does anyone know what it costs to ship overseas? a flat box? a squishy? priority? slow boat to china?

i know the post office is the really cheapest of all, but how? please p.m.

Just check with the rules and regulations. Over here in Aus if the post office can make a cube out of your parcel it costs more than if it has round corners or is a weird shape.

To china, I have no clue, but it costs me about $40 to ship a Flat Rate to Spain, if that's any help to you. If you use any other box than the flat rate, it will cost a TON more.

Izy might be able to give you the exact price if she still has the box I sent to her.

I just did a search...go here http://ircalc.usps.gov/
You can calculate the price.

I use http://postcalc.usps.gov/ when shipping things I sold on Ebay. Just put in the country, weight of item, etc. Usually you can also purchase the label online.

I have bought 3.5yard of flannel from USA with priority mail international flat rate. It was USD12 to come to Japan. The man in the shop told it was all they could fit in the flat rate envelope.

Definetly use the Flat Rate envelopes or boxes. I ship to the UK for the International Round Robins...be very sure that you fill out the Customs Forms correctly...it could cost big on the "other" end for they to get the package if you don't. :cry:

sanpat, when you say 'flat rate box' do you mean the one that's about 3" - 4" high? does it matter where it goes, like australia or new zealand? and can you squeeze in as much as you can load?

With the flat rate box its doesn't go by weight , so you stuff the box supposedly. A little known fact is that if the box weighs less then 4 lbs you can ship it out as a letter which saves a ton even if it is a box. Also when we ship out international we have found that to ship out priority without regard to box size is cheaper then if we put a box size in our manifest. The company I work for ships worldwide and we have never had a box returned for more postage
Sharon

Here's the website for U.S. Post Office international flat rate information:

http://www.usps.com/international/pr...ernational.htm

I have not shipped internationally this way. I clicked on "rates" at this website and see that there are weight limitations on each size of box. If you click on "supplies" you will see what the different flat rate containers look like and what the dimensions are.

For flat rate shipping within the U.S., I do not think there are any weight limitations; it's just whatever you can stuff inside the envelope or box. The boxes are free; you can pick them up at the post office. You are not charged the flat rate until you bring the box to the post office to mail.

I think that the problem with shipping fabric from the U.S. to other countries is not so much in the price of the shipping, as that tends to be fairly reasonable, but more in the tax the receiving country charges. To ship internationally, you have to fill out a customs form. If you are shipping fabric to Canada or the U.K., for example, the person receiving the shipment may be required to pay fairly high taxes on it (VAT?). I have shipped a few packages abroad that were gifts, and don't think anyone was charged tax on them because they were labeled as gifts, but you have to be careful about the amount. The only thing I shipped that was worth more than $80 or so were family photos.

thanks. that is very helpful info. i have now bookmarked it. can you claim that fabric is a gift if it is? how do you prove that? by enclosing a gift card?
do they take your word for it? huh?