International shipping

[BayMoonDesign]

I have had direct checkout for awhile and I have been happy with it. I was happy with the easy of shipping in the U.S. by using the Etsy shipping that is built right into it. Yesterday I got my first international order through it and the Etsy shipping was awesome. The convenience of having the custom form print out on the shipping label was fantastic. I think the only piece of information that I supplied was the weight. Everything else was supplied by Etsy. This saves me so much time and is so convenient!

[ohmama]

ditto here!

[Former_Member]

I agree 100%!

[Former_Member]

Absolutely! The integrated shipping, not having to go away from Etsy to Paypal for a complete transaction is brilliant!

[StepOriginals]

I was too scared to try it yesterday. Looks like I should have !!

[Former_Member]

Sandy it's the best thing ever!

[Former_Member]

Yay! Just got an international sale, will be trying it tomorrow!

Sandy, I am scared too! But glad I read this thread, now I am excited to try it!

[FlybabiesEmbroidery]

I agree. It is fantastic! It is also nice to schedule the USPS pickup for international items so you don't have to make the post office run (which I always had to do before with the customs forms I had to fill out by hand).

[ohmama]

I didn't know that usps would pick up a package unless it was being sent priority. You mean they will pick up first class international? Or, do you mean you scheduled a pick up for priority international?

[Former_Member]

You're correct Mary. It's would have to be at least Priority International. From the USPS site:
"Your carrier can pick up your shipment free during regular mail delivery if you're using an expedited service like Priority Mail®, Express Mail®, Global Express Guaranteed®, or Merchandise Return services."

[ohmama]

That's what I thought Linda. I guess Flybabies was talking about a priority international package?

[FlybabiesEmbroidery]

Nope. I thought the same thing, too, but I sent it First Class International. On the USPS website where you schedule the pick-up, it states:

"Any package headed abroad qualifies for free pick-up regardless of service."

[ecokaren]

I went my first Int'l shipment out using DC last week on Tues. I just got an email from Etsy saying that the payment is being processed and that it'll take 4-7 days for me to get the money. It's almost 10 days since I shipped it and I still don't have the money.

Ironically, the shipment is still in the U.S. soil and it hasn't moved from a sorting facility for a week!

Don't know what to do..... :(

[ohmama]

@ flybabies... Wow, that's good to know! It just keeps getting better and better.

[grammysyarngarden]

This is so great! It's easy to use and no more hand filling out forms.
Really saves on trips to the post office too,
Thank you Etsy!!!!

[BeadinByTheSea]

Karen Lee from ecokaren says

Ironically, the shipment is still in the U.S. soil and it hasn't moved from a sorting facility for a week!
---------------------------------
When you enter the customs number on the USPS website, the packages are only tracked while on US soil. That entry that you see will most likely not be changed. There is no way to track it once it leaves the US.

[ohmama]

Debora,
What you are saying is also my experience.... there is no tracking once it leaves the U.S. There have been a few who have stated otherwise and have posted that they can track it all the way to delivery??? Could it be that if you ship it either priority or express international, it is possible to track it then?

[BeadinByTheSea]

@ Mary,
I've only shipped Priority International once or twice so I really don't know if those (and Express) are tracked all the way to delivery.

[ecokaren]

Oh, that's good to know. I shipped via First Class International....and it's stuck in NY. And the buyer noticed it too.

I hope she's not using that as an excuse and telling me she didn't receive it...knowing that it's not tracked outside the U.S.

[ohmama]

Karen, You need to give it some more time, as does the buyer. It always takes a while for international customers to receive their packages. I'm sure the buyer doesn't know any more than we do at this point.

Did you insure the package? I always insure when I ship international.

[MadeByJulie]

Karen,

Yes, Mary is correct. It is not stuck in NY. This is just the last update you will get because this is the last US destination your package was tracked before it left US soil.

You should insure with ShipSaver. I pay $1.25 for each of my packages and as long as you have the Etsy online confirmation that you shipped through them, you are covered. You do not need to prove anything else. This insurance cost is included in my shipping fee.

90 % of the time, my local post office in LA, California, does not even scan to show that they received my package. It just reads: "Electronic shipping information received" This appears to my buyer that I did not submit it to the USPS at all, when in fact I have had my local carrier pick it up.

However, I am still covered under ShipSaver insurance because I have the Etsy documents to back me up. Hope this helps.

[ohmama]

I love shipsurance.com!

[Former_Member]

I used international shipping through Etsy for the first time yesterday and loved it. No more waiting in the post office line, hooray!

I use a lot of padded priority mail envelopes, and though they've been out for at least a year, paypal shipping still doesn't offer postage for them. Etsy does.

Direct checkout has brought me sales.

[MaryMorrisJewelry]

If you ship USPS Express International, it will track the package all the way to delivery. I had one earlier this month.

[ohmama]

What was your package weight and, was the express international terribly expensive compared to the first class international? I think the express also has some amount of insurance built into it besides tracking, doesn't it?