Quiltingboard Forums - More than a bit concerned

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[QUOTE=Bree123;7485354]Basketman,
UPS is usually cheaper internationally than USPS.
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Please keep in mind the brokerage fees they charge the receiver.

Basketman, you've discovered the achilles heel of hand crafted... Unless you are quite famous the $$ value of the items are nill. If you think you will be famous one day, save the quilt and try to sell it then. In the mean time create from the heart. Creating for money is a soul twisting exercise.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Needles (Post 7485908)

She had family in Mexico and Peru and said after three boxes arrived empty, she now wires money for weddings, graduations, etc... Seems there is heavy corruption in many foreign countries and boxes are undone, resealed and sent on their way to be delivered.

That is true, but New Zealand does not have a reputation for lots of corruption like Mexico or Peru.

It is true that sometimes shipping, tax, insurance, customs & such can end up costing as much as the item itself but there are times where adding all that together is still a good value for the buyer. But if you'd rather stick with a local buyer, I completely understand -- that's what I do. If it's an original design, there are institutional buyers that might be interested in your quilt -- not just museums, but libraries, schools, local governments, or large corporations (especially law firms). Or you could put it up for auction. The up & downside of doing that is that institutional buyers will typically have their own appraiser look at the quilt to determine its retail value. It may mean more money if you were previously undercharging, or it could mean less if you found a buyer with an emotional attachment to the quilt. In any case, it's certainly a major honor to have your quilt hanging in at an institution even if you have to take a hit on the price.

I agree with Janet. Insuring through USPS is a joke. If you have home/auto/life/disability insurance, discuss the cost and feasibility of a rider with your agent. I think it would be way more affordable, not to mention easier to collect on a claim, should such a disaster happen.