Global And Domestic US Postal Rates: What A Bargain.

I recently had to send a letter to Spain. It only cost me $1.10 USD. What a bargain it is to be able to send a letter anywhere in the world so cheaply. And, for less than 50 cents, you can send one anywhere in the US. I can't think of a better bargain anywhere.

Oh yeah? Fine for letters, but try ordering a Scott Classic catalogue from the US for delivery to the UK and see what the shipping charges are. $79 for a 2012 Scott Classic and $69 shipping. Like buying two catalogues near enough.

Terry

The USPS international letter rates are still quite affordable. Anything 3.5oz. or less and within certain size and thickness restrictions fall into this grouping. However, if a letter is greater than 3.5 oz. or it's too thick or the envelope is too large and too inflexible than it has to be sent parcel rate which can start at $9.45 for the 4oz. rate, $12.75 for anything 5oz. to 8oz. or $14.90 for anything from 90z. to 12oz.

Those are rates for places like the U.K., Europe, Australia and the like. It's a bit less for Latin America, Africa and parts of Asia. It's cheaper also for Canada ($2.00 for 3.5oz. rate jumps to $7.35 for the 4oz. rate), but still the parcel rates more than doubled since last January. You can still mail larger envelopes greater than 6" x 9" in size via the large flats rate which is not as high as parcel rates, but you can't mail it with very stiff cardboard. It has to be within the flexible regulations of the USPS to qualify. Those recent changes has made it harder to sell larger items like catalogue as Terence has encountered, large cover lots, large kiloware and the like. USPS doesn't have surface mail anymore for quite awhile so there's no other options.

And if you live outside of the U.S. and you're buying an item on ebay, watch out for the Global Shipping Program unless you really want to see some high shipping rates coupled with higher than average customs fees even on items that do not require them. Since the hikes this year, I've found it cheaper to mail a buyer's items in two or more shipments rather than one. I never had to do that before.

Terry: be careful when quoting S&H rates as USPS rates. Most commercial entities rake the customer for S&H considerably above the actual USPS rate. Get a hold of a current USPS rate chart (USPS.COM) and look @ the pound rate & zone. It will almost every time be less than the charged S&H rate the shipper is demanding.

Hi eligies,

That was the USPS rate. I also checked one yesterday on the USPS site. For a 3.5 lb catalogue from the US in one of their boxes and it was $89 to UK. If I was posting the same catalogue from the UK to the USA by Royal Mail it would cost $28.00. Probably using the same aeroplane.

Terry

Terry,
A 3 lb, 8ox. package from the U.S. to the U.K. is $35.25 for the International 1st Class Airmail (a bit cheaper if a shipping label is printed online). The trick is: do not use the priority mail boxes. Use a plain box (recycled Amazon.com boxes do nicely). If someone charged you $89, you got ripped off.

Maybe, but $89 is what is showing on the USPS site. No option shows for using own box. I am in the UK so I have no control over what type of box the US seller is using. How can I find out what shipping costs are from US for sellers using own box?. And no, I did not pay the ripoff $89. All help with this appreciated.

Terry

Terry,
When I use the USPS, I typed in the weight as used above (3 lb, 8 oz.) and I selected "package" (don't select any of the flat rate boxes). The USPS site likes to show the GXG and priority mail express options first - ignore these. Click on the lower bar labeled "First-Class International Options". It should expand and you'll see the other option with the $35.25 price. You can always ask a seller if they would use this cheaper option.

Hi Battlestamps,

Thank you. That info is most helpful and very much appreciated.

Terry