Topic: USA international shipping wtf?

[Vetivert]

So it costs £3.45 to send a 100g large letter to the US from the UK, but $15 to send a small padded envelope to the UK from the US. Why? :(

[Jayb]

Postage from the US has seemed proportionally high for a number of years, but with recent increases, it's quite hefty.

[galina]

Those seed companies who still send to UK have apologized for the ridiculous amount that these small packets cost.  But it seems several companies say the same, so I think it is genuine.   

[Vetivert]

It's genuine, just don't understand USPS!

[Obelixx]

Who knows how their costs differ - premises, staff wages and pesnion contributions, machines, transport - and then, being the US, I suspect there is a financial imperative to make a profit or at least not run at a loss. 

Can you not get the seeds in the UK or Europe? 

[galina]

Once those seeds are saved they will be available in UK. 

I have received shared seeds from USA that are not available in UK and shared such varieties myself too.  Fortunately most came from times when postage was a couple of bucks.  We were privileged to get some wonderful shared USA seeds last year in the circle.  The bigger problem is that availability is less and less with fewer seed companies wanting to send to UK on top of postage.  After Brexit, European seeds could become more difficult too.

I think the law that on a visit you are allowed to take back 5 retail packets per person still exists.  If somebody travels to the USA and can get seeds sent to their hotel, this might soon be the only way.