Question about basketball on Ebay...

[mightbe]

I don't really do much basketball, but looking around Ebay I noticed a large percentage of buyers and sellers are not in the US. For those that handle other sports as well, have you had more issues selling basketball or is it roughly the same?

[Zerokruel]

A lot of basketball ends up over seas, and I have never had an issue. They pay very well, and for the most part I have never had an issue. I will say this, I will not ship to Italy. There postal system is horrible and I refuse to ship to it. If you don't like selling over seas, don't ever get into Tennis or Magic the Gathering (I know it's not a sport).

[mightbe]

Well, my thing is, with high end stuff over $250 Paypal only covers you if you meet certain criteria. Do you have any particular guidelines you follow?

[Zerokruel]

Actually, I made a guideline. I always put that international bidders please contact me before bidding. That way I see what country and their past transaction (cost/feedback). Since they contacted me about bidding, I also get to fluctuate shipping also since they are international.

I sold a MJ, Pippen, & Rodman auto for $1500 and strictly said no international buyers. But someone still bought it over seas. However, he had someone here in the states I could ship it too. That person got it and I was okay.

[mightbe]

Actually, I made a guideline. I always put that international bidders please contact me before bidding. That way I see what country and their past transaction (cost/feedback). Since they contacted me about bidding, I also get to fluctuate shipping also since they are international.

I sold a MJ, Pippen, & Rodman auto for $1500 and strictly said no international buyers. But someone still bought it over seas. However, he had someone here in the states I could ship it too. That person got it and I was okay.

How exactly do you do so? If I post an item with some figure for S&H I can't charge somebody more, right? Or like if the item goes past a certain amount require insurance? I can understand changing the listing for a bin/bo (allowing international buyers and determining s&h), but if it's an auction even if somebody sketchy wins the item aren't you obligated to sell?

[Zerokruel]

How exactly do you do so? If I post an item with some figure for S&H I can't charge somebody more, right? Or like if the item goes past a certain amount require insurance? I can understand changing the listing for a bin/bo (allowing international buyers and determining s&h), but if it's an auction even if somebody sketchy wins the item aren't you obligated to sell?

I post S&H figures for domestic only. That's why I put a guideline for international bidders to e-mail me first, if they bid after that then I take that as a sign they agreed to my terms. When I send the invoice I charge them what I quoted. I charge about $.50 more. The real point is to make sure they have good feedback from other US buyers and they are not from Italy.

My friend has had the experience on a international buyer winning a high end cards. He told the buyer it stated to contact him first before bidding and he did not. He would only accept a USD Money Order as payment. If the buyer does not want to pay with that method, then the seller and buyer do one of those mutually agree not to sell things so no fees get charged.

[mightbe]

Sorry for all the questions and a big thanks by the way, but when I use TurboLister I can't figure out how to leave international s&h "blank" or "contact seller" or something. Now one of the first things I sold I set it up as US only and a guy from Ireland asked if I would sell (bin). I then had to edit my auction so it would allow him to make the purchase.

[Zerokruel]

I don't sell frequently enough to use turbo lister anymore.
This is how I set my auction up.

2008 Upper Deck USA Auto LOT! 6 cards! Jersey autos too - eBay (item 320310093339 end time Oct-19-08 12:39:59 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=320310093339)

[mightbe]

I see...so I assume unless I check the option "block bidders from countries I don't ship to" international buyers can place bids even if the item is listed as "ships to United States" alone. So then I could figure out s&h & insurance for that individual w/o having to put a blanket cost in the listing.

I just want to make sure I'm doing stuff right. I actually got a call from Ebay last month that they removed a listing since I used the term "like new."