Shipping to S. Africa is hit and miss

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OKLAHOMAN

OKLAHOMAN

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Joined
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On September 11th I shipped out a small flat rate box to a customer in South Africa. After about 6 weeks and the customer did not receive it I shipped out a replacement order. Today almost 10 months to the day I received the original package back, no reason just an Elvis Presely "Return to sender" hand writen on the box. :confused:
 
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Whats strange is the second package had the same exact address and made it through, but even thought the address was clear on the package it must of sat in customs and they decided not to forward it to the customer but send it back to the US...
 
Well to add to that Roy, I have sent two packages to the US, one was returned (opened and one of the 4 items removed) and the other did not. Both were the same contents and address.

The one that was returned had made it to the US as it had a US customs tape/sticker on it.

Yesterday I sent the thrid one off and the lady at the post office thought the address was in the Western Cape of South Africa (Cape Town area) and I had to explain to her that this parcel had to go on a big metal machine and travel many moons to get to its destination - I may still get this one back!!!
 
I've only lost an item going to Brazil - and I think it got stolen somewhere along the lines - a Montblanc 146. About 7 weeks after the sale, and about 2 weeks too late for paypal to force a refund (thank goodness as the money was long spent) she emailed me asking about her pen.

So I won't ship to Brazil, Italy, and sounds like anywhere to Africa. :eek:
 
I shipped to Brazil twice.2 seperate customers and got burnt both times.
I stopped international shipping altogether.Not worth the hassell...
 
I too stopped shipping abroad. I ship to Canada and USA. To me it doesnt make sense to make a few hundred on packages that do make it, only to loose that money on stolen items that do not make it. I would worry every time I sent something on the other side of the world. Now I don't worry anymore.
 
watch_art said:
I've only lost an item going to Brazil - and I think it got stolen somewhere along the lines - a Montblanc 146. About 7 weeks after the sale, and about 2 weeks too late for paypal to force a refund (thank goodness as the money was long spent) she emailed me asking about her pen.

So I won't ship to Brazil, Italy, and sounds like anywhere to Africa. :eek:
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corian king said:
I shipped to Brazil twice.2 seperate customers and got burnt both times.
I stopped international shipping altogether.Not worth the hassell...
Click to expand...

Ruby pen turning said:
I too stopped shipping abroad. I ship to Canada and USA. To me it doesnt make sense to make a few hundred on packages that do make it, only to loose that money on stolen items that do not make it. I would worry every time I sent something on the other side of the world. Now I don't worry anymore.
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The customer takes the risk if its not insured. Thats the basis on which I do business. I know most of you folk expect the shipper to carry the burden of undelivered goods buts thats just plain unfair.

If I purchase from you and ask you to insure it and send it surface mail or airmail, as the case may be, then once you have fulfilled your obligation, thats it. If it doesnt arrive you should assist the client with the insurance claim but I dont think you should be held responsible for something thats out of your hands.

I would most certainly never consider placing a claim with paypal to have the money returned to me unless I suspected you hadn't posted it and couldn't prove that you had posted it. That just wouldn't be cricket ol chap!

In essence, what I'm saying is, don't refuse shipment to us poor blokes across the pond, just make sure we understand that shipping losses are for OUR account and not yours!
 
I hate to say this, BUT on regular shipping to retail customers, I charge a bit extra, I charge 7.50 for small F.R B Small Flat Rate Box, or envelope,. This is my insurance fund. If something gets lost, I replace it.
I ship a lot to Australia, Canada, Singapore, Norway, UK. still waiting to ship a tool to Russia, sent several to China, and Japan, and actually have less problems with over seas shipping than shipping in the US. But there are places I won't ship too, and India and Iraq head the list.
 
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I charge a flat rate to ship in the US and another to ship overseas, On overseas orders that my cost is much less than I charge I refund the difference . I've shipped to most European countries, China, Japan, UK, Canada, South Africa, Mexico and a few South American countries. The only problems I've had so far have been with South Africa and one in Italy. All I've had proof of shipping but I've replaced them on my dime, it's just good customer service. This one in SA was just a surprise that it got returned after 10 months with no explanation. I honestly think that insured overseas shipping is a waste of the customers money as I always get proof of shipping and a tracking # while the package is in the US, after it departs the US it can't be tracked and even with insurance in most countries it can't be tracked.
 
watch_art said:
I've only lost an item going to Brazil - and I think it got stolen somewhere along the lines - a Montblanc 146. About 7 weeks after the sale, and about 2 weeks too late for paypal to force a refund (thank goodness as the money was long spent) she emailed me asking about her pen.

So I won't ship to Brazil, Italy, and sounds like anywhere to Africa. :eek:
Click to expand...

corian king said:
I shipped to Brazil twice.2 seperate customers and got burnt both times.
I stopped international shipping altogether.Not worth the hassell...
Click to expand...

Only 2 things I've ever lost shipping to Brazil was a crate 6' x 4' x 8' open slat crate weighing about 6,000 lbs with a commercial paper cutter being shipped to an Alphagraphics store in Sao Paulo... never heard from the customer about not getting his cutter, but the air carrier listed it as "lost" in their warehouse and never could give me a delivery confirmation....
Other items was a gear drive shipped to a mining company in one of the outlying cities... when the box landed in Sao Paulo, learned that my warehouse had re-used a box that was built for a battery for a company in another part of the world, the repainted the box, remarked it, etc, but forgot to take the battery out and repack the gear drive... because a hazardous material arrived without proper documentation, customs would not allow the freight to be shipped back out of Brazil... it's probably still in customs warehouse in Sao Paulo... we had to buy another battery and ship it to the right destination, plus reship the gear drive at our expense....

Never lost anything into South Africa, but have had difficulties with the customs people there... at one company I worked for we specialized in shipping hazardous materials... we had a shipment of about 2000 lbs of oil field explosives... small shaped charges that fit in a downhole gun to fracture a well... I had no problem getting permits and shipping the charges... but they would not accept the detonation cord... I filed permits, called agents, called the trade ministry and could not get permission to ship the det cord.... finally shipped to the consignee in Zimbabwe and they figured a way to get the cord to the well head.
 
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