Bye bye discounted postal rates from China to USA

[Mikej]

Thanks Mark Mcm, I was unaware of this agreement.

[GonaSovereign]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Postal_Union

UPU has been a tremendously good thing and I guarantee everyone here has benefitted tremendously from it. (You reading this? You benefited.)

China is taking advantage of it today, but the UPU is a significant component of CIVILIZATION. You mail something to a friend in another part of the world and it arrives. Your friend receives it because the the foreign post office delivers it to him. You didn't give those foreign postal carriers a penny, and yet it still arrived. That's because reasonable countries can work out mutually beneficial agreements.

Sure, some of those on this thread will say "I don't have friends in China, so who cares?" But I invite you consider something for a second: do you think that, just maybe, a similar agreement got mail from one state to the next across your country at one point? I'm sure some of your ancestors felt the Californians were ripping off the New Yorkers, but surely you can see there was some benefit.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by merckxman

President Trump plans to withdraw from a 144-year-old postal treaty that has allowed Chinese companies to ship small packages to the United States at a steeply discounted rate:
https://nyti.ms/2Af96SY

The trade war continues with China..
Just in time for the midterms, more that hurts 'mainstreet'...

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by MikeD

Good riddance. I'm wary of anything shipped from China, especially when purchased on eBay. It's likely to be counterfeit.

Where do ya shop? For those t-Shirts or socks? Maybe that new cord for to charge your phone? WH thinks he's 'hurting' China, but with China's government 'type' and financial power, this continues to hurt main street...
A trade deficit isn't 'losing'...copy to DJT...

[bicycletricycle]

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

Inefficiencies be damned?

The USPS is not a shining example of efficiency. By contrast, private logistics companies are often sighted for their innovations.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

The USPS is not a shining example of efficiency. By contrast, private logistics companies are often sighted for their innovations.

Not the inefficiencies to which I was referring. I'm talking about the disruption of business that would come about when it's up to "individual buyers and sellers to come to an agreement on their own". Seems like a flippant statement that ignores some complex micro and macro economic consequences. That said, this isn't my wheelhouse.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Where do ya shop? For those t-Shirts or socks? Maybe that new cord for to charge your phone? WH thinks he's 'hurting' China, but with China's government 'type' and financial power, this continues to hurt main street...

A trade deficit isn't 'losing'...copy to DJT...

Do you think this product is real or counterfeit? Loctite 220 50ml for about half of what I can find it for here for here in the US. https://www.ebay.com/itm/LOCTITE-220...YAAOSwa~BYPkVR

Counterfeit bicycle handlebars, helmets, stems etc., many of which are unsafe. There was a counterfeit Specialized helmet in the news recently that wouldn't pass impact testing.

And China is hurting, just look at their stock market. The EU puts a 45% tariff on bicyles from China, much more protectionist than we are. Why don't you complain about that?

[bicycletricycle]

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

Not the inefficiencies to which I was referring. I'm talking about the disruption of business that would come about when it's up to "individual buyers and sellers to come to an agreement on their own". Seems like a flippant statement that ignores some complex micro and macro economic consequences. That said, this isn't my wheelhouse.

By "interested parties" I did not mean "individual buyers and sellers", I am not suggesting we abolish shipping companies. I just meant that this international treaty seems to be getting in the way of the current interested parties (USPS and China Post) from arranging an agreement that would let both entities continue to operate profitably. The USPS is currently loosing money because of the current arrangement and apparently they are not allowed to raise their prices, this does not seem reasonable to me.

Prices will rise when importing items from China, perhaps it will be more expensive to ship to China as well. I just don't see how we can expect the USPS to ship items from China at a loss. They should be free to negotiate a price that makes sense for their operation.

[lemondvictoire]

Originally Posted by MikeD

Do you think this product is real or counterfeit? Loctite 220 50ml for about half of what I can find it for here for here in the US. https://www.ebay.com/itm/LOCTITE-220...YAAOSwa~BYPkVR

Counterfeit bicycle handlebars, helmets, stems etc., many of which are unsafe. There was a counterfeit Specialized helmet in the news recently that wouldn't pass impact testing.

