Why some sellers don't sell their lights outside US?

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lengendcpf

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Sorry to ask, saw a lot of things in the CPFM, but hate it when find some a line, "CONUS ONLY"..

Yes, I stay in Singapore.

Is there a reason why some sellers don't post outside US?

Isn't it the same thing, just go to the post office, write down the address and drop it into the mailbox?

Regards
 

EngrPaul

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

Isn't it the same thing, just go to the post office, write down the address and drop it into the mailbox?

Regards

For some people, the post office may be 10 or more miles away.

Then you have to go during work hours, take time off of work.

Wait in line, fill out forms, and lie about it being a gift.

It costs a lot more to ship overseas. Then take the increased risk of delivery failure.

Sell to the USA? Print a label from your computer, walk out to the mailbox. Package will get there safe 99.9% of the time, and my conscience is clear.
 

R@ndom

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

Customs, scammers and hassle. You can click and send parcels international using flat rate boxes too. But you run the risk of getting the box ran over by a tractor anyways.
 
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lengendcpf

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

For some people, the post office may be 10 or more miles away.

Then you have to go during work hours, take time off of work.

Wait in line, fill out forms, and lie about it being a gift.

It costs a lot more to ship overseas. Then take the increased risk of delivery failure.

Sell to the USA? Print a label from your computer, walk out to the mailbox. Package will get there safe 99.9% of the time, and my conscience is clear.

Isn't overseas shipping, also can just print out a label, walk to the mailbox and drop it? Cause I also received such parcels too.

Of course, overseas shipping is more expensive, but the buyers will pay for it anyway..
 

EngrPaul

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

Isn't overseas shipping, also can just print out a label, walk to the mailbox and drop it?

For USPS, you can print out the mailing label and custom forms, however you must get the customs box attachment and special packaging from the post office and present the package to them in person, if you are a residential customer.
 
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R@ndom

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

For USPS, you can print out the mailing label and custom forms, however you must get the customs box attachment and special packaging from the post office and present the package to them in person, if you are a residential customer.

weird, I recieved a package that way from telno_cowboy and he lives like miles from the post office.
 

lengendcpf

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

For USPS, you can print out the mailing label and custom forms, however you must get the customs box attachment and special packaging from the post office and present the package to them in person, if you are a residential customer.

So meanng, as long as overseas shipping, the sender needs to make a trip to the post office??

If like this, I understand, why "CONUS ONLY"..

Paul, thanks for explaining to me..
 

EngrPaul

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

@Random,

When you are a RESIDENTIAL customer, it's much different than if you have a customer account or ship internationally on a regular basis through USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.

When I ask an overseas buyer to pay the real cost I incur to ship the package, they always get mad and say nevermind. So I stopped offering it altogether.
 

R@ndom

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

@Random,

When you are a RESIDENTIAL customer, it's much different than if you have a customer account or ship internationally on a regular basis through USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.

When I ask an overseas buyer to pay the real cost I incur to ship the package, they always get mad and say nevermind. So I stopped offering it altogether.

ah I see. I don't see why people complain. Most of the time a flat rate box or envelop will cover it.
 

lengendcpf

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

Just to show our mailbox in Sngapore.

Telcom02.jpg


It have 2 slots, one for local and one for overseas.

As long, we know the costs and affixed the right amount of postage, we can just drop it inside, without going to the post office.

Unless it's for big item, we can't use this.. But we can go to the post office to drop bigger items into bigger bin..

Unless it's super big, then we must talk to the staff there..
 

EngrPaul

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

"With the exceptions noted below, a mailer may not deposit a First-Class Mail International item that requires a completed customs form into a collection box, lobby drop, Automated Postal Center (APC) drop, Postal Service lobby, Postal Service dock, or other unattended location. Mailers must present such items to a Postal Service employee at a Post Office facility or other location as designated by the postmaster. The Postal Service returns improperly presented items to the sender for proper entry and acceptance."

Source: http://pe.usps.gov/text/imm/immc2_020.htm
 

Black Rose

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

I don't know what's more maddening, sellers that specify CONUS only or sellers that will ship from the US to anywhere in the world but Canada.
That's an odd one to me :thinking:
 

LumenHound

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

For USPS, you can print out the mailing label and custom forms, however you must get the customs box attachment and special packaging from the post office and present the package to them in person, if you are a residential customer.

That's odd. Section 123.5 Place of Mailing reads...

