Offering choice of eBay International Shipping and direct international shipping

[wastingtime101]

A while back a poster on this forum asked me a question to the effect of:

Offering both eIS and direct international shipping, do you find buyers select eIS or direct (USPS international) more frequently?

At the time eBay had just started rolling accounts over to offer buyers the choice so I didn't have much data to go on, but promised an update after it had been in effect for a while. 

I have an update based on my own sales - have not asked any other sellers what their buyers are choosing more frequently, but perhaps other sellers will chime in here with their own experiences.

- Items under a pound buyers almost always choose direct shipping when the choice is offered, but occasionally choose eIS.

- Items up to 2# it's a healthy mix of direct and eIS when the choice is offered.

- Items over 2# buyers almost always choose eIS, which makes sense when you look at the USPS rates for a 3-4# First Class International Package then compare it to more competitive rates with eIS.

Unfortunately I do not remember which poster asked me about this. Sorry about that. I'll tag a few posters that I think might have been the one to ask and feel free to ignore if I got it wrong.

@gurlcat @pjcdn2005 @stainlessenginecovers @richard1rst 

[richard1rst]

@wastingtime101 

I know you said we could ignore if it wasn't us, but personally I find unanswered questions a but irksome. That said, it wasn't me.

The only time I have used eBay international was with a package over 4 pounds. Below that I only use Pirateship Asendia. They are CONSISTENTLY less expensive than eBay. Plus they have an added 1 pound rate. So a package at 9-16 ounce through eBay is billed as if it weighs 2 pounds. But with Asendia it is billed as one pound. So not only are the rates cheaper, but on a one pound package they are doubly cheaper.

That being the case, I never even offer eBay international to my buyers so the choice of which you speak does not exist.

[stainlessenginecovers]

Wasn't me either but here's my 2cents:

I ONLY offer EIS as about 6 years ago I stopped ALL international Sales because of

A.) Buyers not picking up their packages at Customs and paying their taxes, with the package eventually coming back to me and I was FORCED to refund them

B.) Buyers wanting to 'return' and I having no way to 'give them a label' with the entire 'pay them for the label' thing not something I want to deal with...

and the MOST important thing about EIS:

THEY cover all refunds out of their pocket. So, item gets there, doesn't get there, is damaged or buyer doesn't pick up and/or wants to return?? I do NOT waste my time building a product for a customer that doesn't even have the vehicle that item states (as all items are PROVEN to fit stock vehicles). 

[tobaccocardyahoo]

I can only echo the wise words of @stainlessenginecovers 

EIS is a benefit to the seller.

When the buyer is given a choice, I have little doubt they will pick whatever is cheaper, most of the time.

There is no way to estimate the number of sales lost due to offering only one International shipping option, and for many of us the entire issue is the seller benefit of EIS

[wastingtime101]

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@richard1rst wrote:

The only time I have used eBay international was with a package over 4 pounds. Below that I only use Pirateship Asendia.

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That's the service I use for every direct international shipment, too.

[kalyoth]

In terms of cost & time, direct is the buyers normal selection for me. But, buyers have decision making abilities & choose what they choose. Some people are wired to believe higher means faster. Won't convince them otherwise.