And China is hurting, just look at their stock market. The EU puts a 45% tariff on bicyles from China, much more protectionist than we are. Why don't you complain about that?

Item is real loctite made by Henkel Loctite Asia Pacific
and
Made in China

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by lemondvictoire

Item is real loctite made by Henkel Loctite Asia Pacific

and

Made in China

That's what it says, if you believe that.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by MikeD

Do you think this product is real or counterfeit? Loctite 220 50ml for about half of what I can find it for here for here in the US. https://www.ebay.com/itm/LOCTITE-220...YAAOSwa~BYPkVR

Counterfeit bicycle handlebars, helmets, stems etc., many of which are unsafe. There was a counterfeit Specialized helmet in the news recently that wouldn't pass impact testing.

And China is hurting, just look at their stock market. The EU puts a 45% tariff on bicyles from China, much more protectionist than we are. Why don't you complain about that?

I'm complaining about the current trade war with China(and potentially with the other 'foes', the EU, SouthKorea, Japan, Canada, Mexico) that will do nothing but pump up one individuals ego(tough guy!) but hurt the 'guy in the street', meaning you and me. PLUS it's based on an ignorant, comic book version of what trade deficits and surpluses really mean, particularly when one 'guy' can't even agree on the amounts..

[lemondvictoire]

Originally Posted by MikeD

That's what it says, if you believe that.

I got some and Ebay seller has sold tons of this stuff and seller is not from China.. so discount rate doesn't apply...

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by lemondvictoire

I got some and Ebay seller has sold tons of this stuff and seller is not from China.. so discount rate doesn't apply...

I bought a set of fake Bose QC35 headphones. Seller was from Malaysia and product shipped from China.

Maybe this Loctite is legit, maybe it isn't. I believe I'm rightfully suspicious and you have no definitive proof either way.

[MattTuck]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

By "interested parties" I did not mean "individual buyers and sellers", I am not suggesting we abolish shipping companies. I just meant that this international treaty seems to be getting in the way of the current interested parties (USPS and China Post) from arranging an agreement that would let both entities continue to operate profitably. The USPS is currently loosing money because of the current arrangement and apparently they are not allowed to raise their prices, this does not seem reasonable to me.

Prices will rise when importing items from China, perhaps it will be more expensive to ship to China as well. I just don't see how we can expect the USPS to ship items from China at a loss. They should be free to negotiate a price that makes sense for their operation.

+1.

However, USPS has a lot of problems, and I suspect this is a pretty small one. I'd love to see the USPS allowed to sell non-mail products at their offices. Sort of like a convenient store, that also does mail. Their problems are big, need to be addressed on the revenue side as well as the cost side.

But on this topic, there's a big difference between, a policy meant to facilitate individuals sending parcels to each other (which I can see the argument for reciprocal subsidies), and a policy that subsidizes profit making businesses to send parcels. The latter, in my opinion can pay their fair share if they are making a business out of sending products to customers.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

By "interested parties" I did not mean "individual buyers and sellers", I am not suggesting we abolish shipping companies. I just meant that this international treaty seems to be getting in the way of the current interested parties (USPS and China Post) from arranging an agreement that would let both entities continue to operate profitably. The USPS is currently loosing money because of the current arrangement and apparently they are not allowed to raise their prices, this does not seem reasonable to me.



Prices will rise when importing items from China, perhaps it will be more expensive to ship to China as well. I just don't see how we can expect the USPS to ship items from China at a loss. They should be free to negotiate a price that makes sense for their operation.

Does this affect product purchased from UK vendors like Merlin Cycles, CRC, Ribble, Wiggle, etc.? I've bought stuff from Merlin with free shipping. I mean I think this postal treaty covers more countries than just China?