Stamps.com recently participated in a webinar for the Top Rated Seller Webinar series, a monthly webinar that focuses on helping eBay sellers expand sales.  The October topic was “Best Practices for International Shipping” and it featured Bryan Goodman and Jason Smith from ThriftingWithTheBoys.com. If you missed the webinar, watch the recording below.

Here are the top questions and answers from the webinar:

#1  What is the best shipping option to Alaska & Hawaii? While carriers like FedEx and UPS charge additional fees to mail to Alaska and Hawaii, the USPS mails to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam and other U.S. territories for the same cost of domestic postage.   So if you live in Dallas and need to send a package to Alaska, it is the same price as sending a package to Houston.  (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#2  Why doesn’t Mexico order anything from me? I have the country turned on, yet I never get any sales – is there a way to get listed better in search? Mexico has never been a great one for sales for me, only a few here and there. Not sure it is worth the time and effort to market there.  Better to concentrate on getting sales everywhere.  Perhaps use of social media targeting Mexico might improve visibility.   (Bryan/Jason – ThriftingWithTheBoys.com)

#3  What insurance do you recommend for First Class International packages? Your best bet is to use a private insurance program such as Stamps.com Insurance (insured by PIPInsure.com), U-PIC or others.  These programs allow you to insure all mail classes including First Class Package International Service and they are much cheaper than USPS insurance.  Also, you can file claims online and claims are typically processed within 7-10 business days. (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#4  Is there a way to set up the eBay International Shipping Calculator to calculate the shipping costs plus a small handling fee from seller in eBay? Yes, there is a way to add handling fees for international packages.  You should see a handling fee box at in the pricing area. This image should show you where: http://screencast.com/t/At0wXfqKS    (Bryan/Jason – ThriftingWithTheBoys.com)

#5  Would you have any advice for shipping expensive items (anywhere from $250 – $1,000) internationally? I would suggest using Priority Mail Express International (formerly known as Express Mail International).  The service comes with $200 of insurance and packages are delivered within 3-5 business days, with money-back guarantee for certain destinations.  You also get complete tracking. (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#6  Who does the Global Shipping Program benefit and how much does it cost?  What does the buyer get charged for shipping? It benefits those sellers who are afraid to sell internationally by giving you an added layer of protection. As a seller you need to get the item to a warehouse in Kentucky. The only cost is what it costs to ship the item to Kentucky.  The Global Shipping Program handles the rest.  Best way to see what a buyer is charged is to view your listing from another county’s website.  (Bryan/Jason – ThriftingWithTheBoys.com)

#7  When will Stamps.com work on a Mac? Stamps.com will not be building out a dedicated software product for Macs.  Customers using a Mac can use our Stamps.com Online Product, which is completely web-based.  Batch imports (method that allows you to import orders from eBay, Amazon, Etsy, etc.) is currently being developed for the Stamps.com Online product.   ETA is in early 2014. You can see an example of Stamps.com Online at http://www.screencast.com/t/6s6Imh8b .  (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#8  What is the benefit of using Stamps.com over just printing labels from eBay? Can I use it for my Amazon shipments? Stamps.com is built for people who need to speed up their shipping process.  Printing labels inside Stamps.com is much quicker than eBay Shipping, USPS Click-N-Ship or other shipping software programs.  Also, you can import orders from multiple eBay accounts into one interface, as well as import orders from Amazon, Etsy, Shopping Carts, PayPal, and other marketplaces/data sources.  This turns Stamps.com into a shipping label management system.  You can print labels by product, box size, destination, etc.  (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#9  Should I wrap/package things differently when selling internationally? Not really, unless you expect it to get rougher handling or be exposed to extreme weather elements that could potentially harm what is inside.  Just realize that these shipments are subject to being opened by authorities so you may want to make it fairly easy to open and be re-wrapped.  (Bryan/Jason – ThriftingWithTheBoys.com)

#10  When do I need to include that plastic envelope on my package for the Customs Forms? The customs envelope is for the USPS Form 2976-A Customs Form, which includes 4 copies of the standard Customs Form.  Generally speaking, you need to include this on any Priority Mail International or Priority Mail Express International package.  If you are shipping with First Class Package International Service, generally you can use the USPS Form 2976 Customs Form, which is a one page form. (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#11  Do you have a list of countries that currently support First Class Package International Service Tracking? Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and Switzerland. (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#12  If the customer doesn’t receive their package, do you refund the customer for the item and shipping? Yes, how would you want to be handled if you purchased an item and it never arrived?  (Bryan/Jason – ThriftingWithTheBoys.com)

