Pirate Ship International (Again)

I haven’t had one of these in a while but here’s what I recall doing. I uploaded the USPS tracking number off the New York label to the listing so I would get the on-time pick-up scan etc. I sent the buyer an explanatory email though because eBay will show the item delivered when it gets to New York, and the buyer will freak out when they get the “congratulations, it’s delivered!” email from eBay and of course they didn’t get it yet. IIRC, only Pirate Ship account holders can get the tracking from the AHOY number – I entered the buyer’s email address to receive updates when I bought the label and their phone number, and the Code:Paid pre-paid VAT number. I tried to upload the AHOY number to eBay but it wouldn’t recognize it.

As for customs, you enter all the customs data when you buy the label and it’s stored and transmitted electronically. The New York to foreign transit leg I believe is a consolidated shipment by DHL or someone like that but at some point I assume it gets a label for the carrier to know which house to go to, just like eBay International Standard Delivery. What’s interesting is that sometimes when shipping a one pound or less item, both eBay Int’l Standard and Pirate Ship Simple Export will print a full USPS customs label rather than it going to Kentucky or New York first, respectively. I assume it depends on where it’s going. If you go back in your Pirate Ship labels you can see the customs data you entered.

I rarely use the Pirate Ship Simple Export because you need a tolerant buyer (since they won’t get accurate tracking in eBay) even though it can be several dollars less than eBay Standard.  I just make sure to charge enough for shipping. Someone else here who uses it more may have a better method or can correct me.

<p style=”text-align: left;”>I’m pretty sure the premature delivery notification issue is resolved now.  I haven’t had a customer complaint in ages and I usually ship a few packages each week via PS.</p>
The customs info is passed to PS and they do put it in the final labeling.

One thing VERY important when using PS instead of eBay for labels is that the VAT tax information does not get passed to them.  You must enter the VAT number that is on your eBay sales record on PS, or it is possible that your customer will have to pay twice. There is a field at the bottom of the form that has a place for this.  Number starts with IM. eBay collects VAT for most countries in Europe now.

<p style=”text-align: left;”>As long as the buyer can show them that they paid it shouldn’t be a big problem.  They may have to print their receipt from eBay.  I shipped a few packages without it before I realized it and never heard anything from the buyers.</p>