eBay

themonitorman · ‎07-06-2018

I do not currently ship Internationally - only to the lower 48 states, U.S.

I sell an item. Print a label via Ebay Shipping Label page. Slap the label on the package, and hand it off to the Postman at my door. I love the simplicity of the whole exercise.

Does International shipping work the same way? (sell it; print the label; send it out the door)

Or is there additional work involved - forms, declarations, customs, etc. - that have to be filled out?

I am asking this question for two reasons:

1) Sales so far in 2018, have been absolutely horrible - on average, down 80-85% from same period last year. Some months, I barely sell enough to cover my Basic Store Subscription on eBay.

2) So far in 2018, I have been getting requests from Buyers (on average 2 or 3 per month) in other countries, asking me to ship items Internationally - - - even though all of my Listings state "Does not ship Internationally".

I MUST increase Sales, or I will shortly be out-of-business. So what is the eBay Community's take on International Shipping? How much extra hassle is involved? Should I be shipping Internationally?

themonitorman · ‎07-10-2018

Not at all. I ship to the territories as well.

Only current exclusion is PO Boxes - and they will remain permanently excluded, due to size considerations for many of my items, and for security reasons. I have had a number of "scam" situations resulting in missing items and forced refunds via eBay's ridiculous Seller policies: every one of them involved me shipping to a PO Box.

No more.

That is another reason why I am still a little hesitant about International shipping. EBay does almost nothing anymore, to protect its Sellers - only its Buyers.

sam9876 · ‎07-10-2018

Ummmm.... PO Boxes are probably the safest place to ship.

themonitorman · ‎07-10-2018

So long as only one person has access to the PO Box.

*smedley* · ‎07-11-2018

@themonitorman wrote:
So long as only one person has access to the PO Box.

that's up to the owner of the box...

themonitorman · ‎07-11-2018

which is why they are always a potential security risk.

I don't ship to them, and won't ship to them.

And I make the same recommendation to everyone who sells here.

rixstuff · ‎07-11-2018

I sell to just about anywhere. I dont exclude states out side the lower 48 but I do offer one postage rate ($3 for jewelry, $5 for other items) for the US. I dont do free shipping so if my buyers are willing to pay the postage, I will mail it. International is getting rare though because the rates have gone way up for them. And some items just dont get their interest.

rixstuff · ‎07-11-2018

Have you also tried best offer? I saw a few items that were more than I would pay but we werent far apart. Give buyers a chance to offer what they WILL buy it for rather than you listing at a price they WONT buy it for. Also consider shipping. You had $7 shipping on items that could go First Class for half that.

rixstuff · ‎07-11-2018

My particular personal interest is in broken jewelry I can fix in metal working class. You have some broken pieces but they are WAY overpriced for broken.

*smedley* · ‎07-11-2018

@themonitorman wrote:
which is why they are always a potential security risk.

I don't ship to them, and won't ship to them.
And I make the same recommendation to everyone who sells here.

you do realize that it's quick and simple to steal something out of a mailbox in front of someone's house, and not so quick and simple to steal something out of a PO Box..??

themonitorman · ‎07-11-2018

@rixstuff

I frequently sell items via Best Offer.

You know, "Best Offer" is always a possibility, whether the item is listed as Best Offer or not.

I have often been contacted by Buyers, with an offer, for Items listed at Buy-Now price only, and ended up accepting their offer: simply edit the Item to include "Best Offer" so they can make the offer.

As a Buyer, I have often contacted Sellers with offers for items listed as Buy Now, and ending up making the purchase from them.

sam9876 · ‎07-11-2018

Bingo!

themonitorman · ‎07-11-2018

You are mistaken. You must have me confused with someone else. I do not sell any broken jewelry - unless someone else has been adding items to my store without my knowing it.

About once or twice a year I might list an antique pocket watch, "for parts or not working", but it is very rare. I usually sell items like that as "Auction" listings anyway.

As far as pricing is concerned: every single item I list has been thoroughly researched - not just on eBay, but on the Internet - and my List price, is the exact median price the item sells for, world-wide. That is how I set prices.

heinpaulfritz · ‎07-11-2018

Hello,

I have a question about shipping to Germany and if the seller is using the Ebay Shipping Service.

When/where have I to pay the shipping costs?
And can anbody tell me how much the shipping costs are?
I can't see it at the offer and the seller says that she can't tell me anything about the costs.
Thank you.

Ralf

7606dennis · ‎03-28-2019

@themonitorman wrote:
So long as only one person has access to the PO Box.

Actually, if memory serves, only persons authorized are permitted to receive mail from a PO Box. I'm not sure that all PO Boxes are individually owned.

"It is an intelligent man that is aware of his own ignorance."

*smedley* · ‎03-29-2019

@7606dennis wrote:
@themonitorman wrote:
So long as only one person has access to the PO Box.
Actually, if memory serves, only persons authorized are permitted to receive mail from a PO Box. I'm not sure that all PO Boxes are individually owned.

they're not... some businesses have them...