drgah
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posted on September 16, 2007 06:30:22 AM
Greetings to all of my fellow ebayers from sunny but cooling Minnesota.
My ID is gregsbooksandstuff on ebay. I've been selling on Ebay since 1999 and using auctionwatch from the beginning.
I have recently decided to list most of my items as available worldwide and to Canada.
My rationale, is that the $US is losing value and foreign currencies are gaining purchasing power.
As far as shipping, the USPS has made it obscenely expensive to ship out of country. It also requires the green or white form for customs which adds a bit of time to the transaction.
Are there any other less expensive alternatives to ship worldwide?
If I check the worldwide and Canada options on sales manager pro, do they automatically show up on the foreign sites?
I have had some things sell that got their only bid from Europe and Australia, so I guess it is worth it if they are willing to pay the extra freight.
Any other thoughts or critiques of my auctions/store and selling internationally would be appreciated. I am looking to streamline my procedures an eliminate the storage locker full of product this winter. I always buy more than I sell and after 9 years I have a lot stored up. so much so that I have rented a storage locker for the winter to get it out of the house. The family is happier. I remember a spoof auction called Ebay Barbie a few years ago that clearly outlined the hazards of ebaying.
Also, what do you think of the automated postage available from Paypal? I have always written out my address labels by hand and used stamps for media mail. I guess I am somewhat of an Ebay dinosaur. They seem to get to the buyer faster with stamps.
I should be able to print out the buyer's name and address directly from My Ebay somehow. I will have to look into that.
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hwahwa
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posted on September 16, 2007 06:45:20 AM
Is there any shipper out there cheaper than good old post office for overseas package?
I doubt it!
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Lets all stop whining !
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birgittaw
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posted on September 16, 2007 06:49:14 AM
HIGHLY recommend the international selling option. I've been pleased with all of my recent ones, including several to Taiwan, Spain and even notoriously cranky French buyers.
And highly recommend printing international labels through PayPal. You get your customs forms as part of the labels, plus you avoid common transposition errors as their name and address are printed exactly as they submit. Overseas postal workers also don't have to decipher hand written labels. It is no more work to sell internationally now than a domestic transaction. And the rewards can be a pleasant surprise.
Don't forget that you can use flat rate international priority envelopes too. I sent a pretty thick book to Paris in one and it arrived just fine.
If you check the selling world wide, your items will show up on other sites, but ONLY if the person has "available in other countries" marked as they search or browse.
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hwahwa
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posted on September 16, 2007 07:23:56 AM
An alternative to USPS would be using a freight consolidator,but it would not be for one or two books.
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Lets all stop whining !
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Cashinyourcloset
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posted on September 16, 2007 07:24:48 AM
USPS is the only reasonably inexpensive way to ship overseas. UPS (which I like a lot for domestic) charges brokerage fees for most international shipments, which makes it useful only for corporate and deep pockets shipments.
I think that most people should offer their items internationally, especially now that the dollar is so weak.
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neglus
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posted on September 16, 2007 08:04:00 AM
The flat rate priority boxes are pretty reasonably priced - or the envelope if your item will fit inside.
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http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
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drgah
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posted on September 16, 2007 08:12:35 AM
Thanks for the replies. The idea of using Paypal postage for international is a good one.
I have used the $37 flat rate box to ship and it works out well for books.
I recently re-opened my store after closing it for a year. I have had a few sales out of there, which is better than nothing.
Just had a book with 9 watchers go off for minimum $9.99. My mistake for having it end on a Sunday morning. I've got to make sure to check the AM PM thing when I list via sales manager pro.
I recently scooped on an vinyl album collection at a garage sale. 1000+ albums for $60 including a phonograph. Listing and pics take a while, but they are getting some bids. I like bids--lol.
thanks again.
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hwahwa
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posted on September 16, 2007 08:47:43 AM
Another way to ship is the USPS Intl M bag.
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Lets all stop whining !
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drgah
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posted on September 16, 2007 08:50:23 AM
I was told the m-bag was discontinued by the USPS.
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birgittaw
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posted on September 16, 2007 09:02:45 AM
No, M=bags are still available
http://www.usps.com/ratecase/simplified_international_rates.htm
Buried towards the end
Good luck trying to get your local post office to use that option ...
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roadsmith
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posted on September 16, 2007 09:10:18 AM
I always offer books internationally, as well as nearly everything else. The USPS priority flat-rate envelope is cheaper than the flat-rate box, and most books I send out of the U.S. will fit in it. (But thin or light-weight books will often ship for less.)
I'm always pleasantly surprised when an international buyer is willing to pay lots of postage for a book that U.S. buyers weren't even interested in. No problems in 8 or 9 years with those buyers.
_____________________
There is more to life than increasing its speed. --Mahatma Gandhi
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hwahwa
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posted on September 16, 2007 09:38:02 AM
Domestic M bag has been discontinued,not intl M bag.
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Lets all stop whining !
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neglus
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posted on September 16, 2007 10:42:04 AM
I just saw that you are from Brooklyn Park Mn - I am from next door Maple Grove.
I think you are right about selling internationally now with weak dollar. I am seeing lots of international bidders - even on my US postcards. For the MOST part I haven't had any problems selling and shipping internationally but there are always the exceptions.
Problems mostly stem from Payment options - some countries don't have PayPal and buyers want to pay with wire transfer of funds but our banks charge more for that service than the sale proceeds! Delivery in some countries can be a problem - notably Italy.
Good Luck!
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http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
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agitprop
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posted on September 17, 2007 03:30:22 PM
neglus wrote: ...Problems mostly stem from Payment options - some countries don't have PayPal and buyers want to pay with wire transfer of funds but our banks charge more for that service than the sale proceeds! Delivery in some countries can be a problem - notably Italy....
I ship worldwide and experience very few problems. I've bank accounts in many countries so domestic or international bank transfer are often free or inexpensive and considerably faster and safer than e-payment systems like PayPal. Unlike PayPal or credit cards, bank transfer can't be easily reversed and there are no chargebacks up to 18 months later. Also a good bank won't charge for incoming "wires" - none of mine do (they aren't American banks).
Delivery to some countries is slow, but provided you get money in the bank first you're well protected. If an item is lost or delayed I'm always happy to make an insurance compensation claim provided the buyer cooperates with their local Postal Investigators.
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ggardenour
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posted on September 18, 2007 07:42:23 AM
I have had about 200 sells so far this years to Europe and Asia all without a hitch. USPS Airmail is what I use. As for customs goes does it have to be declared under a certain amount?
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hwahwa
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posted on September 18, 2007 09:10:32 AM
For customs,you have to declare the amount you sold the item for,less shipping.
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Lets all stop whining !
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