trying to calculate postage, help please

Wench

I have a A4 hardback book to post to the states, weighs no more than 300grams ( inc packaging )

Would this be able to go as Airmail Small Package ?

Never postaged to the states before so unsure of what they would concider a small package to be, also so they have to have a sticker on them saying gift ? ( like when I buy stuff from China )

Hermia

You can send them via printed papers. The price is the same as small packet, but the lady in the post office always advises me to send books by printed papers.

soolin

Royal Mail price finder here:

http://sg.royalmail.com/portal/rm/PriceFinder;jsessionid=OXRAKVOVD1YNUFB2IGLEOSQ?catId=23500532&gear=pricingcalc

Standard airmail covers up to £39 of loss and all my books go as printed paper.

Unless this is actually a gift then you can't claim it as such and need to declare it as 'other' on the customs form with the true value.

Wench

soolin wrote: »

Royal Mail price finder here:

http://sg.royalmail.com/portal/rm/PriceFinder;jsessionid=OXRAKVOVD1YNUFB2IGLEOSQ?catId=23500532&gear=pricingcalc

Standard airmail covers up to £39 of loss and all my books go as printed paper.

Unless this is actually a gift then you can't claim it as such and need to declare it as 'other' on the customs form with the true value.

Brilliant, Thank-you both.

Soolin - would the true value be what he paid for the book then ? (9.99)

soolin

I usually just show the item cost, but I have noticed some sellers add the postage costs to that as well but I'm not sure which is the absolutely correct way of doing it. So I would show £9.99 as value.

Wench

soolin wrote: »

I usually just show the item cost, but I have noticed some sellers add the postage costs to that as well but I'm not sure which is the absolutely correct way of doing it. So I would show £9.99 as value.

Thank you Soolin

Premier_2

The value for customs should be £9.99 (unless you offered free postage, where it could arguably by less)

The cost of postage would be as shown on the parcel.

Customs don't care about your packing/handling charges (if any).

To be honest, it probably doesn't matter too much as I guess it's no where near the level where duty would start to be paid anyway

ejoy

In addition to the Royal Mail price finder, there is a Postage App that can work out the postage on your iPhone or iPod Touch, no network connection required:
try search for "royal mail postage app"
Hope that's useful.
John

frivolous_fay

ejoy wrote: »

In addition to the Royal Mail price finder, there is a Postage App that can work out the postage on your iPhone or iPod Touch, no network connection required:
try search for "royal mail postage app"
Hope that's useful.
John

If you don't need a network connection, how do you know when it's out of date?

phil11

Royal Mail price finder is good - aswell as location and weight it will also tell you maximum size and thickness of parcel in relation to prices.

ejoy

frivolous_fay wrote: »

If you don't need a network connection, how do you know when it's out of date?

Royal mail just updated the price in April 2009. The iphone App I mentioned seems to be very accurate under the new price scheme. I've compared it against the online tool from royal mail's website.