About United States Postal Service

[Nickolai]

I'm unfamiliar with US postal system and would like some help regarding the classes of international delivery methods. From the chart of International Delivery Options I could gather that "First-Class Mail® International" is the cheapest way, Priority is better, Express even better and "Global Express Guaranteed®" is the highest class. Is it right? Where does the "Expedited Int'l Flat Rate Shipping" that I can see on eBay fit in this scheme?

[ajkula66]

If the item is bigger than your normal letter, like a laptop, the only options that you have are Global Priority and Global Express. And, Global Express is not delivered everywhere.

FYI, a laptop shipped to Moscow via Global Express runs anywhere between $50 and $75.

Hope this helps.

[jdhurst]

First class (cheapest) USPS works for me. USPS is very reliable, and then shipping into Canada, Canada Post is also reliable, don't charge for brokerage, are close to my home, and have extended hours. The same cannot be said for UPS, Fedex or any other courier foisted upon me. Don't know about Russia. ... JDH

[Nickolai]

First class (cheapest) USPS works for me

Aha, it's the cheapest one... The words "First class" mislead me.

If the item is bigger than your normal letter, like a laptop, the only options that you have are Global Priority and Global Express. And, Global Express is not delivered everywhere.

I have had a parcel of 34 RAM sticks from eBay (a form of a brick) delivered in an envelope labelled "USPS Priority Mail". All went fine except delivery time was 3 weeks. That's the time I usually get when I order something abroad. It's hard not to feel disconnected from the rest of the world when the mail works that slow. UPS and the like is much more expensive and not every seller is ready to use it.

On the other hand, I had an X60 laptop (3,15 kg gross) delivered from Australia with "EMS courier" and it had parcel tracking and insurance; not sure how it relates to USPS options. Delivery took 1 week and costed $120.

FYI, a laptop shipped to Moscow via Global Express runs anywhere between $50 and $75.

Is this "Global Express Guaranteed®" or "Express Mail International®"?

So, I would like to know which options are available for faster-than-usual but not very expensive delivery?

Again, what is "Expedited Int'l Flat Rate Shipping" on eBay?

[ajkula66]

"Expedited Shipping" is BS, plain and simple.

The service I was referring to is Global Express Mail (not guaranteed, there's no guaranteed where you are).

Hope this helps.

[Nickolai]

"Expedited Shipping" is BS, plain and simple.

Is it an eBay's delivery option?

[ajkula66]

A play of words, like "standard flat rate service" or whatever, means nothing in real life...

[fuscob]

A play of words, like "standard flat rate service" or whatever, means nothing in real life...

George is absolutely correct. It does not refer to any specific service; you are at the seller's whim as to what they consider "expedited." I usually hesitate when I see the "flat rate service" with no reference to a carrier...sellers that use those terms will usually ship by the slowest (and cheapest) method available to them.

[RealBlackStuff]

go here: http://ircalc.usps.gov/default.aspx?Mod ... &CID=10369
fill in the estimated weight, and you can see the options.
First Class mail is only available for letters and low-weight packages.

Consider that most eBayers add a certain (quite often exaggerated) amount onto the shipping cost, to increase their profit, without having to pay eBay 'commission'.

[rek]

USPS is great. I like their high-end delivery options more than FedEx/UPS; if I'm not home, I can just collect from the local post office, rather than arrange for another courier to come on some vague time range when I should be somewhere else anyway, or make my way out to collect it myself from the depot 10km out from the airport.. and of course it's heaps cheaper!

From a delivery-to-Australia perspective:

USPS First Class = standard air letter/small parcel mail. Most likely if you're not home, it'll be left at your front doorstep.

USPS Priority Mail = it gets to your country fast, then treated as a standard signed-for parcel.

USPS Express Mail = EMS courier service. Technically the fastest, and full tracking, the works.


In my experience, express mail is no faster than priority mail. Both seem to take about 1-1.5 weeks (but the major difference between the two is the local postal service leg.. I guess Australia Post is pretty efficient). First Class might sound slow, but it's rarely any more than a day or three slower than the other two.

[NorrisCell]

USPS is great. I like their high-end delivery options more than FedEx/UPS; if I'm not home, I can just collect from the local post office, rather than arrange for another courier to come on some vague time range when I should be somewhere else anyway, or make my way out to collect it myself from the depot 10km out from the airport.. and of course it's heaps cheaper!

Agreed. A lot of people knock USPS, but I use Priority Mail for most of my auctions and it is faster and less expensive than UPS/FedEx in most situations. If something is extremely valuable and you are choosing a carrier based upon insurance options, USPS isn't necessarily the best, but they provide excellent times for fair prices.