Interesting China Postal Restrictions

Following on from yesterday’s post about the things you can’t send to Afghanistan, today we are replicating this with a list of some of the more unusual things you won’t be allowed to send to China. Some of the items China don’t allow are very sensible. As with many other countries, you will not be allowed to send any meat products to China, as if these are contaminated they could affect the native livestock supplies which could be catastrophic. However, once again, there are a few things you might not expect to be a problem that are on their prohibited items list.

Used clothing and bedding are important things to note for eBay sellers. If you’re selling your beautiful designer coat but it’s been used, remember not to send it to China. Also, you may not send any material which might do harm to China on a political, economic or any other level, whether this is a book, a magazine, a video tape, a CD or even photo negatives, so check everything thoroughly before you send it.

Sewing machines are another unusual prohibited item, along with other basic machinery and electronics such as radio sets, wrist watches and tape records, so steer clear of sending anything along these lines.

Interesting Afghanistan postal restrictions

This week, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the more unusual postal restrictions that apply when you send a parcel internationally. It goes without saying that weapons, drugs or anything dangerous should be omitted from your package, but there are lots of things you might never have considered that are prohibited from entering the country by international mail.

Chessboard

Today we’re looking at sending a parcel to Afghanistan. Probably the most unusual is chessboards. We’re not entirely sure of the reasoning behind this, but just remember not to send a chessboard if you’re trying to think of a way to keep soldier friends and family entertained in Afghanistan. The same applies to children’s toys with the exception of sporting goods, so don’t send any dolls, board games, action models or anything else which could be considered a toy.

Also on the list are tapestries and lace, silk products and books and any other publication which could be offensive to the people of Afghanistan, whether this is their morals or religion or anything else, so double check that what you’re sending won’t contain any material considered offensive to the people of the country.

Halloween!

Halloween

We’re rounding off our week of celebrations around the world with a much-loved celebration in many Western countries – Halloween! The holiday is particularly popular in the US, and the day is celebrated by taking part in all sorts of spooky activities, such as dressing up in costumes, decorating the house with scary decorations and trick or treating. The day has Pagan and Christian origins, and it is a way for us to celebrate the dead and other living beings. Traditionally, this may have included fairies, spirits, vampires and other mythical creatures, when the doors of the current realm were opened to welcome everyone and everything back in for a day. Now we consider Halloween more of a fun occasion, with pumpkin carving, Halloween parties for children and horror films all being normal elements of the day. If you want to send a Halloween gift to relatives in the US or elsewhere in the world, RAND offers excellent rates on international parcel delivery, so use our parcel quote comparison finder for the best prices on your Halloween gift sending.

Vietnamese Women’s Day

Did you know that 20th October signifies Vietnamese Women’s Day? On this day, the people of Vietnam show their love and respect to women by showering them with roses, small gifts and good wishes, and the day was established by Vietnam Women’s Union. If you have female family or friends in Vietnam and you want to make sure your gifts will arrive in plenty of time to celebrate the day, RAND offers cheap parcel delivery to Vietnam, so take advantage of our competitive rates today.

Uganda Independence Day

Uganda flag

Each year, 9th October signifies Uganda Independence Day, a celebration of Uganda gaining independence from the United Kingdom, which occurred on 9th October 1962 and since has been used as the date of significance in the Ugandan calendar. Up to this date, the Britons had controlled the country and everyone lived under British rule, with strong political, ethnic and religious divides throughout the country. While the British legacy still lives on in the form of the country’s national language, English, the country is now self-governed by the Ugandan people, and this is celebrated each year with parties throughout the country. To send a gift to Uganda, RAND offers fantastic rates on international parcel delivery, so use our parcel comparison tool to check out the rates on offer.

Lesotho National Sports Day

In Lesotho, a small country found in Africa, the first Monday of October (this year 7th October) celebrates National Sports Day in the country. Communities come together to play and discuss sports. There are several sports Lesotho is at least somewhat known for on the world platform, including football, netball, tennis and athletics. Four athletes from Lesotho made it to the team in the 2012 London Olympics, though the country has as yet never won a medal. Sports equipment is often bulky or heavy if you are intending to send some to celebrate the day, but if you are going to send something like a tennis racquet or a cricket bat as a gift, remember that you can get the best rates on international large parcel delivery with RAND.

Chinese National Day

Chinese flag

This week, we’re going to be celebrating a variety of international events taking place around the world. We’ll be starting off with Chinese National Day, which takes place on 1st October, and which celebrates all things Chinese. The People’s Republic of China was founded at Tiananmen Square on 1st October 1949, and it has been determined that this should represent the national day. Public places throughout China, Macau and Hong Kong are decorated elaborately, with portraits of leaders put on display for Chinese citizens to show their gratitude to the government. The government also organises some large country-wide events, such as music concerts and firework displays, and it is a time of great festivity and celebration for the Chinese people. If you want to join in and celebrate with your friends and family in China, send a cheap parcel with RAND for the best prices and most reliable service.

Sending Items Home From University

For international students who have just started their studies in the UK, you will already be aware of what a nightmare it can be transporting all your prized possessions overseas. The memories of heavy suitcases, stressful waits at the baggage carousel and lugging everything up the five flights of stairs to your room are probably still fresh in your mind. We’re sure you’re not looking forward to the return journey for this very reason, which is why we recommend using our parcel delivery service to send your items home. For example, if you can pack all of your textbooks and study material into a box and send it home by courier, this reduces the stress for you, as your important items will be guaranteed to arrive home safely without having to go through the drama of waiting for lost luggage to turn up months after it went missing. Get ahead of the game and organise your journey home with RAND by finding out the cost of sending your items home.

The Privatisation of the Royal Mail

Recently, it has been announced that the Royal Mail will be privatised in the coming weeks. This means that employees will be given a share of the postal service with members of the public being able to buy shares from £750. It has long been recognised that there are flaws in the Royal Mail, but is this necessarily a good thing? It is too early to say yet how this will affect the post in the UK, but one thing is for sure: it won’t affect the way RAND operate. We can still offer the same high level of parcel delivery anywhere in the world, and you will always have the option of fast, reliable delivery wherever in the world you’re sending your items.

eBay Seller Tips

If you have started selling on eBay, you may be wondering how some people manage to keep the costs of postage and packaging so low, especially when sending internationally. One tip is to bulk buy packaging materials, such as padded envelopes, tape and parcel paper, as this will reduce the cost of sending each individual package. Lost parcels can also mean you have to push up your prices overall, as you will lose both the item and the money you have to refund to the buyer, so use a reliable courier service to send parcels to other countries to make sure it gets there. You should also make sure you don’t waste money by sending oversized boxes, as parcel delivery rates are estimated by the size and weight of the package, so keep it compact to keep costs down.

To check the price of your eBay parcel delivery, use our Quote & Book service.