Paypal claim problem!! advice needed

[chrisballer]

Okay, I sold a gaming item to a person outside the US in Italy. I looked at my Paypal account today, and I find a claim of item not received. This is the first time I have had to deal with this so I did some reading, and found out the buyer filed a dispute first, and then Paypal sent the tracking information to him that shows I shipped it, and it made its way through the sorting facility in chicago so it was shipped. However, the buyer never attempted to contact or talk to me and even though he has seen that I shipped it he opened a claim. So my question is now what? Will they rule in his favor and I will loose the item and the money even though it shows I shipped, but does not show delivery, because it is first class mail? I am kind of pissed right now. One, because the buyer never even talked to me. Two, the buyer knows I shipped it and is still trying to get his money back. It has been 5 weeks since it has left the US.

Any advice would be helpful.

[The 1 2 P]

So my question is now what? Will they rule in his favor and I will loose the item and the money even though it shows I shipped, but does not show delivery, because it is first class mail?

Yes they will side with him and for now you will lose both the item and the money. This is why I always get tracking numbers on everything and the easiest way to do that with international items is to ship in one of the three flat rate boxes(small, medium, large) and use priority mail international. However, I did have one problem similiar to yours. Even though all my items will say shipped once I upload th tracking number they very rarely list it all the way to the other persons house when it's in another country. Earlier this year a dude in Russia said my item never arrived and Paypal sided with him and I had to give him a refund. But as it turns out he was correct. It never did arrive but I wouldn't find that out until alittle over two months later when it was finally returned to me from Russia. I even made a thread about it for losing items in the mail (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?162099-Ever-Have-Lost-Items-Mail-You-Sent-Returned-To-You).


I am kind of pissed right now. One, because the buyer never even talked to me. Two, the buyer knows I shipped it and is still trying to get his money back. It has been 5 weeks since it has left the US.

They usually never try contacting us and go right to ebay or paypal to file a claim or dispute. Unfortunately thats just how it is these days.


Any advice would be helpful.

Basically theres nothing you can do but be patient. If it really never arrived then it will eventually be returned but who knows how long that will take. Most post offices are only suppose to hold mail for 15-30 days if either A) the owner doesn't claim it and it needs a signature, B) it doesn't have a complete or valid address and needs to be sent back regardless or C) theres some sort of customs issue, either with an import tax, an item that should have been marked a certain way(liquid, hazardous, etc) or something else. Either way, if they decide not to deliver it to it's intended destination they are suppose to send it back to where it originally came from(in this case that would be you). But again, we don't know Italy's postal laws so you just need to be patient.

[Mayhem]

This is why I never ship to Italy. Or Brazil. Both countries have appalling mail services that regularly "lose" (read "steal") mail and are about as reliable as an Irish builder. The only times I've shipped to Italy are for trusted friends, and even then I insure and track it up to the eyeballs.

[Cornelius]

Yes they will side with him and for now you will lose both the item and the money. This is why I always get tracking numbers on everything and the easiest way to do that with international items is to ship in one of the three flat rate boxes(small, medium, large) and use priority mail international.

I don't have time to check right now, but I did not think Small flat rate boxes (international) had tracking. I'm not positive about that. I am certain the flat rate envelope does NOT have tracking for intl.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Italy?

Oh god. D:

[The 1 2 P]

I don't have time to check right now, but I did not think Small flat rate boxes (international) had tracking. I'm not positive about that. I am certain the flat rate envelope does NOT have tracking for intl.

When you print these labels out online they include free tracking numbers and that extends to all priority mail flat rate boxes and envelopes. But if you just get them at the post office you'd have to pay a little extra for the tracking numbers.


It never did arrive but I wouldn't find that out until alittle over two months later when it was finally returned to me from Russia

EDIT: It actually took over 4 months to be returned to me. So again to the OP you just have to be patient. It sucks but you don't really have any other choice.