#13  I have shipped International for years, I always enclose packing slip, do I need to always do that? Stamps.com suggests you always include a packing slip in your international packages.  Some countries require it as your package goes through Customs.  Also, if the label ever came off during shipping, a packing slip with the sender’s address and recipient’s address will help the local postal authority properly identify the package. (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#14  I have a lot of problem with UK shipments not being delivered and therefore we have stopped shipping items there. Any suggestions? Keep shipping to the UK. Very few problems and now with better tracking your problems should be minimized.  (Bryan/Jason – ThriftingWithTheBoys.com)

#15 How do you track a package once it passes customs? USPS tracking for international packages is getting better every day.  This image http://www.screencast.com/t/rckEvhobu  shows examples of how a Priority Mail package travels to its final destination.  Note:  Tracking is different for every country, but the USPS continues to try and improve/standardize the tracking. (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#16  How do you protect against us sending an item and then a customer deciding against paying the custom fees or taxes and doesn’t pick up the item, and then contacts us that they didn’t get it. We then are required to refund the customer! I find this is happening way too often. This may be an instance where you might want to consider using the Global Shipping Program.  (Bryan/Jason – ThriftingWithTheBoys.com)

#17  How do we know how much a buyer has to pay for customs, or is that already included in the calculated shipping price? When you are shipping an item to an international destination yourself, the buyer would be responsible for researching the import fees (known as “landing costs”).  The buyer would need to go to the specific country’s Customs site, where all the fees and tariffs would be listed for specific products.  These listings are normally very general in listing (i.e. “men’s shoes” rather than “Nike Air Jordans”).  If a seller uses eBay’s Global Shipping Program, all of the tariffs, taxes and duty fees are shown to the buyer along with a brokerage fee.  (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#18  Do you offer return policy for international shipping? Sure, same as US, buyer pays for return shipping.   (Bryan/Jason – ThriftingWithTheBoys.com)

#19  I use Inkfrog with Stamps.com for shipping and the International labels print with the Electronic Delivery Confirmation to the additional countries recently added for First Class Package International Service. When I go to Stamps.com directly to print labels to any for these countries, I don’t get the Electronic Delivery Confirmation.  Why is this happening? You need to download the latest version of the Stamps.com software.  The current version of Stamps.com is Version 10.5. You can download it at http://www.stamps.com/download/  (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#20  Another very important point to consider is Paypal Seller Protection plan does not cover all countries.  Do you still sell into countries not covered by Paypal Seller Protections? Yes, but if it was a very expensive item I would consider alternative ways to guarantee arrival such as Priority Mail Express International  (Bryan/Jason – ThriftingWithTheBoys.com)

#21  Does Stamps.com show list of prohibited items per country? Yes. When using Stamps.com, the program automatically will show the product prohibited items/restrictions in a window next to the package details.  The window will automatically appear based on the country you are shipping your package to, pulling the data from the address field. You can see an example of this window at http://www.screencast.com/t/BZYs3Ow3a (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#22  Can we use label paper for the one page Customs Form? Yes, the one page Customs Form (USPS Form 2976) can be printed on regular paper or on a 4″x6″ adhesive label and placed directly on your package.  No Customs envelope is needed. (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#23  Is there a $400 limit on Priority Mail International. Or can we ship higher value items with Priority Mail International by providing additional forms/documentation? For regular Priority Mail International packages, you are able to mail an item up to $2,500 in value as you normally would.  If your item is over $2,500 in value, you’ll need to include an Internal Transaction Number (ITN) number on the Customs Form and you may be required to get a license or perform other actions.

There is a $400 limit for smaller Priority Mail International packages.  Those packages are ONLY the Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelope (regular, legal sized or padded) and the Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Box.  For those packages/envelopes, and only those packages, the contents may not exceed $400 in value. (Eric Nash/Stamps.com)

#24  Priority Mail Express International to Russia required us to go to the Post Office. However, Priority Mail International to Russia for the same package was accepted. What is the logic? As long as you print your shipping label using online postage, you should not need to drop your package off at the Post Office.   When you use online postage, the software prints an electronic round stamp on the Customs Form.  This electronic round stamps indicates to the USPS you are a “Known Mailer” (you have an established online postage account in good standing) and you may give your international package to your daily mail carrier.  You do not need to go to the Post Office.

