Question for Shipping Gurus

[Plarz]

I recently ordered something from eBay, and it was not as described, so I'm returning it.

I'm not 100% sure I'll be compensated for the return shipping. Whether or not that's what should happen, I need to get this stuff out the door, or I'm liable to miss the time allowed for returns.

What's the cheapest way to get a 2.5lb box back to China? It's essentially the size of the Large Flat Rate box, but it's mostly padding (as I said, it's only 2.5lbs).

Thanks!

[craasher]

Everything I have found on shipping says to send it USPS if its overseas for the cheapest rates. The good thing is you have lots of options from the Postal Service. I usually walk up and say to China the cheapest way and let them tell what options I have. If your just trying to beat a deadline of shipping and not arrival then USPS would be your cheapest option, and your Customs form number can count as delivery confirmation or tracking is some cases. I know I dont pay for Delivery Confirmtion or anything if I have a customs number, but thats usually for Bartertown not ebay.

UPS and FedEx would be a good bit more.

[athelu]

There is no such thing as tracking outside the USA when using the Post office. The closest you can get is registered mail - but even that will not give you delivery confirmation for like $2 you can buy a "certificate of mailing" but all this does is say that the mail clerk verified the address on the package and received it. The only way to have tracking outside the US is with FedEX or UPS.

If the item does not cost $100 or more, it is probably not worth returning, and I highly doubt you will get a refund from a company in China in any event.

[kturock]

There is no such thing as tracking outside the USA when using the Post office. The closest you can get is registered mail - but even that will not give you delivery confirmation for like $2 you can buy a "certificate of mailing" but all this does is say that the mail clerk verified the address on the package and received it. The only way to have tracking outside the US is with FedEX or UPS.

If the item does not cost $100 or more, it is probably not worth returning, and I highly doubt you will get a refund from a company in China in any event.

Registered mail will give you delivery confirmation in SOME countries. It depends on how good or bad their mail serivce is.
If it's bad you're lucky if it gets delivered at all.

Also, with some countires, marking it registered, means it's valuable and worth stealing; so they do.

International Express mail has insurance & tracking. 2.5 pound package to china express mail with $100 insurance is $50. Flat rate box is $75. not cheap. 3-5 days delivery time, not including customs holdng it up or holidays.

http://ircalc.usps.com/ExtraServices.as ... 2&o=5&mt=1

My wife bought an smartphone on ebay.It didn't work. It was shipped from China. When she contacted the seller, it was returned to him in Florida.

Check with the sellar to make sure the return is back to China.

[craasher]

There is no such thing as tracking outside the USA when using the Post office. The closest you can get is registered mail - but even that will not give you delivery confirmation for like $2 you can buy a "certificate of mailing" but all this does is say that the mail clerk verified the address on the package and received it. The only way to have tracking outside the US is with FedEX or UPS.

If the item does not cost $100 or more, it is probably not worth returning, and I highly doubt you will get a refund from a company in China in any event.

What I meant was it can count in many cases as proof you shipped "something". Yes they dont scan it when its dropped off but does give you something to give the other person. I use the customs numbers here when shipping to Canada as proof that I shipped something to them because its to outrageously expensive to ship with FedEx or USPS.

[MagickalMemories]

Contact your seller. Tell them it wasn't as described and that you expect them to pay to have it returned and that you're asking PayPal to refund your money. See how they respond.
No reason YOU should be on the hook for the return shipping fees.


Eric

[kturock]

Contact your seller. Tell them it wasn't as described and that you expect them to pay to have it returned and that you're asking PayPal to refund your money. See how they respond.
No reason YOU should be on the hook for the return shipping fees.


Eric

Some ads say 'buyer pays return shipping'.
Paypal/ebay doesn't always stand behind the, 'not as described', reason for refund all the time. I've had it fail twice out of 2 requests. [1 I even pm'd you about MM.]

Reread the ad, what does it say about returns?
Contct the seller unless it says, 'no returns'.

If he gives you no response or says no returns and it doesn't state that in the ad, then try opening a dispute with Paypal.

[Plarz]

He's already agreed to refund my money if I return the items.

I don't think return shipping is part of that, thus why I'm trying to get it there as cheap as possible.

[kturock]

www.usps.com
www.fedex.com
www.ups.com

all 3 have shipping rate calculators.

measure the size of the box, get it's weight and run the calculators. you'll get a better idea of costs over anything we can approximate.