It's put me off buying from many sellers in the States. The postage is clearly inflated and often absolutely outrageous for quite small items. If you don't have to select it, then don't as it probably reduces your customer base.
Larso...
please don't think everyone in the US inflates their postage to Australia...
I don't...in fact...quite the opposite...like Brad...I try hard to keep it at cost...I will and have issued Paypal refunds when I have overestimated it...
Australia is very high to ship to...one of the highest countries in the world for some reason...
I always ship USPS...as Fedex and UPS are absolutely obscene pricey for International packages...not even worth discussing for International shipping...usually 4-5 times as high as USPS,...not even an option...
here is the link to the USPS Postage Price Calculator website...
if you ever want to check postage on what an item actually costs the seller to ship it to you...
http://postcalc.usps.com/
all you have to do is figure it backwards to get the true cost...play like you are the seller...play like you live in the US and are shipping to Australia...Brazil...Germany...etc...
you can get a very accurate (to the penny cost) if you know the exact weight of what you are receiving...or you can wait until you receive ir...then weigh it...go to this website...punch in the numbers...and will get a very accurate cost to see if you were treated fairly...
one catch...this website does not reflect Ebays special discounted shipping price that sellers receive when they ship on Ebay...it only gives USPS's website purchase or over the USPS's over the counter purchase price on their postage...
Ebay offers a discount if you create your postage for a USPS shipping label from their website...often a substantial discount actually...I have seen them as high as 42%...but that is rare...it's usually between 15% to 25%...but it varies...
please keep in mind...when you use Ebay's shipping as a seller...Ebay also collects 10% in fees on the shipping purchased...if I buy a USPS Priority shipping label off of Ebay...which I always do as I receive a hefty discount...Ebay still charges the seller 10% of the total shipping label created...
if I purchase an Ebay USPS shipping label to Australia for $48...Ebay charges me as the seller $4.80...
so the hefty discount Ebay gives me from buying the USPS postage on their website is somewhat diminished...
basically they give you with one hand...and take some back with the other...
Larso...I encourage you to play with this website a little bit...you will be shocked what it costs to ship International...
for example...USPS's over the counter price for a 1 pound item to Australia...which is about the size of a very thin T-bone steak...with a value of $20...
1 pound...$16.75
2 pound...$24.15
3 pound...$31.55
4 pound...$38.95
and these are the cheap First Class shipping labels...
once it's over 4 pounds...they make you buy USPS Priority labels...those are their rules...
5 pound...$58.50
6 pounds...$62.95
these are true over the counter prices for USPS shipping to Australia...
the same postage can be purchased and printed from USPS online directly with a small discount...instead of bought over the counter at their local brick and mortar outlet...but it's just plain old expensive to ship International...
there are so many rules to shipping International...
all countries are different but did you know that the biggest box USPS will send International Priority has a size limit of 97 combined inches?
that's not very big...
to measure a box...you take the entire girth...which is a measuring tape wrapped around the entire box...then add the longest length...
a 19 x 19 inch square box is the limit Australia will accept from USPS...
19 x 19 x 19 x 19 = 76 inches for the girth...
then add 19 more for the length again...
that's 95"s which is barely under the limit...
International shipping is expensive...
you can use the website length to see how your customers are treating you...
I love shipping to Australia...they are some of my favorite customers and I have never had a problem with a lost or damaged box to a buyer there...