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BIlly James Special user 991 Posts |
Can someone tell me why folks in the US tend to never want to post anything outside the US??? (Dealers excepted).
Take a look at 'things for sale or trade' and you'll see many examples, it's the same on ebay. Now why is that??!? It's not like you need to climb a ladder or gargle razor blades to ship outside US, you do exactly the same as you would for shipping INSIDE the US but they just put more stamps on....and if I'm paying the extra what's the problem?!?!?! However, even considering the above MOST folks are still reluctant. I've had this conversation with quite a few other Aussie magicians and we're all perplexed as to why. Frustrating. |
Lyndel Inner circle wrote the theme to the TV show COPS! 1623 Posts |
It's not just extra stamps Billy, but the extra trouble and time that folks have to spend to to fill out customs forms and insurance is higher as well.
Plus, it's difficult to know how much postage will be to a particular country without having it boxed and taking it down to the post office to be weighed and then bringing it back home to contact the buyer to see if they are willing to pay the quoted shipping charges. Then it has to be taken back to the post office again to be shipped. It's just more trouble than some folks want to to go to in order to sell an item. At least that's my take on it. Lyndel |
Brian Proctor Inner circle Somewhere 2323 Posts |
You said it Lyndel.
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-03-26 19:04, Lyndel wrote: I think you nailed it, Lyndel.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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balducci Loyal user Canada 227 Posts |
But you can do all that stuff, figuring out international postage and even printing shipping labels with postage, from the comfort of your own home ... provided you have a computer and a printer and an internet connection (and possibly a small scale).
Make America Great Again! - Trump in 2020 ... "We're a capitalistic society. I go into business, I don't make it, I go bankrupt. They're not going to bail me out. I've been on welfare and food stamps. Did anyone help me? No." - Craig T. Nelson, actor.
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Steven Steele Chief of Staff 1868 Posts |
I don't mind filling out the forms. My problem is that a high percentage of packages mailed get lost by the foreign postal services. Once a package just sat in a foreign customs office for two weeks and the only way we found it was for the person to run it down from his end. It then cost him 50% of the value of the package to get it out (cash only). They never would have notified either of us, they were just waiting for us to contact them. Custom fees in other countries have been assessed that have made several customers very unhappy. However, I have no control or ability to determine when and what fees will be assessed. Finally, I've had to packages returned by foreign customs for absolutely no reason, that I can find.
I have a friend that owns a brick and mortar shop as well as internet site and when I was talking to him about my problems he graciously provided me a list of countries to avoid. He'd had similar problems. In the end, it just made more sense to just not mail outside North America. I haven't had a problem since.
Coram Deo
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Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
Care to share that list of countries to avoid? I've shipped to many countries and have not had any problems. Maybe just lucky so far. I've shipped to Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Sumatra. I may be forgetting some others, too.
I have also purchased from a few of these countries.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
Tim Jahn Special user South Florida 911 Posts |
It just depends on the luck of the draw I guess. I've sent stuff to a few countries and with most I had no problem. But I have had stuff I sent to Canada (of all places) get lost and was never seen again.
I think I really prefer not to do it. I will. But at that point its just me being a nice guy. I don't know how it is in other places, But down here where I live theres always a line at the post office. I've stood in line for over 30 mins. to ship a package out of country when U.S. shipping would have taken all of 3 mins. at the automated machine.
Andrew, (ASW)
The effects on the DVD and lecture notes are far beyond your abilities. (They require mastery of the mechanic's grip.) It would only break your heart. Sincerely, Darwin Ortiz.......(This post has got to be in my top 5.) |
Scott Cram Inner circle 2678 Posts |
Postal chief says post office running out of money
Quote: WASHINGTON (AP) - The post office will run out of money this year unless it gets help, Postmaster General John Potter told Congress on Wednesday as he sought permission to cut delivery to five days a week. |
stoneunhinged Inner circle 3067 Posts |
Let DHL take over the US Postal Service.
I never stand in a line longer than two to five minutes, tops. No customs forms to fill out. I put it in the mail today and you'll probably get it in five or six working days. |
airship Inner circle In my day, I have driven 1594 Posts |
It's mostly because we don't have to. The U.S. is a big country, and it's almost a sure thing that we can find enough customers for just about any product we want to sell right here at home. It's different in the rest of the world because your countries are smaller, so you're much more used to having to sell internationally.
'The central secret of conjuring is a manipulation of interest.' - Henry Hay
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Scott Cram Inner circle 2678 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-03-27 07:51, stoneunhinged wrote: Better than having anyone take over the USPS, just relax the laws – allow private companies to deliver first– and third–class mail, negotiate postal treaties with foreign nations, and pick-up from/deliver to US mailboxes. |
LobowolfXXX Inner circle La Famiglia 1196 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-03-27 13:41, Scott Cram wrote: Just have the government take over the Post Office.
"Torture doesn't work" lol
Guess they forgot to tell Bill Buckley. "...as we reason and love, we are able to hope. And hope enables us to resist those things that would enslave us." |
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