What's wrong with selling overseas ?

[R2mi]

Hi everyone,

There is a increasing number of eBay sellers who don't offer international shipping anymore ... and the worse thing is they actually block the auction so you can't even contact them. I was wondering why there are so many sellers who won't send overseas nowadays. I understand many of them have been ripped off by crooks, and I assume the new eBay policy doesn't help at all (helping buyers way more than sellers) but still ... i don't get it when someone doesn't want to send overseas even if the buyer is willing to pay for a secured registered s/h. Are you guys still afraid of dealing with foreign collectors ?

Any clue ?

[nanners13]

theft. im gonna say 100% of sellers got burned once and once was all it took for them to not want to lose their nice cards to international crooks.

And id say about less then 5% WANT to pay extra 20 bucks for international tracking and signature confirmation.

Be sure to send ebay a great big thank you note.

certain countries scare me i know personally honk kong and phillipines have terrible theft within there post office system. Other countries, like UK countries and austrailia ive never had a problem with.

[Birdmandig]

Burned on a package sent to Saudi Arabia, learned my lesson, only ship to USA.

[WillC]

I saw an auction end recently for $100 when I would have paid $250 for the card if the seller shipped internationally.

What many sellers fail to understand is that, if they shipped internationally, they would open up their auctions to a global market and thus get a much higher final sale prices.

Sure, they might get scammed once every thousand auctions, but i) the higher sale fees should more than compensate for that, and ii) there are scammers in every country, including the USA.

Also, most international buyers are willing to pay for insured/tracked shipping if its a high end card, which means there's no risk for the seller anyway.

[Orangejello727]

Originally Posted by R2mi

Hi everyone,

There is a increasing number of eBay sellers who don't offer international shipping anymore ... and the worse thing is they actually block the auction so you can't even contact them. I was wondering why there are so many sellers who won't send overseas nowadays. I understand many of them have been ripped off by crooks, and I assume the new eBay policy doesn't help at all (helping buyers way more than sellers) but still ... i don't get it when someone doesn't want to send overseas even if the buyer is willing to pay for a secured registered s/h. Are you guys still afraid of dealing with foreign collectors ?

Any clue ?

This question probably can be answered many ways depending on the seller. But Im sure some of the reasons behind it..

-Too many scammers
-Too expensive to insure and ship
-Afraid of waiting time complaints
-Can lead to missing item
-Leave Negs for something out of their control (shipping / customs time)

And one that people forget way too often especially in the US. You have got fill out customs forms and go to the PO. IN the US, they can ship stuff right from their home where as the rest of us must go to the PO to send everything out.

For higher end cards I ship fed ex or Purolator. $84 per package. Either split the cost or I pay. Buyer never wants to pay for it for some reason.

[wilsunshines]

As a relatively smalltime collector, getting ripped off for thousand bucks or so in cards was enough to convince me never to ship internationally barring customer paying for registered.

Unfortunately, the other side is true too--cards are more apt to get lost in customs. For instance, I'm about to file an item not received case for a certified 1/1 coming from Canada that just never showed up.

[brandonlec]

I'm a collector who is really tolerant and willing to help others. Thus, I open my photobucket to global collectors. But everytime I ship international, I feel scared and hesitant because I know as soon as I hand over my package to the USPS there is a drammatic increase in the chance that "something happens" before it reaches the buyer/trader from the foreign nation.

I love registered international mail because it offers full tracking and insurance. But it's so darn expensive!
What other international options that offer full tracking and insurance?

-Brandon

[cruiserdaddy7]

People blame the mail system but I blame the buyers. There is no way that these mail systems are so bad yet buyers have confidence in them enough to pay. They know they can get your card and still you on a claim and win EVERY time. Canadians are some of the worst and its just simply not going that far. I quit shipping to International buyers long ago. Even if my items would bring 30% more Im still ahead considering Im not having many items stolen.

[Brobocop]

I agree with most of the reasons already listed. I have any auctions I do listed for international shipping but the buyer must contact me first. When they do I always inform them of what the estimated shipping cost will be, which is usually $20+. I usually never get a response back. Don't get why I should eat the shipping cost?

[cruiserdaddy7]

Originally Posted by Brobocop

I agree with most of the reasons already listed. I have any auctions I do listed for international shipping but the buyer must contact me first. When they do I always inform them of what the estimated shipping cost will be, which is usually $20+. I usually never get a response back. Don't get why I should eat the shipping cost?

Its not that. They dont want the tracking because then they cannot steal your cards from you. Its about as simple as that in my opinion.

[hotbox]

Paypal not offering international shipping is a big setback for me. I understand that if you sell something on eBay you can print a shipping label there, but I am selling a guy a few cards on another site, and he lives in Hungary. Since paypal doesn't have international shipping options for bubble mailers, I have to go to the post office. International buyers require much more effort.

[WillC]

Originally Posted by cruiserdaddy7

Its not that. They dont want the tracking because then they cannot steal your cards from you. Its about as simple as that in my opinion.

Oh come off it.

Not everyone outside of the USA is a thief. Your attitude is very xenophobic.

I've spent nearly $20,000 on cards and never had to make a claim. The cards have ALWAYS got here safely.