About ThriftingWithTheBoys.com and ShippingWithTheBoys.com: Jason Smith and Bryan Goodman are Top Rated Sellers who have each been selling on eBay for over 12 years. Nearly all of the products they sell come from thrift stores. Known in the eBay community as “Thrifting with the Boys,” Jason and Bryan are regular guests on eBay Radio and have presented to standing room-only audiences at eBay on Location, eBay Radio Party and other e-commerce events. They also serve as Worthologists for Worthpoint, lead a popular Facebook group and offer thrifting excursions. Jason and Bryan recently created a new shipping educational website called ShippingWithTheBoys.com, where they share knowledge, advice and success stories on how to ship products worldwide.

Top Rated Seller Webinars is a FREE monthly webinar series that provides educational information for eBay and e-commerce sellers.  The webinar series is underwritten by Stamps.com, PageMage, Outright, eBay Radio, Terapeak and Kabbage.

Stamps.com has released the latest version of our award winning postage software, PC Postage Version 10.5.

This video showcases some of the new features that have been added to Version 10.5, including:

• New Streamlined Mail Class Menu
• USPS Rate Shopping Engine Added to Batch Shipping
• More Printing Options for Certified Mail
• Faster Batch Order Processing
• New USPS Features for Shipping Services

New and existing customers can download Stamps.com PC Postage Version 10.5 for free at http://www.stamps.com/download/.

Stamps.com is pleased to announce the launch of PC Postage Version 10.5 — a FREE upgrade for Stamps.com customers! Here are some of the key new features included:

NEW! USPS Rate Shopping Engine Added to Batch Shipping
Now you can easily find the optimum mail class and shipping rate using our new USPS Rate Shopping Engine. Based on pre-set requirements that you input, your package shipping can be simplified to automatically select the appropriate mail class based on cost, delivery date or box size. The software also includes a “best rate” star that highlights the lowest shipping cost option that meets your requirements. Get more info on USPS Rate Shopping Engine.

USPS Rate Shopping Engine displays a Gold STAR next to the lowest shipping rate, based on box specifications

Whether your package needs to arrive in two days or ten days, the USPS Rate Shopping Engine can ensure that you never pay more than you have to. This screen shows how you can adjust the service level mail class based on standard shipping definitions.

NEW! Print Certified Mail Postage on Plain Paper
You can now print Certified Mail postage on a plain piece of paper using our exclusive Certified Mail window envelopes. After printing the address information, Certified Mail tracking barcode and postage on a plain piece of paper, just fold it up and place it in the window envelope. All the printed items will be clearly visible through the window envelope.

Example of 9″ x 12″ Certified Mail Window Envelope. Postage, address and all Certified Mail documentation are printed on a regular piece of paper, and then inserted into the window envelope.

Faster Batch Order Processing
Our engineering team upgraded the Batch shipping feature. Now e-commerce sellers can process and print their shipping labels 49% faster than before. We also have included more detailed status messaging for high volume order processing.

Download Stamps.com PC Postage Version 10.5 today at http://www.stamps.com/download/ – it’s free for existing customers!

Based in Canton, Ohio, our Incept Ohio Support Team is part of the backbone for our entire Customer Care Team! This team handles customer support calls around the many features and benefits of our product and specializes in helping our customers get the most benefit from using Stamps.com.

Some members of our Ohio Support Team have shared their beliefs and philosophies about working at Stamps.com, interesting tidbits about their lives outside of work, what makes them tick, their interests and favorite quotes. Read on to learn more!

