Least expensive international shipping from USA?

This is a question for those who actually ship DD stuff internationally from the US.

 

I'm trying to figure out what is the best/least expensive way to ship some DD body parts and don't want the shipping to be outrageous. After shipping 4 DD heads to Anouc through the USPS and having the shipping be over $60, I keep thinking that there has to be a better option.

 

Help! I'm a shipping Noob.

 

~Sister Kyoya

You could ship it using First Class International Mail instead of using EMS. I used that to ship a head to anouc and it came out to $14.90. But it's a lot slower and not as safe as EMS. But so far nothing I've shipped with that option has been lost.

I always choose USPS as a shipping method since it comes cheaper when buying from US. I've had a resin head cost me $9 once. It has never failed me (and I've bought a lot of stuff) and as long as you/the buyer gets tracking, it should be fine!

The best way to get inexpensive shipping is to make sure your box is under 4lb and less that 36" in sum total of length + width + height (yep, measure your box if you're unsure). This will allow you to use First Class International (aka airmail), which I've found to be cheap yet reliable. Stuff gets where it's going in about a week and a half.

 

Of course, the standard wisdom applies: Pack very securely so that your goods do not move around whatsoever when you shake the box, but do that in as small a box as possible and with as light of packing material as possible. It's a bit of an art in a way. The lighter and smaller your overall box can be, the cheaper shipping will be.

 

The only downside to USPS airmail is that you cannot buy insurance for it to most countries (even if you want to). I've never had a problem with it so this is a non-issue for me, but... For something completely irreplaceable, like the doll heads once they're done being repainted one-of-a-kind, you might want some insurance and that's the time that you should spring for EMS. Otherwise, First Class International is the best deal the USPS has going.

Also, keep in mind that the USPS international shipping went up as of 1/27/2013. Depending on the weight of the parcel it can be roughly $3 - $7 more to ship now than it was previously.

Thank you everyone for the replies. I think part of the confusion for me is because the USPS website is set up badly and likes to hide things. I appreciated the help.

 

~Sister Kyoya