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mybadhabit

International Postage Rates

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I just got back from the Post Office and had a huge surprise while there. Two weeks ago I mailed packages to Scottland and Canada and it cost me like $7, today I mailed them to the same address and it cost me $17, a wee bit of sticker shock. I was then told international postage rates went up as of January 27. Just a little info for those of you that swap from overseas, double check your rates before jumping in, it just got really expensive to send anything outside the USA. I think it is a shame that the post office would double rates to ship outside the states, a rate hike maybe, but double the cost is just outlandish.

 

Blane

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#1 reason i stay in the lower 48 states along with customs

 

big changes are coming from the usps. no more letters being delivered on saturdays

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Ya, I know how that works, Had a couple of reel seat orders quoted and billed in Jan, got them filled and shipped This month, International small flat rate box went fron 17.95 to 23.95. Sort of dips into the profit margin, but still shipped at the quoted rate even though they were willing to ante up the difference.

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I see no reason to limit a swap to lower 48. Ive met and swapped with many tyers in other countries that a fantastic and would be a shame not to swap with. Regardless of the price Ive never had an issue with the international tyer not paying enough. Just had a swap and shipped flies to 3 countries without an issue. Just my $.02

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The thing is though, is that it is almost cost prohibitive for out-of-country swappers to take part, one of the swappers in our group has to pony up $20 for round trip postage, that's freakin crazy. It puts a serious dent in the process, I don't know why the rates had to jump so much, it doubled in cost to ship things, what's that gonna do to the mail in general, I mean all the cost may be enough to make US companies go to another shipping company, where's that leave the USPS?

 

Blane

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The thing is though, is that it is almost cost prohibitive for out-of-country swappers to take part, one of the swappers in our group has to pony up $20 for round trip postage, that's freakin crazy. It puts a serious dent in the process, I don't know why the rates had to jump so much, it doubled in cost to ship things, what's that gonna do to the mail in general, I mean all the cost may be enough to make US companies go to another shipping company, where's that leave the USPS?

 

Blane

Fly fishing isn't cost effective, period. Blane, swapping for me has never been about getting flies cheaply, but about getting to see the craft of other tyers from all over and I don't mind paying the cost for that. As for postal rates, Canada has had double your rates for as long as I can remember, you just have to look at this another aspect to an already fairly expensive hobby.

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please dont twist my words. i NEVER said i dont like international swappers.

 

it is my personal preference to participate in fly swaps that are in the lower 48.

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For you, as a swapper, you don't mind paying the (high) round-trip postage. For me, as a SwapMeister - it makes it harder to 'trade a few extra flies for return postage' - which we often resort to because it is also hard/costly for the swapper to actually pay for the return postage. And remember IRC's don't work here anymore, at least not everywhere.

 

I will be(come) much less willing to accept extra flies for postage because the minimum international postage is almost $10. It will take more than a few flies for it to be worth it to me (as SM). I like to conduct the swaps partly because I don't have to pay shipping either way (which comes to about $4.50 total. It used to be that one first class international shipment was about $5-$6 depending on destination. So by allowing one international swapper to reimburse me with a couple flies, it was amost a wash.

 

On the other hand, if the international swapper really wants to swap (as you do), then it starts to become easier for that swapper to procure $10 or $20US bills to include in their shipment of flies to the SM. I say 'easier', but perhaps more cost-effective because exchanging small amounts of money is ridiculously costly.

 

In any case, I agree that it is becoming more and more coslty for international swapper. The USPS is under no obligation to make our swaps cost-effective... but my new policy as SM is 'you must find a way to pay your return postage in US$'.

 

Jimboha!

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Canada is tough...our postage is not only high, but it costs more to ship a small parcel to a neighbouring town than it does to ship the same parcel to the US, the UK, or Australia (something the size and weight of a good-sized pocketbook runs about $12 for all these options).

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please dont twist my words. i NEVER said i dont like international swappers.

 

it is my personal preference to participate in fly swaps that are in the lower 48.

Blane, I NEVER said you didn't like international swappers. Sorry you took my post to be "twisting" your words, I was trying to point out to you and others reading this thread, that for me the cost is not the most important factor in swapping. No slight to you or to your preferences in who or where you swap.

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