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Selling internationally on eBay... yea or nay?
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75 posts in this topic

I always ship outside of the US. 

I don't use the GSP since most people outside the US hates it. 

Pack well, write the name and address of the buyer on the box, attach the customs form to the box, sign and date it....how is that a hassle for sellers?  Sounds more like laziness. 

I've shipped to New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, UK, Canada, Germany, Philippines....never had a problem.     

Edited by Kevin76
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22 minutes ago, Kevin76 said:

I always ship outside of the US. 

I don't use the GSP since most people outside the US hates it. 

Pack well, write the name and address of the buyer on the box, attach the customs form to the box, sign and date it....how is that a hassle for sellers?  Sounds more like laziness. 

I've shipped to New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, UK, Canada, Germany, Philippines....never had a problem.     

Any items over $1000?

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I avoid shipping to International destinations unless the buyer contacts me and I get a good feeling.  Then, I don't mind....but one problem is, ebay charges you their fee on the shipping as well.  So, when I shipped something to the Netherlands recently, the extra ebay fee on me ate into what little I was actually making.  Personally, I prefer to just ship to the US and Canada.  Shipping to the US can actually be cheaper for me than shipping within my own country!

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8 hours ago, 1Cool said:

Nope - I got a couple negs from guys who got the wrong book and it took me too long to get it resolved but never for something I had nothing to do with.  Giving me a neutral because your country imposes some import fees seems pretty excessive and I don't have to worry about that stuff when I ship books to the US.

That's not only ridiculous but ignorant.  Everyone should know their import laws.  I always say in my auctions that buyer's must check said laws before bidding and that any such fees are their responsibility.

I also insist that they read my narrative completely which includes asking any questions before auction end and that they contact me for a postal quote before bidding...like they do that...:makepoint:

Edited by pemart1966
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3 hours ago, habsfan1 said:

I avoid shipping to International destinations unless the buyer contacts me and I get a good feeling.  Then, I don't mind....but one problem is, ebay charges you their fee on the shipping as well.  So, when I shipped something to the Netherlands recently, the extra ebay fee on me ate into what little I was actually making.  Personally, I prefer to just ship to the US and Canada.  Shipping to the US can actually be cheaper for me than shipping within my own country!

Does eBay allow us Canadians to do that now - specifying shipping only to US and Canada?  It seems to me that not too long ago we weren't able to do that (or I couldn't figure out how to do that)  :blush:   lol

Edited by pemart1966
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It's very interesting to see how many Boardies are now in favor of GSP. For at least a couple of years, whenever it was first introduced, the very idea of GSP caused much gnashing and wailing.

I've sold on eBay for 20+ years, and for the majority of that time, I shipped internationally. But it became apparent over time that the "problem" transactions I was experiencing were almost exclusively international ones. And I think the biggest issue is that once the items leave the US, the tracking doesn't really work very well, and it's nearly impossible to track down items, which lead to chargebacks, claims, etc. This is my hobby, not my job, so in time I decided it just wasn't worth it to sell internationally anymore. So I stopped.

Once GSP was launched, it was great, because I could once again make items available to the rest of the world, with none of the risk.

I realize, 100%, that the GSP really sticks it to the buyer. I 100% understand why buyers don't like it. I truly do. But that's just how it is, I'm afraid.  And the argument that I am losing sales because I do GSP simply isn't true, because without GSP, I wouldn't sell internationally at all anymore. So it is only a bonus for me. If a buyer doesn't want to buy from me because I do GSP, I'm totally fine with that. No hard feelings at all.

All this being said, when I sell on the boards I DO ship internationally, because I think the policing around here is much better than it is on eBay. I've never had a problem transaction internationally on the boards.

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16 hours ago, pemart1966 said:

Does eBay allow us Canadians to do that now - specifying shipping only to US and Canada?  It seems to me that not too long ago we weren't able to do that (or I couldn't figure out how to do that)  :blush:   lol

Yes...there are check boxes for where you sell to. I only select Canada and the US.  If an international buyer is interested, I send them the quote which usually is far too expensive and scares them away.

As for GSP, I really don’t think it is necessary for it to be included with transactions to Canada.  I very rarely buy through the GSP as it adds WAY too much to the cost for us Canadians.  Funny that as a Canadian seller we never need something like that and I have rarely had an issue since 1998

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Frankly, the only real loss is if you don't ship to Canada as that is like losing a California worth of collectors. I only had sporadic sales elsewhere anyway. I have just opted to avoid the hassle and folks getting upset about the now huge shipping charges. Canada was fine when a flat rate for like $7. I ship to Canadians and brits here, of course.

