As one who ships expensive amateur equipment everywhere around the globe on a daily basis as my job, I have a couple of comments.
First, using Priority Mail to KH6 or KL7 costs the same as to any other U.S. destination - so the assertion that it costs more to ship there *via the post office* is not true. Second, the best service to use from the Post Office for international shipping is called "Express Mail International". It is still called "EMS" in many other countries. The insurance amount varies depending on what country you are shipping to. The tracking for this service is about the best you can get from the Post Office. It ain't great, but it's the best they offer. You do not have to pay for the shipment online but you can still fill out the customs paperwork on line. I highly recommend this. It saves time at the Post Office as the clerk will not have to type all of the information about your shipment. It creates 5 copies of the customs form. Take all 5 with you, cut the page where they tell you to - sign and date all 5 copies. They scan a bar code on the customs forms you printed at home, and the data populates their screen. You will need to fill out the red/white/blue Express Mail label which you can get at the Post Office. This is nothing more than names and addresses. Most clerks at the Post Office will help you complete the forms. Honestly, this should not present anyone here with any difficulty whatsoever. Without question, UPS Express Saver service is the best way to go. The cost will be higher, but you get real tracking, real insurance and they deliver within 2 or 3 business days most anywhere in the world. You can create shipments on the UPS.com website and check rates. Expedited service is slightly lower cost, but can take up to a week or so to get delivery. The term "expedited" is a misnomer as the truth is that it means not-expedited. 73, Bob W5OV > Hi Ray, > > Paperwork is not the problem. If you pay for the shipment on-line you can > fill out the simple paperwork there as well. The real problems with > international shipments are cost and insurability. > > USPS is reasonable if you can ship by International First Class Mail. > Unfortunately you can't purchase insurance so this not good for an > expensive > item. You can send it as Registered which is highly reliable within the > USA > but once it leaves our air space all bets are off. I shipped a 3 pound > ebay > item (value $250) to Israel with registration and it had not arrived after > a > month. I started a trace 2 months ago and still have not heard any > results. > So I had to reimburse the buyer and if the trace comes back as lost I > "might" be able to collect a small amount of money. I'm not holding my > breath. > > You can use USPS International Priority Mail but the limit of insurance is > only $650. Not good enough for an amateur rig. And then if it isn't > delivered how easy will it be to collect the insurance??? And how long > will > it take to trace the shipment before they settle the claim??? The buyer > will > want his money back right away. > > The best USPS has to offer is Global Express Guaranteed. It has a $2500 > insurance limit. I priced up a 10 pound package to the UK with $2000 > insurance and the shipping cost is $155. > > UPS is probably the most reliable service since they have their own people > at the delivery end but the cost will be higher still. The same 10 pound > package in a 12 x 12 x 12 inch box, insured at $2000, would cost $224 to > ship to the UK. > > Is it worth the hassle when there are buyers in the US? I don't think so. > > 73, > Mike K2MK > > > Ray G3XLG wrote: >> >> I am intrigued, I've noticed that when various Elecraft rigs are offered >> for >> private sale on this forum they invariably say " Continental USA" only. >> >> Why...? >> >> We Europeans also have PayPal, Visa, Bank Transfers etc etc so what's >> the >> problem please? >> >> I just bought a kit & accessories direct from Elecraft 2 weeks ago, it >> was >> delivered within 7 days and they didn't have a problem with selling to >> Europe. >> >> Just interested . >> >> 73 >> >> Ray G3XLG >> > > > -- > View this message in context: > http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Private-Sales-of-used-Elecraft-Rigs-tp6431789p6432890.html > Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
