First Class Mail, third party insurance, international shipping

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by CheriShops - Admin on February 15, 2012 at 4:10pm

Yay!

I am glad I harped on about it too lol or I would not have known the assorted features that shipsurance offers!

For those that may have not seen the other thread....

www.shipsurance.com is the main site and where you do your insurance if you are a policy holder

they also offer small volume sellers an insure and pay as you go system at www.insurepost.com

and Etsy & eBay sellers get even lower rates via www.shipsaver.com

Permalink Reply by Suzy's Timeless Treasures on February 16, 2012 at 6:08pm

Just to add to this, I had a shipment to Russia and insurepost and shipsurance do not insure to that country so  a fellow dealer on Facebook mentioned U-Pic.com which does insure to Russia and they have a pay as you go option also.

Permalink Reply by San Marcos Art Glass on February 16, 2012 at 11:15pm

I've seen the option on U-PIC, but haven't sent anything without confirmation yet. I wonder how difficult it would be to process a claim that didn't have confirmation.

Permalink Reply by Suzy's Timeless Treasures on February 17, 2012 at 1:10pm

I know on insurepost, all you need is your shipping receipt with customs number and they send you  paperwork for  the customer to sign saying that the package wasn't received.  I specifically emailed them with that question and this is the reply I received:

Yes, we do cover USPS First Class International shipments with no tracking information or delivery confirmation. Simply use your U.S. Customs Form number in place of the tracking number at the time you are buying our coverage online & save your Proof of Mailing. No proof of delivery is required for International shipments. If your buyer/recipient does not receive their shipment after 45 days from the shipment date, you would file the claim with us. We will supply you with an affidavit form for your buyer/recipient to sign & return stating non-receipt after this time period.

I haven't had to file a claim yet, but the comments on the site are positive in that regard.

Permalink Reply by CheriShops - Admin on February 17, 2012 at 3:37pm

when I called shipsurance/insurepost they confirmed that claims are fully covered on all First Class International USPS mailing as long as we have a receipt of mailing from the PO that has a customs number on it (and provided it is not to one of their excluded countries)

Permalink Reply by 2Hearts Uptown @Ruby Lane on March 9, 2012 at 5:30pm

Does anyone have data as to differences in how long it takes to arrive to ship via first class versus Priority?  Or, differences in % deliveries arriving "safe and sound?"   I have this idea that foreign post offices take greater care with those priority flat rate envelopes - but have no data to support that supposition.    

I have been using first class for items under $100, with an option for the customer to use Priority.  But over $100 I just offer Priority or Express (and partly subsidize the cost).    Maybe I don't need to do that, but I have heard that first class can take a very long time, and the post office told me Priority is about a week (this was to Italy).