Ship Books Overseas
Shipping something overseas is more complicated than doing it domestically; however, the rise in the global economy has bred more options for mailing abroad. If you plan to ship books overseas, you may worry that they are too heavy and will cost too much if they are mailed by weight. The United States Postal Service (USPS) and a number of shipping companies can provide a book shipping service at a lower rate than regular post. It is important to decide how quickly the books must reach their destination and if you want to send anything along with them. This article will tell you how to ship books overseas.
Contents
Steps
Ship Books Using USPS
- Ship books from the United States to another country through the Airmail bag system. Using this option, you would be able to send printed matter overseas as long as they weighed between 11 and 66 lbs. (5 to 30 kg). The price would be significantly cheaper than standard overseas mail; however, the price does depend upon the country of receipt.
- Call your local post office to ensure that they carry M-bags. If not, you may be able to request an M-bag at another post office or through the USPS website.
- Wrap each book individually. Wrap it in a waterproof plastic sack, then in bubble wrap, and, finally, in an individual box. Extra care should be taken with hardcover books to ensure that they don't move around in the box. Each book that you send via the M-bag cannot be more than 4 lbs. (1.8 kg).
- Address each box to the single addressee and include a return address. The M-bag can only be used to send books to 1 addressee. Make sure the address is clearly written. The post office will later mark "Postage Paid" on each individual box.
- Place all of your books inside the M-bag. Weigh the bag to ensure they are no more than 66 lbs. (30 kg), including the weight of the sack. You can send more than 1 M-bag, and they will be marked as a fraction. For example, the first M-bag would be "1/2" and the second would be "2/2."
- Complete the M-bag tag and the customs form. Affix the M-bag tag to the sack. Bring your M-bag to a USPS office. It will be weighed and you will be given the option of International Priority Airmail or International Surface Air. Surface Air will be the slower and less expensive option. The price will depend upon the USPS zone number of the addressee's country.
- Delivery will take 4 to 6 weeks.
- The International priority Mail (IPA) M-bag and the International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) M-bags are commercial services, meaning individuals can't use those service. For an individual, Airmail M-bag is the only option and more expensive than IPA and ISAL M-bags.
- Ship a large amount of books by crate or cargo. A number of ships offer "Less than Container Loads" (LCL) inside cargo containers. Find companies in the phone book or online.
- Weigh and measure your book boxes in advance, in order to get an idea of the dimensions of the boxes. You will need these numbers in order to get accurate quotes from companies.
Ship Books Using a Cargo Service
- Get a number of quotes from different shippers. Depending upon the country that you are shipping to, the prices may differ. Seven Seas Worldwide and AbleCargo.com are companies that provide online quotes. Go to the Better Business Bureau website to make sure the company is reputable, before choosing a carrier.
- Large numbers of boxes will qualify for a crate or a pallet. A pallet is cheaper, because it is large and consists of boxes wrapped in plastic. A crate is smaller, can be more expensive and provides more protection for your belongings.
- Wrap your books in plastic sacks and bubble wrap. Place them in sturdy cardboard boxes with plenty of padding. Take them to the drop off center, unless the company includes pick up services. The load will be weighed and the price may change depending upon the accuracy of your original quoted dimensions.
- Delivery will depend upon the country and company. In general, it will take more than 1 month. An LCL may be the best option if you intend to send more than just books.
Tips
- According to the USPS website, the M-bag "can include printed material � any type of paper with words, letters, character, figures, or images." It can include informational pamphlets, as long as it is not indicative of a sale. Sold books are required to pay duties.
Warnings
- Do not send any letters or invoices along with your Airmail M-bag. This is against USPS policy and will disqualify you from being able to use the M-bag.
Things You'll Need
- USPS Airmail M-bag
- M-bag tag
- Book boxes
- Plastic sacks
- Bubble wrap
- Customs form
- Phone
- USPS office
- Pen or marker
- Large cardboard box
- Less than Container Load quote
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