A similar situation recently occured for me where 
I am sure from the sellers perspective I might 
have seemed a little strange with my requests for 
alternate mail prices. (Not that I would ever ask 
for a cel to be shipped unprotected). 

In short problems arise because of the very high 
cost of shipping cels (and other goods) from the 
US to overseas. For instance in a recent 
transaction for me to send a cel to the US, in a 
well protected box (from Australia) with 
insurance cost around $5 USD yet the other way 
around regularly costs around $25 USD. The 
problem seems to be around the preference of a 
courier vs the local postal system. When sending 
from Australia there is really no difference, 
everything has to be flown out anyway, and they 
quite often use the same planes, so why pay 3-5 
times the amount for a courier when you don't 
have to?

So when someone says it will cost $25 to send 
something, and even quote an official web page, 
do I feel ripped off, yep I sure do, for that 
price I could send an average house brick half 
way around the world. But I generally don't feel 
cheated by the seller, more the stupid postal 
service they choose / are forced to use. 

So please be a little understanding of overseas 
customers.