Everything I always mark the custom form as a gift, nobody has to ask.
I'm not an expert on the rules regarding customs ( and if I'm wrong here, I'm sure somebody will let me know ), but I've received packages from Canada containing items valued as high as US$200 that were not marked in any way as a gift, and I've paid no customs fees.
posted on May 23, 2001 09:06:51 AM new
How about getting a negative from a Canadian bidder like I did because I stuck to my guns and would not ship to Canada as I stated in my TOS. He turned me off to Canadian bidders completely. I wouldn't ship there because of past problems with Cnadian bidders, like lying about value on the US Customs form. Wanting reduced prices for auctions won due to their additional cost of getting forms of payment form their bank that would be negotiable in the U. S. Complaints about breakage, (never had any complaints from U. S. customers). Complaints about shipping time being too long. Let's tell it like it is, for some of us it has been a major pain to ship to Canada, but if we decide enough is enough, and state in our tems of service that we don't ship to Canada, somebody there will bid anyway, and if you don't ship the item to them they give you a big fat NEGATIVE. Thanks Canada!
posted on May 23, 2001 09:16:19 AM new
I ship Internationally. The only problem I have is getting international bidders!
I have had a few from Canada, not many, and I have no problems at all.
I don't care where you live and long as you pay when you bid. I wish I had more international bidders, but alas, I guess no one out of the US wants my items.
posted on May 23, 2001 09:17:49 AM new
mrpotatoheadd ... sometimes, stuff sneaks right past those Customs guys. The best time to ship is right after someone else has shipped a bunch of skin mags or porno tapes - those keep the Customs guys busy for a long time ane everything else goes through unmolested
posted on May 23, 2001 09:23:25 AM new
Railside - FYI if you sell on eBay as a business, you're going to find yourself in major doo doo at some point in time. The majority of items going from Canada to the US are Duty Free, and unlike Canada their States don't tax them either.
US Customs might be a lot of things, but they're not stupid.
I glady ship to Canada and have many repeat customers from your country and many others around the world.
One major reason that many U.S. sellers do not sell internationally is because all international packages, regardless of destination, must be taken to the Post office and must be individually hand stamped by a postal clerk. This requires sellers to have to go to the Post Office and wait in line in order to have international package properly processed for shipment.
For many sellers, U.S. packages for shipment in country are usually picked up by the Post office on a daily basis without requiring a special trip to the Post Office. All that is required is a postal scale or membership with eStamps or similar service.
If a shipper only receives international orders in small quantities, it's a pain to have to go to the post Office to ship and many times can be unprofitable to due so, given the time and transportation that is required to accomplish the task.
It's not that U.S. sellers have a slanted view toward interntional buyers, it's more likely that they have the inability to service and offer products on a profitable basis outside the U.S.
Since I sell to anyone who wants to purchase my products, I sometimes find myself making a trip to the post office and having to wait in line for 20-30 minutes to ship one international package. Fortuantely, this does not happen very often. Not very practical or profitable if it has to be done on a routine basis...
posted on May 23, 2001 09:28:34 AM new
Reddeer, how well put, for any and all that would take the time and the little effort to know us here in the great white north, they would love us., Sure like that little Canuck you posted.
Well put computerboy. I know a few US sellers that live 45 minutes away from the nearest PO.
I think one also has to keep in mind that "some" items cannot be insured when shipped outside of the US.
This is just another one of those "choices" that should be left up to the individual seller. For some sellers shipping Internationally is well worth the effort, for others, it's not.
For myself, and the items I sell, it's been very well worth it.
posted on May 23, 2001 09:39:41 AM new
computerboy-
One major reason that many U.S. sellers do not sell internationally is because all international packages, regardless of destination, must be taken to the Post office and must be individually hand stamped by a postal clerk.
Not necessarily. I send small bubble mailers (2 or 3 oz.) internationally often without standing in line at the post office. I just find the postage rate on the USPS online rate calculator, stick on the stamps and green customs form, and drop it in the box.
), but I've received packages from Canada containing items valued as high as US$200 that were not marked in any way as a gift, and I've paid no customs fees.
