Hi Wayne,
Your big box (8.6kg) is on its way and so is Lewis too.
I have a problem with that size boxes I use on both orders, because they are big they carry a lot of stuff and some of the most expensive orders sent overseas during 2015 ($5,500 worth) among 3 orders with Vape/e-cig mod blanks disappear to never be seen again.
I used the most expensive and "secure" postage option Australia Post had to offer but even that, didn't helped me at all and all I received was an AU$50 compensation for 2 of them, the third I'm yet to receive anything at all.
Someone asked me how could a box that size disappear when they have tracking, the answer is simple, if someome inside the system wants what is in the boxes, you are fried, Paypal refunds the amount paid to the buyers and I'm left with nothing.
So, why do I receive only an AU$50 compensation value when the parcel contents worth many time that...?? this is a great question and one that I avoided to comply to minimize any additional costs/charges/fees at the buyers end but that, endup being my demise and something that I had to change.
So, what do I need to do to guarantee being compensated for the parcels contents value in case in disappears because the buyer paying with Paypal, is guaranteed a full refund..???
Well, the only think that can protect me is to use a mail/postage option that offers tracking but that allow 2 other things to happen and that is, declare the correct parcel value (contents) and pay extra insurance for that value, that will be the only way Australia Post will pay me the correct value of what was lost.
However, and doing this, will possibly attract some duty/tax fees at the destination end/pick-up and that is what I have always avoided to attract but, I have no choice.
As a rule now, anything over AU$100.00 will be declared and insured, that is a considerable cost to me and that I don't think should be covered by the buyer, payments by Paypal (as I always request) will protect the buyer but it doesn't protect the seller and in my modest view, I prefer to pay from my own pocket for that extra security that in the end will only benefit me but that, does also affect the buyer if asked to pay taxes, that will depend of the minimum amounts allowed before tax which depend from country to country.
So, why am I saying all this? because I want you folks to understand the reason why I have to declare in the Customs forms, the parcel contents value and appreciate the fact that, I can't possible continue to risk losing so much money that I don't have and that, takes me some time to recover to be able to continue to do what I do.
I'm not complaining, I'm not letting some steam out, and I'm certainly not shifting blames, what I'm trying to do is to make you friends know that, I will maintain my prices low, I pay for the extra security to ensure the parcels get to their destiny because, in some way, when they disappear, is most cases some of the unique and one of a kind blanks disappear and you will never be able to enjoy them, the very reason why you purchased them, right..???
In the end, I still don't want to go through the missing parcels nightmare but this may ensure a certain piece of mind after the parcels are posted.
Cheers
George