u/PackOfCumin

Can someone clearly explain what is happening with the USPS international and batteries as of July 12th the new HazMat rules have been implemented, however USPS and Pirate Ship contradict some of it, if the product is brand new and sealed and has the battery built in. Yet no shipping platform supports sending proper info over for label creation of battery equipped electronics (cell phone for example).

I’m hoping someone familiar with USPS international lithium battery rules / PC Postage / Shipping Services File requirements can help clarify this.

We are trying to ship a brand-new retail electronic product internationally. It contains one small lithium-ion polymer battery installed inside the device. The battery is 3.7V, 1000mAh, 3.7Wh, so it is well under the 100Wh battery limit. This appears to fall under:

UN3481 — Lithium-ion battery contained in equipment

The confusing part is the difference between what USPS says about physical package markings vs. what may need to happen electronically during label creation.

USPS Packaging Instruction 9E says lithium-ion batteries are mailable internationally only when properly installed in the equipment they operate. It also says:

• UN3481 lithium-ion battery contained in equipment is mailable internationally when permitted by destination country.
• Batteries packed with equipment or sent separately are prohibited.
• Used, damaged, or defective devices are prohibited internationally, except new original packaging / manufacturer-certified new or refurbished devices.
• No lithium battery markings are permitted on the international mail piece.
• Each shipment may contain max 4 lithium-ion cells or 2 lithium-ion batteries.
• Each lithium-ion battery must not exceed 100Wh.
• Shipments containing lithium batteries are not permitted in Global Express Guaranteed.

So physically, it seems clear that we should not place a UN3481 lithium battery label/marking on the box for USPS international.

However, USPS Appendix G says for international/APO/FPO/DPO dangerous goods, ESCs are required in the mailer’s Shipping Services File. Appendix G lists:

ESC 820 — Class 9 – Lithium batteries, unmarked package

It also says the batteries must be installed in the equipment being shipped and must not bear markings or labels identifying the contents as lithium batteries.

That makes it sound like the package should be unmarked physically, but the shipping label platform may still need to transmit something electronically in the background.

To make it more confusing, Pirate Ship’s article says that for brand-new electronics in unopened manufacturer packaging containing lithium-ion batteries, you should not check the Hazardous Materials checkbox when creating the label. That may be Pirate Ship-specific workflow, but I’m trying to understand whether they handle the needed USPS electronic code automatically, or whether no electronic code is needed for this category.

Veeqo has not been able to support this clearly for our international shipments, so we are trying to find the correct compliant path.

My questions:

1. For USPS international shipments of new electronics with lithium-ion batteries installed in equipment, does the label system need to transmit ESC 820 / Class 9 lithium batteries unmarked package?
2. If using USPS Click-N-Ship, Pirate Ship, ShipStation, etc., how does a shipper know whether ESC 820 is being transmitted?
3. If Pirate Ship says “do not check HazMat” for new unopened electronics, does that mean they transmit the correct unmarked lithium code automatically, or that USPS does not require any electronic lithium declaration for that scenario?
4. Is the correct customs description something like: “Pet light therapy device, lithium-ion battery installed in equipment, UN3481, 3.7Wh”?

We are not trying to avoid compliance. We are trying to comply correctly without incorrectly adding lithium markings that USPS 9E says are not permitted internationally.

Sources:

USPS Packaging Instruction 9E — Lithium Metal and Lithium-ion Cells and Batteries, International and APO/FPO/DPO
https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52apxc_033.htm?c=Pub52&h=Lithium%2Bion&p=1&q=lithium+ion&s=R&t=H

USPS Appendix G — ESCs International and APO/FPO/DPO Required
https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52apxg_008.htm

USPS Domestic Packaging Instruction 9D, for comparison
https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52apxc_032.htm

USPS HAZMAT Search Tool
https://pe.usps.com/hazmat/index

USPS Notice 123 Price List, July 12, 2026
https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm

USPS Postal Bulletin July 2026 competitive product / HazMat handling updates
https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2026/pb22705/html/updt_001.htm

Pirate Ship hazardous materials article
https://support.pirateship.com/en/articles/2945251-shipping-hazardous-materials-on-pirate-ship

I’m hoping someone familiar with USPS international lithium battery rules / PC Postage / Shipping Services File requirements can help clarify this.

We are trying to ship a brand-new retail electronic product internationally. It contains one small lithium-ion polymer battery installed inside the device. The battery is 3.7V, 1000mAh, 3.7Wh, so it is well under the 100Wh battery limit. This appears to fall under:

UN3481 — Lithium-ion battery contained in equipment

The confusing part is the difference between what USPS says about physical package markings vs. what may need to happen electronically during label creation.