123.5 Place of Mailing





Except as specified in items a and b below, a mailer may not deposit a postal item that requires a completed customs declaration form into a collection box, lobby drop, Automated Postal Center® (APC®) drop, postal lobby, postal dock, or other unattended location. In addition, items that require a customs declaration are precluded from pickup service as defined in 215.3, 225.2, and 235.2. Mailers must present such items to a Postal Service employee at a Post Office facility or other location as designated by the postmaster. The Postal Service will return improperly presented items to the sender for proper entry and acceptance. Exceptions are as follows:
  • Express Mail International® shipments paid through an Express Mail corporate account (EMCA).
  • Express Mail International and Priority Mail International™ items that have the mailing label, customs declaration (including an electronic round stamp), and postage prepared and paid online through Click-N-Ship® service on usps.com, through the eBay/PayPal integrated shipping solution, or through an authorized PC Postage® vendor Web site.

That b exception sound clear to me. Use USPS's click-n-ship or other authorized web site and your good to go. Print, stick on bubble envelope or small packet, then drop in corner mailbox. What could be easier?

About 3 years ago I spent 15 minutes talking on the phone to a USPS customer service rep about various shipping levels from the US and when I asked then about US residents always having to go to their local post office to mail International stuff I was told that that's just not the case.

I was also told that it was always a good idea to phone the customer service folks at USPS for clarification on any and all of the mailing regulations. I was given the impression by the USPS rep that many of the staff of small local post offices are not always up to date on what can and can't be shipped and that if there was ever a problem then the customer should immediately ask the clerk to call the customer service hotline for clarification.
 

jtr1962

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

Here's my "Other Countries" mailbox...

1934126.jpg
Reminds me of my local PO. It takes an hour to get serviced on a good day, three hours on average, and don't ask during Christmas holiday (i.e. if you get on line at 8 AM you might be serviced before the doors close at 5 PM-the line can stretch for 5 blocks outside the door). Lines like this are the reason many people here say CONUS only.

Note however that I have dropped small padded envelopes with customs forms into the mailbox and not had any problems. But anything larger than 13 ounces, either domestic or international, must be mailed in person.
 

TITAN1833

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

The only thing I can add here is:If you print a label online that is not proof of posting,
here in the UK for proof of posting you've got to take a trip to the PO and get the cert signed and stamped,
without that any claim for Insurance would be moot as they ask for the cert as proof you shipped the item,
who knows anyone could print a label but not physically ship it ;)
 
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EngrPaul

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

\
b. Express Mail International and Piority Mail International™ items that have the mailing label, customs declaration (including an electronic round stamp), and postage prepared and paid online through Click-N-Ship® service on usps.com, through the eBay/PayPal integrated shipping solution, or through an authorized PC Postage® vendor Web site.


That b exception sound clear to me.

Express/Priority Mail International is more expensive than First Class International, which most buyers want because it's cheaper. Like I said, most sellers don't want to pay the high shipping costs.
 

addictedmatt

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

Shipping cost, lack of tracking, time spent at post office. Last time I sent a light to Australia it cost $56, and I spent half an hour in the Post office. They didn't know what forms I needed, ( I filled out three different forms before the decided which was correct ) and then gave me a price of almost $100. I asked him to find something cheaper, and after 5 minutes and asking the other workers ( we had to wait for them to finish with their customers) he came up with $56. It isn't worth the hassle for a $30 light, however when asked nicely in a PM, I have always agreed to ship overseas, and to Canada.
 

LumenHound

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Re: Why some sellers don't sell their lights/stuffs outside US?

Sorry to ask, saw a lot of things in the CPFM, but hate it when find some a line, "CONUS ONLY"..

Yes, I stay in Singapore.

Is there a reason why some sellers don't post outside US?

Isn't it the same thing, just go to the post office, write down the address and drop it into the mailbox?

Regards
Web based postal cost to ship up to 4 pounds (1.8 kilos) inside a free USPS supplied Priority Mail small flat rate box that's 5-3/8 inches by 8-1/2 inches by 1-3/4 inches (13.7 cm by 21.6 cm by 4.4 cm) comes to $12.30 US to ship half way around the world to Singapore.

USPS customers can get the small flat rate boxes free at any post office or they can even have a case of ten boxes shipped to their home at no cost whatsoever to them by the USPS.

I think this amount of shipping cost isn't outlandish so long as there is $25 US or more worth of stuff to be shipped.
It would be good for a multi-item purchase like a small flashlight, 2 or 3 emitters or stars, and a few optics or reflectors. An order like that would easily fit into a small Priority Mail flat rate box
 
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