Shipping from USA to China via USPS?

[mfo]

Hello guys,

I need to mail a package from the USA to China, using USPS. The problem is, I need a way to be able to track it. Any ideas? I would use FedEX or UPS, but they'll charge an arm and a leg.

I purchased a digitizer which I no longer have a use for, and the seller agreed to refund my money if I return the item. So, thoughts please Thanks.

 

[Sigurthr]

I've shipped internationally via the USPS a lot back when I was selling Ocarinas and Recorders, never had a single package delayed/lost this way:

Use "Insured Priority International with Delivery Confirmation - No Signature". It is the cheapest way to track your package and be covered for losses. You'll have to fill out some customs forms - use SIMPLE language in the descriptions.

Avoid first class international unless you don't mind waiting upwards of a month for it to even make it into the other country's customs. Registered mail is the next step up from priority, but it is pricy and requires them to sign, which can cause issues.

My best time with internat'l priority was 6 days to Indonesia, so it's pretty quick.

 

[GoolGaul]

Damn, check you out...

Laser wielding, ham radio-ing, ocarina exporter. very well rounded.

 

[DTR]

Use "Insured Priority International with Delivery Confirmation - No Signature". It is the cheapest way to track your package and be covered for losses. You'll have to fill out some customs forms - use SIMPLE language in the descriptions.

Can you tell me how you got tracking/delivery confirmation on a priority international package. There is no option on USPS, Paypal, stamps.com or eBay shipping unless you go to express and when I asked a while ago @ the post office they said that only express international can be tracked and delivery confirmation is only offered for shipments in the US.:thinking:

 

[Sigurthr]

Haha! Thanks, lol. I try my best to be a bit of renaissance man; try everything that interests me and pursue each to the fullest extent possible.

I'm semi-almost still playing flute as well. I can't really play anymore because of the arthritis in my hands from being a welder. I haven't practiced in months, so I'm a bit rusty especially when it comes to sight reading, but I can still pick 'er up and and have a go if I really want to. I took lessons from the Principal flutist of the local international orchestra for about a year before the pain got so bad in my hands that it became debilitating and was forced to quit.

As far as ocarina exporter goes, I never really made much of a profit, except in rare circumstances. The ocarina market is in a state that which no other hobby appears to be; complete disarray. There is no standard tuning, format, fingering, shape, range, playing characteristics, naming, or pricing for any ocarina. Every maker makes it differently and calls it something else. So in order to find the instrument that fits a persons musical needs, one really need to literally try every kind they can to pick the best fit. I spent thousands in total over a few years. When I was all done I found what I liked and had no reason to keep the rest. So, reselling at 10-30% discount from new was something I did to recoup the losses. In the very end I grew tired with the ocarina's limitations and perculiarities and moved on to other wind instruments; from ocarina to recorder, from recorder to tin whistle, from tin whistle to irish flute, and from irish flute to modern classical flute. I still moderate the central hub of the ocarina community (The TON Portal) and help out here and there where I can.

Sorry for the off-topic tangent, but it isn't often I receive complements, especially when in a totally unexpected place.


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Edit:

Re: DTR; I really have no idea how they went about it. I would always go in to the post office in person and request "insured priority international with delivery confirmation, the no signature kind" and they would hand me customs forms which had a tracking number, and a small slip with a tracking number, and the insurance receipt which had another number on it. I'd put the customs form's number in on the website and it tracked the package. I do know there is some sort of weight limit for what you can send Priority. I doubt things changed in the last year, it's been about that long since I sent anything.

Update:
I went back into my records to make sure I'm not misremembering anything, and I definitely got tracking when I sent a package off to Germany. I still have the tracking number in my PM system's archives. The number doesn't work anymore though since it is from last april. I think the tracking number was on the top right, but I can't be sure. Unfortunately I only saved the paperwork until the customer had the item, and then threw out the forms.