While some USPS services to countries like Australia and New Zealand have been suspended, it’s important to know what options are available for shipping. Using GlobalPost and the Global Advantage Program (GAP) allows you to still ship those orders through a different process, without having to stop shipping to some of your international customers.
How Do GlobalPost and GAP Work?
Instead of shipping orders directly to your desired destination, GlobalPost and GAP help you create a domestic label that is scanned in by USPS and then sent to a processing facility. Once there, your shipment will be scanned in, where the appropriate customs forms will be applied, and your shipment will be sent to its intended destination. While it may take a bit longer to reach your customer, it does save you from having a package returned for using a suspended service or having to pay additional fees for shipping with a different service. Now that you know the basics of these programs, we’re going to go into GlobalPost and GAP individually to make sure you have all the information you need to get started.
GlobalPost
GlobalPost is a carrier service that focuses more on international services. As we mentioned, GlobalPost allows you to track shipments like with other carriers, but instead of sending a shipment directly to an international location, it first sends your shipments to a processing facility where customs forms are then added. This means you don’t have to generate those customs forms and save paper by not having to print and attach those documents, as GlobalPost sends them electronically. More advantages of GlobalPost include:
- Instant International Refunds: No need to track refund requests that can take up to 2 weeks
- Insurance Coverage: Get worry-free shipping with $100 of replacement coverage
- Dedicated customer service
- No hidden fees: No fuel surcharges or residential delivery fees added
GlobalPost is also a great program to use because as we mentioned earlier, it’s not currently affected by the service suspensions to countries such as Australia and New Zealand. This way, you can continue to cater to your shoppers from these regions, and it’s a win for both you and your customers. To see if your account is eligible for GlobalPost, reach out to our wonderful support team.
Global Advantage Program (GAP )
The Global Advantage Program (GAP ) is a program similar to GlobalPost that works more with international shipments and with the First Class and Priority USPS services. Unlike GlobalPost, GAP is a service, not a carrier, so there aren’t specific options to select with GAP like there are when using GlobalPost.
GAP works similarly to GlobalPost with shipments being sent to a consolidation center and then routed to your destination. The customs forms are created and sent electronically from this center as well. More benefits to GAP are:
- Saving up to 65% over the retail USPS Package shipping cost
- Keeping your same workflow in ShippingEasy because GAP is just another service to select for your labels
All ShippingEasy users with a One Balance account are opted into GAP , but if you would like this service removed, reach out to our amazing support team for further help.
Service interruptions can make figuring out shipping options more difficult. However, with carrier programs like GlobalPost and services like GAP , you still have the option to send packages to some of the countries where USPS isn’t currently delivering, such as Australia and New Zealand. GlobalPost and GAP also help you save time and add some sustainability to your shipping by not requiring custom forms to be created, printed, and attached to your shipments. For more information on these services, reach out to our award-winning support team.
Interested in having GlobalPost and GAP as options for your international shipping? Start your 30-day free trial today!
Baillee Perkins
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