Edited by the blob
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23 hours ago, F For Fake said:

I This is my hobby, not my job

the same for me

 

I do this because I like it, because it's fun for me. I don't ship internationally because it's easier and less risky for me not to. If it ever stops being enjoyable to me, I'll stop completely. Until then, what do I care if I'm missing out on sales? I don't need that money to put food on my table.

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I need to ask, because maybe I am missing something from a US perspective.  I obviously recognize that Canada would be seen as an “international” destination but it must be seen as something completely different than shipping to Europe or elsewhere.  Are the US sellers having to fill out crazy amounts of forms to ship to Canada?  Is it the tracking? Is it some crazy cost? From my end, when I ship there, the form doesn’t take much longer than going anywhere in Canada.  I get a tracking number from a US seller and it doesn’t disappear at the border...I see exactly where it has gone and where it currently is (there is even an option at the end from Canada Post to request where to leave the package).  As for the cost, for me it is actually cheaper to ship actoss the continent to California than to send to part of my own country.  Plus, as a Canadian buyer, I am aware of the price range for shipping comics from the US, and am happy to pay it.  Seems strange to me that some sellers won’t ship to Canada.  Not sure what the issue is.  As for lost sales, I know that I was ready to pull the trigger on a number of items here then I saw US only...and those items never sold here. 

One other question: can you opt out of the GSP for just Canada?  It truly is excessive and again I have been watching the same ebay items for months that I would have bought if it wasn’t for the huge cost in shipping and import charges that the GSP gouges.  

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1 minute ago, habsfan1 said:

I need to ask, because maybe I am missing something from a US perspective.  I obviously recognize that Canada would be seen as an “international” destination but it must be seen as something completely different than shipping to Europe or elsewhere.  Are the US sellers having to fill out crazy amounts of forms to ship to Canada?  Is it the tracking? Is it some crazy cost? From my end, when I ship there, the form doesn’t take much longer than going anywhere in Canada.  I get a tracking number from a US seller and it doesn’t disappear at the border...I see exactly where it has gone and where it currently is (there is even an option at the end from Canada Post to request where to leave the package).  As for the cost, for me it is actually cheaper to ship actoss the continent to California than to send to part of my own country.  Plus, as a Canadian buyer, I am aware of the price range for shipping comics from the US, and am happy to pay it.  Seems strange to me that some sellers won’t ship to Canada.  Not sure what the issue is.  As for lost sales, I know that I was ready to pull the trigger on a number of items here then I saw US only...and those items never sold here. 

One other question: can you opt out of the GSP for just Canada?  It truly is excessive and again I have been watching the same ebay items for months that I would have bought if it wasn’t for the huge cost in shipping and import charges that the GSP gouges.  

I think it may be that  people are not aware of first class international and that it has a 4 pound limit, unlike first class domestic which has a 16 oz limit. I do not know why people do not ship to Canada, it is simple and no more work than shipping domestically.

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10 minutes ago, habsfan1 said:

One other question: can you opt out of the GSP for just Canada?

I don’t believe so. I for one would do that. Just discovered First Class to Canada. However, it can’t be used for items over $400 in value, IIRC. And now most of mine are over that.

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5 minutes ago, Bird said:

I think it may be that  people are not aware of first class international and that it has a 4 pound limit, unlike first class domestic which has a 16 oz limit. I do not know why people do not ship to Canada, it is simple and no more work than shipping domestically.

That is what I thought..that said, every seller that I have dealt with here has been really reliable, friendly, and gives pretty much the same quote (which I usually check in advance to make sure we are on the same page).  I pay quickly and the books arrive sometimes in a week.  I send to the US and even if I don’t take the tracking the item arrives to the destination in a week or so....usually to huge surprise of the buyer.  I have sold since ‘98 and honestly have had only one issue shipping there, but the box arrived back here eventually with tire tracks on it lol This isn’t a faraway land....I just don’t get it from some.  Not like you are going to a different post office.  

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I ship internationally to the USA all the time and have never had an issue, and have also shipped outside North America a few times with no issues.  However I never purchase items from anyone using the GSP as it is a total scam and don't trust sellers that use it.

Edited by SuperZar
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