Small expensive (high value) packages should always be air shipped via leading carriers (UPS and Fed-Ex), with adult signatures required for delivery. this means checking id of the recipient upon delivery and a signature, done by the delivery driver.
This method is better than any form of insurance applied to the value of the shipment. It has the least amount of issues and losses.
The value of the shipment is irrelevant, to some degree.. and higher stated values just trigger the potential of loss. Higher stated values simply increase costs of shipping for little in the way of any actual safety in shipping or delivery. ’adult signature required’ is the best form of effective delivery insurance that I am aware of.
Since this format or method is not available via USPS or postal services in general, for things like a cartridge, eg high value items, it (postal service to other continents) is best avoided.
Next thing, is that the package size for a cartridge is ’awkward’ for these two major carriers. so a larger box than required is advised. rectangular, stiff,and about the size of a sheet of paper/hardback book. this allows for clear and well attached/adhered labeling and easy handling. Not too big, not too small.
The next trick is double labeling. label on the box before packing tape, so if the attached label is lost the orignal written labeling remains.
If unsure of the address, mark it as ’hold for local pick up’, and inform the person receiving that you wish to do it that way, and if they disagree, then get them to understand that your lack of understanding of labeling and address formats, etc, is holding things up. that clarity is required in this area. Period. This is a large percentage of effective ’delivery insurance’, right there.
Next thing, always do your research in addresses and address formats. For the delivery services of the country it is to go to. There must be zero ambiguity here. It does not matter if it seems puzzling and you need to do some research and find clarity and it feels like a hassle - do it -or risk loss. As close to zero ambiguity is your game, here. Managing potentials. Your biggest problem here... is in the area of UPS and Fed-ex labeling standards for addresses may not be a perfect fit as compared to effective 'postal' labeling for the given foreign country. Hence the desire to delve into 'hold for pick up' and 'adult signature required' on the given high value small (or big/heavy) parcel.
Additionally, supply fully explained address formats of your return address to people (who are on other continents, especially those of other cultures and languages) who are shipping small high value items to you. not just the address but a full explanation of what the (your) address and it’s format means, line by line. Leave NOTHING to ambiguity or chance.
This set of instructions or methods, outweighs, in success levels overall.. all potentials in loss and insurance covering said losses, by far, when compared to just shipping stuff willy-nilly and blithely following other ’norms’. So sayeth my approximate 10k of world wide shipped parcels (for various companies and products)
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This post is not helpful for the OP, but it might be quite useful to other readers peeking in.
The only thing I can really say to the OP, is that the shipment back is the responsibility of the shipper, not yours. the losses, if any, are on them. The shipper always assumes the values involved. It is never on the recipient, unless thing can be brought down to being a case of inaccurate or poorly received shipping instructions handed to the orignal shipper, as a thoughtless act committed by the recipient.