[Sysop]

I was certain it was common knowledge that you should always be cautious about selling items to anyone in Italy.

[chrisballer]

I was certain it was common knowledge that you should always be cautious about selling items to anyone in Italy.

Nope, I have been doing this for a very long time, and no one ever told me not to ship there. Anyways, I know now, and will not ship there anymore. The item was not expensive so I wont be out much (trying to stay optimistic) that is about the only good thing. Thank you for the advice guys.

One last question, if I put in my Ebay auction that I am not responsible for lost items in the mail would I still lose the Paypal claim?

[theclaw]

What you need is proof of delivery. International buyers have to pay that steep price for a seller to be protected.

In fact for domestic us addresses it's mandatory in the sense that ebay's and paypal's label printing forms don't even allow creating postage without delivery confirmation where available.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Nope, I have been doing this for a very long time, and no one ever told me not to ship there. Anyways, I know now, and will not ship there anymore. The item was not expensive so I wont be out much (trying to stay optimistic) that is about the only good thing. Thank you for the advice guys.

One last question, if I put in my Ebay auction that I am not responsible for lost items in the mail would I still lose the Paypal claim?

It doesn't matter what you put in there, PayPal will side with the buyer.

And yeah. Italy. A horrible place to mail stuff to.

[The 1 2 P]

I also have never heard any horror stories about Italy until this thread but I've never shipped an item there either. I've always heard that the worse place to ship items is South America, especially Brazil. I haven't had any problems with any of the items I've sent there yet but I've noticed alot of Japanese sellers won't ship to Brazil(and other specific countries) unless they get the top postal service, which is EMS for them and it cost the most but it's also insured. If I personally sold an expensive item and the winning bidder was from Brazil(or apparently Italy) I would have it sent Global Express since they ship fast, track the item all the way to the other persons door regardless of country and it also includes insurance. The insurance is only up to a certain amount but you can always add more to it and of course you would make sure that the buyer paid for the majority of these cost, if not all of them.

[Griking]

Okay, I sold a gaming item to a person outside the US in Italy.


I've identified the problem. :(

That being said, PayPal provides seller protection for items under $250. Anything abover $250 you need signature confirmation.

[Mayhem]

One last question, if I put in my Ebay auction that I am not responsible for lost items in the mail would I still lose the Paypal claim?
Yes. According to eBay it is the seller's responsibility to deliver the item to the buyer at all stages until the buyer has the item in their possession. So if it gets lost, you as seller have to chase it up and locate it.

This is why I send anything abroad via Royal Mail Airsure, for full tracking and insurance, and probably why my seller rating for "shipping costs" is only 4.8/5 compared to 5/5 for the other three categories.

[The 1 2 P]

This is why I send anything abroad via Royal Mail Airsure, for full tracking and insurance, and probably why my seller rating for "shipping costs" is only 4.8/5 compared to 5/5 for the other three categories.

In my opinion it's still worth it. It may cost more but like you said everything is guaranteed to arrive and it's also insured.

[plasticMan]

Selling on ebay can be daunting sometimes for the aspiring entrepreneur because ebay uses paypal as the main source to receive payment. this isn't all that bad if you know a few tricks. without repeating what everyone else already said, which is very great and insightful information. i would like to add that the type of payment matters.
paypal probably won't tell you, but if the payment from the Italian customers was made with American Express then you lose automatically.
If the payment was made with any other credit card then you might have a chance provided that you respond to ebay/paypal messages quickly. the window for response is very small, something like 5 days or less - so double check that. time is critical - so reply quickly.
give the bare essentials that they ask for, such as
1. paypal/ebay member information: name, address, city, state, zip, country, phone - which is where you are required to ship with paypal
2. date you shipped and tracking number
3. shipping company and type of shipment you used: royal post, ems, priority, etc.
4. explain what you put in the carton

cross your fingers and wait for paypal support team to respond. like it has been well noted, paypal doesn't care about merchants, so don't expect win. but at least give yourself a fighting chance to make an impression. dead beat customers suck hard!

good luck to you mate.

