New Restrictions for countries shipping to the US - Now adding Australia

[icebyrd67]

I'm not sure how many people this will effect but due to the recent issues with attempts to ship explosives to the US via UK postal services, Japan has put a ban on packages over 16oz as of November 17th. .  This ban effects air mail and EMS shipping.

DHL has also put up a notice about shipping.

I'll update this post if I see any changes.

I'm not sure if we have many swappers from Japan but I'm fairly annoyed now.  Lol.  I get a lot of stuff from etsy from japan.  =/  Plus all my Lolita clothes...=(  I anticipate the prices of Loli brands going up if the restrictions last long...

Australia just implemented an extra charge to people using their postal system to mail to the US.

http://auspost.com.au/apps/international-post-guide.html

"Articles over 453g and all ECI and EPI services will be subject to an additional $9 security surcharge and may face transit delays of up to 48 hours."

[Sandy Ang]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll be making a note to check with my post office.

[Matt Thorn]

Argh! I just got a notice about this from Japan Post. I read Japanese fine, but I couldn't believe what I was seeing, so I reread it twice, and finally Googled in English to see what I could learn. I make lightsabers (seriously) and the occasional costume, and though I ship most of them within Japan, sometimes I send something to the U.S.. This is beyond the realm of "inconvenience."  Now I'll have to check to see if other delivery services are available.

EDIT: It looks like the restriction does not apply to "metered" packages, which I take to mean packages that are handed to a postal clerk for metering. In other words, the restriction seems to apply basically to packages that are pre-stamped by the sender and dropped off. If that's the case, it may not be a big problem at all. I guess I'll find out.

[icebyrd67]

oops.  for the link to the australian postage, you'll have to change the drop-down to United States

[A2JC4life]

I find this a bit strange.  We (in the US) have issues with people trying to send bombs here, so other countries place restrictions on their outgoing shipping?    If we (again, the US) were placing restrictions on incoming packages, that would make sense to me ('though I hope they don't), but I just find this puzzling.

We have a distinction between stamped and otherwise here, too.  If a package is over a certain weight - 1 lb., I think, but I don't recall for sure - and it has stamps on it, you can't put it in a mailbox; you have to take it to the post office.  (I guess they figure there's some accountability, as you have to show your face to the postal clerk.)  But if you order your postage online, for instance, and print a shipping label with the postage already on it, I think it can go in the mailbox.

[schnerby]

Yep. Apparently this fee has to be paid on ingoing packages to the US, so rather than copping it Australia Post is adding it on at the counter. $9 seems a bit much. What do they do to it for $9?

This is going to put a halt on my swapping to the USA.