5 Global Shipping Secrets You Need To Know

If you ship internationally, regardless of the frequency, there are tips of the trade (and a few secrets) that are a must to know. Here at Stackry, we can help!

When you live overseas and want to ship to a US address, save money and eliminate hassle – then we have some time and money saving tips for you that will help you navigate the complex world of international shipping.

Here are five secrets to help you ship stress-free and save big on international shipping:

Beware Lithium Batteries

Lithium batteries are becoming more prevalent – powering everything from mobile phones and toys to watches and mobile headsets. According to UPS,

“because lithium batteries are designed to provide high levels of power, the electrical energy in these batteries is significant, meaning that such batteries can sometimes generate a great amount of heat if short circuited. In addition, the chemical contents of these batteries may catch fire if damaged or if improperly designed or assembled. For these reasons, there are safety regulations controlling the shipment of these types of batteries. Shippers must conform to the applicable regulations published by IATA and/ or PHMSA.”

So what are those regulations? For a complete guide, see the IATA Lithium Battery Guidance Document.

For domestic mailings only, small consumer-type primary lithium cells or batteries (lithium metal or lithium alloy) like those used to power cameras and flashlights are mailable domestically under certain conditions.

But for international air shipments, Lithium batteries must be appropriately marked as dangerous goods and in many cases they cannot be shipped at all. Due to the risk of fire, lithium-ion batteries cannot be shipped as cargo on passenger planes. If you are unsure if the item you are purchasing contains an Lithium Ion battery or if we can ship it to you, please contact Stackry Customer Service.

Here are guidelines for FedEx, UPS and DHL.

Can’t Ship There from Here
Did you know every country has its own rules? If you want to ship something internationally – like perfumes, medicines, jewelry, food, electronics, or live plants of any kind,  you better check this list first. Luckily, our friends at USPS have a full list for you here.  Like – don’t ship a clock to Algeria, don’t ship ‘books addressed to bookshops in care of banking institutions’ to the Dominican Republic, and don’t ship eyeglasses to Uruguay.

Use Consolidation
Consolidating packages can save you money when shipping more than one item. At Stackry, we will combine multiple packages into one box. Consolidating packages saves customers up to 80% in international shipping compared to shipping packages individually from retailers.

Use the Right Payment Methods
Did you know that some retailers will not accept foreign credit cards? According to Payment Processing, since the mid-2000s, Visa and MasterCard have each charged what’s known as “cross border” fees that involve a bank located in a foreign country or a credit card issued outside of the US.  The credit card companies don’t want to have to pay for all those currency conversions – so they pass that charge to the merchant – who then passes it to you.

Stackry offers a personal shopping service that allows you to shop in U.S. stores, consolidate your packages, and ship internationally for one low price – without the added hassles and fees.

Save with Repacking

Many shipping costs are calculated by the size of your box. We all know that sometimes small things come in big packages – for no reason. Domestic shipping in the U.S. does not use dimensional weight, there is often wasted space packages shipped from U.S. retailers. Having Stackry repack your item will often enable you to get the actual weight of the package, frequently saving you money.

As an A+ rated shipper, Stackry strives to understand pricing that provides the best value in international parcel forwarding to our customers. We provide a variety of international shipping options based on your needs for time, budget and tracking. To see how much you can save with parcel forwarding, please visit our shipping calculator. Simply enter your Country, weight and box dimensions to see how much you can save on international shipping.

With Discounted shipping rates, no membership or joining fees, low consolidation fees and 45 days’ free storage, Stackry can help you shop, save and ship – hassle free.

Want to know Time Estimates, Tracking, Reliability and Insurance Requirements?

We have the answer! Learn more about our shipping options here.