As U.S. Postage Rates Continue to Rise, the USPS Gives the Chinese a 'Free Ride'
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Re: As U.S. Postage Rates Continue to Rise, the USPS Gives the Chinese a 'Free Ride'
#2> As Amazon’s Vice President of Global Policy Paul Misener pointed out:
> “The cost to ship a one-pound package from South Carolina to New York City would run nearly $6; from Beijing to NYC: $3.66.”
> While sending that same one-pound package from New York City back to Beijing via USPS International Mail would cost in the ballpark of $50.
Someone should really do something about this!
Re: As U.S. Postage Rates Continue to Rise, the USPS Gives the Chinese a 'Free Ride'
#3This is well-known to anyone who ever looked into AliExpress and other Chinese online stores. Most of the stuff you can buy there has free shipping to pretty much everywhere. The reason why is known too (international postal agreements).
What surprises me today is that nothing seems to have changed yet. Last year it was rumoured that the free ride would gradually end starting this year, but so far the Chinese retailers don't seem to be impacted much — shipping costs are effectively zero for customers in Europe and North America.
If you are unfamiliar with this weird side-effect of the global economy, it helps explain why brick-and-mortar shops selling cheap Chinese stuff for mere cents can exist with a meaningful profit margin.
Re: As U.S. Postage Rates Continue to Rise, the USPS Gives the Chinese a 'Free Ride'
#4The article mentions E-packet rates apply to packages less than 36" in length and less than 2 kg (4.4 lbs). What are the rates like for packages that exceed these dimensions? Are US-based e-commerce sellers any safer if they sell larger items?
Re: As U.S. Postage Rates Continue to Rise, the USPS Gives the Chinese a 'Free Ride'
#5"Cross-border e-commerce is currently one of the fastest growing economic sectors on the planet, but it is one that U.S.-based entrepreneurs cannot hope to compete in due to the extreme disparity of shipping rates."
But there are other entrepreneurs who are profiting from this disparity too and never mentioned in the article - the dropshippers. People are able to sell stuff easily without having to worry about warehousing, shipping etc
Re: As U.S. Postage Rates Continue to Rise, the USPS Gives the Chinese a 'Free Ride'
#6Working links:
https://archive.fo/HafaR (page 1)
https://archive.fo/UyA29 (page 2)
Re: As U.S. Postage Rates Continue to Rise, the USPS Gives the Chinese a 'Free Ride'
#7The level of skew that "free trade" has created is pretty insane here in Europe. Shipping to Berlin is cheaper from China than it is from Prague. But that's not all. If I make an electronic device in Prague, and sell it to someone in Berlin, I am legally required to mark it with my address and a CE label. Regulators can then write to me and demand documentation on the devices safety, and if I don't comply within 8 days, I can be forced to pay a large fine and destroy all European inventory. However, the Chinese manufacturer, can and does, put a fake address on the CE label, never has to go to the trouble to document safety, and has no European inventory that could be destroyed in the case that the EU decides the device is unsafe. Its just plain cheaper, and less risky, to develop and produce a device in China and then ship in in small quantities as demand arises.
Re: As U.S. Postage Rates Continue to Rise, the USPS Gives the Chinese a 'Free Ride'
#8> As Amazon’s Vice President of Global Policy Paul Misener pointed out: > “The cost to ship a one-pound package from South Carolina to New York City would run nearly $6; from Beijing to NYC: $3.66.” > While sending that same one-pound package from New York City back to Beijing via USPS International Mail would cost in the ballpark of $50. Someone should really do something about this!
The problem is worse here in Canada. My friend does a significant amount of business with Chinese companies, and he says this is due to a UN treaty which classifies China as a developing country.
Re: As U.S. Postage Rates Continue to Rise, the USPS Gives the Chinese a 'Free Ride'
#9The level of skew that "free trade" has created is pretty insane here in Europe. Shipping to Berlin is cheaper from China than it is from Prague. But that's not all. If I make an electronic device in Prague, and sell it to someone in Berlin, I am legally required to mark it with my address and a CE label. Regulators can then write to me and demand documentation on the devices safety, and if I don't comply within 8 da…
On the other hand, that's exactly why I only buy cheap crap from Chinese online stores, while I spend real money on EU stores, since they provide safety and warranties. I quite like the balance, personally.
The shipping rates are certainly weird, and I do think they should be reviewed, although I think the internal rates are too high, but I admittedly don't know the cost structure.
Re: As U.S. Postage Rates Continue to Rise, the USPS Gives the Chinese a 'Free Ride'
#10They're building most of our shit. "Free ride" indeed. Bad mouth them after you've given up half of your shit being made. See how "superior" you are with half an iPhone. Dumbasses
As "superior" as you think you are, you can't even manage to make machinery to do what some malnourished Chinese people can do? Beyond pathetic.