I know exactly what you mean. Most of the times I do not notice the restrictions on the first page and start looking at the stamps, only to find out they are not available for me.
I really get a bit upset myself when I look at a approval book or the auction with some stamps I would really like to buy but the seller won´t ship to my country. I guess everyone has their reason.
"I guess everyone has their reason."
When I send stamps from Germany, to Canada GB or the U.S. and the value of the stamps is high a customs form must also be filled out and applied to the letter. However the clerk at the post office informed me if the content of the letter or package is only paper (stamps are paper) no customs form is needed, a loop-hole
I believe is how you say it. So when I send large envelopes I always write "PAPER ONLY" on the front. Might be worth looking into if this also aplies in the U.S. or other countries.
An in depth discussion of this topic can be found here:
https://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_ma ...
A lot of my incoming mail gets opened by Australian Customs. They have never returned an envelope to sender (as far as I'm aware), removed anything from an envelope, nor charged me duty.
Have any of you actually had an item returned to you or been charged for incoming duty on a letter? I would doubt it, but am open to being proved wrong.
Here's one I got from Canada
I have never had it either. Neither for incoming nor for things I sent. I have only got some letters from Brazil with a customs declaration, it seems that they are very strict at the post office over there.
Australia Post?? Must put on customs form for anything over 100 gms Large Letter.
Guaranteed opportunity to have something stolen out the package!!
Now one must lie on the customs form or better still never send anything above 100gms and less than 5mm thick.
"Harvey: It is so damn annoying when someone posts great stuff and then won't ship to Canada!"
"hfbaker: The primary reason for persons in the U.S. choosing not to ship internationally is the cost of postage. "
" it is frustrating not to buy something due to a seller's wrong decision."
I am also a seller and I ship to the whole world, we all depend on each other. Are you agree that when a seller limits his sales to only his country, he will sell less? The buyer is not always right, I have dealt with some who are foolish and even rude.
"The buyer is not always right"
Postage regulations are bonkers, in some cases anyway. I routinely see item in Amazon and eBay which cost two or three times the cost of the item itself to ship. Yet, surprise, last night I ordered a small scale model from Greater China for U.S. $13.00 plus only $3.00 for shipping!
Bob
I should stay quiet but .....
First - China has developing nation status with the UPU and therefore pays almost nothing for postage. The USPS loses money on everything shipped from China. They could sell a deck of cards package for 99 cents and ship it to the states and still make money. Sending that package to my neighbor would cost $4 or $5.
I had an inquiry from one of our members as to why I wouldn't ship to Canada - it is a bit long winded but here it is. Keep in mind standing in line at our Post Office in order to send something overseas can easily take half an hour. Some of us don't have that much time. Feel free to disagree.
Absolutely no offense taken.
I worked for the Feds for almost 20 years. I have seen mountains grow from molehills many times.
Perfect example - our office was investigated because we, like every other office, bar, and sewing club had a Super Bowl pool. The investigation took 6 months and they interviewed all 120 people, did you participate, who sold the tickets, was it done on break on during work hours, ad infinitum. Add in a two week trial. All this and our Area Director was disciplined and some of our managers were fined. The floor above us was the customs office and the floor below us was Social security. They held pools as well but their IG offices did nothing.
So, if I am going to ship over the border I am going to do it legally.That means the cost to legally ship anything but documents, whether or not it is sold or a gift, whether or not it has any value, must be accompanied by a customs form is somewhere around $12 to $15, Since I do not use the USPS digital postage and digital customs form tied to it I must take the envelope to a window clerk. They must digitize the customs form and associate it with the package/envelope (the customs form is too large for a regular envelope - I think 6X8 works). That means they have to type all of the information I put on the form into the computer system. Add in the fact that the line to get to the window clerk (usually one, sometimes 2 for a town of 50,000 people) is usually 15 to 30 minutes long (up to an hour during Holidays) and it kind of tends to discourage people who want to be law abiding citizens from mailing outside the country.
My one experience with having an incoming package checked by our local office was for a heavy box of old car magazines from the 60's the vendor sent book rate. Most old magazines and newspapers have ads in them and it is illegal to send anything with advertising book rate. The insanity is all those wonderful 19th century magazines with ads are included. The package arrived and was inspected at our local office - if I wanted it the postage due cost (difference between book rate and and Priority) was over $70. I paid $20 for the magazines.
I'm glad I'm old. Life is too complicated. Both of my grandmothers were postmistresses (a terribly political incorrect term these days - but if anyone would have called them postmasters they would have slapped them upside the head).
" Are you agree that when a seller limits his sales to only his country, he will sell less?"
"to use the word "hate" is selfish, spiteful and hurtful to all the sellers"
It is so damn annoying when someone posts great stuff and then won't ship to Canada! Yes, I know it's their choice! Yes, I know I could get in touch with the seller! I am going to use the filter to get rid of anyone who won't ship to me. I know this will upset a few people and bring out some negative thoughts and comments, but ..... !
re: I hate it when....
