Thank you again!

 

[RyanElectro]

USPS must make almost no money from First Class service seriously, Intl shipping for only $3.79? That's crazy cheap. That is probably why they try to, indirectly, point consumers towards their priority options.

In comparison, Canada Post's cheapest Intl shipping option which is like Small Packet Surface is around $7 and it's surface so it takes 3-4 weeks to arrive. The Intl Air option is around $10. And there's no option to add tracking (even though this option existed before, what the heck?)

Some Canadians even go as far as to drive down to Buffalo and drop off their parcels/mail at a USPS outlet to be shipped back to Canada, because it's actually cheaper to just drive there and pay USPS's fees than Canada Post's fees. Haha

Cheapest shipping route across Canada? Try the U.S. - The Globe and Mail

 

[tsteele93]

USPS must make almost no money from First Class service seriously, Intl shipping for only $3.79? That's crazy cheap. That is probably why they try to, indirectly, point consumers towards their priority options.

In comparison, Canada Post's cheapest Intl shipping option which is like Small Packet Surface is around $7 and it's surface so it takes 3-4 weeks to arrive. The Intl Air option is around $10. And there's no option to add tracking (even though this option existed before, what the heck?)

Some Canadians even go as far as to drive down to Buffalo and drop off their parcels/mail at a USPS outlet to be shipped back to Canada, because it's actually cheaper to just drive there and pay USPS's fees than Canada Post's fees. Haha

Cheapest shipping route across Canada? Try the U.S. - The Globe and Mail

Well, I have you and Blord's springs packaged up and I'll go to the post office on Monday and mail them first class there. If yours is as cheap as I expect, don't worry about postage. I think Canada from US is really cheap. Unless they give me a hard time about the envelope having the lump of springs in it.