I offer free worldwide shipping in my Etsy shop. I used to be afraid to ship anywhere but the US. Boy, have I come a long way. Just today I heard from my customer in South Korea, who got her shipment from me eight days after I sent it. Last week, one of my customers in Australia received his order after only four days. That’s astounding, considering it takes at least that long sometimes for a letter to make it from one side of the US to the other.
I hear from handmade artisans all the time who say they only ship within their country. I live in the USA, so this blog post is coming from my perspective as an American jewelry maker. I have no problem with shipping my jewelry all around the world. When I first started on Etsy, I was apprehensive about shipping outside the US. No one makes it really clear exactly how to ship a package to another country, and I didn’t want to risk losing my product simply because I didn’t know what the rules were.
So I’m here to tell you that shipping from the US to other countries is easy and economical. The first ounce, via First Class International (package rate), is only $1.44. I’m lucky because the vast majority of my orders are under an ounce. Here’s how to ship a parcel via First Class International:
1. Pack your item as usual but include a slip of paper with your return address in case something happens to the envelope or box. I’ve never had anything untoward happen, but just in case, it may help your item make its way back to you.
2. Tape the outside of your package very securely. I ship in an envelope and tape the entire outer surface to make it more durable and at least somewhat waterproof. If you’re going to do this, make sure you address the envelope, including your return address, before you cover it with tape. If you use a box, tape all the corners and seams very securely.
3. When you address your parcel, make sure you copy the address exactly as it is listed on your Etsy receipt, and make sure you write the country name under the address. Write USA under your return address as well.
4. Fill out customs form 2976, for orders that are valued under $400 USD. For orders over that amount, use form 2976-A. There are two parts to the form. One part goes on the outside of the package, and the other part stays at the post office on file. You can fill out a customs form online and print it at home (http://webapps.usps.com/customsforms/) or pick one up at the post office. If you fill it out at home, you can tape the customs form onto your package so it is not obscuring the address. Make sure the form is flat and smooth so the bar code gets scanned correctly.
5. If you have a scale at home you can weigh your package and put your own postage on. First Class International (package rate) starts at $1.44 for the first ounce. Or you can take it to the PO and have them weigh it for you. To find out exactly what your postage will cost, you can visit the USPS postage calculator.
6. Some countries may have restrictions on shipping your type of item. Many countries bar the shipping of precious metals like gold and precious gems like diamonds. My jewelry is not considered “fine” jewelry (although I think it’s just fine), and so has never had a problem making it through customs. When you fill out your customs form, be honest about what your item is, but also be wise. Instead of writing “fine artisan jewelry” on my customs forms, I write “handmade fashion accessory”. Both may be true, but the second is probably a lot less likely to invite closer inspection. To check various restrictions, take a look at the USPS’s Index of Countries and Localities.
7. Make sure the postal worker scans your customs form and prints you out a receipt. This gives you at least some proof of mailing, since First Class International mail doesn’t carry delivery confirmation. Additionally, you can pass the customs form number, which should be printed on your receipt, to your customer, and they may be able to use the number in their country to check on the package if it gets held up in customs. You can also look up the customs form number at the USPS website and it will show that the package was accepted at the post office on a certain time and date.
8. If you’re going to ship internationally, make sure you have noted in your shop policies what your customer can expect. First Class International carries no delivery guarantees and makes no promises about a delivery time frame. Your customer should be prepared to wait several weeks for their delivery, even though most of the time it will be sooner than that. Make sure your customer knows that if they need their item by a certain date, they’ll need to upgrade their shipping, and that most of the time that carries a very greatly increased cost.
Stay in touch with your customer – email them when you ship, and ask them to let you know when the package arrives. Reassure them if they’re getting nervous – my South Korea client had emailed me just yesterday wondering where her package was. I sent her the customs form number and let her know that she needn’t worry yet.
Of course, if you ship internationally long enough, you’re bound to have an “incident,” just as you will if you only ship within the US. Plan for that, and count it as part of the cost of doing business. I hate to think of all the sales that I would have missed out on if I felt it was too risky to ship my silver jewelry all over the world. The benefits have far outweighed the risks. And they will for you too. So give it a shot!
Copper Hinged Hoops $32
