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Mailing pins from US to outside US

Mailing pins from US to outside US

cyke23

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I know this has been discussed before, but I can’t find the particular thread(s). I’ve mailed outside US before, but I chose the wrong option and I’m sure I overpaid at the post office. Any suggestions on mailing 1 or 2 pins in a LBE? Any do’s and don’t s or tips? Are there forms to fill out? It seems complicated to me so any help is appreciated.
 
Overseas shipping is very pricey. There's no problem with using an LBE. It would be an international package. You do need to fill out a customs form to declare what's in the package and its value.
 
Ive hear that PayPal shipping is a lot cheaper.

Good to know is to always ask the person you ship to what they want you to put on the customs form. Its different in different countries but for example to Sweden its important to mark it as a gift and put value at below 30 dollars. It htat is not done I will need to pay a lot of money to get my package because it will be held by customs.
 
Ive hear that PayPal shipping is a lot cheaper.

Good to know is to always ask the person you ship to what they want you to put on the customs form. Its different in different countries but for example to Sweden its important to mark it as a gift and put value at below 30 dollars. It htat is not done I will need to pay a lot of money to get my package because it will be held by customs.

Understand that, from a US point of view, this practice is illegal (it's considered mail fraud), and is likely violating customs laws in both countries. Federal law requires us to declare the actual value of the item in the package (and you can't insure it for more than the declared value, so if someone is sending a $100 pin, they list it as $30 on the customs form and it gets lost, they can only claim $30 on the insurance.)

It is also illegal to mark anything as a 'Gift' if it was merchandise that was paid for.

This puts the SELLER at risk, as they are the one filling out the form (thus, the one breaking the law), and they are the one that would lose money if something happens to a package.
If someone asks me to put a value lower than what was paid for the pin I would only agree to do it if they pay with the 'friends and family' option, and I make it clear that if the package gets lost, they will only be refunded the amount they ask me to put on the form. I've never had a buyer agree to do this after I explain it to them like that.

99.9% of the time this is never an issue... But that one time something goes wrong you will learn first-hand why you (as a seller) should NOT do this.
 
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