[Milsurplus] I'd never have thunk it

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Group,

The least expensive way (aside from a friend on their way to the destination 
country) to ship stuff out of the US is USPS.  

Up to a maximum of 4.0 pounds, Letter Post is usually the cheapest.  
Sometimes Global PriMail in the small or large Flat Rate envelope is cheaper but this 
is usually only suitable for TM's and the like.  And check the fine print to 
make sure the service is available to the city and country you are sending to.  
Some countries, GPM is only available to a few major cities.  Also, Air 
Letter Post is often cheaper than Surface.  However, insurance is not allowed on 
either Letter Post or GPM.  For Insurance, you have to go with Parcel Post.  And 
again, Air is usually cheaper than surface (up to 4.0 pounds).

Beyond 4.0 pounds, Parcel Post and GPM (if available) are the only available 
services (at anything like a reasonable cost).  And Air Parcel Post is more 
expensive than Surface, not less

Don't believe the published delivery times.  Surface Parcel or Letter Post to 
Australia almost always takes 9 to 11 weeks, not the published 4 to 6.  
Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malasia, etc.) even longer.  Air may make it under the 
published times but typically takes 3 days longer  This is all apparently a 9/11 
consequence, as before that they pretty much met or bettered published.

On the plus side, in four years of shipping several International per week, 
our results are one lost, one damaged and 300+ that got through OK.  
Eventually.

In a message dated 2/17/2005 10:42:53 PM Central Standard Time, 
jonandvalerieoldenburg at att.net writes: 
> You guys have been getting screwed by someone. I just sent a  3 pound 
> parcle to Spain via air mail @ $17.50, and have done similar shipments to most of 
> Europe &Austriala &New Zeeland also. Be sure to specifie Air Post to avoid 
> the 6 to 12 week time frame of surface mail

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
<http://www.wa5cab.com> (Web Store)
<wa5cab at cs.com> (Primary email)
<wa5cab at houston.rr.com> (Backup email)