posted on March 11, 2001 01:43:50 PM
I have received emails recently asking if I will ship to Japan and Israel to name a few.
Currently, I have not offered to ship internationally but am considering it. Does anyone have any comments or suggestions pro or con regarding shipment oveseas, i.e. best shipment method, custom requirements if any, best payment type to accept, etc..
posted on March 11, 2001 01:59:23 PM
Well I ship interenationally all the time.
The best payment methodes for credit card is bill point dont ship inles the address of the buyer sent you matches the address you get from bill point.
second is bidpay
The best methodes for shipping are Parcel post air or ecconomy surfice.
Do your self a favor when you go to the USPS international calulator add 8 oz to the weight of your item there calulator is not right and will always give you a lower shipping rate the the PO will actually charge this is what I find on most imtems I ship.
Dont let the shipping rate scare you from selling to these buyers bidding winning an Item for $8 and haveing to pay up to $23 for shipping dont suprise them and they are willing to pay what it takes.
its best to get bill point payment and err on the side of to much shipping and have to refund then to try and collect on under charges later.
posted on March 11, 2001 02:43:47 PM
For the most part, I've had nothing but 100% wonderful transactions with international bidders. I ONLY accept BidPay (although now PayPal is international, I understand). A couple have sent cash but I always tell them that they're taking a chance and they must accept full responsibility! Interntional buyers know they have to pay bunches for postage...I once had a buyer in Taiwan pay $50.00 for AirMail postage! But...I agree with previous response...add some to the weight when using the USPS calculator on line...when I didn't do that, it seemed I was always having to pay more that what was stated. Finally...PACK REALLY WELL...use lots and lots of bubble wrap and other cushioning...the package is going a long way and will probably be subjected to less-than-gentle handling...and...always insure! Enjoy your international experience...
posted on March 11, 2001 05:44:23 PM
dman and blueyes,
Thanks to both of you for the great info.
It's funny you mention the weight on shipping USPS. Just last week I swore I weighed a package at well under 10 lbs. and sure enough the P.O. had it at 10+. That's another buck or so....adds up.
posted on March 11, 2001 08:58:43 PM
I would add that be sure you know which countries your payment service does NOT support, usually Indonesia, anywhere in eastern bloc(Russia), China and "others" vaguely alluded to. I finally found partial lists on their message boards but had to read a lot to get that. Apparently state of affairs in our worldwide collection of politics is what influences what countries Paypal or Billpoint will "support" if you have a problem this week. For example, Russia is not supported by anyone I believe right now.(which is where my auction winner wanted me to ship the Playstation.) And that's another story too which I will post somewhere here tonight. Thanks!
posted on March 12, 2001 09:21:36 AM
I offer International shipping to Asia , Canada Europe and Australia only.
Even then , only on items that are not very heavy , i.e. under 2 lbs, non-fragile , and unlikely to need insurance . Preferably stuff that can go into strong or padded envelopes . Check the USPS international table with an example weight , and it'll give the dimensions of various envelopes and packages with the costs.
The Japanese buyers are usually helpful, polite, appreciative and patient ...and very fast payers in whatever method you ask, and their snail mail sytem is usually fast and efficient. Hong-Kong was OK too.
Western Europe is pretty straight forward for the most part , but then I've only sold to Germany , UK and Holland .
Canada's postal service operates at the whim of strange gods ; the buyers are either extremely nice , and aware of this ..or are in collusion with afore-mentioned gods. At least there's not a language problem getting it sorted out!
posted on March 12, 2001 01:35:03 PM
We ship via USPS Air Mail Small packet rate. It costs us between $3.10-$11.00 to ship in this manner, depending on the destination. We sell sunglasses. Delivery averages about a week. Service has proven itself reliable.
posted on March 12, 2001 01:52:15 PM
So far, I have found Japanese customers to be quick payers, polite, and willing to pay additional Paypal or BidPay fees. Most items are low priced items which ship 4-7 day Air Mail. But high ticket items automatically get Express Mail service tracking and insurance is automatically provided.
I may pay a few dollars more out of my pocket, but it provides recourse if the package is ever lost.
Each payment service offers various levels of protection, so be aware of the policies before accepting apyment.
International trading can be a very pleasant experience. Here's my list of advice:
1) Accept payment by Bidpay, Cash or MO in US funds
2) Explain to your buyers that international shipping can take a long time to arrive (you have no control once it leaves the country!)
3) When filling out the customs form, make sure you fill in an accurate description of the item, and label it as merchandise!
4) Make sure it is legal to send your merchandise to the requested country (some electronic devices and other items are banned from some countries... detailed information is on the USPS web site)
5) Invest in light weight packing material like air-filled bags (those ounces really add up to $$$ for international shipments!)
6) Be patient with e-mail correspondence... remember that your English may be a 2nd, 3rd or 4th language for your customers!