	Amy:I believe that the secret to great customer service is LISTENING! Be understanding and empathetic, ASK QUESTIONS, and always treat the customer the way you would want to be treated. By doing this, you will build a better relationship with your customer and can better meet their needs based on what they have told you!
	Bianca: Favorite Quote:“Life is about Plan B, because Plan A never goes as planned.”
	Brian:My #1 goal at Stamps.com is to simply provide the same level of service to our customers that I would expect!
	Devin:I always try to give more to our customers, than they would expect!
	Jackie:Favorite Quote: “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echos are truly endless.” – Mother Teresa
	Jeanette: My kids are my motivation! Since they are into sports, it’s always practice time on weeknights and games over the weekends!
	Jennifer: My favorite part of the day is helping Stamps.com customers get the most out of our service!
	Kristina:Favorite Quote: “Opportunities are never lost … someone will always get the ones you miss.”
	Melinda:I believe in respecting others and helping them as much as I can. I feel I can do that in all sorts of ways, from helping a customer use our software to donating blood! In my time off, I love spending time with my family. Scrap-booking, gardening and shopping are some of my other favorite things to do!
	Melissa L.: Things I like to do in my off hours include just relaxing, spending time with family and friends, going to cookouts, riding and feeding horses and watching Nascar! What makes me tick? Knowing that I’m doing a good job for Stamps.com customers and the company, and also the positive feedback that I get from my supervisors on my progress!
	Melissa M.: Outside of work, I am a pretty laid back person … I enjoy spending time with my boyfriend and friends! I love to smile, laugh and enjoy life!
	Rupa: My daughter is my number one motivation and she is the one that keeps me going! I also enjoy spending time going to church and being with my friends and family!
	Travis: The things that make me tick are my wife and three boys! I love spending time with her and playing with my boys. In my off hours, I do mixed martial arts and work out. Favorite Quote:“I try to treat people the way I like to be treated, with respect.”

Our High Volume Shipping Team (HVST) supports Enterprise accounts (accounts with 10 or more locations), corporate shipping accounts and other partners of Stamps.com. In 2012, HVST was recognized as the “Customer Service Team of the Year” by the American Business Awards. HVST works directly with our Sales Department to provide a highly tailored support experience to our largest customers, including phone and email support, account management, and customized implementations and deployments.

Some members of HVST have shared interesting tidbits about their lives outside of work, what makes them tick, their interests and favorite quotes. Read on to learn more!

	Alex:What makes me tick? Seeing my family and friends happy! Outside of work, I enjoy photography, ancient history, astronomy and oceanography … I also enjoy watching tennis, racquetball and soccer! Favorite Quote:“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
	Cecilia:Most of my free time is spent with the family; we play video games, go for bike rides or just hang out at home by the pool and barbeque. At least twice a year, we head out to the dunes for off-roading (Quads). I also like to crochet/knit and sew, both of which I find therapeutic! Favorite Quote:“The best part of life is not just surviving, but thriving-with passion and compassion, humor and style, and generosity and kindness.” – Maya Angelou
	Gloria:My hobbies outside of work are hiking, knitting, reading, taking pictures and cooking. I love coming up with new recipes and sharing tasty treats with my loved ones! Additionally, I love to challenge myself and just completed my first 5K in September. What really makes me tick is knowing that I am the architect of my own happiness! Favorite Quote:“Do what you can, when you can.”
	Hal:Outside of work, I spend my time with my wife of 10 years, involved in church service or engaged in creative pursuits. I’m also an intermedia artist as well as a writer! Favorite Quote:“I die hard but am not afraid to go.” – George Washington
	Jai:Favorite Quote: “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss
	Lisa: What makes me tick? Laughter and drinking Mimosas or wine! :) When I am not at work, I love traveling, walking and spending time with my family and friends!Favorite Quote: “Keep it moving!”
	Roxanna: Outside of work, the performing arts and social work are my two passions. I am a DV counselor and am committed to working towards making my community a better place and helping empower women and children who suffer from abuse, discrimination and poverty. Favorite Quote: “Either this man is dead or my watch has stopped.” – Groucho Marx
	Sean K.: What makes me tick? Enfrijoladas and seeing my daughter’s smile! I enjoy just relaxing and hanging out with my family and friends. Weekends are our time to reflect on the week and take it all in!Favorite Quote: “Don’t cry over spilled milk” – Benjamin Franklin
	Sean S.:Outside of work, I try to spend as much time as possible with my family! I play golf with my father, soccer and softball games with my nieces, and go on date nights with my wife. And, I can’t forget my fur kids, there is nothing like coming home to my dogs! What makes me tick? Striving to be the best I can be and never settling for mediocrity.Favorite Quote: “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” – Ernest Hemingway
	William (Billy): What makes me tick? FOOD!!! Especially Super Beef Burritos! And I love getting the party started! :)Favorite Quote: “Life is what you do before you die. LIVE IT!!!”