Selling Feed

[third_coast_vintage]

I am new to selling on eBay but I have noticed that I am getting charged for international transaction fees for some of my orders. Even when the order is being shipped to a US address. I called customer service for clarification and the representative said that the buyer pays that. They explained to me that some of the buyers cards are from different countries which is why I am seeing these fees. When I look at my fee breakdown it shows that I have paid it. I’m just so confused. Is this common? 

[klhmdg]

It is how it is.  There is an "international fee" charged to the seller on international sales.

It doesnt matter where it is shipping to but where the buyer is registered.

[jonathanbrightlight]

The buyer does not pay that, you do (sorry you were given bad information).

You'll pay the fee in either of these two situations:

• The delivery address for the item (entered by the buyer during checkout) is outside your registered address country, or
• The buyer's registered address is outside your registered address country (regardless of the delivery address for the item)

Note that it has nothing to do with their credit card or the customer's physical location at the time of the sale.  Only the addresses matter (either the delivery address or their registered address being not in the same country as you).

[caldreamer]

If you customer has EBAY account in international country SELLER PAYS 1.65%.  Most likely your customer is located in another country and using a freight forwarder with USA location. 

If you "opt in" to EIS (Ebay International Shipping) then EBAY will waive "international 1.65% fee when you ship to FOREIGN COUNTRY".  Also EBAY will pay if package is lost or damaged.   Seller ships to USA address and EBAY forwards to overseas location.   To "opt in" go to SITE PREFERENCES, SHIPPING PREFERENCES, EBAY INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING (click on ENROLL).  

Be aware if you decide to "opt in" to EIS this will apply to ALL current and future listings.   If you have listings you don't" want to ship international (you will need to edit your listings and "exclude countries that you don't want to ship to).

[gloryglorygifts]

I'm a little confused by some of these answers you are getting. You are a U.S. seller, correct? If you are using the EIS system, which is the ebay international shipping, you will pay the shipping to a HUB in the U.S.

From there, the mail is sorted and sent to the country it needs to go to. The buyer pays for the international shipping from there and you won't see that. They will also be charged a VAT fee, if applicable, which is a sales tax to a country. That will not go through your funds either. The only shipping charge you will see for international sales, is the U.S. shipping to the HUB. 

I hope this helps. 

[reallynicestamps]

And those international customers who use freight forwarders, including eIS or Aunt Sonia in Brighton Beach, are not eligible for protection under most of the Money Back Guarantee.

[monroe67]

When an American eBay seller sells to "international customers" -- people whose eBay-registered address is in a country other than the USA -- whose mailing/delivery address is in the USA, whether its a freight forwarding company or a friend or relative ("Aunt Sonia in Brighton Beach") (thanks, reallynicestamps!) -- eBay will retain their 1.65% international fee from the total amount paid by the buyer.  Freight forwarding companies are often located in states with no sales tax, such as Delaware, Oregon, though they can be in any state.  

It's usually a surprise to sellers the first time they see that fee.  But when any buyer provides a USA delivery address to eBay, the American eBay seller is obliged to send the Thing to that USA address.  

(There can be exceptions, such as the fact that eBay does allow sellers not to ship to Hawaii or Alaska.  But that preference has to be set up in Shipping Policies that apply to everything sold by that seller.)    

Lots of experienced sellers have come to accept an occasional International Fee.  My selling ID has paid many international fees, when the buyers are Russian, Ukrainian, Japanese, and once even Australian.  The percentage is really very small, less than two percent.  Of my (only) four sales so far this year, one of them had the international fee imposed, so they do happen.  

[third_coast_vintage]

Thank you for this information. The representative had me all kinds of confused. I’m was not really concerned with fee I just wanted some clarification. I mean a sell is a sell and it’s minimal to the cost of item. 

[ittybitnot]

Be aware if you decide to "opt in" to EIS this will apply to ALL current and future listings.

@caldreamer 

Enrolling in EIS as a seller, and having that as your only international shipping option, does not prevent international buyers from using a US Freight Forwarder address INSTEAD and purchasing your item.  International buyers are NOT limited to EIS if they choose to use a US based shipping address instead.  

[reallynicestamps]

And if the forwarder is in a state with no sales tax, the seller does not pay eBay fees on that.

Which might or might not affect the overall fees the seller pays.

[inhawaii]

You're being charged that fee NOT based on where you're shipping it but based on where the buyer is registered.  So even though you are shipping to anytown USA, if the buyer is registered in the Philippines, you'll be charged that fee.