posted on January 5, 2005 07:09:10 PM
In the 2+ years that I've been selling on ebay, I have not yet had a customer from Mexico. Well, I got one who paid very promptly and wanted me to make sure the item was insured. He said that it was very important.
Upon going to the Post Office, the clerk tells me that they do not offer insurance to Mexico as most of the packages never get out of the Post Office down there! I asked if it was like sending to South America and he said it was much worse. He said more than half of the packages disappear! That surely must be an exageration, right? I asked him if registering it would work and he said yes, that was much better than sending it regularly. What does registering it have to do with it not being stolen? Forgive my ignorance, but does that mean that someone has to show an ID to get the package? And if the packages get stolen in the Post Office, then what good is any attempt at detering theft?
I sent the package anyway (registered) and put $5.00 value even though it sold for much more and I guess I'll just hope for the best. I send to Italy, South America and even Asia quite frequently and never encounter problems. Does anyone have any experience with Mexico? It can't be THAT bad, can it??? Should this have gone UPS or something? Did I make a big mistake?
posted on January 5, 2005 07:57:21 PM
Since I've been selling I have shipped two items to Mexico.
Sent through the P.O.
Items got delivered in just a couple days.
Customers were happy.
And I'll add both items were oversized packages, still no problems!
posted on January 5, 2005 08:52:48 PM
I had my first customer from Mexico in early December. I sent it via USPS air mail and it made it in a week. You here about horror stories, but maybe things are getting better there. I guess time will tell.
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Alive in 2005
posted on January 5, 2005 09:06:31 PM
You can insure a package by sending it global express. Your Postal clerk was correct. The dissapearance rate in many areas is more than 50%. I have several friends from Mexico that ship items on a regular basis to their families down there and about half the time, it dissapears in the mail. The blatant theft is not your main worry. Customs can be the real headache. They have complete freedom to assess extra fees or confiscate any item in which there is the slightest suspicion about the accuracy of the customs declaration or the nature of the goods being shipped. I would be very worried about your customer receiving his item after entering a false declaration of value on the customs form.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on January 5, 2005 09:14:42 PM
I think it depends on where you ship to. I can tell you a couple horror stories about shipping things down to friends and them encountering "customs" charges that were greater than the value of the shipment but then for each one of those there have been dozens that went off wihout a hitch. I have started using UPS when shipping packages though just to be sure.
Want to see a real nightmare... you should see some of what happens to packages sent from within Mexico to the border cities. I have seen shipments of boots with all of the heels cut off and beautiful carvings and sculptures broken into pieces by agents looking for drugs.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on January 6, 2005 06:23:26 AM
You asked what is the big deal about registered mail?
If the mexican post office operates like us in regards to registered mail,then it is logged in at every station which handles the mail,each person who comes into contact with it has to signed the paper,so there is good paper trails.
Jewelers ,goldcoin dealers all prefer registered mail for this reason
-sig file -------Life is one big happy 'All You Can Eat' buffet .
posted on January 6, 2005 08:55:20 AM
Thanks for the comments and the info. I did use the paper tape like Tom says- the Postal clerk did it for me. I declared a lesser amount because there is no way for anyone to tell what the item is worth- it's a record and could easily have sold for $5.00. I don't usually lie for customs, though.