[theclaw]

Yes. According to eBay it is the seller's responsibility to deliver the item to the buyer at all stages until the buyer has the item in their possession. So if it gets lost, you as seller have to chase it up and locate it.

This is why I send anything abroad via Royal Mail Airsure, for full tracking and insurance, and probably why my seller rating for "shipping costs" is only 4.8/5 compared to 5/5 for the other three categories.

Yeah I don't think the US post office has a comparable class in that price range. Don't we have to get expensive Priority international?

[The 1 2 P]

Yeah I don't think the US post office has a comparable class in that price range. Don't we have to get expensive Priority international?

We do have a comparable option and it's called Global Express International (https://www.usps.com/ship/express-mail-international.htm?). Normally I'll just use priority mail international but if I ever sell anything for $300 or more that has to be sent to another country I will be using GEI because they give you $100 of built in insurance that you can add to and also offer a money back guarantee for certain countries/locations. It's one of the priciest options at the post office but it's usually well worth it.

[theclaw]

Um what I meant is AFAIK it costs more to use basic tracking and insurance on an international package outgoing from the US, than outgoing from the UK. Express would cost even more than priority.

[The 1 2 P]

I'm not really sure if it cost more to ship from the US than to ship from the UK.

[wingzrow]

Never ship to Italy, never ship to brazil. Those were my two biggest black holes for mail when I still shipped internationally. Just block those countries from buying from you in the future. There should be a way to exclude them.

[Mayhem]

In my opinion it's still worth it. It may cost more but like you said everything is guaranteed to arrive and it's also insured.
Oh yeah, I wouldn't do it any other way, but when people are buying from places such as Amazon where they are used to free/low shipping costs and the potential for returns/replacements if something goes wrong, they forget that private sellers on eBay don't have those economies of scale and ability to offer such great shipping rates. In the scheme of things, I often end up undercharging slightly for shipping when sending out to the US, but I bet that doesn't get noticed. If I removed the tracking and insurance, I'd reduce the price by about a third, but I'm not going to do that.


Never ship to Italy, never ship to brazil. Those were my two biggest black holes for mail when I still shipped internationally. Just block those countries from buying from you in the future. There should be a way to exclude them.
Yes, I have those two countries (and all of Africa) registered in my blocked bidder preferences with eBay. It did work "for" me in one instance, where someone from Italy wanted to bid on an auction but I had to say I wouldn't open it up, so he got a mate in the UK to bid on it for him. Ended up pushing the price way up over what I was expecting for it. Guess he really wanted it heh. And I got peace of mind AND lower shipping costs to boot!

[chrisballer]

Next time I put a bunch of stuff up on Ebay I will look to see If I can block Italy and Brazil. Thanks for the info guys.

[chrisballer]

I don't have time to check right now, but I did not think Small flat rate boxes (international) had tracking. I'm not positive about that. I am certain the flat rate envelope does NOT have tracking for intl.

You are right I just read it on the USPS site. The USPS does no offer tracking for international Small flat rate boxes.

[Cornelius]

You are right I just read it on the USPS site. The USPS does no offer tracking for international Small flat rate boxes.

Thanks for checking, I'd forgotten about it. 1 2 P might want to take note so you don't end up unprotected!

[The 1 2 P]

You are right I just read it on the USPS site. The USPS does no offer tracking for international Small flat rate boxes.

Unless that just started today you are wrong. I have my tracking number slips I printed out from paypal.com for three small flat rate boxes I mailed on the 2nd, 11th and 16th of this month to Panama and Canada(the last two). Printing your lables online gives you free tracking numbers for flat rate boxes or envelops of any size.

[chrisballer]

Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Box
http://ircalc.usps.com/PopUps/PriorityMailSmallFlatRateBox.jpg
Size


Inside Dimensions
Outside Dimensions


8-5/8" x 5-3/8" x 1-5/8"
8-11/16" x 5- 7/16" x 1-3/4"



Product Features & Benefits
Priority Mail International is a reliable, cost-effective way to send documents and merchandise to over 190 countries.

Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Box, is a Letter-post service.

All domestic USPS-produced Priority Mail packaging can be used for international shipping.



6 to 10 average business day delivery to major destinations.
Tracking is not available for the Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Box, but is an available added service for Priority Mail International Medium or Large Flat Rate Boxes.
Insurance is not available for the Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Box, but is an available added service for Priority Mail International Medium or Large Flat Rate Boxes.
Registered Mail is available as an added service to most destinations for the Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Box.
Domestic Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box can be used for international shipping:

4 pound maximum.
Requires customs declaration form PS Form 2976.


Online shipping convenience!

Save time, ship from your home or office, and receive a price discount when you pay for and print postage online.
Order free shipping supplies at usps.com/shop.
Print your shipping labels with appropriate customs declaration form in one document, PS Form 2976-PMI or PS Form 2976-A-PMI.
Request Free Package Pickup at usps.com/pickup.



http://ircalc.usps.com/PopUps/ButtonCloseWindow.jpg



I just copy and pasted this from the USPS web site. I am not saying you are wrong, but this is what they say when I try and send to Canada online using USPS.com.

[Videogamerdaryll]

That’s only if the tracking numbers are any good=scanned by USPS..If they don't scan them any tracking number is worthless.
I have to agree,USPS is lazy with this..

Have you ever checked the tracking numbers at USPS to see if they are actually in the USPS system.

I virtually ship a package daily using Paypal shipping labes ..Paypal-Ebay offers free Tracking when you use the service,but it's only good if the package gets scanned at USPS..if the packages tracking doesn't state delivered you won't win a dispute case even if





I just got an ebay package shipped via paypal .com..with the free tracking number.well USPS never scanned it and the tracking number is still NULL ..but I got the package..(and the package has a printed out via paypal.com label with tracking number on it.

I also just got a package that was lost in January,shipped to me..it was scanned in CA but then went missing..The seller was a Prick,he told me I had to call CA and track it down..I told him,but it’s still stuck in his local post office where he dropped it off-he never responded or tried to see what happened to the package..I won that case as the package was accepted but never scanned delivered..
I am an honest person.I'd rather pay the person for the item ($5.00) but the guy was a prick,big seller of 1000s of items who did not care to help me at all so the hec k with him..he didn't respond to the dispute either.




Here’s the problem that I keep having with USPS..
I ship via Paypal.com ,Ebay packages,print out the label with free tracking..But Ebay-Paypal-USPS com don’t seem to update or know each others changed policies.

..............So I take my USPS Flat Rate Envelope with strategy guide in it..or First Class manila Envelope with strategy guide in it or USPS Flat Rate Bubbler Envelope with strategy guide in it(less then 3/4 thick) ..with Paypal.com printed out shipping label and the free paypal tracking and the clerk says everytime that the tracking number can not be scanned nor will be scanned making it (invalid in a paypal case as it will neither show acceptance or delivery.
Then the clerk hands me a Tracking slip to show me the details on the back.

So any package shipped has to be at least 3/4 thick to get scanned no matter if you are paying for tracking or using paypal.com.
I didn’t know that until the clerk told me,there has been so many times that a thin shipped package tracking just never updated,neither accepted nor delivered.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v21/Chris1/2012%20PICTURE%20ALBUM/7-24-201211834PMtravcking.jpg

[The 1 2 P]

I see your pasted page Chris and I believe thats what it says on the website but despite that it is possible to get tracking numbers on small flat rate boxes because I do it atleast twice a week by printing out my international shipping labels on paypal.

And Daryll, if you take a package to the post office that has your printed labels from ebay or paypal on them you need to ask them to scan them instead of just dropping them off. Otherwise it will delay the updates. I always make sure they scan them first before I start ringing up my local packages for domestic shipping. As for the updates, everything that I send gets updated atleast twice before it arrives but for international packages the updates become slower after the first three days of shipping.

