Actually its 50 cents now. But think about how you are going to send those 5 stamps. Are you just going to slip them into and envelope lick it and send it off? Good chance of them falling out if and when the sorting equipment eats the envelope. So you put the stamps in a 102 card or a glassine - that's cost. Maybe a stiffener in the envelope to protect the valuable stamps inside - that's cost. Even the envelope costs something. I agree, as a buyer I would wonder about that amount of shipping and think twice about placing the order; but you should talk to the seller about his shipping rates. As a seller I would prefer a customer contact me directly before placing the order so any adjustments can be agreed to before the fact.
Having said that, my mind boggles at the various shipping charges I encounter when buying from the US. A couple of sellers have proved to be so outrageous I have now blacklisted them. Even with the not so outrageous - the permutations seem endless like 'buy 1 x stamp = $4 - buy a second = add $4 etc etc !!! (Same envelope, same card and other bits - 1 extra stamp a whole $4 extra!) It leaves me speechless sometimes!
Keep in mind the new UPU regulations turned the whole international shipping thing topsy turvy. To legally send a stamp (merchandise) to a foreign country (including Canada) it can no longer go as a first class letter - it must go as a first class parcel. Sent through the US Post Office it means that packaging needs to be different and must meet certain size and or thickness guidelines. The lowest price available shipping through the post office from the US to anywhere (including Canada) is now around $10. It was allegedly instituted due to the increasing frequency of the use of the mail system to ship drugs..it's a whole new world out there.
I think that most stamp orders can be placed into an envelope and sent on their merry way. I ship from Canada, which has had the nothing in the envelope except papers nonsense for some time. A few postal clerks may ask about the envelope contents so I drop my mail into a box and 99 44/100% seem to get where they should be going ok. I do wrap a printed pricelist around the stamps so if a letter is opened for examination it will appear to be "paper" unless there is a detailed inspection, and there is always the chance that I will sell something from the list.
Absolutely 100 per cent correct Dennis. But it is 100 per cent illegal to do so. I worked for the Feds for almost 20 years and I prefer legal. Life can become very complicated very quickly.
i have been collecting for 63 yrs i dont know what to say except thanks for the insight i have started a canada collection so ill be experiancing postage changes thanks again
You people living outside the USA, don't go complaining about the high cost of postage to mail merchandise from the USA to anywhere outside of the country. Remember that all countries that handle international mail from one country to another share in the postage fees collected. For decades your countries have been screaming to the USA that our international postage rates have been too low and that your country wanted more money from our post office. Well, your countries have gotten what they have been whining for. Complain to your postal service if you have a complaint. They are the ones pocketing the money.
I have reinstated international shipping in my store. If you live outside the USA and want to buy stamps from me, I will ship to you using my flat rates. (Canada = $12.50; most of the rest of the world = $15.00)
Note that for Italy, my flat rate is $45.00 as Italy requires that postage stamps be sent via registered mail, and you in Italy need to have the proper import papers or else the stamps can be confiscated by Italian Customs. If the parcel is sent via US Priority Mail, it isn't required to send the parcel via registered mail, but that costs even more.
For Bulgaria my flat rate fee is also $45.00. Shipping postage stamps to Bulgaria are required to be sent to the Bulgarian State Philatelic Association. There it will be opened and inspected. If the stamps are not prohibited, then the stamps are supposed to be repacked and then sent to the buyer.
That's just two countries that are ridiculous with their rules regarding postage stamp importation. If I run across more countries with prohibitive rules, I will create separate entries for them as well with a shipping fee commensurate with the requirements for that country and what it will cost me to ship a parcel there.
Personally, I would prefer to block sales to such countries. I don't think the programming here permits that. I guess making shipping costs higher (maybe a flat rate of $250.00) would help to dissuade potential buyers from those countries from buying. Nothing against the buyers. It's your government that's the problem. Anyway, my flat rate fees to Italy and Bulgaria, while looking absurdly high, are about what it would cost for a first class parcel sent via registered mail.
