Pirate Shipping Just Simplified International Shipping For Resellers
SellerThink has done videos and written about the best shipping options for resellers, especially for those who sell on Mercari and eBay in the past.
At SellerThink there has always been a desire to explore international shipping without having to mess with eBay's Global Shipping program or the formerly failed Bonanza Global Shipping Program. That hasn't happened but a few times, mainly because of the frustrations of manually creating paperwork for Customs, etc.
A much greater desire has been to actually be able to get those ludicrous shipping prices that the US Government gives to China that allows them to ship their products on eBay for under a dollar, for something that costs a US Shipper $14.00 or more to ship to China. How America got such a sucky shipping contract for US Sellers is up to anyone's imagination, but it probably had a lot to do with lame politicians going on fancy vacations and eating in fine dining restaurants.
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While today's news will not grant you such wonderful shipping prices to export your products outside of the USA (No other country in the world, perhaps even in the Universe is stupid enough to let a few sell-out politicians make retarded trade agreements like the USA), but it may at least put a little ease and possibility into your reach.
Today, Pirate Shipping, a relatively newcomer to the online shipping options, announced its new USPS international shipping feature that allows you to ship cross border via their shipping service.
That is great news, if you ever wanted simplified shipping prices and process for conducting international shipping. Unlike China's exporters though, it's going to cost your customer a hefty penny or two compared to China, but Pirate Shippings labels prices look quite cost saving compared to other International Shipping Options. What it does for you is make the process less complicated and closer to providing you as the reseller with a more familiar and typical shipping label creation experience.
You can find out more about their new international shipping service and prices on their website at Pirate Shipping International
SellerThink like many of you, sells on multiple marketplaces like eBay, Mercari, EBlueJay, Bonanza, ECrater, Etsy, etc. Unlike Amazon who handles all of the shipping for it's FBA resellers, those of us selling on other marketplaces have to usually handle all of the shipping arrangements.
Mercari's prepaid labels are probably the simplest after Amazon. Most of these marketplaces have a someone complicated or at least intimidating feeling kind of process set-up for their international shipping; assuming that even have any information about how to ship anything at all.
Compare USPS Website's International Shipping Rates for Business at Commercial Prices and for First Class Shipping the price begins at $10.00.
Pirate Shipping rates appear to be Business Commercial Prices for First Class Packages at slightly lower rate. It's still a great deal and simplified process if you do not have, or do not want a USPS Business Account similar to SellerThink. Either way, many resellers will agree that dealing directly with the USPS website and services is often more costly and time consuming, if for no other reason than it being a US Federal Government website which functions and navigates like a government website. Not always the most intuitive, not always the easiest functionality, and finding information often hair-pulling mind numbing.
On marketplaces like EBlueJay for instance, it is assumed that resellers already have some knowledge and previous experience as a reseller. You'll have to process and prepare all of your own shipping for your EBlueJay sales, including USA shipments. That's where Shippo, Pirate Ship or PayPal Shipping comes into play, by making it easy and cost effective to create a shipping label.
This Pirate Shipping option puts shipping products from 1/2 Pound to 4 Pounds within your reach for those marketplaces. Marketplaces like EBlueJay.com, Bonanza and ECrater.com for instance offer the ability to sell internationally as well as for non-US sellers to sell on these marketplaces. For that reason, there are often more non-US shoppers browsing these marketplaces for US products. Obviously, if you do not offer international shipping, you are not going to get international sales.
SellerThink for example, once had a request on Bonanza.com to ship an electronic component for a Video Camera to Israel. The process was more hassle at the time than it was worth, especially when it came to customs, so the request was denied.
Shipping to Canada has also always been of interest, yet again, a bit of a frustration. When you are a small business with limited or no employees, you want the least amount of effort and work for your profit. If an international shipment were to take three times the work and effort as a shipment going to a US Seller, then profit wise it wouldn't be a good investment unless the profit margin was high.
For the record, SellerThink is not sponsored by any entity, nor endorsed by any entity, including Pirate Shipping. The provided information is based on a review and research of the topic being discussed, and today that happens to be Pirate Shipping International Rates. After reviewing the available information, it looks like it has a lot of potential, the prices are competitive and the process friendly enough to encourage SellerThink to suggest subscribers and followers take a peek and see if it will work for you and your online selling.
One final note that stood out, which is not a shock by any means, is the shipping time is estimated to take 1 to 3 weeks delivery. That would be something you would want to put into your shipping policy information regarding International Shipping if you decide to expand outside of the USA.