Need advice on pin trade with trader outside USA

[kaeoboy]

I need some help/advice. I'm sure it's been done before, except as a newbie, I have no idea where to start.

I got a request to trade a pin with someone in Japan. Do you have any advice on how to mail them the pin? Are there customs forms that need to be filled out?

Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.


Lee

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

I have been trading with Japanese pin collectors almost since my first internet trade.

Pack your pin in the same protective manner that you would for a domestic trade.

You can mail your pin 1st class in a standard bubble envelope and it will probably cost about $1.75, and take 7-14 days to get there.

If you want to get it there faster, you can put your protected pins into a small global priority flat rate envelope for $5.00, and it will get there in 3-5 days. (There is also a large flat rate envelope, 8.5 x 11 inches, which costs $9.00. I've never needed one this large for a pin trade. I've sent as many as 8 to 10 pins in the small envelope.) The envelopes are available, free of charge, at any post office.

Insurance for either method is extra and starts at $1.10 for up to $50.

For either method, you need a customs form, USPS form 2976, available at any post office.

For convenience, I keep some of these envelopes and customs form at home with my packing supplies.

My own preferences:

I try to stick to multi-pin trades with Japanese partners -- three or more pins at a time.

I then feel it is more than worth it to send the pins in the global priority flat rate envelope.

My theory? I think the foreign postal services recognize our special class envelopes and treat them a little more carefully. (Our global priority and global express envelopes are incredibly similar.) I have no proof, but it makes me feel that my package is more likely to get where it's going.

 

[Dom13]

Hi Lee,

You would package the pin as you would any other pin for trade. You have to fill out a custom form, It is a small green form that asks what you are sending, it's retail value (original price) and the sender and receivers name and address. It also asks you if it is a gift, merchandise and something else. This gets confusing. Most postal clerks have told me to check gift, but most are as unsure as I am!! I still ask every time as I'm hoping someone will have a solid answer for me. I just mailed out 3 good size pins to Japan and it cost me $2.60 air mail. Insurance is expensive on air mail and the ground/sea route can take as long as 6 weeks!! So I usually just take the chance. So far so good.

Good luck!