International shipping question
 

May not be the right place to ask but here it goes: I've got an item listed on Ebay with an offer from a buyer in Japan. I will most likely accept it. So, for any who have shipped international (small item that will fit in a 6" X 6" box):

• What things do I need to be aware of
• USPS or .......?
• Experiences shipping overseas with delays, etc.

Any other advice is appreciated.

The most important thing is use a tracking number, so both you the seller and the buyer know where the package is, and when it arrives. Also, depending on the value of the item being shipped, use insurance as appropriate. USPS is fine. USPS is handled by ultra reliable Japan Post when the package reaches Japan. Customs duties/import taxes, if applicable, are between the buyer and Japan customs. Not your concern. The buyer may ask you to declare a lower value on the shipping document so they pay less customs duties/import taxes. Its no skin off your nose to do so, as long as the buyer is ok with the insured amount being lower. International shipping is running smoothy again after experiencing some hiccups last year. In recent months, I've received multiple packages here in Japan from Amain Cycling in the US. All received in a timely manner.

Great info - thank you.

I recently sold a bike to ship to China. The buyer had used a local Oregon company, shipito.com. The buyer has to set up an account, you ship it to Oregon, the customer makes arrangements to ship overseas. That takes you out of the shipping equation. I'm sending a frame to England using this same service.

BTW, the Shipito office that you ship to is 5 minutes from my day job.

Wait, you sold a bike?! N - 1?! Say it ain’t so!

When I worked for a car company, we used OCSworld.com (well, before . com was a thing)
terrific handshake to Japan.

The Bike Friday hadn't been ridden in 3 years. Well, [MENTION=111144]Andy_K[/MENTION] borrowed it for a business trip, but for once I couldn't talk him into buying something from the Ateier. Besides, I had to fund the Ritchey Breakaway purchase somehow...

That is actually illegal and considered mail fraud in the USA. It's hard to detect but can cause issues for you if you get a compaint when the item is lost and you have to refund it.

Wait. You have a day job? Say it ain't so!

It's the only way I can afford my frame mod business.

I can hardly wait until I retire, when $2.50/hr sounds like a good rate.

Another reason I like shipito.com. The buyer is responsible for shipment details, they're shipping to themselves. Gets me out of the pointing fingers if something goes south on shipment. I just drop it off, take a picture of me handing the box over, and I'm done.

Exactly. When I was still selling off my collection of mechanical keyboard stuff I would often be sending expensive stuff halfway across the world on a Paypal payment. No way I will be shipping items across the pond for the price of a couple of stamps without explicitely putting that in the paypal payment request.
Never had issues with items disappearing but I did feel anxious when I dropped off one particularly expensive keycap set. Though it was fun seeing the post office employee doing a double take when I told her I wanted the tracked shipping with €500+ insurance on a box the size of a pair of sandwiches. :D

Not sure a similar service is available here in Europe. Sounds useful.