International Shipping Returning to Perennial Vintage

This may not seem like a big deal, but it is. For both me and the customers of my store.

Isn't this old patent mail box awesome?

Shipping internationally, post-COVID got crazy. Shipping times became even more delayed than they already were, packages got lost more than they already were, and of course, rates increased.

I had some angry customers that I couldn't help! It was - and always is - out of my hands as soon as it leaves the post office here in the US.

It is astronomical to ship something to the rest of the world outside of the US and Canada. Any package over 8 ounces costs a minimum of $28 dollars. It's nuts. And Etsy still charges me a percentage of the shipping as their fee... money I don't even gain as income. (Rolling eyes emoji here.)

So for over a year, more like a year and a half, I stopped shipping internationally. I gave up. It wasn't worth the headache for me or my customers. 

Not to mention, I don't sell a ton internationally. Maybe a few items a month, so it wasn't a big loss financially.

Welp, I'm giving USPS the benefit of the doubt once more, and I've returned to international shipping for the time being. (To be fair, it's not USPS that is the problem - it's the postal systems of the rest of the world that have issues.)

I'm going to try out the rest of the year with international shipping and see how it goes.

If delays are just as bad, and packages go missing just as often, then I'll give up for good at the start of the next year. But after shipping this way for 13 years, I thought I'd give it one more try.

If you're an international follower, yay! Glad you're here. Welcome back to the shop.

Nearly every item in my shop (minus a few breakables) is available to ship to the rest of the world.

Glad to be back in the worldwide market.♥

-Heather