eBay

sin-n-dex · ‎04-05-2021

Today I got a sale to Japan.

The address isn't in English, except for "Japan", the numbers in the street address, and postal code. eBay will allow me to just print the label as it is, but I need to do customs paperwork because my packages are shipping from the US and I'm in Canada.

I checked on Chit Chats Express online platform and they will accept a street address in Japanese. The city I was able to translate to Yokohoma. But his name is in Japanese and I don't want to translate that with a translator.

I've asked him if he could provide me the address in English for US Customs, but assured him the address would appear as provided when I send the package.

Is it wrong to ask for an address to be in English when English speaking people need to read it?

C.

48hrs-clothing · ‎04-05-2021

Re: Address in Japanese

No it is not wrong to ask for address in English.

As you say address needs to be in English for English speaking people.

Equally it needs to be in Japanese for Japanese speaking people ( Who are going to deliver the item)

Re: USA or Canadian Customs

They have little or no interest in your buyer name and their interest if any is in you and your business as you are the sender.

Japanese Customs have an interest in recipient.

You can ask your buyer or use translator as when I have these orders I also print or write my buyers address on a plain piece of paper and attach this to the package along with actual postage label and customs declaration.

sin-n-dex · ‎04-05-2021

@48hrs-clothing wrote:
Re: Address in Japanese
No it is not wrong to ask for address in English.
As you say address needs to be in English for English speaking people.
Equally it needs to be in Japanese for Japanese speaking people ( Who are going to deliver the item)

Re: USA or Canadian Customs
They have little or no interest in your buyer name and their interest if any is in you and your business as you are the sender.

Japanese Customs have an interest in recipient.

You can ask your buyer or use translator as when I have these orders I also print or write my buyers address on a plain piece of paper and attach this to the package along with actual postage label and customs declaration.

US Customs might not care about the name, but Chit Chats Express won't accept it until I fill that in (in English). I thought I might just put "eBay" and his ID, and then paste the Japanese address on the package for Japanese Post.

Likewise Stamps.com won't accept a first initial and a last name. They require at least two characters for the first name and two characters for the last name.

C.

48hrs-clothing · ‎04-05-2021

You can translate your buyers name in English and put that in Chit Chat Express.

You can translate the whole of your buyers address in English and put that into Chit Chat express and print buyers address in Japanese on a plain piece of paper and attach this to the package along with actual postage label in English and customs declaration.

You can use any option you like that satisfies Chit Chat Express and full address in Japanese for delivery agent in Japan.

I would take a photograph of package with both labels for my records.

fab_finds4u · ‎04-05-2021

Have you copied and pasted their Japaness address into Google translste?

Make the label exactly as provided. USPS knows to send it to Japan. The Japanese mail carriers can read Japanese but they may not know English. (you want to be able to prove you delivered it the address exactly as provided)

femmefan1946 · ‎04-05-2021

Which kind of Japanese writing are they using?

If it is the one that is more or less an alphabet, you can look that up and transfer the letters into Roman letters.

If it is the one that looks like Chinese (which seems to be used less and less nowadays) you can use Google Translate.

Before you ask How? ask Why?

ChitChat needs Roman letters for their records. I somehow doubt the actual address is as important as being able to identify the package if there is a problem.

Just as JAPAN is enough of a readable address for Canada Post and USPS to get the package to the right country, and then Japan Post takes over and can read the more detailed part of the address.

m60driver · ‎04-05-2021

I have mailed many packages from the US to friends and family overseas where the only part pf the address in English was the country name and never once had a problem. Besides, US Customs is not usually interested in packages leaving the country.

postingid7659 · ‎04-05-2021

Just copy and paste it into Google Translate one line at a time. Problem solved.

sin-n-dex · ‎04-05-2021

@femmefan1946 wrote:
Which kind of Japanese writing are they using?
If it is the one that is more or less an alphabet, you can look that up and transfer the letters into Roman letters.
If it is the one that looks like Chinese (which seems to be used less and less nowadays) you can use Google Translate.
Before you ask How? ask Why?
ChitChat needs Roman letters for their records. I somehow doubt the actual address is as important as being able to identify the package if there is a problem.
Just as JAPAN is enough of a readable address for Canada Post and USPS to get the package to the right country, and then Japan Post takes over and can read the more detailed part of the address.

It's Kanji, which is the one that looks like Chinese. (I used to be able to read/speak Japanese, but that was 25 years ago).

