Within the United States, effective January 21, 2018, First Class Mail International Large Envelope/Flat service for merchandise is no longer available from the USPS. First Class Mail International Flats will only be approved for use when sending documents. This change was made by the USPS to comply with Universal Postal Union requirements. You can view the USPS announcement here: https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2017/pb22482/html/updt_006.htm
This means that any seller who ships an item from the United States, to an International destination must use the USPS First Class Package International service to legally send any merchandise directly through the USPS; this includes any collectible stamps, postcards, and comic books.
How much does USPS First Class Package International service cost?
Rates for USPS First Class Package International service start from approximately $12 to $20 depending on destination.
Are there any options to ship merchandise for less?
Yes, there are third-party consolidator services that work in conjunction with the USPS, which can offer sellers a lower rate to ship items Internationally. One such service is ShippingEasy through its "Large Envelope/Flat - Merchandise" service. With this service, sellers can generally ship merchandise starting from approximately $8 to $15 depending on destination.
Tips for Non-US Buyers Purchasing from US Sellers
Please keep in mind that there are limited options for shipping merchandise from the US to non-US buyers, as US sellers cannot legally send merchandise through the USPS First Class Mail International Large Envelope/Flat service. As a result, shipping costs from the US to non-US destinations may be higher than anticipated.
We recommend that all buyers regularly review the shipping costs before making a purchase. Shipping costs can easily be reviewed for any listing, at any time, from the "Shipping" tab of the item listing page. For additional details see:
How do I know how much an item will cost to ship?
Why do some shipping rates for US-based sellers dramatically differ?
Keep in mind that before January 21, 2018, it was permissible to use USPS First Class Mail International Large Envelope/Flat service for merchandise. This meant that for smaller items, such as a single collectible stamp, these items could be legally shipped from the US to non-US buyers for a little over $1 in shipping costs.
Beginning January 21, 2018, it is no longer legal to send merchandise via USPS First Class Mail International.. In some cases, sellers may offer lower shipping costs by either using a third-party service such as noted above or by taking a loss on the shipping costs. In other cases, sellers may not be aware of the changes made, or they may be disregarding these new rules.
We expect that all members will follow any applicable laws and regulations and a buyer may not ask a seller to ship items in any manner which would not comply with applicable laws and regulations.