I have not complained here about the high cost of shipping from the USA. I do, however, maintain a US address and have things from the US sent there. In Canada part of the problem is Postal ( governmental) greed., When the $C was up near par to the US $ did good old Canada Post lower rates? Nope, I do grumble about Canada Post rates to the USA, but despite what sort of government gets elected, Canada Post goes on its merry way. They have to pay for their gold plated wages and fringe benefits somehow.
You can set the shipping to NOT ship to certain countries. (On the shipping location set up under everywhere else you have to add the countries you want to ship to.) If the country is NOT in the list your items WILL not be seen in that country anymore. (I have't shipped anything to Italy in about a year now. Not worth the headaches)
In the meantime, a recent review of selling competition for German stamps both on this site and on Ebay shows that the majority of sellers have no knowledge of the new international rule or choose to ignore it. If I had chosen to continue international sales, my competition would be offering the same stamps at a significant discount to my offerings due to the new shipping rates.
Robert B - There is currently no first class $2.50 postage rate in the US. You said that the fee was applied when you paid for your purchase. That is a shipping and handling fee, not pure postage. Postage rates are by service type, package size and weight. If you buy from my store, you pay $1.50 flat rate shipping and handling fee whether you buy one item or thousands, for example. From an explanation given you, it sounded as if that seller also had a flat rate shipping and handling fee.
My mind is even more boggled after reading all these comments!! I buy at least once per month on the various auctions buying varying numbers of stamps and every month the shipping postage differs depending on who I'm buying from. That's what confused me so much and that is nothing to do with inter government rates! Now that that comes into the equation I think it is set to get a whole lot worse as I am aware of the new rules coming in and I feel sorry for you guys out there. I think you are bound to lose some volume of business through this.
You're right. Thus far, I have lost 100% of my international sales. Those amounted to about 1/3 of all my sales. At my post office, the clerks state that the volume of international mail from small mailers like myself has dropped off dramatically.
Each dealer sets their own shipping and handling rates. When you find a stamp that you want to purchase scroll across the top bar until you find "Shipping". Click on shipping. You will see the Postage Calculator. Make certain that "United States" shows in the Select Country box. Enter a "1" in the Quantity box. Click on "Estimate Rate". That will tell you how much the dealer is going to charge you for shipping and handling. If that price is too high for you than find a different dealer with the same stamp and check how much they charge for shipping and handling.
That was a great and helpful answer, Carol, that you addressed to Robert B. and his problems in understanding shipping costs.
I might just add that you really don't need to add a "1" in the Quantity box -- I've found that you can save a little time by just going directly to the "Estimate Rates" box and clicking it -- you get the same results as you would by entering "1".
Yup. It's just like shopping for canned peas. You have to shop the entire product. HipStamp is a really friendly place to shop, but "let the buyer beware" is true even here. Some dealers have a real or imagined reason for their high rates - perhaps they look on it as a profit center - perhaps they have a high opionion of what their time is worth to pack it up. A simple click does it. It's not worth the effort to complain about it, except perhaps question the dealer about his rate. Visit Carol's store or Dave's store or any of the many stores available (don't forget mine) and find a bargin!
For the last several years I have making purchases from sellers around the world on this site and others. I have been amazed at the shipping/handling fee can vary so much. It is the unfortunate reality of the global market price. Factoring in cost of shipping is part of my « do I want this item » decision making process. International shipping is pricey. What’s find frustrating in the range of pricing for domestic shipping. I live in Canada and price of standard letter is 85 cents. Factor in cost of envelop etc and price goes up a bit. I do question a seller if shipping is more that 1.50. Whether I purchase depends on the response. I accept the fact that sellers are trying to run a business and there are costs. Shipping internationally is a whole different issue. I have always noticed a huge difference is shipping prices for sellers in the US. With enforcement of the « parcel » rate of $10 to ship to Canada, my buying from US will be limited.. I have had a few items still come as regular mail. But how long will that last. I have been fortunate to still send items to US and Europe as letter mail. So far my postal clerk has not questioned the content and sent a letter rate. That could change tomorrow.
