Methods of sending parcels from Germany to U.S.

Recently, the US Postal Service overhauled their rate structure and eliminated surface mail. Even the previous cheapest method to send a parcel from the US to Germany, M-Bags, now only go airmail and consequently the rates have more than tripled. (It wasn't a good deal before the rate rise in any case because the parcel was not even delivered; you had to pick it up at the Customs office in Garching, which is still the case.) There is now a flat-rate of $37 for up to 20 pounds, but the flat-rate box is TINY; you probably couldn't even fit 20 pounds of controlled substances in it. I need to ship parcels that are 30 or 40 pounds apiece. I've looked at UPS, FedEx, and DHL, and all are prohibitively expensive. The only other option I know of is to ship by container but you need a minimum 1000 kg shipment, according to the one shipping company I talked to. I don't mind if a shipping method takes months to arrive; I just don't want to pay more than the contents are worth to get them.

Does anyone know an alternative shipping method?

Call other shipping companies. Some consolidate shipments in containers and this is the way to go if you can wait up to three months. Check under "freight consolidators" in the US; most will be domestic trucking but even they may be able to help you by pointing you to a known container consolidator.

woof.

How much weight you are shipping altogether? I know UPS wasn't too bad for a bunch of boxes I brought over that came under 200lbs.

Well, I checked the UPS website calculator and it returned a price of nearly $200 for 40 pounds. I'll give them a call; perhaps they have a surface rate that the website doesn't have.

BadDoggie, great idea. Thanks.