International postage costs

Hi Folksy Friends :blush:I have just been on Royal Mails website to get a quote for sending abroad and unless I’m doing something Wrong…the cost seems so expensive :flushed:for example to send to Australia I put the weight of my item in in grams and it gave me £28.55 and for the US it was 9.35 does this sound about right…? Surely these expensive charges would put people off :pensive:
Thank you

Americans are used to postage being expensive, I regularly ship to the US and they have no issue with paying £12.15 shipping. (I had an american pay £40 courier shipping to make sure their £200 earrings arrived for christmas, if they want it enough they will pay)
Are you sure about that price to Australia? That seems very high. You didn’t do something like put an extra zero on the end?

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As far as I know I did it correct but will double check :+1: thanks

It’s a great idea to download this price list and keep it handy on your desktop. I do think the international prices appear high but I think that those who are overseas think UK postage is cheap and are accustomed to their own higher prices.

The ‘problem’ with overseas prices is that they are in much smaller weight bands…and as soon as you get anywhere near 1KG to Australia the prices soar.

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Using the pdf that Joy has linked to small parcel up to 100g to the USA would be £9.35 (standard shipping), the equivalent to Australia is £8.35. For up to 2000g (ie 2kg) the cost to Australia is £28.55 or £30.45 to the USA (again standard non tracked shipping), so I do think something has gone wrong with the online price calculator and its worth double checking at the post office when they are quiet as you don’t want to get it wrong and get a nasty shock at the counter.

Yes thank you x

I’ve just been looking at prices to the USA this evening and for International standard small parcel they go up to 100g, 250g, 500g etc…I’m struggling to work it all out as well. RM did a massive price increase last year. x

I know they put there prices up :roll_eyes: :face_with_hand_over_mouth: it’s all a bit confusing isn’t it

Thank you x

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i don’t send to any other Countries, But why not search for items on folksy similar to yours. Write down their weight and measurements and where they’re coming from and also how much they will charge you.
Then put those details in Post office.
People do buy stuff from International countrys, I have sometimes see postage as £30, £16 -Croatia, Romania. £26-£30 for America.
As my Hubby says if someone like’s your product enough they will buy, and if they can’t find something they like in the their countries, then its good for us.
But before i start selling abroad i need to concentrate on my photo’s and policies getting evverything perfect - before making it more difficult

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Thank you x we’ll get there!

90% of my sales are to the USA , they weigh 1.5kg and are just under a metre long and the tube is 15cm in diameter. The lowest price is usually about £35.00. I mention this in my sales info and charge the customer a £15.00 standard fee to help cover this. I have been using Parcel2Go which is a comparison site to get the best prices but just lately the service has gone to pieces. Royal Mail is always one of the most expensive and is only competitive in the UK.
Australia is costly and the same type of package has just cost me £42.00.
My solution is to open an account with one of the big parcels companies. UPS, DHL etc spring to mind who offer substantially reduced rates for account holders. You have to jump through some hoops to get an account but well worth the effort if you regularily sell to the the US and Canada.
As far as the Euro zone goes, forget it. I wont sell to anywhere in Europe unless the client pays a premium.
I hope that helps a little and good luck.
Steve

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Thank you why don’t you post to Europe just wondered if I was missing something… :thinking:

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Currently 6 countries in the EU require you to buy a license to produce waste (ie packaging required to safely send items there in the mail), the German license costs 8 euro per year, the French one 80 euro and no doubt more countries will be added to the list requiring a license. And for those 2 countries you can’t wait for a sale and then buy the license, if you are found to be offering to sell to those countries without a license you are liable for a fine.
Then there are the complications about VAT/ customs duties that started last year - some countries still aren’t set up to accept the presubmitted info and charge your customers VAT that they would have already paid when they bought (assuming the order was under 150 euro) or just send the packages back.

Oh I had no idea thank you Sasha I think I will definitely be reconsidering now

Hi there, I will post to Europe but it is so expensive and also bound up in red tape since Brexit. I have to charge a contribution towards my shipping costs by either increasing the unit cost or charging the customer for P&P.