[ChrisPlatt]

Once most potential overseas buyers hear how much insured, trackable shipping costs
they immediately lose interest in the inexpensive items I sell in the classifieds here.

Chris

[Jodokast96]

what does paypal have to do with postal insurance?

paypal is a tool for you to establish a contract, money in return for goods.

insurance for the package is the responsibility of the courier.

easy cheese.

1. weigh all your goods and know what size packages they will fit in

2. get accustomed with the courier of your choice, and their package rates. Canada Post has an easy to use online calculator, which in my experience has been bang on with what i get charged when i walk into a post office.

3. do a little reading on the countries you deal with to find out if they ahve any special provisions that you should be aware (VAT, specific goods, etc)

its very easy,

If you do this on a regular basis. Most times that's not the case. We're not talking about people running a business here, just some Joe Schmoe's getting rid of stuff the no longer need or want.

1. Because every household has a scale for weighing such things. Sorry, bathroom scales don't count.

2. People who don't sell regularly most likely don't have a carrier of choice to be readily familiar with their policies.

3. That's what peopel are complaining about. They just don't bother selling elsewhere because there may be special provisions they want to deal with. So they stick with what they know (as you suggest) to save as much potential time and aggrevation as possible.

[jsherman999]

Well, in addition to the actual work load, there's the cognitive load -- figuring out how to do it. If you've never or rarely shipped overseas, that's nonzero effort.

This may be a quirk, but my convenient post office is in the University of Minnesota student union and it's staffed by student work study labor. I don't really trust them to be knowledgeable about overseas shipping.

Coffman? I've actually sold lenses in there (convenient meeting place for a certain U of M -associated buyer)

Anyway, if you sell to a trusted forum member, 90% of the worries go away, and selling overseas amounts to filling in like 4 quick fields on a small customs form, and then insurance, if the items are worth it and insurance is desired by the buyer.

Like, when I sent that Viv S1 to Bramela, I figured, well, if Bramela rips me off, I'll just quit the forum because my faith in humanity will have been shattered.

I've only had one bad experience shipping overseas, and that was when I sent several heavy camera bodies and lenses (spotties + Taks) to Croatia, I think, and ended up paying more for shipping than I asked for the entire package, price + shipping. I just ate the loss and learned a lesson, which is why I always state "shipping outside CONUS may be extra" now.

Once most potential overseas buyers hear how much insured, trackable shipping costs
they immediately lose interest in the inexpensive items I sell in the classifieds here.

Chris

I have the same issue only reversed... I love some of the cheap old Russian and German lenses... but few are to be had from the US, so most of my options are overseas purchases of inexpensive glass with some very expensive insured shipping charges... They will ship to the US, but sadly I just don't even consider most of them with shipping charges that cost almost as much as the lens.

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Last edited by Igilligan; 03-31-2009 at 07:12 PM.

[creampuff]

If the item isn't very high in value, and the seller is reputable and trustworthy, even USPS First Class Airmail without insurance or tracking is viable as my experience on eBay and here has borne out.

I have more to worry if the person selling has only just become a member, not posted much and has no pictures.

Just going to have a whinge about being discriminated against because I don't live in the US. The number of items that are exclusively on offer there to only CONUS residents makes the rest of us on this planet fell like we have some kind of disease. I know Paypal whack on foreign exchange surcharges, but surely they can be factored into the pricing by listing non US pricing. Naturally the shipping charges are the responsibility of the buyer. nopw most of us also live in countries that have more the favourable trade treaties with the US so in the spirit of Globalisation surely we should not be ignored. Otherwise we are faced with the option of creating regional marketplace enclaves to counter this discrimination.

First off, if I own an item, it's my decision where, and to whom, I want to sell it.

If you're not in North America, I'll be glad to sell to you but it will be at my price and at a shipping rate which I will determine. If you're willing to meet my price, I'll be more than happy to sell, and ship, to you.

My son has sold some items on this forum including several overseas. Without fail, buyers outside North America ask for the shipping documents to be falsified. My son wouldn't do it and neither will I.

In addition, on two of the five items that he sold into an overseas market, the buyer tried to come back and scam him with "It's not what you said it would be, but I'll keep it at a lower price." & etc.


Good luck,

r

[pingflood]

I've gotten several inquires about shipping things I'm selling out of the country. I've done a few, but try to avoid it most of the time. A lot of the time the buyer wants it marked as low value (like $80) but then the post office starts questioning why I am buying $500 insurance on something I said is worth $80 and things get complicated.

[ryan s]

I always worry about a couple things when shipping internationally:

1. I wonder if anyone I've shipped to has ever gotten a package opened by their customs service, or gotten hit with customs fees...since I won't specify "gift" unless it really was free.
2. Packaging. Whether it is minimum sizes or overpacking, I still worry if everything is ok.
3. Cost and shipping time...why would someone spend $5 for shipping on a $5 item that will take up to 3 weeks to reach them?

I have had things shipped to me from overseas which I couldn't get in the US so that was my last resort. Looking at lenses available in Europe with $40 shipping charges kind of kills any "good deal" especially having to wait a while to get a package that's been through God-knows-what traveling thousands of miles.

