Issues with shipments to South America

[dirk12955]

I really hate to block an entire continent of potential customers.   About 50%  of my sales are 

going to places other than the USA or Canada.

Almost every order I shipped to South America in the last 90 days has gone MIA.    No matter 

how I shipped the items they don't seem to be getting to the buyers.

In that last 7 days I've had INR from Chile,  Brazil,  and Peru.   Even the stuff with tracking just

disappears somewhere between here,  and there.    

What a hassle. 

[12345jamesstamps]

I sell stamps as well.  Brazil buyers seem OK but it takes a long time for buyer to get the item. I have a block on Peru. I notice sometimes I don't have a zip code on Peru sales sometimes so I lost a lot from that country. Because of what you are selling you will have a more demand in South America. This is where a lot of people transplanted to after WWII from Germany. I probably haven't sold anything to South America in months. My buyers are from the USA and I guess with the free shipping that is why. I suggest blocking Peru and Chile. And let buyers know stuff to Brazil take a long time to get to them. I would really check those zip codes buyers are also giving you to use. Mine problem is the opposite, I have had delays with stuff arriving in Australia still.

Heck, I have had buyers open "missing items" before "estimated delivery of eBay". So buyers are allowed to open a case before "estimated delivery time" now. I do email those buyers who complain about stuff taking so long to reach them. That usually helps. I would say with my free shipping in USA my sales are maybe 80 per cent USA sales. It's a blessing when I wake up and it's all USA sales for the day. I only use tracking with buyers who buy a lot or have little feedback or if it's around $30 bucks. My business plan is repeat buyers and it seems to be working. That is my goal.

[ms.rodriguez*]

Add Argentina . 99% of the postal employees and 99% of the customs employees are thieves.  I have in-laws there and they stopped getting stuff from us years ago. 

[dirk12955]

It's not a huge amount of money.   It's really the hassle of having to step back

 and spend time and energy to deal with it.    Refunding the money (If needed) 

really isn't all that big an expense.     So I refund a buyer his $10 or $12.00 but I'm only 

out the $1.40 postage and fees  plus the original cost of the stamps which is probably zero.

I ship a large number of packages to the UK and Australia without tracking.    The average 

sale isn't high enough to warrant a $12.00 or $14.00 charge for shipping.   When it gets 

up to around $30.00 to $40.00 or more that's when I make the buyer pay the $14.00

for shipping unless I know them very well.

The Uk,  and other EU countries,  Canada,  Australia,  I have almost no issues with those buyers,  Tracking or not.  

[dirk12955]

That sounds like the UAE     My son and his wife lived in Dubai for 3 years.   We wanted to send them 

care packages and gifts.   They told us it was a waste of time,   They'd never get the stuff we sent.  

[fab_finds4u]

Exclude South Africa.

Say in your listings you will not ship directly  to countries you've excluded but you will ship to them if they use  a Freight Forwarder with a U.S. address. Please add your Freight Forwarder address as your shipping address before you bid or buy.

[meesterg]

I've had the same problem since the beginning of 2023. 

I sell Magic cards from the US and have always shipped worldwide.

My price point is low and I ship in a stamped envelope so if a small percentage never arrive due to theft or loss its ok.  For years it was probably max 10% that didn't make it.

I had a bunch or repeat customers in Peru, Chile, Brazil and Mexico that suddenly stopped getting my cards.  I started cancelling service to each country one by one when the # of lost cards in each area got too great.  Last week I finally stopped all shipments to South America.

I understand that a countries go through changes in systems but all of South America is suspicious.  I think something has happened on the US side.  This has got to be a problem with USPS.

I'll probably try opening up service later this year and test out a few orders but unless something changes I'll have to shop shipment permanently.