Advice on how to ship overseas.

[beaujolais]

I need advice on how to ship overseas (NY to Austrilia) - just one stone (or do I say "mineral specimen")? I did a search and found some threads that are older so I thought I'd be o.k. to start a new one, in case things have changed.

I believe USPS is the most economical? I just went to the Post Office and picked up a Customs Declaration Form (CN22). It's not an expensive stone, fyi. I will insure it for full value, though. Get a tracking number, right? Anything else?

Of course, I'll do the box inside a box - are two boxes enough? I'll put the senders & recipients name on another sheet, inside the box, also. Lots & lots of bubble wrap. Closed with lots of shipping tape, clear tape over to/from label.

Anything else?

The gave me an approx price of $12 -$15. How long do you think it will take to get there?

Tx so much !

sonoma

 

[stargurl78]

I don't know if you are shipping it registered mail or priority with insurance but please keep in mind that registered does not insure it for the full amount. I can't remember the amount of insurance it covers but I know its less than $50. I will never get registered mail for an expensive item if its international shipping because I just flat out do not trust the post office, I always insure no matter what the cost.

 

[beaujolais]

Thanks, Star. I'm surely going to insure it separately. Much appreciated.

 

[chrono]

1. State the item as a mineral specimen or it might get held up unnecessarily (or tempt somebody who sees the info)
2. USPS Registered seems to be pretty cost effective, provides an insurance option, and more
3. Insure it for the amount you paid for it. If it gets lost, the PO will only reimburse a value that you can prove, i.e. sales receipt.
4. USPS registered comes automatically with a tracking number.
5. Pack the stone in a padded gem case and bubble wrap it. Make sure it doesn't rattle around in the box. Secure it with tape if necessary.
6. If it is being sent via USPS registered, they have to tape it using that problematic brown paper tape. They will reject your package. If being sent via Priority, then tape it up to your heart's content.

Expect it to take no less than 2 weeks to get to AU.

 

[melave]

+1 to what Chrono has written That's how all my gems have arrived and they have all arrived here to Aus. Though it can take up to 4 weeks to get here. I live very remote and it averages to about 4 weeks.

I have found the USPS tracking pretty useless if trying to track though. It doesn't seem to track once it leaves the USA, so don't panic if you see it sitting in NY or somewhere for a few weeks

 

[stargurl78]

No problem. Chrono gives some great advice too.

Chrono - Have you found that you can insure with registered mail even for international shipping? My post office told me you have to declare the full value but that does not mean that it is insured for the full value because with registered international, their policy doesn't allow it. I'm curious to know what others have found regarding this.

 

[chrono]

I'm quite sure I paid insurance for registered international shipping. This is the first I'm hearing that the PO will not insure for the full value.