International Shipping thru Paypal

[Former_Member]

So I just had my second international order. This is the first one that I was going to process through Paypal. However, it was only giving me the option of Express and Expedite shipping, neither of which my customer mentioned that they wanted/needed. Paypal was charging more than $20 to ship the order to Canada (with packaging, item barely weighs 1 oz.). So I took it to the post office instead, where I knew that it was only going to be $3.

Does anyone else process their international shipments through Paypal? Have you had this problem?

I don't want to raise the price of my international shipping to more than $20 when the items that sell the most only cost between $5-$7 just for the convenience of not having to wait in line at the post office. That just seems ridiculous to me.

[TerraRhapsody]

I've had domestic and international shipping problems on the paypal postage, I have to say. Certain services don't seem to come up, giving me no choice but to visit the post office. No idea why it has been happening, as I've been able to use things in the past that are no longer there ¬_¬
No second class option has ever been available.
My local postal service does have the possibility to print out postage labels on their website, but no link to paypal yet, for some reason- you have to use your bank account card for that. Is there anything like that on your postal service website? to avoid those long waits in the post office?

[sunshineandvodka]

I have to go to the post office for every international shipment. They don't have an online tool to do it that isn't a total rip off or the expedited option.

I grab a handful of the customs forms so I have everything ready to go when I'm in line. Makes it somewhat easier but ya, you have to go there to save your customers the charges.

[LeLaStudio]

I had to go to post office to ship my international orders as well. The line was ok but I think the line will be crazy when the holiday season comes around. I 've seen it in one of the blogs(can't remember which) says Endicia.com have the international shipping service but I have never checked it out, has anyone tried it or know anything about it? thanks!

[Former_Member]

I use stamps.com for my shipping - both domestic and international. I print shipping labels and customs forms from my printer at home and drop the items off in a mailbox on the street before the pick up time. No more time wasted waiting in line at the post office. Stamps.com has been a lifesaver for me!

[craftyearth]

First Class International shipping isn't available through PayPal, but if you use Direct Checkout through Etsy, you can now ship international! I stumbled upon it this past week. Your label prints out as a shipping label / customs form that is already filled out, so you just attach it to your package and drop it in the mail box! (Etsy labels are done through Endicia.com - the website LeLaStudio mentioned)

[LeLaStudio]

Good to know that Etsy is doing international shipping, that will save some time waiting in line. :)

[Former_Member]

Thanks everyone. I will checkout Endica and Stamps.

[MagicMoonPottery]

So happy that you started this thread, Porsha. I just received my first request for an international order to London. I'm new to Etsy, so I went to the USPS website to check prices. Yikes! They were outrageous. They listed the Priority and Express options. To be safe, I'm going to the post office like you said and have them figure out the cheaper option for me. :)

[Former_Member]

The online prices freaked me out for my first international order (which actually was my first sale) but I went up there and it only cost me $3 to ship to Canada, although I am sure that shipping to London will be more.

[Former_Member]

And glad that I can help with a discussion Michelle!!!

[Former_Member]

That is so strange. I use paypal postage for my international shipping all the time. I have never had a problem with it. I have posted to the USA and Canda and each time cost me £3.60 first class royal air mail. I prefer using paypal postage as it is so much easier.

I don't know why you are having these problems.

[Former_Member]

I prefer using Paypal for all order that are not through direct checkout and have never had an issue until now. I would have used it had it given me the option of first class air mail.

[GoTo]

Paypal doesn't offer the most economical method of shipping internationally for folks in the US. They put it in for a short time but the system was so fully of glitches and bad design they reverted back to the previous label system.

If you accept Etsy's Direct Checkout for payments, you can print First Class International labels right from Etsy. If you take DC and don't see the link, you can wait until it is rolled out in your shop or join this team and have access to it right away:

Shipping Improvements Team
http://www.etsy.com/teams/10727/shipping-improvements


For US sellers who don't take DC, like me, you can either pay for a service like the ones mentioned above, or...

We use a free USPS program called "Click-N-Ship for Business" (formerly the USPS Shipping Assistant) to print our First Class International labels, and it prints the customs form right on the label AND submits the customs form online meeting the new international mail requirements.

The program also tells you which mailing services are available and how much it will cost to ship the package. Then you just add stamps and mail:

International First-Class Mail: Print Labels From Your Computer
http://www.gotogreatpanes.com/blog/2008/02/20/international-first-class-mailprint-labels-from-your-c...

Because you use stamps for the postage, if the package is over 13 oz you must hand it off to a postal worker (that's the case for domestic & international packages that are over 13 oz with only stamps for postage).

If it's under 13 oz, we leave it out in our mail box and the mail carrier just picks up the package when they drop off the daily mail.

I also like that it keeps a record of my labels so I can easily recreate them for repeat buyers and you can export the info at the end of the year for taxes.



If you don't know what rates to put in your listing for First Class International, this should help:

Getting a Handle on International Shipping
http://www.gotogreatpanes.com/blog/2008/02/21/getting-a-handle-on-international-shipping

[MelsCreativeWishes]

I am from Australia, and most of my sales have been international.
I always go to the post office to post. I have checked out postage rates internationally and some times postage is a little over, sometimes under.
But it evens out in the long run.