Is Global Priority Mail (GPM) Trackable?

[iloveu]

I posted some questions about GPM before. Now I have a new question. The staff at the post office told me I could track the package with lable # on the receipt, but I am curious to find I can not track it online @ usps.com, the tracking function on usps.com is for express mail only. I checked other online resources and concluded the GPM is not trackable. Am I right? Does anyone know other good methods for international shipping rather than UPS, FedEx (high $$) and USPS GPM (no insurance and tracking)?

[sun818]

> The staff at the post office told me I could
> track the package with lable # on the receipt

To a degree, Global Priority Mail (GPM) is trackable. Since GPM moves with Global Express Mail, the post office will track the package internally while in the United States. Once the package leaves the country, the post office nor the receiving country will track GPM package.

> other good methods for international shipping

USPS Global Express EMS offers the lowest price for a trackable international package. DHL is also very competitive and often less expensive than FedEx or UPS. All three offer "incentive" (read: discount) programs that will save you a percentage off their book rates, especially on International Air.

[moose606]

We stopped using US mail for this reason. Although they say you can track packages, in reality it is very difficult to do. We use UPS Worldship, and can track packages at any time.

[iloveu]

But UPS and FedEx charge too high. I just want to find a reliable, affordable international shipping service.

[sun818]

> reliable, affordable international shipping service

No such thing.

[HRoth]

An experienced postal clerk told me that GPM was trackable to the US border, so when a customer in Hong Kong said she did not get her order sent GPM, I got the label number from the post office receipt and brought it down to the post office, thinking I could find out where the order was. Wrong. The postmaster was able to use that number only to show that it had gone into the mail system in my town. She told me that in fact that's all it would show regardless of whether it had already left the US or not. So the label number does not offer any trackability.

I still use GPM, though. My foreign customers love it because international shipping on small orders is only $5.00, $4.00 to Canada. They are willing to risk the loss. I have had claims of non-delivery of GPM only from customers in Brazil.

[goflynn]

I lost a shipment going to the UK. Sending a replacement, I was advised to use Global Express, and was told it was the only way to track it. But it's certainly not inexpensive.

[sun818]

> But it's certainly not inexpensive.

If you compare rates with DHL, FedEx, or UPS; Global Express will be less expensive. With international, I think charging additional handling fees or building cost in to your product is wise since returns and re-shipping product is more costly than domestic transactions.

[iloveu]

After comprehensive research, I finally decide to increase the international shipping charge, and use Global Express Mail instead of GPM. I can not take the risk at package loss or damage. Express Mail automatically give us $100 insurance for the shipment, which just meets my need. Also, it is trackable, customer won't complain if he/she see where his/her order is.