And yes, that quater of an inch(which is how my post office explained it to me) rule is bullshit. So anything that isn't a quarter of an inch thick is too thin to get tracking unless you upgrade to priority mail. To get around this with strategy guides and especially xbox live cards/game downloads I just take a piece of cardboard and fold it over in a bowl shape and then tape it at the end. It gives the package the desired thickness. And for letters that I need tracking on I just tape the letter to an empty macaroni(or other small food) box. Also keep in mind that not every post office follows that rule exactly as it's written so sometimes I just go to another post office since I have to pass a few for my work travels.

[Videogamerdaryll]

I see your pasted page Chris and I believe thats what it says on the website but despite that it is possible to get tracking numbers on small flat rate boxes because I do it atleast twice a week by printing out my international shipping labels on paypal.

And Daryll, if you take a package to the post office that has your printed labels from ebay or paypal on them you need to ask them to scan them instead of just dropping them off. Otherwise it will delay the updates. I always make sure they scan them first before I start ringing up my local packages for domestic shipping. As for the updates, everything that I send gets updated atleast twice before it arrives but for international packages the updates become slower after the first three days of shipping.

And yes, that quater of an inch(which is how my post office explained it to me) rule is bullshit. So anything that isn't a quarter of an inch thick is too thin to get tracking unless you upgrade to priority mail. To get around this with strategy guides and especially xbox live cards/game downloads I just take a piece of cardboard and fold it over in a bowl shape and then tape it at the end. It gives the package the desired thickness. And for letters that I need tracking on I just tape the letter to an empty macaroni(or other small food) box. Also keep in mind that not every post office follows that rule exactly as it's written so sometimes I just go to another post office since I have to pass a few for my work travels.

Yup..: )
My Son is the delivery Kid..
Postal Clerk(and Supervisor) says since I print and pay online that I don't have to stand in line “if I'm dropping off...just bring the packages up (respectively)..I only have to stand in line if I want a receipt..This is great as my local post office always has 20 people plus in line with 1 teller..and other post offices are a hike.
So instead of waiting in line my Son walks in with the packages-printed label facing forward(the postal clerks all know him-us and know how much I ship daily) My Son stands back near the main table where they can clearly see him and the clerk calls him up..but since they know us they scan the packages in real quick and print out a receipt...It’s quick where I used to wait 30+ minutes in line...

But a lot of people don’t know about this service and in my town it’s a me me me..don’t cut me off....I have witnessed people come in drop off and people in the line start bitching at them..

So I go in slightly behind him,stand to the side watching my Son..
The trick is..as I told my wife,people are less to yell at a kid.they look at him and get choked up having rather take on an adult-they don’t know what to say to a kid....So for all this time,over a year now this is how we do it and no problems..Me,I’d do this one time and someone in line would come at me that I’m cutting them off or that I must stand in line,where with my temper I’m going to go through the whole details of why I don’t have to stand in line..

[Kitsune Sniper]

I just make a ball out of a used bubble mailer and stick it in the envelope. Instant 3/4" thickness. :P

[Jaruff]

I see your pasted page Chris and I believe thats what it says on the website but despite that it is possible to get tracking numbers on small flat rate boxes because I do it atleast twice a week by printing out my international shipping labels on paypal.

And Daryll, if you take a package to the post office that has your printed labels from ebay or paypal on them you need to ask them to scan them instead of just dropping them off. Otherwise it will delay the updates. I always make sure they scan them first before I start ringing up my local packages for domestic shipping. As for the updates, everything that I send gets updated atleast twice before it arrives but for international packages the updates become slower after the first three days of shipping.

