Ebay International Shipping Program

[patbateman43]

I dont ship internationally usually. Some of my international buyers use their own 3rd party shipper if they buy my stuff. It bothers the hell out of me that ebay automatically enrolled me in this new program instead of letting me decide. I dont trust ebay to do a good  job and its a pain that I have to change all my listings to opt out.

[heckofagame]

You can opt out in your account settings under shipping preferences. 

[esg-enterprises]

I used to ship international the ebay GSP.  A great program run by Pitney Bowes. Ebay decided to get into the logistics business and now I have had like 3 International sales in the last 8-10 weeks. I used to average 5-6 a week. My kid sells exclusively new OEM auto parts. He hasn't had one since he was enrolled.

Oh, and we've both had buyers asking why we do not ship international?

It's another ebay disaster, the company is beyond belief. 

[patbateman43]

i didnt know that.. thx

[heckofagame]

I'm hoping that sometime after July 1, it becomes an option for listings and that they allow combined shipping. If we can get those 2 things, it will be a sweet shipping option. 

[1786davycrockett]

It is quite easy to opt out of the new international shipping program -- probably will take less than a minute.

On your main Seller Hub screen, up in the left hand corner, where it reads "Hi (your name)," click on that, and then click on "Account settings."

Under "Selling," scan down to "Shipping preferences."  That will take you to a whole page of different settings; but you want "Exclude shipping locations."  Just click on the blue "Edit" button, and opt out of international shipments.

Easy.

[patbateman43]

Its ebay not surprised at all.

[dbfolks166mt]

     For your international buyers that utilize their own 3rd party shipper, which I am assuming you mean freight forwarders, then the fact that you are enrolled in EIS will have no impact on that as long as the ship to address of the freight forwarder is in the US. 

     You don't have to "change" all of your listings to opt out simply follow the process others outlined below and the software should modify your current listings. If you still wish to sell internationally and ship directly you will have to add that to your listings and ship directly since by early July, if the transition stays on schedule, EIS will be the only international shipping option eBay offers. Of course the seller is always free to ship directly themselves but with the seller protections the EIS program offers I am not sure why any seller would want to do that. 

[slippinjimmy]

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@dbfolks166mt wrote:

Of course the seller is always free to ship directly themselves but with the seller protections the EIS program offers I am not sure why any seller would want to do that. 

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One main reason, I like money in  MY pocket not eBays.

I ship directly myself, I charge buyers a rate that is lower than what EIS offers BUT I generally have a substantial handling charge included that goes in MY pocket.

I do get some INR claims but they are very rare (ignoring the Covid chaos).

• Cheaper for buyers
• Faster delivery for buyers
• More profits for me

I do have hope that as more sellers start using EIS more foreign buyers will return to eBay, many stopped even considering looking on eBay.com because so many sellers refuse to ship overseas.

At one time 65 - 70% of my sales were international, these days it's only about 20%. There are a number of reasons for that:

• eBay collecting VAT combined with the elimination of the 22 Euro tax free import exemption.
• The big increase in USPS International rates over the past 10 years.
• So many sellers refusing to offer International shipping (via any method).

EIS is basically a form of REALLY expensive insurance.

[jscar59]

Yep, I opted out. Sales have been bad enough I don't need international issues.

[slippinjimmy]

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@jscar59 wrote:

Yep, I opted out. Sales have been bad enough I don't need international issues.

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What issues would you have using EIS?

[toomuchstuffagain35]

And after that - got to your exclusion list and add PR back in if you ship there as the EIS opt in seems to wipe that out.

[stainlessenginecovers]

I have an important update for all:

I've been in EIS for about 4 months and have sold, on average, 5 items a week this way. 

I received my first 'I wanna return this' and I told the buyer that a.) they have to get with EIS as we don't accept International Returns.

Received a 'return' today from this $130 order and it said "you don't have to do anything, we've paid the customer. You won't get the item back. Thank you for using EIS etc. (paraphrasing). 

But, bottom line.. they ARE handling/paying all returns when you use EIS; although I don't know what reason the buyer used? and not sure I ever will?? 

[bergenline]

@dbfolks166mt  you wrote: of course the seller is always free to ship directly themselves but with the seller protections the EIS program offers I am not sure why any seller would want to do that.

I have read a number of posts and replies on this subject. Your responses seems pretty straightforward. That being so, I had a question about the above.  Many of the items I sell fit into an envelope and are sent First Class Mail (domestic) or First Class Mail International. So my question is this: if I am in EIS and have to send an auction lot in an envelope, I have the option to send it directly to the buyer myself? Thank you.

[slippinjimmy]

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@bergenline wrote:

@dbfolks166mt  you wrote: of course the seller is always free to ship directly themselves but with the seller protections the EIS program offers I am not sure why any seller would want to do that.

I have read a number of posts and replies on this subject. Your responses seems pretty straightforward. That being so, I had a question about the above.  Many of the items I sell fit into an envelope and are sent First Class Mail (domestic) or First Class Mail International. So my question is this: if I am in EIS and have to send an auction lot in an envelope, I have the option to send it directly to the buyer myself? Thank you.

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You can just turn off EIS for that type of listing and only use it on listings you can't mail in an envelope.