How to Block International Buyers with Domestic Addresses?

[herbaearth]

I already have international buyers blocked from bidding on my auctions, because I only sell to the lower 48, but where’s the option to block international buyers who have domestic addresses? 

I don’t mind the international fee or even shipping to a domestic address for a freight forwarding service, but I clearly have a preference set to not sell to international buyers. What options are there for eBay to uphold my preferences?

[downunder-61]

To lessen the chance of this happening in the future, set your buyer requirements

https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/buyerrequirements

Block buyers whose primary shipping address is in a location I don't ship to. 

It will not stop all that use  a FF, but it will stop the one's who have their ''primary shipping address'' in the country they reside in

[slippinjimmy]

There is no such options.

eBay allows sellers to block SHIPPING locations, eBay does not allow blocking by country of birth, citizenship or residence.

[herbaearth]

Is there an option block both Shipping and Registered international addresses?

If the buyers shipping address is not their registered residence, and I have international buyers blocked, why does eBay leverage the international fee on to the seller with no other way to block international buyers or make them pay the fee when they break my set rules?

My preferences are clearly set to Not Sell to International Buyers.

[herbaearth]

My preferences are set to block international buyers, but somehow eBay allows international buyers to bid, pay, leverage a international fee onto the seller, and complete the transaction without any other option to Block International Buyers as per my set preference. 

Would I have to go through each bidder and put them on my block list as I see their registered location being outside of my selling preferences? 

[herbaearth]

So far the only way I see to block international buyers from breaking my set preferences is by going through bidders on each auction and putting users with international locations on my blocked buyers list. I really can not find any other way to uphold my set rules.

[richard1rst]

I'm sorry but I do not understand.

How to Block International Buyers with Domestic Addresses?

I don’t mind (the international fee or even) shipping to a domestic address for a freight forwarding service,

Those 2 statements seem to be at odds with each other. So what is the actual complaint?

[chapeau-noir]

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@herbaearth wrote:

I already have international buyers blocked from bidding on my auctions, because I only sell to the lower 48, but where’s the option to block international buyers who have domestic addresses? 

I don’t mind the international fee or even shipping to a domestic address for a freight forwarding service, but I clearly have a preference set to not sell to international buyers. What options are there for eBay to uphold my preferences?

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If you don't mind the international fee or shipping to a freight forwarder, then you've solved your own problem, because FF services is about all you'll be shipping to if you block international sales.  If an international buyer has a domestic address, it will either be a freight forwarder, or a domestic address registered with eBay.

So I guess I'm on the confused bench with Richard 1rst.

[herbaearth]

Looking over all of my businesses: the data on reverse logistics from disputed issues with US customers are mostly all resolved with repeat, or replacement, orders. On the other hand, over the past two years a large percentage of international buyers who dispute issues have mostly resulted in a profit loss.

As of late 2020, to reduce product hemorrhaging and profit slippage, I ship only to the lower 48 with direct-order exceptions for Alaska and Hawaii. The reason I set my account that way on eBay is because that is my business preference.

When international buyers go around my shipping preferences, and go around my set business rules, they are breaking my rules where I am responsible for the sell.

[herbaearth]

I don’t understand how my preferences, which are to not sell to international buyers, can not be honored.

What I’m saying is regardless of the international fee or using a freight forwarding service, (because debating the fee and the FF service is not the question as the answer is always about foreign banks, equations to PayPal, or how we are “in the clear” when it arrives to the us shipping address,) it is about the fact I don’t want to deal with international buyers at all, and there’s no option I can find for that.

It’s an open debate to why the fee is being stiffed into the seller, but corporate bankers want to make money and that’s not my problem. 

The question does not relate to when the money exchanges hands, when the fees are taken or how the product arrives through a third party. The question revolves around how do I block international buyers so I do not have to deal with international buyers when they have dispute issues.

How do I stop international buyers from bidding on my auctions when my preferences are already set?

Canceling orders is not the way to go so what is the correct way?

[slippinjimmy]

What type of issues are you having with foreign buyers?

[herbaearth]

Returns errors, product damage, credit card disputes. It’s not an over night issue either. I don’t get riled up until audits.

I try to be a good steward and honor business out of pocket, but the results from international buyers over the past few years has become very clear.

I wouldn’t even notice it here on eBay without the international fee that shows me bidders are breaking my rules.

It’s not just about banning foreigners, or not wanting international sales, it’s all about slippage tbh

[dbfolks166mt]

     Prior to managed payments you could do this through PayPal but that went away with the conversion to MP.  Under MP this has been a long standing problem since eBay checks the buyers shipping address against your shipping preference list and not the buyers registered address so as long as the buyer has a U.S. shipping address there is no way to block them.  According to eBay this check is working as designed although it overrides what they claim sellers can do with regards to setting their preferences. 

     For the most part shipping through a FF is relatively low risk since the buyers MBG coverage ends with delivery to the FF although eBay has waffled on this several times. I have shipped a number of items through FF's and have had no problems.

[dhbookds]

I don’t understand how my preferences, which are to not sell to international buyers, can not be honored.

The simple answer is because Ebay doesn't allow it. 

I imagine the "why" is because they are an international company that wants to encourage cross border trade......but that's just my guess.

[chevymontecarlo88]

A legitimate question and i have had the same thing happen to me. If i remember correctly, all of them were on Best Offers.  

From what i understand (and i could be wrong and please let me know if i am) buyers can change their address at anytime by putting a us address on their account before purchasing the item. I have restrictions on most of my items as well but sometimes they get through. I don't mind if i am selling lower priced items like CD's or DVD's but if higher priced items get through, it can cost more (more fees) than anticipated.