And yes, that quater of an inch(which is how my post office explained it to me) rule is bullshit. So anything that isn't a quarter of an inch thick is too thin to get tracking unless you upgrade to priority mail. To get around this with strategy guides and especially xbox live cards/game downloads I just take a piece of cardboard and fold it over in a bowl shape and then tape it at the end. It gives the package the desired thickness. And for letters that I need tracking on I just tape the letter to an empty macaroni(or other small food) box. Also keep in mind that not every post office follows that rule exactly as it's written so sometimes I just go to another post office since I have to pass a few for my work travels.

I've never had a post office tell me that a package needed to be a desired thickness. I've probably used 6-8 unique ones over the years for eBay packages and I've never had a problem with that. From what I've learned, if you can get it past the front-desk worker, it usually doesn't matter what it looks like/how it's packaged/etc.

[Porksta]

I noticed ebay is going to begin making sellers contact the buyers before filing a claim. Granted, this doesn't start until February but it is a nice addition.

[Cornelius]

Unless that just started today you are wrong. I have my tracking number slips I printed out from paypal.com for three small flat rate boxes I mailed on the 2nd, 11th and 16th of this month to Panama and Canada(the last two). Printing your lables online gives you free tracking numbers for flat rate boxes or envelops of any size.


I see your pasted page Chris and I believe thats what it says on the website but despite that it is possible to get tracking numbers on small flat rate boxes because I do it atleast twice a week by printing out my international shipping labels on paypal.


I'm really curious about this, because I have avoided SFRboxes in the past for Intl. Do your Int'l packages show delivered? I rather suspect that they show tracking up to customs and then don't get any further updates, just like First-Class customs numbers show. I've never done one to check, or at least not recently.

This is the first I've heard of the thickness requirement, too. I've definitely shipped plenty of stuff thinner than 3/4", and while I don't check most packages to make sure they say delivered, I think I would have noticed one at some point. Maybe this is the same deal as The 1 2 P's flat rate boxes... It isn't supposed to get tracking but it (often, usually?) does anyway.

[Videogamerdaryll]

I've never had a post office tell me that a package needed to be a desired thickness. I've probably used 6-8 unique ones over the years for eBay packages and I've never had a problem with that. From what I've learned, if you can get it past the front-desk worker, it usually doesn't matter what it looks like/how it's packaged/etc.

Yes,I have shipped..thin packages less that 3/4 of an inch thick with this post office for over 10 years and they were scanned .. sometime last year the clerk stopped me in my tracks and said that I can't use delivery confirmation on packages that were less then 3/4 think,of course I was steamed about it and questioned it as I had never had the issue before then the clerk hands me a green D\C slip and shows me the written details of it on the back..So as they say no matter where the trackings from,paid for at USPS or paypal.com they won't scan it if the package is less then 3/4 inch think.
So now I have to make sure the packages are think,with cardboard bubble wrap or even shop rite bags..

USPS will take the package they don't care about it's thinkness..It's that they won't SCAN the tracking number if you have a tracking number printed out via paypal.com label..nor will they let you pay for it if you wanted to add delivery confirmation tracking..
..
Now I have got past this when the clerk didn't know of it(at another post office) but when the package is going along it's shipping line someone who knows about this rule may not scan it.such as when it's delivered..
Think about the arguement of this or problem:
It gets scanned at the post office when shipped but not when delivered because the delivery guy or post office it arrives at knows the rule...If a buyer says they didn't get the package because it wasn't scanned due to this rule what fight do I have with USPS when they have this rule stated on the back of DC slips..Ok,paypal doesn't tell you this but what do they care,they don't even know..

.Technically if I ship something that's less then 3/4 inch thick then I can't argue if USPS scanned it or not..

Even with USPS Flat Rate Envelopes that I've shipped that's not 3/4 thibk the clecrk has told me it won't be scanned..thus my paypal.com tracking on it is worthless.

The rule is for any package that tracking-delivery confirmation is used on.."Parcel"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v21/Chris1/2012%20PICTURE%20ALBUM/7-24-201211834PMtravcking.jpg

So any package shipped has to be at least 3/4 thick to get scanned no matter if you are paying for tracking or using paypal.com...Again some clerks may not know this but mine does and it's written on the back of DC slips..