I know exactly what you mean. Most of the times I do not notice the restrictions on the first page and start looking at the stamps, only to find out they are not available for me.
re: I hate it when....
I really get a bit upset myself when I look at a approval book or the auction with some stamps I would really like to buy but the seller won´t ship to my country. I guess everyone has their reason.
re: I hate it when....
"I guess everyone has their reason."
re: I hate it when....
When I send stamps from Germany, to Canada GB or the U.S. and the value of the stamps is high a customs form must also be filled out and applied to the letter. However the clerk at the post office informed me if the content of the letter or package is only paper (stamps are paper) no customs form is needed, a loop-hole
I believe is how you say it. So when I send large envelopes I always write "PAPER ONLY" on the front. Might be worth looking into if this also aplies in the U.S. or other countries.
re: I hate it when....
An in depth discussion of this topic can be found here:
https://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_ma ...
re: I hate it when....
A lot of my incoming mail gets opened by Australian Customs. They have never returned an envelope to sender (as far as I'm aware), removed anything from an envelope, nor charged me duty.
Have any of you actually had an item returned to you or been charged for incoming duty on a letter? I would doubt it, but am open to being proved wrong.
Here's one I got from Canada
re: I hate it when....
I have never had it either. Neither for incoming nor for things I sent. I have only got some letters from Brazil with a customs declaration, it seems that they are very strict at the post office over there.
re: I hate it when....
Australia Post?? Must put on customs form for anything over 100 gms Large Letter.
Guaranteed opportunity to have something stolen out the package!!
Now one must lie on the customs form or better still never send anything above 100gms and less than 5mm thick.
re: I hate it when....
"Harvey: It is so damn annoying when someone posts great stuff and then won't ship to Canada!"
"hfbaker: The primary reason for persons in the U.S. choosing not to ship internationally is the cost of postage. "
re: I hate it when....
" it is frustrating not to buy something due to a seller's wrong decision."
re: I hate it when....
I am also a seller and I ship to the whole world, we all depend on each other. Are you agree that when a seller limits his sales to only his country, he will sell less? The buyer is not always right, I have dealt with some who are foolish and even rude.
re: I hate it when....
"The buyer is not always right"
re: I hate it when....
Postage regulations are bonkers, in some cases anyway. I routinely see item in Amazon and eBay which cost two or three times the cost of the item itself to ship. Yet, surprise, last night I ordered a small scale model from Greater China for U.S. $13.00 plus only $3.00 for shipping!
Bob
re: I hate it when....
I should stay quiet but .....
First - China has developing nation status with the UPU and therefore pays almost nothing for postage. The USPS loses money on everything shipped from China. They could sell a deck of cards package for 99 cents and ship it to the states and still make money. Sending that package to my neighbor would cost $4 or $5.
I had an inquiry from one of our members as to why I wouldn't ship to Canada - it is a bit long winded but here it is. Keep in mind standing in line at our Post Office in order to send something overseas can easily take half an hour. Some of us don't have that much time. Feel free to disagree.
Absolutely no offense taken.
I worked for the Feds for almost 20 years. I have seen mountains grow from molehills many times.
Perfect example - our office was investigated because we, like every other office, bar, and sewing club had a Super Bowl pool. The investigation took 6 months and they interviewed all 120 people, did you participate, who sold the tickets, was it done on break on during work hours, ad infinitum. Add in a two week trial. All this and our Area Director was disciplined and some of our managers were fined. The floor above us was the customs office and the floor below us was Social security. They held pools as well but their IG offices did nothing.
So, if I am going to ship over the border I am going to do it legally.That means the cost to legally ship anything but documents, whether or not it is sold or a gift, whether or not it has any value, must be accompanied by a customs form is somewhere around $12 to $15, Since I do not use the USPS digital postage and digital customs form tied to it I must take the envelope to a window clerk. They must digitize the customs form and associate it with the package/envelope (the customs form is too large for a regular envelope - I think 6X8 works). That means they have to type all of the information I put on the form into the computer system. Add in the fact that the line to get to the window clerk (usually one, sometimes 2 for a town of 50,000 people) is usually 15 to 30 minutes long (up to an hour during Holidays) and it kind of tends to discourage people who want to be law abiding citizens from mailing outside the country.
My one experience with having an incoming package checked by our local office was for a heavy box of old car magazines from the 60's the vendor sent book rate. Most old magazines and newspapers have ads in them and it is illegal to send anything with advertising book rate. The insanity is all those wonderful 19th century magazines with ads are included. The package arrived and was inspected at our local office - if I wanted it the postage due cost (difference between book rate and and Priority) was over $70. I paid $20 for the magazines.
I'm glad I'm old. Life is too complicated. Both of my grandmothers were postmistresses (a terribly political incorrect term these days - but if anyone would have called them postmasters they would have slapped them upside the head).
re: I hate it when....
" Are you agree that when a seller limits his sales to only his country, he will sell less?"
re: I hate it when....
"to use the word "hate" is selfish, spiteful and hurtful to all the sellers"