Protecting yourself when shipping to Canada, Mexico, and the World.

 SELLER, Just wanted to take a little time and talk about how to secure your item when shipping to Canada, Mexico and the World.   1st let me say I have shipped all over this globe, Mexico, Brazil, Chilie, Argentina, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Korea, Singapore, Egypt, Australia,  Netherlands, and Germany.  Out of 70 packages, I have shipped,  only one of them got lost, in the mail (The one to Germany).  What is  My success?? Getting the buyers residence phone number. 

Once you get their phone number, place it on the shipping label; by having their phone number on the label, will end any confusion at the custom boarder, if a problem arries.  How I came about this information was I had to call a Canadian post office (if you think our postal service is bad, try the Canadian postal service, it gets worse) about a package that was burned in a  Canadian post office fire.  They advised me that placing a phone number on the shipping label, will get the package to the buyer with out any problems.  She also said that they have many packages that end up in the dead letter office because of problems delivering to the buyer.  However, if they had a Telephone number they could call and end the confusion.

I hope this can help take the edge off of sellers who worry about sending packages overseas and internationally.

So far (knock on Wood) I have not had a package disappear from customs since I starting doing this.  I can say that it does work.   

4/19/08 UPDATE: Had shipped out a package to Madrid, Spain.  (the buyer advised me of this) The Buyer was not home (On Vacation) when package arrived.  The Spanish Postal service, would of trashed the package, but I placed the buyers telephone number on the package, and they called him and advised the buyer the package arrived and they would hold it until they got back, from vacation. 

Update 9/10/09: Had another situation in which a package was sent to France. I placed the phone number on the shipping label. Package arrived in France, for some unknown reason there was a question about what was in the package. The customs form was affixed as well as the phone number to call the buyer.  Buyer was called, verified the package and it went on its merry way to the buyer. If the phone number was not on the package, the French customs agents would of ripped open the box and possibly destroyed the collectible inside, (Buyer advised me of this).

 Folks, if you do business with oversea buyers, (I know this seems trivial), get their PHONE NUMBER (Place it on the shipping label).  It will save you a lot of pain and Paypal disputes, in the future.  

 Believe me, I know.