Comments
I agree, as a buyer I would wonder about that amount of shipping and think twice about placing the order; but you should talk to the seller about his shipping rates.
As a seller I would prefer a customer contact me directly before placing the order so any adjustments can be agreed to before the fact.
https://www.hipstamp.com/store/aquila-associates
It leaves me speechless sometimes!
It was allegedly instituted due to the increasing frequency of the use of the mail system to ship drugs..it's a whole new world out there.
I do wrap a printed pricelist around the stamps so if a letter is opened for examination it will appear to be "paper" unless there is a detailed inspection, and there is always the chance that I will sell something from the list.
Note that for Italy, my flat rate is $45.00 as Italy requires that postage stamps be sent via registered mail, and you in Italy need to have the proper import papers or else the stamps can be confiscated by Italian Customs. If the parcel is sent via US Priority Mail, it isn't required to send the parcel via registered mail, but that costs even more.
For Bulgaria my flat rate fee is also $45.00. Shipping postage stamps to Bulgaria are required to be sent to the Bulgarian State Philatelic Association. There it will be opened and inspected. If the stamps are not prohibited, then the stamps are supposed to be repacked and then sent to the buyer.
That's just two countries that are ridiculous with their rules regarding postage stamp importation. If I run across more countries with prohibitive rules, I will create separate entries for them as well with a shipping fee commensurate with the requirements for that country and what it will cost me to ship a parcel there.
Personally, I would prefer to block sales to such countries. I don't think the programming here permits that. I guess making shipping costs higher (maybe a flat rate of $250.00) would help to dissuade potential buyers from those countries from buying. Nothing against the buyers. It's your government that's the problem. Anyway, my flat rate fees to Italy and Bulgaria, while looking absurdly high, are about what it would cost for a first class parcel sent via registered mail.
You can set the shipping to NOT ship to certain countries. (On the shipping location set up under everywhere else you have to add the countries you want to ship to.) If the country is NOT in the list your items WILL not be seen in that country anymore. (I have't shipped anything to Italy in about a year now. Not worth the headaches)
Robert B - There is currently no first class $2.50 postage rate in the US. You said that the fee was applied when you paid for your purchase. That is a shipping and handling fee, not pure postage. Postage rates are by service type, package size and weight. If you buy from my store, you pay $1.50 flat rate shipping and handling fee whether you buy one item or thousands, for example. From an explanation given you, it sounded as if that seller also had a flat rate shipping and handling fee.
I buy at least once per month on the various auctions buying varying numbers of stamps and every month the shipping postage differs depending on who I'm buying from. That's what confused me so much and that is nothing to do with inter government rates! Now that that comes into the equation I think it is set to get a whole lot worse as I am aware of the new rules coming in and I feel sorry for you guys out there. I think you are bound to lose some volume of business through this.
Each dealer sets their own shipping and handling rates. When you find a stamp that you want to purchase scroll across the top bar until you find "Shipping". Click on shipping. You will see the Postage Calculator. Make certain that "United States" shows in the Select Country box. Enter a "1" in the Quantity box. Click on "Estimate Rate". That will tell you how much the dealer is going to charge you for shipping and handling. If that price is too high for you than find a different dealer with the same stamp and check how much they charge for shipping and handling.
I might just add that you really don't need to add a "1" in the Quantity box -- I've found that you can save a little time by just going directly to the "Estimate Rates" box and clicking it -- you get the same results as you would by entering "1".
Saves .6384 seconds!!
A simple click does it. It's not worth the effort to complain about it, except perhaps question the dealer about his rate.
Visit Carol's store or Dave's store or any of the many stores available (don't forget mine) and find a bargin!