Cheapest shipping options from US to Australia?

[griffin]

If the seller wants paypal protection, they need to use a trackable shipping option. (some will use a cheaper non-tracking option, if they want to take a risk or are new enough to ebay to not yet be scammed by a buyer)
Which is unfortunate that honest buyers have to pay for the actions of a dishonest few.

Just note that USPS is the postal service (like Australia Post here, and arrives here through Australia Post), while UPS is a courier service (which is usually more expensive, but requires you to be home to personally sign for the items, as UPS deliver it themselves here).

[DELTAprime]

as UPS deliver it themselves here).

UPS hands off their deliveries to Australian Air Express in regional centers. UPS deliveries are capitol cities only. I don't like AAE myself so I'm always a bit concerned when a seller uses UPS.

EDIT: I also remember I was told by Aus Post that all international parcel mail these days requires a tracking number. Not sure if thats correct or the Aus Post call center worker was talking out their ass. Can anyone verify that?

[crankcase76]

EDIT: I also remember I was told by Aus Post that all international parcel mail these days requires a tracking number. Not sure if thats correct or the Aus Post call center worker was talking out their ass. Can anyone verify that?

Missus works for Aust Post and asked her and was informed that parcels that are international will not show up on the Aust post tracking site so you have to check the USPS site. Pretty much all eBay sellers will put a tracking number on there parcels to insure delivery. which when we receive the parcel it becomes the Customs number here, which you cannot track here through Aust post but can on the USPS site. So there is tracking on the most of the parcels from the US but it is up to the seller if they want to register the item or not, but most do as they can use it in a dispute through PayPal.

[transform]

USPS first class mail is the cheapest from experience, but no tracking or anything.
Priority Mail international is the next level up, has tracking but pretty bad track system though.
Best bet is EMS, most expensive but most reliable with tracking.

I would also suggest a third party courier service like Fedex or UPS, cost alot more but is pretty fast and has very good tracking every step of the way.

[CBratron]

As people above me have outlined, it's a risk/cost compromise.
I prefer the cheapest option that has a tracking number. I'd go insane if I had to wait a week or two without knowing where my stuff was.