It's almost worth waiting for a US copy of something even if the price is more. Also knowing I can show up on a person's doorstep if they shaft me lets me fall asleep at night

Lastly, is it discrimination that people won't ship to certain countries because of bad postal services (Italy) or bad customs (China) or plain unknowns like a package getting lost or stolen (does Madagascar have its own postal service?)? Something like that...

[Gooshin]

If you do this on a regular basis. Most times that's not the case. We're not talking about people running a business here, just some Joe Schmoe's getting rid of stuff the no longer need or want.

1. Because every household has a scale for weighing such things. Sorry, bathroom scales don't count.

2. People who don't sell regularly most likely don't have a carrier of choice to be readily familiar with their policies.

3. That's what peopel are complaining about. They just don't bother selling elsewhere because there may be special provisions they want to deal with. So they stick with what they know (as you suggest) to save as much potential time and aggrevation as possible.

this is how i translate what you wrote in my head:

the average joe is too lazy to educate himself about international shipping.

"i dont do it enough, so i dont care, let them worry about it"

its not rocket science! hell man, call your post office and have a 10 minute chat with customer serivce, knowledge for life!

[Gooshin]

I always worry about a couple things when shipping internationally:

1. I wonder if anyone I've shipped to has ever gotten a package opened by their customs service, or gotten hit with customs fees...since I won't specify "gift" unless it really was free.

usually its best to negotiate or let them know how you will package and label an item. If the buyer requests full value, put full value, if he says put it down as a gift, do it as a gift, after all, it is a gift

customs has nothing to say if there is no paper trail, (unless you put the paypal invoice in the box)

and anyway, its their risk.

2. Packaging. Whether it is minimum sizes or overpacking, I still worry if everything is ok.

you did the best you could

3. Cost and shipping time...why would someone spend $5 for shipping on a $5 item that will take up to 3 weeks to reach them?

if there is no alternative, yes, they will spend 5 dollars on a 5 dollar item and wait 3 weeks.

i had a fella in Croatia buy my old Soligor for i think net 50 or 60 bucks, he recieved it 4 weeks after the fact, and was very happy.

Lastly, is it discrimination that people won't ship to certain countries because of bad postal services (Italy) or bad customs (China) or plain unknowns like a package getting lost or stolen (does Madagascar have its own postal service?)? Something like that...

If you ship, insure, and track on your end, it is the buyers problem from there on.

people dont seem to understand that, the buyer wants something that he can not get otherwise, he is taking a bigger risk than you if he is somewhere in Tahiti. You have done everything by the book on your end, you have zero fear of losing your money, why are you bothered by this??

[Bramela]

A point I must add here, I agree that postings overseas (to/from wherever) should definitely have some sort of insurance coverage.

At the time of writing I have two mail items from Canada/Usa purchased here, and both are extremely overdue (vicinity of 3 months) and I have almost given up on receiving them at all

Otherwise I have purchased several items from "over there" and been very happy with the delivery, cost etc etc.

[séamuis]

this is how i translate what you wrote in my head:

the average american joe is too lazy to educate himself about international shipping.

"i dont do it enough, so i dont care, let them worry about it"

its not rocket science! hell man, call your post office and have a 10 minute chat with customer serivce, knowledge for life!

except Gooshin that you can replace 'american joe' with canadian, asutralian, european joe, etc, etc.... the average joes who are too lazy exist everywhere mate, look at the marketplace and you will currently see sales for AUS and EU only just as quick as you will find US only. since you have no proof that its due to laziness, in my opinion you have no right to say anything. keep your thoughts on the subject to yourself. until you can prove otherwise you are from where I am sitting picking on US citizens and using blanket discrimination.

[Gooshin]

except Gooshin that you can replace 'american joe' with canadian, asutralian, european joe, etc, etc.... the average joes who are too lazy exist everywhere mate, look at the marketplace and you will currently see sales for AUS and EU only just as quick as you will find US only. since you have no proof that its due to laziness, in my opinion you have no right to say anything. keep your thoughts on the subject to yourself. until you can prove otherwise you are from where I am sitting picking on US citizens and using blanket discrimination.

fine, let me rephrase

"the average joes of the world"

happy?

[séamuis]

fine, let me rephrase

"the average joes of the world"

happy?

not really, no. because I remember the last discussion on the forums about this, and your view was the same. you know just as well as I do that this is something that people all over the world are guilty of, if you can call it guilty. you can say 'joes of the world' all you like now, but I know that you say what you mean, and I think you (in both discussions) unfairly target US sellers.

[Gooshin]

not really, no. because I remember the last discussion on the forums about this, and your view was the same. you know just as well as I do that this is something that people all over the world are guilty of, if you can call it guilty. you can say 'joes of the world' all you like now, but I know that you say what you mean, and I think you (in both discussions) unfairly target US sellers.

unfairly? HA!!

as i posted in that other thread, America drives the world, gets the best deals, draws in the best professionals, everyone welcomes American business, every one things America is a good place to be.

You have the most responsibility to give back to other nations.

America has the most to prove.

So yes, i target the U.S.A., and for good reasons, not nice or fair, perhaps, in YOUR eyes.