International Signed for or Airsure, which to choose?

Sybarite

A quickie Q. I need to send a parcel of about £100 value to the USA after an ebay sale. I know a chargeback could be issued via Paypal if lost, so I'd like to know out of Royal Mail Airsure or Royal Mail International signed for delivery service which one Paypal will accept as proof of dispatch and receipt should anything go wrong?
Thanks for any help.

Hintza

Airsure is the best gives you cover upto £500 included in the price and supposedly priority handling. But no signature

Signed for Airmail offers cover upto £32 (more if you pay a premium) and you get a signature.

Personally I tend to use Airsure for expensive items. Both are accepted by PayPal.

soolin

This is what paypal say about the various services:

https://www.paypal.com/uk/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_help-ext&ui_mode=answer&prior_transaction_id=0&action_code=4&answer_id=6894796&leafid=95937&_PPP=511&_PPC=4&_FI=Tracking_Deliveries

However like Hintza says don't worry too much about chargeback, it is almost more important to cover yourself against loss in transit. That way you are covered and can refund the buyer leaving you both happy.

Also, I hope it isn't a phone as those are not covered for loss by the RM when sent overseas regardless of postage method if the phone is over £32.

Soo

me4bargains

Personally I would only use Airsure.
International sign for can only prove you have dispatched the item not that it has been recieved by the recepient.
Airsure proves delivery.

Father_Jack_2

me4bargains wrote:

Personally I would only use Airsure.
International sign for can only prove you have dispatched the item not that it has been recieved by the recepient.
Airsure proves delivery.

Airsue only proves it was delivered but doesn't get a signature from the receiver, whereas signed for gets a signature.

Moneyfornothing_2

Airsure is what I would (and have) used.
As stated above you will get proof of delivery not just proof of posting.

Alfie_E

Moneyfornothing wrote:

As stated above you will get proof of delivery not just proof of posting.

Or possibly not… A couple of years ago, there was a piece done by a BBC news program – I think it was a local one. Some small firm was having terrible problems with Airsure to the USA. A large percentage of the items being successfully delivered were not being recorded as delivered, which left the company chasing around to find out what had happened to them. The news program’s investigation concluded that large parts of the US postal just weren’t able to handle the Airsure barcode system in a consistent and reliable manner.

Sybarite

Thanks for the various advice - most appreciated. I didn't know RM no longer cover phones via international delivery - what on earth makes them so special, there are lots of other expensive items sent after all?

It seems really odd that airsure is a no signature service, but electronically teacked whereas international signed for is, well, signed for, esp as there's 70p difference for the parcel I need to send.

Another Q now: sorry but ebay has been busy. I now need to send a 4kg parcel to Ireland and surface mail only goes up to 2kg. It's only worth £30 Parcelforce seem to want £20 to send it. Are there any cheaper options?

Thanks again for any advice and the past (very prompt) replies, appeciated.

steve1905

Hintza wrote:

Airsure is the best gives you cover upto £500 included in the price and supposedly priority handling. But no signature

Signed for Airmail offers cover upto £32 (more if you pay a premium) and you get a signature.

Personally I tend to use Airsure for expensive items. Both are accepted by PayPal.

I posted an item via Airsure on Monday. Basic compensation is £32 only. For an extra £1.50 you can have upto £500

Alfie_E

Sybarite wrote:

Another Q now: sorry but ebay has been busy. I now need to send a 4kg parcel to Ireland and surface mail only goes up to 2kg. It's only worth £30 Parcelforce seem to want £20 to send it. Are there any cheaper options?

If it’s books, magazines or similar, Royal Mail’s Printed Paper goes up to 5kg. Otherwise, Pharos International are supposed to be good and cheap.

Hintza

steve1905 wrote:

I posted an item via Airsure on Monday. Basic compensation is £32 only. For an extra £1.50 you can have upto £500

Not according to Royal mail website:-

For a fast, secure and reliable service to 28 destinations worldwide, look no further than Airsure. Your item will receive priority handling at home and overseas, and benefit from an online tracking facility so you can check your mail's progress along the way.


Features and benefits



Take advantage of our Airsure service and benefit from a range of features.

• Enjoy peace of mind from a fast, secure and reliable service.
• Priority handling both here and abroad.
• Use online tracking to stay in touch with your item.
• Send your item to 28 destinations worldwide
• Keep your item covered with up to £500 compensation.