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mrtexas

mrtexas

Well-known member
I've been selling a few 49 Ford parts on ebay lately. One group of parts was sent off to Italy. I was thinking it would be like in the past, $60 shipping for a $100 part. But no, something different now. I shipped the part off to a USA address, a freight forwarder affiliated with ebay so I didn't have to fill out any forms. I just paid US postage to a US address. Much easier and no trip to the post office like before. I hate dealing with PO lines and clerks.
 
I also usually specify "USA only" in any ebay ads I place. I was selling a Mallory distributor a couple of months ago and I forgot to mark it so, and it ended up selling to a guy in Germany. Like mrtexas states, they take care of everything; it's just like shipping to the states as far as I'm concerned. Everybody ended up happy. From now on, I'm going to give our overseas enthusiasts an even chance.
 
I've sold several items on e to foreign countrys. As stated above it was a clean transaction to send to a shipper in the USA who forwards the item to New Zealand or Norway or where ever.
 
Ive sold a couple of items to people outside the US and the only extra thing to fill out was a customs form. To me, not a big deal.
 
Yeah its all great for the seller within the US. However for those that live outside the US and buy the system isn't as great. Ebay tacks on their "fees" to cover this service plus charges you the maximum amount of import duties every time since they forward that money off to whatever the importing country is.

When I buy something from ebay (when a seller is willing to ship to Canada) and it comes via the mail I get charged import duties maybe 50% of the time. Just depends on the Canadian Customs official reviewing my package to charge duty or just send it on its way.

However if it comes UPS you get charged the full duty amount PLUS Ups's ridiculous brokerage charges. I've paid more in brokerage than the part I bought in the first place. UPS is terrible in Canada.

Ebay brought this in to open up more people outside the US to be able to bid therefore driving the bids up (good for the seller) and make more money for ebay. Everybody within the US wins. Outside the US, depends how badly you needed that part:D
 
Kevin is right. Do you really think the cost of using eBay's Global shipping is going to be cheaper?

Here's another "heads up." Check your shipping preferences. eBay will CHANGE your auction ad to include Global Shipping without telling you ... especially on a relist. Go back and read your ads carefully to make sure no automatic changes have been made.

eBay will screw the seller every time. They consider all buyers to be victims. (... and sellers to be crooks.) Their "hassle-free" returns policy is a real beauty. If someone buys a code scanner, for example, from you, they can use it for a couple weeks to solve their problems ... then return it for a full refund including shipping. No matter what your description says about returns.

If selling internationally, the risk outweighs the opportunity to make a buck. Sorry for guys like Kevin who get cut out by "USA Shipping Only" ... I never turn down a request from Canada.

If you are selling on eBay, better know what's going on. Check Google for clues to protecting yourself while selling on eBay.

(By the way, there's no need to make a trip to the Post Office, stand in line and deal with clerks for international shipping even if you do not use eBay's Global program. You can buy postage on-line and print a label with custom forms, then set it out for your letter carrier to pick up.)
 
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Kevinsrodshop said:
Yeah its all great for the seller within the US. However for those that live outside the US and buy the system isn't as great. Ebay tacks on their "fees" to cover this service plus charges you the maximum amount of import duties every time since they forward that money off to whatever the importing country is.

When I buy something from ebay (when a seller is willing to ship to Canada) and it comes via the mail I get charged import duties maybe 50% of the time. Just depends on the Canadian Customs official reviewing my package to charge duty or just send it on its way.

However if it comes UPS you get charged the full duty amount PLUS Ups's ridiculous brokerage charges. I've paid more in brokerage than the part I bought in the first place. UPS is terrible in Canada.

Ebay brought this in to open up more people outside the US to be able to bid therefore driving the bids up (good for the seller) and make more money for ebay. Everybody within the US wins. Outside the US, depends how badly you needed that part:D
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I was wondering why the seller was charging import fees. That is enough not to buy it.
I ship most of my stuff to a friends house in NH and that gives me an excuse to visit.
 
I have a friend in Australia who buys parts he needs and has them shipped to my house in the States. When I get a box full, I go online to the Priority Mail websitewith the weight & dimensions of the box, fill out the form and pay the shipping fee. I email my friend with the total shipping cost and he pays me via PayPal. I then go to the Post Office, hand the clerk the box & form and I'm done. Easy.

I've also found Priority Mail is MUCH cheaper than either UPS or Fed-Ex. We've done this several times and he's always received the shipment in less than two weeks and in perfect condition.
 
"I then go to the Post Office, hand the clerk the box & form and I'm done. Easy."

It'd be easier to just hand the package to your mailman when he comes to your house ... Oh, you live in Rochester. More fun to snowshoe to the Post Office.;)
 
"Oh, you live in Rochester. More fun to snowshoe to the Post Office.;) "

No, too far for snowshoes. I'm 2-miles from my Post Office branch, so it's great for me - I just hook up the dogs to the sled and give them some exercise.......... :D
 
Kevinsrodshop said:
Yeah its all great for the seller within the US. However for those that live outside the US and buy the system isn't as great. Ebay tacks on their "fees" to cover this service plus charges you the maximum amount of import duties every time since they forward that money off to whatever the importing country is.

When I buy something from ebay (when a seller is willing to ship to Canada) and it comes via the mail I get charged import duties maybe 50% of the time. Just depends on the Canadian Customs official reviewing my package to charge duty or just send it on its way.

However if it comes UPS you get charged the full duty amount PLUS Ups's ridiculous brokerage charges. I've paid more in brokerage than the part I bought in the first place. UPS is terrible in Canada.

Ebay brought this in to open up more people outside the US to be able to bid therefore driving the bids up (good for the seller) and make more money for ebay. Everybody within the US wins. Outside the US, depends how badly you needed that part:D
Click to expand...

These are some of the reasons I quit selling on Ebay several years ago. They nickel and dime you to death on your listings. There are too many other good (many free) websites out there for selling stuff.
 
I stopped selling on e-pay years ago because of all the fees and rules. Now I only sell direct off the Barn or HAMB. I also quit selling to non-US addresses because of the hassles I've had at the shippers as well as fees trying to cash non-US M/O's or checks. I've actually LOST money on deals. So unfortunately I no longer sell outside the US.
 
Only sale I made outside the US was to the UK. Used a Flat Rate USPS box, filled out all the forms on line, they printed on the shipping label. No fuss - no muss, part was delivered in about a week. Customer paid up front via PayPal, I got my full price, he got his part with no additional fees or duties.
 
I have shipped many things to a second shipper like that. JT Core Buyers and Jet Black seem to be the main ones I have dealt with. Also Coker Tires do some overseas shipment of parts with their tires for some customers. All have gone smooth. Rod
 
Australia Post has recently set up a depot in Oregon, it's so easy now to have US bought parts sent there by the seller, especially the guys that sell US only.
 
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