--===============0932347527== Content-Type: text/plain; charset=TIS-620 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Interesting ... I receive packages (USPS) quite often from the states and unless there has been a declared value of $100 or more they don't even have the customs tag attached! On this end they go directly into my postal box. Packages from companies do have the formalities, such as when I have ordered pic development boards. However, I have to make it very clear that I will refuse any courier shipments such as UPS and FedX. Those carriers will cost me as much as $150 for customs to open up even a zero-tax invoice. Shipments from USPS rarely even go to customs, but when they do the tax, if any is precalculated, taxes are reasonable and no extra fees. Regards/Roger, in Bangkok Quoting "James Newton, Host" : > > > Another reluctance may be that it's much more a pain in the butt to > > > send something outside the country than domestic. > > > > I am truely amazed how difficult this is for US residents. > > Can't you just drop a letter to overeseas in a mailbox? In my > > country a mailbox will accept 'letters' up to 30 mm, so the > > majority of my packages can be posted this way. Even when I > > have a package that does not fit I can put on the stamps and > > drop it off at the postoffice, without standing in line. > > There are some exceptions, like postman-payed, conformation > > of receipt, etc, but I can do almost all packages I sent > > (~2000 last year) without standing in line. I can even order > > new stamps over internet :) > > I wasn't going to reply on this thread but, I just can't keep shut about > this. > > YES! The USPS /SUCKS/ when it comes to shipping outside the USA. PayPal has > now made it /somewhat/ easy to ship things by printing the triplicate copies > of the customs forms for you along with the postage / address / etc... > > However, that only works for global air, priority or express service. In a > perfect world, that would be just fine, but this isn't. I can't being to > tell you the number of shipments that have been "lost" either at the > receiving end or in customs. I firmly believe that the customs services of > some countries are crooked as a dogs hind leg. Or they are being used as an > excuse to rip me of, but I don't believe that so many different buyers could > be crooked; it's the customs service or local postal people. > > The only way I have found to reliably get a package to a person outside the > USA is to send it via registered mail. That way, the customs agent at the > other end has to sign for the package from the US postal service and if it > is lost, the resulting investigation has a target for the finger to point > at, so to speak. I've NEVER had a registered mail package "lost" or > contested in any way. > > The problem with registered is that the US postal service takes it so > seriously that they require I hand it to them. I can't just drop it in the > mail. So there I am, standing in line... > > What I need is a shipping system where a specific person on the other end > has to sign for it when it leaves the USA, but where I can just drop off the > package here. > > I've tried the PayPal / Global Priority mail system recently for low dollar > value shipments and sure enough, I have a "lost" package to a guy in Brazil. > And he is emailing every day, wanting to know where his stuff is... I'm > going to refund him and loose the item rather than resend it, which will not > make him happy, but I just can't send good product after bad, and PayPal > will be satisfied. > > --- > James Newton: PICList webmaster/Admin > mailto:jamesnewton@piclist.com 1-619-652-0593 phone > http://www.piclist.com/member/JMN-EFP-786 > PIC/PICList FAQ: http://www.piclist.com > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > --===============0932347527== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist --===============0932347527==--