Shipping advice

[qwack]

Hey guys, sorry if this questions pertains to another category, but I'd like to know what, in your experience, would be the best way to send a keyset from the US to Europe (France) with tracking/insurance, in a relatively short amount of time (e.g. not three weeks, up to ten days is fine), while not being super expensive?

[inanis]

To the best of my knowledge there is no inexpensive, fast and tracked way to get anything from the US to anywhere. You can do it fast and tracked, but it will cost a fortune. You can do it inexpensive (relatively) but not fast and tracked.

If someone knows a secret I don't, please share!

[qwack]

Well let's say that tracking is the most important criterion, and that anything up to $40 ($50 tops) is acceptable. What do you think would be the best option (that possibly won't take a month, but if there is no way around it, so be it)?

[inanis]

You can send stuff tracked through USPS internationally. It is typically about double the price of a non-tracked international package, a keyset would probably run about $50 tracked via USPS. It usually arrives between 10 - 14 days, iirc. UPS, or something like that would be like $100 usd. I'm not sure about DHL, but you could check into that carrier too.

[CPTBadAss]

AFAIK, all packages shipped by USPS are now tracked. When I proxied a package to Indonesia a month or two ago, tracking was included. I highly suggest using this link to determine was is the cheapest shipping for your needs. USPS is cheaper than anything else I'm aware of now.

I think that inanis' information is dated. They changed their tracking thing maybe like 5-6 months ago.

[inanis]

AFAIK, all packages shipped by USPS are now tracked. When I proxied a package to Indonesia a month or two ago, tracking was included. I highly suggest using this link to determine was is the cheapest shipping for your needs. USPS is cheaper than anything else I'm aware of now.

I shipped something to the UK two days ago via USPS. No tracking, unless I wanted to pay double - which would have been $58.00 Clearly my Post Office needs to up their game.

[qwack]

I'll look into USPS's options then, thanks for the input guys!

[CPTBadAss]

Uh....wait...maybe you do have to pay for tracking then? 'Cause that's how much this person paid. Maybe I haven't paid attention because I just ask people to pay for the shipping they want. Someone halp. I'm obviously lost.

Maybe what I remember is only for domestic packages.

[SpAmRaY]

AFAIK, all packages shipped by USPS are now tracked. When I proxied a package to Indonesia a month or two ago, tracking was included. I highly suggest using this link to determine was is the cheapest shipping for your needs. USPS is cheaper than anything else I'm aware of now.

I shipped something to the UK two days ago via USPS. No tracking, unless I wanted to pay double - which would have been $58.00 Clearly my Post Office needs to up their game.

I do all of my shipping labels online and every single international package sent USPS whether first class or priority has tracked to delivery and has never cost extra.

The hangup with USPS international is going to be the insurance part that does cost quite a bit from what I can tell. To get insurance which with USPS (which is almost a farce anyway, your better off spending a little more and packaging it better, most people I've seen file claims don't get much of anything) you'll have to ships minimum USPS priority and use your own box which item value and weight determine cost or move up to USPS priority express which will cost even more.

I've only ever sent a couple of things internationally insured, most things I send first class or usps priority depending on weight.

I think people are getting registered mail when sending international which does cost more but I don't do that because you have to go to the post office for it.

Some recent examples of packages showing tracking, again I do all my labels online.

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[btctopre]

If you can fit the set into a padded USPS priority mail express international envelope, that'd be the way to go. $45 postage, includes priority-level tracking (so very accurate), $200 in insurance, and is delivered in <7 postal days (but beware, there are delays in shipping right now).

Your biggest issue getting below that cost is the insurance. USPS doesn't allow it to be added on to FC packages (ruling out $13 postage), and the smaller priority packages (not express) are excluded from their indemnity policy as well (ruling out $25 postage). Last I looked, prices from other carriers were absurdly high for priority international shipping, but you might look around.

[mashby]

US Postal will more than likely be your least expensive option that provides tracking. I've shipped a lot of things overseas and that is what I've used. Tracking isn't always the best, but it works.

[trees]

AFAIK, all packages shipped by USPS are now tracked. When I proxied a package to Indonesia a month or two ago, tracking was included. I highly suggest using this link to determine was is the cheapest shipping for your needs. USPS is cheaper than anything else I'm aware of now.

I shipped something to the UK two days ago via USPS. No tracking, unless I wanted to pay double - which would have been $58.00 Clearly my Post Office needs to up their game.

They give you a code that doesnt look like a normal tracking number, but can be used for tracking. I think its technically like the customs number or something like that, but when you put it in USPS website it tracks up until it leaves the US and then is updated on delivery (or at stops in other countries).

[SamirD]

Registered mail is actually one of the most 'trackable' ways to ship via usps even though there is no 'tracking' as we know it.