Cheapest method to sending LPs Internationally?

[corbet]

I decided to clean up my collection a bit and I'm having some issues. The person I sold an LP to lives in Australia and says that normally LPs sent to him cost $15 in shipping charges. I took a normal LP mailer box to the local US Post Office and the lady measured it and send it could not be sent 1st class, only priority. Price: $26!

Are there any tricks to getting the shipping down? I tried flattening the thickness of the box but it didn't really make it any smaller.

Maybe someone who ships international records can give me some advice?

[aws]

i live in New Zealand and i normally pay $10-15 for a LP

[impact]

depends where to.

i usually do it firstclass airmail and have never had problems at all and ive send stuff all around the world.

[kyle]

I just mailed an LP via first class to the UK. Thats pretty stupid that they told you first class isn't an option.

[mattisr1984]

unless it weighs over 4 lbs, you shouldnt have a problem sending it first class international. im pretty sure the box would need to be considerably large for them to automatically bump it up to priority international. i mean, were only talking about 1 record here right? i say bring it to another post office and see what they say. doesnt sound right to me what they told you.

also, is this a contract unit (ie, like a post office in a hallmark/card shop or something)?. if so, i recommend not going to those because they do charge you more and generally are not nearly as knowledgeable about postal standards as regular post office employees. i had some dude at a contract unit tell me it was going to cost me 19 dollars to ship a 10"! i brought it to the regular post office... 9 bucks.

[corbet]

I went to the actual post office, the lady first said it would be first class but then she got a tape measure out and measured the box. It's just 1 LP. I really don't wanna question her about it, should I just say something like, "I've shipped the exact kind of box before 1st class," or something?

[minty]

U.K to U.S costs me £4.92, and only takes about 5 days to arrive. I just go to the Post Office to send stuff.

[inutil]

People always send me stuff via First Class. It always works fine for me.

[degausser]

It depends, from ebay, sometimes its like $7 dollars, and it comes to me in about 2 - 3 weeks. Or its $15 and comes like a week earlier, and even sometimes its like $25 and comes in like a month +.

I would say around 10 - 15 dollars for 1 single lp to ship to australia (sometimes first class, more standard.), buy an LP mailer but some bubble wrap with the lp, and your fine. or you can buy the cheapy bags that are plasticly stick some cardboard in it to protect the record and bubble wrap. thats probably cheapier.

[chiefwahoo]

Here's the dimension maximums for Australia:

Max. length 24", Max. length, height, depth combined 36"

In fact, here's the link to the USPS page.

http://ircalc.usps.gov/IntlMailServices.aspx?Country=10013&M=2&P=2&O=0&sd=0

If it's a standard mailer, you're nowhere near the maximum of 36 inches. They're wrong

[stefan]

Go back to post office as if you didn't go first time. Make sure your customs forms are filled out and ready to go. If there's a problem, tell them you always send these boxes internationally via first class.

[Guest Admin]

I went to the actual post office, the lady first said it would be first class but then she got a tape measure out and measured the box. It's just 1 LP. I really don't wanna question her about it, should I just say something like, "I've shipped the exact kind of box before 1st class," or something?

definitely question the postal worker. We send LPs to new zealand and australia all the time and like someone else noted unless it is 24 inches long and /or over 4 pounds, you can ship it international first class. that sucks.

[xfedaykinx]

try going to a different post office. some clerks are more postal-nazis than others.

[celebdeath]

I decided to clean up my collection a bit and I'm having some issues. The person I sold an LP to lives in Australia and says that normally LPs sent to him cost $15 in shipping charges. I took a normal LP mailer box to the local US Post Office and the lady measured it and send it could not be sent 1st class, only priority. Price: $26!

Are there any tricks to getting the shipping down? I tried flattening the thickness of the box but it didn't really make it any smaller.

Maybe someone who ships international records can give me some advice?

every record i get sent from the states to the uk gets sent international first class coz priority costs too much. the post office lady shouldve known that

[simco]

A lot of tellers are idiots. Just go back and talk to another tone.

[xlovecolouredx]

for me,

shipping from the states to bangkok,thailand by first class int'l for 1 lp is 11-13.00 usd is a good deal.

add 2.5-3.5 usd for the additional items.

i always use this rate for reference.

and shipping require on vc store is very fair....

[thischarmingham]

The lady at the post office is both right and wrong. There are some new rules for first class mail. As in these came in about two months or so ago. I've actually seen the cardboard cutout/info measuring deal they hand to employees detailing the rules. They're very specific about size and the cut off is definitly less than the size of an LP mailer for domestic first class. These rules don't appear to apply to International though. I'm at the post office up to 4 times a week and I ship LP's internationally every time with out an issue. Can't slip one by domestically though. I'd try a different post office or asking to speak to a supervisor for clarification. I'd go in specifically to ask about it though without doing any mailings. You don't want to look like a dick. Post Office people totally hold that stuff against you.