Is there a Priority Mail flat box rate for Italy?

[msmikee]

I want a price for sending heavy amp transformers to Italy. The USPS site says there is a Priority Mail flat box rate for Italy...$37.00. This does not sound right to me. My local post office has a LONG line, all times of the day as I'm in a small city. And they aren't the most helpful over there (crabby folks). Anybody familiar with this?

[cjturtle]

This link may get you pointed in the right direction:

http://www.usps.com/international/prioritymailinternational.htm

Disclaimer: This is id (cjturtle) is not my eBay id. Someone else on eBay already had this id. My eBay id is not even close to this one.

[becky24343]

It is my understanding that the priority boxes from the p.o. that used to be domestic only may now be used for both domestic and international priority, including the flat-rate box. $37.00 is what I'm seeing as the P.O. price (if you take it there to have them weigh it and buy the postage). If you can print the postage yourself, it's only $35.15.

I've printed several priority int'l labels since May, but no flat-rate so far. I've got some of the boxes on hand; but by the time the order gets heavy enough to make the flat-rate a better deal, it's too big to fit in the box!

Don't know if I've helped or not, but there's what I know! http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/grin.gif

[msmikee]

Thanks for the info.! That is awesome. It has been so long since I shipped anything internationally, a lot has changed. Actually, I don't like international sales...just a PITA...but hubby insists with his items, so I grin and bear it. We have had a lot of problems with getting correct payment and tracking lost packages. Maybe this option will be easier to track. =)

[becky24343]

Maybe this option will be easier to track. =)
There is delivery confirmation, but I doubt it would serve for PayPal if they claimed that it was lost.

When I click on the DC link, it just says something like "Your package arrived in Germany on September 3"; maybe it gets scanned at customs or somewhere? It seems to be before it actually gets to the addressee, because I had a buyer ask me about one and it had arrived in his country but he didn't have it yet. I told him what the DC said and he got it about 4 days later. (assuming he was telling the truth http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/wink.gif)

Any hint of protection with PayPal is pretty thin, but I feel a little better with PMI than with First Class!

[seaneen]

There is delivery confirmation, but I doubt it would serve for PayPal if they claimed that it was lost.

When I click on the DC link, it just says something like "Your package arrived in Germany on September 3"; maybe it gets scanned at customs or somewhere?

Are you sure it is Delivery Confirmation?? with the USPS? to Europe? I would love to find that! Are you sure you are not tracking the customs number?

[Floridachickadee]

Are you sure you are not tracking the customs number?

I believe that is what they are using, it serves only as a partial DC... Like they said it will say "your package arrived in Germany...." etc.
And yes, it's the last update they do... no actual update after being delivered to the buyer's address or being picked up by the buyer.

That would be sweet, but you have to pay extra for Express to get that I believe

[biggfredd]

International Priority now includes "tracking to major destinations", whatever that means.

[becky24343]

My bad, it does say tracking and not delivery confirmation. When I print the label, this is the info that shows up in My eBay:

Tracking #CJxxxxxxxxUS
Shipping label printed on Sep-19-07
USPS Priority Mail International
Cost: $36.10
Shipment Status: Label Created

The Tracking # is the customs number. The Label Created link takes you to the usps site as it does on a domestic order and eventually it shows that the parcel made it to the country.

I hope I didn't confuse anyone.

[seaneen]

Well that is a darn sight better than it used to be.

So I pulled out my receipt from yesterday (I always pay with PayPal Card) and doggone if they are not adding the insurance amount also!!!

this is new. The customs form # was there before but not named as such. http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/up.gif http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/up.gif

Subject to content limitations, postage on this article includes up to $82.14 in coverage for loss or damage.
Customs Form #: CPxxxxxxxxxUS

[jjhotrocks]

becky24343
The Tracking # is the customs number. The Label Created link takes you to the usps site as it does on a domestic order and eventually it shows that the parcel made it to the country.

Thanks. This is really good to know. I always sent customers the customs number but did not know it was trackable. http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/up.gif http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/up.gif http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/up.gif

-jj