Selling Internationally

[tuopeggioreincubo]

I'm torn between continued selling to just the US---or---expanding sales to carefully-chosen areas of the world.

I sell high-end jewelry and would hate to lose an expensive piece becaue of strange import laws, a scamming buyer or a lack of safety in sending an expensive item out.

Are there more plusses than minuses or is it vice-versa, in your opinion?

Thank you...

[abcelectronicsmpls]

There are a lot more plusses then minuses but we do not sell jewelry so that could change things. Here is what I would sugest. Ship ONLY UPS, Fed EX, or DHL. Do not ship USPS. The first companies offer true live tracking where USPS does not, they also clear customs a lot faster and offer better insurance. The first three are more expensive but do not have the issues that USPS does. We just lost an $1100.00 INR case due to USPS. We will get the item back but it usually takes a couple of months. We are switching to 100% non postal for international. Other then the shipping we actually have fewer issues with international then we do with domestic sales

[reallynicestamps]

There are limitations on the value of jewellry that the Postal System will insure against loss.

I would suggest that you look into a company called shipinsure. They will insure one-off items. Also, and possibly more important, they have a list of countries to which they will NOT insure shipments.

Learn from it.

I would suggest that you start with selling into Canada (full disclosure- I am Canadian). We speak English and our country works with a Rule of Law. Both of which are reassuring.

Since you sell "high end ' Jewellry, I will assume that your items are over $100. If so, use the Global Shipping Program to ship

This program allows you to ship to a plant in Kentucky. If your item gets there safely, you don't have to worry about the rest of the journey.

Also your customer paid his nation's customs and sales taxes before you shipped. Which takes one of the big problems with shipping out of the transaction. People hate paying duty and will take it out on the seller if surprised on their doorstep.

As you gain more confidence, you may want to expand your selling base to include the UK and Australia/NewZealand. Again, English speaking .

I would not advise selling to Spain or Italy because they have awful postal /customs services. The customers are fine. French customers are picky, but the shipping is no problem.

There are huge problems with Brazil, but the postal system and the customers.

And forget India, China, and Singapore. Rife with fraud.

Do NOT use the Global Shipping Program if your items are under $100. Use USPS First Class International.

If shipping overseas, do NOT use surface shipping. Air Mail only. If the customer complains, cancel the sale, preferably with an Unpaid Item Dispute.

[kristeinjoy]

I have shipped several times to Brazil with no problem.    I also have shipped to Russia with no problems but last week I couldn't do it through ebay so went on the usps web site and still couldn't do it.  I took it to the post office and still couldn't.   It just goes to show that things change and what used to be is not any more.

If you are considering doing international on a limited basis, Australia and the United Kingdom are 2 of the best places.

[reallynicestamps]

Yes, I hear that there is something going on with shipping to Russia. I've never had problems to any of the former Soviet republics but for some reason the main thing I sell there is copies of Roberts Rules of Order.

[jnolde]

For anyone listening, I have been shipping expensive motorcycle parts ($150-700) all over the world for 5 years.  I use USPS Priority Mail International with NEVER a problem.  I have shipped to Spain, Italy, Russia, Australia (a lot,) Chile, Brazil, Venesuala, Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand, the UK, Canada  and even a couple in China.  These are just off the top of my head.  Sometimes, I get insurance through Auctiva.  Most of the times I just take my chances, since I have gotten so comfortable with it.  (Probably too comfortable.)  

Ironically, the only times anything got lost was early on when I shipped two cheap used shirts to Canada to two different people in the same week First Class.  One lady found hers at an old address, I had to give the second a refund.

Concerning the advice to ship UPS, Fed Ex or DHL, my customers, especially in Canada, beg me NOT to ship with them.  According to them, they have to pay customs with them, but not with USPS!  I have looked into this and with everyone but USPS, you have broker's fees included in the price, which is one reason it costs more.  Now, if you want to make certain that your customer does NOT have to pay customs, you can use Fed Ex and choose the service that is one "above" the cheapest, I can't remember what it's called, but it includes customs.  

I actually have had only one complaint about customs fees and that was from a guy in the UK that bought a $675 exhaust pipe and said that he had to pay over a 100 more pounds in customs fees.  I have warned everyone else since and they have all told me that they have some kind of exemption and not to worry about it.

I hope all of this helps someone.  Don't be scared to ship international!

[femmefan1946]

  According to them, they have to pay customs with them, but not with USPS!

It's even more complicated than that.

The maximum for duty-free imports is $20. But Canada Border Services Agency decided (with permission of the Prime Minister, I believe, but not Parliament) to ignore such low value items unless they were very bulky. The effective dutiable level seems to be around $100-$150.

If an item is dutiable, and is assessed by CBSA, it will also attract sales tax, which can be up to 15% of the value. And Canada Post, who complete the delivery that starts with USPS does have a service charge of $9.95.

So.

If you are shipping into Canada, and the item was manufactured in the USA, mark it. We have free trade between our countries (NAFTA).

Don't lie on the customs form. CBSA will re-evaluate suspiciously low values.

Don't call it a gift. It isn't and even if it were, the duty-free would only rise to $60.  The other fees would still apply.

Thing is this is all very ad hoc. Items shipped by post do get charged fairly often, just not when they are cheap or small.

A $500 motorcycle saddle would get charged at least sales tax and service fee. If it were made in Indonesia the importer/buyer would also pay duty, but not if it were made in the USA.