I want to ship with Asendia because it will be appropriate for the $11.50 the buyer was charged in postage. If I print on eBay with Japanese characters as provided, it's going to cost me $17 to ship. Asendia will be around $10-11, and they will send it with US Post after the intermediary hands it off to USPS. If I use Asendia, Chit Chats will provide the address as I type it in (keep in mind the street address is OK in Japanese with Chit Chats, the city and buyer's name must be in English). I'm able to translate the name into English characters with Google Translate, but if that's not the buyer's name he will be insulted by receiving a package in this fashion. (Keep in mind Japanese are very polite, and have little tolerance for mistakes).

I haven't heard back from the buyer, but it's been night in Japan since the sale. I did email him within 10 minutes (through eBay message) to ask for the address in English. I would think that this is a normal question he is asked when he buys things in North America, so I don't know this would be a problem. But I'm kind of concerned that maybe I shouldn't ask and just pay $17 for shipping. (He will not see the translation of his address/name if I do this, it will only show up on Chit Chat's records, but it's a $5 item, so I will lose money if I do this).

C.

sin-n-dex · ‎04-05-2021

@m60driver wrote:
I have mailed many packages from the US to friends and family overseas where the only part pf the address in English was the country name and never once had a problem. Besides, US Customs is not usually interested in packages leaving the country.

I'm in Canada, Chit Chats Express needs the English address for their records and to transport my package across the border, so they will be interested in what's coming in. Translating it is only one part of the issue, the other part is that Chit Chats Express will transcribe exactly what I put on the package if I use their international shipping options (to save money, which is why I charge customers way less than US Post costs on International mail). I'm concerned about trying to translate his name. I was able to translate the city and am comfortable that it's correct (CCE validated the address for me), but if I put his name in English and I'm wrong, it's a huge insult.

C.

sin-n-dex · ‎04-05-2021

@postingid7659 wrote:
Just copy and paste it into Google Translate one line at a time. Problem solved.

His name is written in Kanji, which is the same writing that's used in China. If I mistranslate his name into English I am insulting my customer. That's what my issue is.

C.

chapeau-noir · ‎04-05-2021

@sin-n-dex wrote:
@postingid7659 wrote:
Just copy and paste it into Google Translate one line at a time. Problem solved.
His name is written in Kanji, which is the same writing that's used in China. If I mistranslate his name into English I am insulting my customer. That's what my issue is.

C.

I agree with waiting for his response and NOT playing guessing games with his name. I've done business with both Japan and China for years, (I have regular buyers in both countries - well, did before Covid borked up the postal system for everybody), and the protocol which has worked the best for them (by their request) and in my experience, is to have the address in their native language for the address label, and then the address in English next to it or below it. I don't ship until I get their address verified, though they usually send it with the order, I've also asked and have never had anyone not be prompt in answering.

Hell is empty. And all the devils are here.

sin-n-dex · ‎04-05-2021

@chapeau-noir wrote:
@sin-n-dex wrote:
@postingid7659 wrote:
Just copy and paste it into Google Translate one line at a time. Problem solved.
His name is written in Kanji, which is the same writing that's used in China. If I mistranslate his name into English I am insulting my customer. That's what my issue is.

C.
I agree with waiting for his response and NOT playing guessing games with his name. I've done business with both Japan and China for years, (I have regular buyers in both countries - well, did before Covid borked up the postal system for everybody), and the protocol which has worked the best for them (by their request) and in my experience, is to have the address in their native language for the address label, and then the address in English next to it or below it. I don't ship until I get their address verified, though they usually send it with the order, I've also asked and have never had anyone not be prompt in answering.

I think the reason I'm wondering is because I messaged him very soon after the order. (I was at work and wanted to get that task out of the way, rather than wait for my day to finish, and then do eBay, like I normally do). I had thought if he was online buying he would see my message, but it was around 2am in Japan, so he might have just bought my coin and logged off.

I guess I'll wait and see what happens tomorrow. I generally get my international messages while I'm asleep (that and the Pacific Coast stuff tends to come in very late at night for me, while they're still awake and buying online).

C.

postingid7659 · ‎04-06-2021

Don't translate the name, then. Or translate it one character at a time and see if you can determine something which makes sense.

sin-n-dex · ‎04-06-2021

@postingid7659 wrote:
Don't translate the name, then. Or translate it one character at a time and see if you can determine something which makes sense.

Chit Chats Express won't allow me to not translate the name. It's one of a few key pieces of information they require, along with address and city. (The city needs to be translated to, but I already did that).

I wouldn't be here seeking advice if I could just run it through a translator or simply not translate it. That's an obvious solution.

C.