Hi everyone!
I made a very large sale recently ($1000+) and I am shipping out of country to Norway. The sale is being made through eBay.
I know international shipping can be spotty at times, but does anyone recommend a certain shipping method? Is there anyway to insure items when shipping out of country?
Thank you very much for your help! 
Priority mail international with tracking. Itās expensive as hell ($45) but it is the best method. Iāve also used first-class international w/tracking (available through eBay) which has worked as well. If you are looking for protection from item-not-received, and not looking to spend lots of money on shipping, first class is the best bet. But priority can also be insured, which is good. Itās really what you prefer.
I agree with @fourthstartcg and would use International Priority Mail.
You have your choice of flat-rate or a rate based on the weight of the package. If you can fit everything into one of the flat-rate envelopes or boxes and the stuff is heavy, flat-rate will probably be your best bet. If, however, the merchandise weighs very little but it still bulky, you might want to pay based on weight.
Either way, be sure to insure the package for the full value if at all possible. (Priority Mail International usually only covers up to about $70 in insurance.) Some overseas customers want you to declare a low value so they donāt pay import fees, but then you canāt insure for the actual value. That part is a crapshoot.
That statement is false. Priority mail international has no insurance unless you pay extra. I had this problem with the post office and talked to 3 different claim specialists. All of them said the same thing and told me that priority mail international has no insurance and will not start a claim for me because she couldnāt do it. If the post office people tells you that it comes with $50 insuranceā¦itās complete bullcrap >< I was out $50 since they couldnāt start a claim for me.
Proof:
read #5 and 6
www.usps.com/international/priority-mail-international.htm#legal-disclaimersādefinitionā5
Features
May qualify for free Package Pickup3 service at your home or office
Delivery in 6 to 10 business days1
Includes USPS Trackingā¢4
Insurance may be available5
Indemnity may be included6
Disclaimer:
See the Individual Country Listing for maximum amount of insurance allowed by each country.
Back to legal disclaimer 5
Indemnity between $63.89 and $277.79 depending on weight. Not available for Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes and Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes.
Back
and then when you click on Norway:
pe.usps.com/text/imm/mo_028.htm#ep1747220
Insurance (232.92)
Available for Priority Mail International merchandise parcels only (see 323.72 for markings)
Insured Amount
not over
Fee
$50
$2.45
100
3.60
200
4.75
300
5.90
400
7.05
500
8.20
600
9.35
650 max.
10.50
It says 650 max under priority mail international, but under insurance it says $2499ā¦ >< so I donāt know whatās the max insurance you can buy
My statement wasnāt false at all.
Priority Mail International includes a limited amount of indemnity (insurance) for flat-rate medium and large boxes. (It doesnāt, however, cover international flat-rate envelopes; for that, you will indeed need to pay for insurance. Thatās why I said āusuallyā in my previous post.)
Iāve had Priority Mail International Parcels both lost and damaged in the mail, and Iāve never had trouble filing the claims. If you run into a postal employee who refuses to help you, then speak to another employee. And, if you run into several (as you did) who wonāt help you, contact the USPS consumer affairs division. You will need to be persistent and patient, but you can get results.