USPS Packaging Instruction 9E says lithium-ion batteries are mailable internationally only when properly installed in the equipment they operate. It also says:

• UN3481 lithium-ion battery contained in equipment is mailable internationally when permitted by destination country.
• Batteries packed with equipment or sent separately are prohibited.
• Used, damaged, or defective devices are prohibited internationally, except new original packaging / manufacturer-certified new or refurbished devices.
• No lithium battery markings are permitted on the international mail piece.
• Each shipment may contain max 4 lithium-ion cells or 2 lithium-ion batteries.
• Each lithium-ion battery must not exceed 100Wh.
• Shipments containing lithium batteries are not permitted in Global Express Guaranteed.

So physically, it seems clear that we should not place a UN3481 lithium battery label/marking on the box for USPS international.

However, USPS Appendix G says for international/APO/FPO/DPO dangerous goods, ESCs are required in the mailer’s Shipping Services File. Appendix G lists:

ESC 820 — Class 9 – Lithium batteries, unmarked package

It also says the batteries must be installed in the equipment being shipped and must not bear markings or labels identifying the contents as lithium batteries.

That makes it sound like the package should be unmarked physically, but the shipping label platform may still need to transmit something electronically in the background.

To make it more confusing, Pirate Ship’s article says that for brand-new electronics in unopened manufacturer packaging containing lithium-ion batteries, you should not check the Hazardous Materials checkbox when creating the label. That may be Pirate Ship-specific workflow, but I’m trying to understand whether they handle the needed USPS electronic code automatically, or whether no electronic code is needed for this category.

Veeqo has not been able to support this clearly for our international shipments, so we are trying to find the correct compliant path.

My questions:

1. For USPS international shipments of new electronics with lithium-ion batteries installed in equipment, does the label system need to transmit ESC 820 / Class 9 lithium batteries unmarked package?
2. If using USPS Click-N-Ship, Pirate Ship, ShipStation, etc., how does a shipper know whether ESC 820 is being transmitted?
3. If Pirate Ship says “do not check HazMat” for new unopened electronics, does that mean they transmit the correct unmarked lithium code automatically, or that USPS does not require any electronic lithium declaration for that scenario?
4. Is the correct customs description something like: “Pet light therapy device, lithium-ion battery installed in equipment, UN3481, 3.7Wh”?

We are not trying to avoid compliance. We are trying to comply correctly without incorrectly adding lithium markings that USPS 9E says are not permitted internationally.

Sources:

USPS Packaging Instruction 9E — Lithium Metal and Lithium-ion Cells and Batteries, International and APO/FPO/DPO
https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52apxc_033.htm?c=Pub52&h=Lithium%2Bion&p=1&q=lithium+ion&s=R&t=H

USPS Appendix G — ESCs International and APO/FPO/DPO Required
https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52apxg_008.htm

USPS Domestic Packaging Instruction 9D, for comparison
https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52apxc_032.htm

USPS HAZMAT Search Tool
https://pe.usps.com/hazmat/index

USPS Notice 123 Price List, July 12, 2026
https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm

USPS Postal Bulletin July 2026 competitive product / HazMat handling updates
https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2026/pb22705/html/updt_001.htm

Pirate Ship hazardous materials article
https://support.pirateship.com/en/articles/2945251-shipping-hazardous-materials-on-pirate-ship

I’m wondering if majority of people prefer the original or the Alan Walker remix? As part of the 4 remixes on Avicii’s remix album?

Personally I think Alan Walkers is the definitive version over the original and even more so over the 3 other remixes.

Love to hear what everyone else thinks

View Poll

I’m wondering if majority of people prefer the original or the Alan Walker remix? As part of the 4 remixes on Avicii’s remix album?

Personally I think Alan Walkers is the definitive version over the original and even more so over the 3 other remixes.

Love to hear what everyone else thinks

View Poll

As I age, I see and hear myself making grunt noises that sound awful a lot like Raziel when he gets hit. 😂🤣

We tried refunding a customer back to their original payment method using BigCommerce (ultimately unrelated) and we received a reject, called and spent an hour talking to two agents and the highest agent told us that our merchant account can no longer process refunds (later he said we can but unknown number of times a year).

We run a very successful business and to date have used PayPal and QBO payments on BigCommerce. We've been in business for 10-1/2 years and I kid you not we have had 109 returns in all that time, sold thousands and thousands of products. But somehow the intuit Ai has flagged our merchant account. The agent spoke with the team of underwriters and they had no idea why it happened but no one has the ability to override it. (10.4 +_ returns per year)

So my question are:

1. What payment gateway is everyone using for eCommerce over QBO Payments? (besides our own PayPal as we have that enabled as a option already).
2. How does the payment gateway work if you are invoicing since QBO does not allow 3rd-party payments in its bookkeeping platform. Do you invoice outside of QBO and then create a invoice inside QBO once paid?
3. How are you processing the bookkeeping side of the payouts? end of month rec?
4. Any helpful tips would be appreciated.

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