<p>I thought several of you might have experience shipping small packages to Western Europe. I need to send a small package (shirt) and it needs to get there within about a week. I’ve look at the USPS options and they are convoluted (to me) and it appears to take 2 trips (one for the packaging and one to mail it unless I pack it standing in line at the post office…). </p>
<p>Has anyone used UPS for home pick-up and delivery for international? Any info on the relative costs? It looks like the best option for USPS is about $9 – not sure about UPS.</p>
<p>USPS is your best and cheapest. I sent a CD to Italy last week for $2.34 and it got there in exactly 7 days. For another $3 it would have arrived in 5-6 days.</p>
<p>UPS or FedEx will be more. They are express companies. btw I work for FedEx. And if you just buy the packing at the post office you can cram your shirt in it and write the name on there while at the counter. Not sure what you meant by two trips, I mean if nothing else run out to your car and pack it. Since it’s just a shirt you even use one of those envelopes with the pull away sticky strip…</p>
<p>off subject, once i tried to ship some film to Italy and they wouldnt let me. apparently Italy is against film!</p>
<p>I try to stuff whatever I can into those Global Priority Mail Envelopes. You can squeeze all the air out of the shirt in a ziplock bag and cram it in there…some problem sealing because it will not be flat, but I always use a final wide tape seal. If you have family there, you might want to keep the custom forms at home, fill them out before you go…that saves lots of time. Be sure to check that it is a gift, and keep the value of what you send under $45, or they will pay duty there. It should get there in a week, but you never know until it actually gets there! Good luck.</p>