[WillC]

Originally Posted by hotbox

Paypal not offering international shipping is a big setback for me. I understand that if you sell something on eBay you can print a shipping label there, but I am selling a guy a few cards on another site, and he lives in Hungary. Since paypal doesn't have international shipping options for bubble mailers, I have to go to the post office. International buyers require much more effort.

I have to go to the post office every time I send a card, since all of my buyers are outside of the UK.

It's good exercise. It gives me a break from work.

Poor Americans having to go to the post office occasionally. How do you cope?!

[Brobocop]

Originally Posted by WillC

Oh come off it.

Not everyone outside of the USA is a thief. Your attitude is very xenophobic.

I've spent nearly $20,000 on cards and never had to make a claim. The cards have ALWAYS got here safely.

Personally, I'd love to sell to international buyers IF they agree to at least help pay for the increased shipping cost. But like I said, they never respond or agree to it.

[WillC]

Originally Posted by Brobocop

Personally, I'd love to sell to international buyers IF they agree to at least help pay for the increased shipping cost. But like I said, they never respond or agree to it.

That's odd.

Maybe the cards aren't high end enough to warrant the postage costs.

[Orangejello727]

Originally Posted by WillC

Oh come off it.

Not everyone outside of the USA is a thief. Your attitude is very xenophobic.

I've spent nearly $20,000 on cards and never had to make a claim. The cards have ALWAYS got here safely.

how often have you paid $85 for secure shipping on items you bought?

Lets say they do get lost, who do you think should foot the bill? Buyer or seller? If you say seller, then you have your reason why people dont take the risk. Pretty simple.

[hotbox]

Originally Posted by WillC

I have to go to the post office every time I send a card, since all of my buyers are outside of the UK.

It's good exercise. It gives me a break from work.

Poor Americans having to go to the post office occasionally. How do you cope?!

I'm just saying, I don't understand why paypal doesn't offer international shipping for bubble mailers. Anyone know why?
I used to go to the PO all the time, but then I realized shipping through paypal was cheaper than going to my post office.
I'm not that lazy

[Orangejello727]

Originally Posted by hotbox

I'm just saying, I don't understand why paypal doesn't offer international shipping for bubble mailers. Anyone know why?
I used to go to the PO all the time, but then I realized shipping through paypal was cheaper than going to my post office.
I'm not that lazy

When you ship via paypal, how do you put it in the mail box? Does the post man just pick it up from your house? Lol

If i asked my postman to take something for me, he would probably laugh at me. I go to the PO for everything.

[hotbox]

Originally Posted by Orangejello727

When you ship via paypal, how do you put it in the mail box? Does the post man just pick it up from your house? Lol

If i asked my postman to take something for me, he would probably laugh at me. I go to the PO for everything.

Yup, print the label, tape it on your package, and put it in the mail box.
It costs $1.64 (maybe a little more now with new shipping rates), but it comes with free delivery confirmation. It's around 70¢ for delivery confirmation at the post office, right?

[bdoody42]

Originally Posted by hotbox

Yup, print the label, tape it on your package, and put it in the mail box.
It costs $1.64 (maybe a little more now with new shipping rates), but it comes with free delivery confirmation. It's around 70¢ for delivery confirmation at the post office, right?

80 or 85 I believe.

[Orangejello727]

I dont know. I live in Canada. There is no DC for international orders. But for within Canada its $1.50 for signature.

my mail costs the following for the US.

Bubble mailers regular mail = $3.10
Bubble mailer registered = $17
Bubble mailer xpresspost = $23 (sig delivery 4 days)
Fed ex = $48

All of them have to be done from PO. I could print off the labels at home but I still have to get to a PO or a mailbox.

[nanners13]

Originally Posted by Orangejello727

When you ship via paypal, how do you put it in the mail box? Does the post man just pick it up from your house? Lol

If i asked my postman to take something for me, he would probably laugh at me. I go to the PO for everything.

if you use stamps.com, you use paypal to buy the postage, then print out the label on a sticker label, stick it to the bubble mailer, and yes absolutely the postman takes it, he has to! he wont laugh at you if anything he should thank you for job security

[Orangejello727]

Originally Posted by nanners13

if you use stamps.com, you use paypal to buy the postage, then print out the label on a sticker label, stick it to the bubble mailer, and yes absolutely the postman takes it, he has to! he wont laugh at you if anything he should thank you for job security

we dont get that luxury here. Atleast not that I know of. Half the time my packages that need to be signed for dont even come. They just drop off a note saying for me to pick it up at the PO because the postman probably didnt want to carry it.

[chrismiller81]

Ive been burned sending to Austria and Hong Kong before but I always still seem to be selling internationally... Ive noticed that there are a lot of really high end buyers from China ,Hong Kong, Philippines and so on.. Now I only offer international if they pay for Express Worldwide shipping.. If they really want your card they will pay the shipping... All of my really high end cards I just sold all went over seas...

[1eyed_jack]

I have overseas bidders blocked, because most of the cards I sell are in the $15-$60 range, and I can't imagine international bidders would turn those into $40-$100 auctions so it's not really worth the extra hassle.

If I was selling high end though, I'd certainly want to include international bidding