Shipping to Japan?
 

Does anyone have any experience shipping to Japan? The approximate costs of shipping a frame there?

wait... shipping a frame to Japan?

Cheaper to send it to a FPO address if you know someone stationed there.

I know. I'm selling a pista concept on ebay, and a guy wants to know if I'll ship it there. Is it worth the hassle? Is there a hassle at all, or just a higher cost?

It's hardly worth the hassle when you can still sell a Concept in the US without much trouble, and for probably the same price.

Id guess that you could get more here as opposed to the US, but the shipping might deter the buyer to go high enough to really make it worth your while. However, don't discount the power of hype, and the role that it can play in the mind of a bidder.
About shipping, I shipped my bike over here using FedEx from SF and all I can say is DO NOT USE FEDEX!!!!!
Regular cost is like 5bills, but I have a considerable discount, which came out to somewhere around 150ish. Anyway, so the bike is all wrapped and boxed up and they deliver it to me on a Monday morning at 10. Obviously, people are at work and they will not be able to accept the package, which would be fine. BUT, when I call them to ask for redelivery they say that since its oversize they WONT redeliver (You are f u c k ing FedEx, thats what u do is deliver S.h.i.t!!!!). I ask them why they didn't call me to arrange delivery and they simply say, "We dont do that" (in spite of my phone # being written on the invoice taped to the side of the box). So, I give up and decide that Ill just go pick it up. She starts to give me directions to the place, and then shes like, "Ok, once you get off the train, youll have to take a bus....". If you dont know there is no way in hell your getting a bike box on a bus here. So, in the end I end having to pay an outside party another 50 bucks to get the f.u.c.k.ing thing shipped from FedEx to my house. If I paid the full 500 I would have been livid, but considering the discount it was not TOO bad. Sorry for the rant!

Size wise you should be able to use USPS if you cut down the box a little bit. Should be around $100 by air.

That's like flying hookers to Vegas!

I say if the buyer is willing to pay the extra money for shipping and deal with the hassles mentioned then sell it to the highest bidder. That's what ebay is about_right?
I just spell it out when I sell something so it's all up front, no surprises.
PS. I use the post office for small things to overseas.

i second, or third, using USPS to Japan. i shipped a 57cm GTB - insured - in a cut down, and reinforced box, for $70 US. the quotes i got from both FEDEX as well as UPS were both over $400. Delivery confirmation is only a few bucks more. In my experience USPS uses a sub-contractor to deliver parcels once the plane touches down - in Japan i'm pretty certain they use DHL.