If someone has something written by USPS that I can take to argue the point with the USPS clerk feel free to give it to me and I'll shove in thier faces..
So far all I have is what is wriiten on the back of the DC slip that they shoved in my face when i agrue the point..
It just comes down to USPS being lazy..

Yet: it gives USPS the excuse not to scan a package when the delivery guy has a thin envelope mixed in with other mail,newpapers and crap they are loaded with..


Again,it's only if the Clerk/s-delivery People know This rule..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v21/Chris1/2012%20PICTURE%20ALBUM/7-24-201211834PMtravcking.jpg

[chrisballer]

I know that we get free Delivery Confirmation when we print on Ebay and Paypal, but just so I understand 12P you are getting "tracking" when you ship Small flat rate boxes? I don't want to beat a dead horse, but some people and I am not saying you, but some confuse Delivery confirmation and tracking which are two completely different things. D/C will let you know the package has been delivered, but tracking will show you every step of the way. I totally believe you if you say that they are tracked. I just wanted to make sure that you were not mistaking it for D/C.

Chris

[The 1 2 P]

I'm really curious about this, because I have avoided SFRboxes in the past for Intl. Do your Int'l packages show delivered? I rather suspect that they show tracking up to customs and then don't get any further updates, just like First-Class customs numbers show. I've never done one to check, or at least not recently.

I just checked a couple that have already been delivered and as you described they show tracking up to customs(these are for the tracking on the small flat rate boxes). I was always under the impression that once they left the country they then got put into the other coutries system, although I have never had that confirmed and haven't had to since I've only had one package get lost in Russia and subsequently get returned alittle over 4 months later.


I know that we get free Delivery Confirmation when we print on Ebay and Paypal, but just so I understand 12P you are getting "tracking" when you ship Small flat rate boxes? I don't want to beat a dead horse, but some people and I am not saying you, but some confuse Delivery confirmation and tracking which are two completely different things. D/C will let you know the package has been delivered, but tracking will show you every step of the way. I totally believe you if you say that they are tracked. I just wanted to make sure that you were not mistaking it for D/C.

Chris

It's more like free tracking when using the international version because it will track it every step of the way....until it leaves the country. After that I'm not sure what system it's in or if it gets scanned. But what I do know is that I've been doing this for the last 10 years and haven't had any issues with it, although I never had to ship anything to Italy but I have shipped several items to Brazil over the years and have yet to run into any problems. For a complete straight shot for international shipping delivery confirmation/tracking you can always get global express. Also, you can actually get tracking on international packages that are sent via priority international at the post office. I'm not sure if that makes a difference as to how far they show updates though. I'll have to ask next time if they also stop once the package arrives at customs.

[Cornelius]

If you want to bother with it, you can go to Canada's postal site and put in your customs number or maybe the tracking number you have, and as I understand it for regular Priority Mail that's where it will show up 'delivered'. They use the same number afaik. I've never actually had to do this myself, though, so I can't say one way or another.

I don't know the answer at all, but until I see evidence otherwise, I'm going to assume that the tracking to customs that you have for your Small FRB stops at customs. It sounds identical to what happens with First-Class mail where it will report each stop up until it is handed over to customs and then the tracking stops and there is no DC. (not trying to say they claim there is or anything, I'm actually surprised they track it to the border, but they do)

It annoys me that Paypal so readily lets you ship stuff Int'l without tracking. In the US, you cannot use paypal shipping without getting tracking. For Int'l I think they should allow it, but perhaps put up a big red warning checkbox so that we know for sure if we are not protected.

[Porksta]

So is someone able to tell me which International services provide tracking and how much it is? The USPS website is no help.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Express Mail.

That's about it.

[Porksta]

Is tracking included by default? The USPS website doesn't have an option for it so I can see the cost.