Postage from USA - why so expensive?

[terroxyboy]

I have pretty much given up buying avything from the USA. Are their overseas postage fees really that exhorbitant at the other end? We are talking $25 - $30 for very small packages, compared to around $10 - $15 equivalent delivery method from the UK.

[haven_001]

Yes indeedy. Outrageous. A bag if small plastic cowboys on horses $9.99, postage,$30! We have no chance getting cool retro toys over here!

[jeff.rutl]

I'm in the US, and I'm trying to figure out why shipping to Australia is so expensive. Shipping in the US is extremely cheap, and in my experience so far shipping outside of the US is very reasonable. I've shipped to South Korea, Japan, UK, Kazakhstan... yet when I look up rates for Australia it can go in the HUNDREDS of dollars for even a small package. USPS is most reasonable, but high. UPS shipped me a monitor from South Korea around the world in ONE DAY for $20. Yet an open ended delivery date for a tiny box is $300? 

Well at least this confirms that its not unusual. 

[chezzy]

Read the 'fine print' on listings. Does it mention anything about Global Shipping Program or Pitney Bowes? This is often the reason for the higher postage. Some sellers don't know they have even been opted in for that service. There have been several topics on the matter.

As buyers it pays to be educated on what is going on, for myself I seek out sellers who are willing to ship direct themselves via USPS, on a couple of occasions I have actually had to send the seller 'instructions' on how to opt out of the Global Shipping Program which shows on their listings!

It seems some people come across this higher postage and then 'give up' or 'rant and rave'. Why not use the ebay message system to chat with the seller and see if there are other options to what is appearing on the listing your end?

[blackwingedfairy]

I agree! I live in the US and I'd love to be able to ship to other countries but it's outrageous! I try to keep my items at a reasonable cost, but the shipping that someone would have to pay for receiving the item completely negates that. It's really disappointing as a seller.

[davewil1964]

Don't be disappointed, be proactive.

Opt out of the GSP.

Then you can post overseas at reasonable prices. That is entirely within YOUR control.

[i-once-was-bump]

I received a parcel from the US last week and it measured more than 40 inches long and 20 inches wide and about 6 inches thick and it cost $52.00 postage. Sure it was more than the cost of the item but price plus postage was still better than I could do anywhere else.

The weird thing is that my payment was split into 2 with some going to the seller and the $52 went to Pitney Bowes so it showed as 2 Paypal transactions..

Also it arrived far sooner than I expected.

I don't have a problem with postage from the US.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@i-once-was-bump wrote:

The weird thing is that my payment was split into 2 with some going to the seller and the $52 went to Pitney Bowes so it showed as 2 Paypal transactions..

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nothing weird going on there bump.  The payment to the seller includes the shipping component to get the item to Erlanger KY 41018.  If the seller had free postage to continental USA then there would be no shipping component paid to the seller.

If you look at your transaction list in PayPal you will see that Pitney Bowes appears on your transaction in Blue text.  If you hover your pointer over the blue text a text box appears that has a link in it with text "Why was a separate payment made?".  If you click that link you get the PayPal explanation of why there are two payments for the one eBay transaction.  The link is shown below:

https://www.paypal.com/au/webapps/mpp/gsp#separate-payment

edit:  BTW . . . . today, I received a fedex delivered box to country Vic from a USA seller via Pitney Bowes that got to me in 9 business days from seller to me.  Not bad considering all the horror stories I have read.  I think delivery times can be a hit-and-miss thing with the GSP.

[*crikey*mate*]

But with the two payments split like that, if you have a problem and need to return or get a refund - guess what happens

You don't get the postage refunded because a) PayPal don't cover postage and b) you received the service you paid for.

so now the buyer is out postage both ways

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@*crikey*mate* wrote:

But with the two payments split like that, if you have a problem and need to return or get a refund - guess what happens

You don't get the postage refunded because a) PayPal don't cover postage and b) you received the service you paid for.

so now the buyer is out postage both ways

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no need to guess . . . . if you click the link in my last post and go to the bottom of the loaded page there is a heading that says "What happens if I make a claim under Buyer Protection?".  A cursory reading of that section would indicate that if a claim is settled in the buyer's favour then they get the full refund including shipping and import charges.

[*crikey*mate*]

OK, then PayPal ripped me off

I wish I had have known that, but now I will for next time.

apologies Sir Sales