Looking for U.S. go-between... ^__^

[Angelic-Lair]

Here's the story:
There's an item on eBay that we've had our eye on, but the seller will only ship to the U.S.
Bummer.
So, we were wondering if anyone here would be interested in receiving the package for us and then re-mailing it off to Canada.
We should be able to pay the seller ourselves (assuming they don't need a Paypal confirmed address)... but we need someone with a U.S. ship-to address to take delivery of the package.
Any takers? ^__^

[ReiTheJelly]

Sure. You know my e-mail.

[iceman57]

Here's the story:
There's an item on eBay that we've had our eye on, but the seller will only ship to the U.S.
Bummer.
So, we were wondering if anyone here would be interested in receiving the package for us and then re-mailing it off to Canada.
We should be able to pay the seller ourselves (assuming they don't need a Paypal confirmed address)... but we need someone with a U.S. ship-to address to take delivery of the package.
Any takers? ^__^

Seller from Japan only selling in Japan, I may understand due to previous 200 years of non communication with other countries. But someone not knowing that Canada is the first business partner of the USA and not shipping there is a bit weird, heh

[kathpatty]

Sure... also, if there is trouble delivering to ReiTheJelly

[Angelic-Lair]

Mission accomplished! ^__^

Thanks to everyone who offered to help! We really do appreciate it!

[ReiTheJelly]

But someone not knowing that Canada is the first business partner of the USA and not shipping there is a bit weird, heh

Many US sellers do not like having to fill out the customs forms. And often we get complaints from international buyers about "how expensive" international postage costs. Like we have any control over that?! So rather than deal with whiny buyers, many sellers just say No International Shipping. *shrugs*

[cutiebunny]

But someone not knowing that Canada is the first business partner of the USA and not shipping there is a bit weird, heh

You never know, they could have had a bad experience with shipping internationally. For example, I'd never ship to Italy unless the buyer was willing to purchase EMS simply because, without doing so, someone in the Italian postal service will take it. I've had several experiences where buyers have opted not to buy insurance and then get upset when it never arrives. You'd think Italians would know that their postal system is pretty corrupt. It's been like this for at least 50 years.


..Or, better yet, maybe the seller has some juicy story as to why they would not ship to Canada

[iceman57]

You never know, they could have had a bad experience with shipping internationally. For example, I'd never ship to Italy unless the buyer was willing to purchase EMS simply because, without doing so, someone in the Italian postal service will take it.

Latin countries are a bit more laxists. Fortunaly mug ain't everywhere in Italy, in fact I saw it for true once in Naples on the harbor (two cars meeting on a lonely place, people going out, discussing, then drove away in different directions).

(italian to confirm my local source) :
For regular post you require a specific financial code while importing goods to invoice customs, or even a document wrote "invoice" on it, falls into a invalid box and the receiver need to ring them to get the package. EMS switched at the border to an express tracked shipment, wich is on a different branch of the regular postal service. Generally the postman directly ask the receiver at home the missing amount.

[Drac of the Sharp Smiles]

I side with Rei and Cutiebunny.... First foreign buyers complain about the expense, then they REALLY don't want to pay it when they hear how much it will cost to ship internationally via an insured method. I also refuse to ship to Italy. Nothing I've sent to Italy has ever reached it's destination. Also, my sister was writing to a penpal there and only about half the letters made it. In one of the correspondences from the Italian girl she knew, the girl told us that if the postal service gets behind in delivering the mail, they burn the extra to "catch up" again. We were never able to figure out if she was kidding or not. O.o; Equally interesting, my sister's Spanish penpal said something eerily similar when we asked her why all her letters were stamped with things like "Important Documents!" I can't imagine having a postal system that bad. LOL

On the other hand, I'm guessing that the seller was probably using a speedy item listing thing and just clicked the quick-link for no foreign shipping. You have to pick through the deeper links to say "will ship to US and Canada" and they probably bother.

[iceman57]

First foreign buyers complain about the expense, then they REALLY don't want to pay it when they hear how much it will cost to ship internationally via an insured method.

$50 is not surprising at all, $30 for a premium classic shipment.
With a tracked number, you may trace packages all over the globe and open claim anytime.

I can't imagine having a postal system that bad. LOL

Sure, this is inheritance from ages. Fortunally European postal market soon open to private operator companies

[pixie_princess]

I side with Rei and Cutiebunny.... First foreign buyers complain about the expense, then they REALLY don't want to pay it when they hear how much it will cost to ship internationally via an insured method. I also refuse to ship to Italy. Nothing I've sent to Italy has ever reached it's destination. Also, my sister was writing to a penpal there and only about half the letters made it. In one of the correspondences from the Italian girl she knew, the girl told us that if the postal service gets behind in delivering the mail, they burn the extra to "catch up" again. We were never able to figure out if she was kidding or not. O.o; Equally interesting, my sister's Spanish penpal said something eerily similar when we asked her why all her letters were stamped with things like "Important Documents!" I can't imagine having a postal system that bad. LOL

On the other hand, I'm guessing that the seller was probably using a speedy item listing thing and just clicked the quick-link for no foreign shipping. You have to pick through the deeper links to say "will ship to US and Canada" and they probably bother.

Mexico is horrible about their mail. Even Religious Sisters and Monks have their packages stolen in the mail As long as things are sent Registered mail they will get there. Otherwise it's a crap-shoot. I've lost track of the amount of letters cousins have sent me (and vice versa) that became 'lost' in the mail