Don't Get Burned on eBay

Chapter 4. Don’t Get Burned on Shipping

So your widget is ready to go. Everything’s nice and secure. You’ve used a good sturdy box and enough packing peanuts to simulate a Minneapolis snowstorm. Well done!

Now what?

Unless you’re in dire need of frequent flyer miles and are planning to deliver the item in person, the next step is selecting a shipping service. And they aren’t created equally.

For example, only one carrier accepts items sent to P.O. boxes. Another is best for lightweight items. One in particular charges international customers exorbitant fees for the privilege of delivery. There’s a certain carrier that insists on a signature for any item delivered to an apartment building. All will be revealed in this chapter!

Other considerations: should insurance be purchased? Can the item be sent via air? What prohibitions do some foreign countries have against certain items?

Confused yet?

Well, don’t be. It’s a lot to remember but it’s not as bad as it sounds and some details are pertinent only under rare circumstances.

I mean, how often will you want to ship chrysanthemums to Latvia, dried milk to Denmark, or underwear to Peru?

Assuming you just said “never” (and I really hope you did), you’ll be able to absorb what’s necessary from this chapter and refer back to the minutiae when necessary.

As your eighth-grade Social Studies teacher used to say, “It won’t be on the test.”

Pros and Cons of the Major Shippers

Dozens (if not hundreds) of shipping services exist, but for the purposes of ...