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Can someone advise me about sending items to Germany please

Angelina-M
Angelina-M Posts: 1,541 Forumite
in Ebay, auctions, car boot sales, post & parcels
Good morning all

I am selling an item on ebay (BIN £30) and a lady from Germany would like to buy it.

I have never shipped out of the UK before but i'm a little scared as I listed my old mobile phone last year and every time I put it up for BIN it would be bought by a 'nigerian address)

The item is quite large and will cost approx £9 to send to the UK for example. So to send to Germany will probably be double?

Is it worth doing? I'm afraid I'm not running with the times and I'm not up to date with what other people are doing re sending abroad etc.

If it went missing, would I lose my £30 (BIN) money and what about the postage.

Thank you for any help :)
«13

Comments

  • aycor
    aycor Posts: 277 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I have successfully used 'parcel to go' on large UK items and for europe.
    http://www.parcel2go.com/

    They source from either DHL or fedex and items are tracked all the way. I was very pleased with the service. good luck
  • Angelina-M
    Angelina-M Posts: 1,541 Forumite
    Well I'll give it a go then. Its not a massive value so not too much to lose if it goes wrong.

    I was going to say no at first as I was thinking about conversion rates and whether I would lose out but hey, time to move with the times lol!
  • fairy_gurl
    fairy_gurl Posts: 254 Forumite
    lol I have just had someone wanting me to send to germany, wonder if its the same person!? I have found that postage isnt much different from the uk.
    this is what i am going on
    http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400037&mediaId=400393
    hth xx
    Goals for 2010
    Current Credit Cards £4500,£4200, £4000, £3000
    Overdraft £1500 PAID OFF!
  • Angelina-M
    Angelina-M Posts: 1,541 Forumite
    Well my buyer has a really long name with 'kook' I think in the middle of it. Could it be the same one lol.

    I'm going to give it a shot then.

    Isn't technology great. I feel all international now :rotfl:
  • ArmitageShanks
    ArmitageShanks Posts: 1,905 Forumite
    aycor wrote: »
    I have successfully used 'parcel to go' on large UK items and for europe.
    http://www.parcel2go.com/

    They source from either DHL or fedex and items are tracked all the way. I was very pleased with the service. good luck

    P2go are terribly expensive for Europe.

    Have a look here. This is who we use for all our European shipments, of which we send most days.

    Parcel Delivery to Germany

    Weight is up to 30kg, delivery is 3-5, it's fully tracked and insured up to £100. The courier is DPD Geopost, whose main base is incidentally in Germany.
  • BuddyBonthenet
    BuddyBonthenet Posts: 420 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    I use the Royal Mail's Airmail Small Packets service all the time for posting abroad and to calculate the cost just key in the weight and country here - it is quite straight forward.

    If you do use this service then bear in mind 60 cm (24 inches) is the maximum size any one side of your parcel can be (length, width, height etc.), so be careful when choosing your packaging that you don't exceed 60cm some where or you'll end up being charged ParcelForce rates which are much more expensive.

    Germany is inside the EU so you won't have to worry about a Customs label.
    Numpties...I'm surrounded by them...save me...:whistle:
  • frivolous_fay
    frivolous_fay Posts: 13,302 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    German buyers are au fait with paying by bank transfer -this could save you money on paypal fees and generally be better for you than accepting paypal. (although obviously you have to accept PP if they want to pay that way)
    My TV is broken! :cry:
    Edit: refunded £515 for TV 1.5 years out of warranty - thank you Sale of Goods Act! :j
  • Angelina-M
    Angelina-M Posts: 1,541 Forumite
    Thanks all i'll bare the 24inch limit in mind, I'm sure I can keep it under that.

    I'll get onto it and send it off on Monday.

    I have to say it'll probably end up arriving in Germany before my parcel from ebay arrives. I ordered an item from a UK buyer on 18th Jan and i'm still waiting delivery :rolleyes:
  • BuddyBonthenet
    BuddyBonthenet Posts: 420 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    frivolous_fay wrote: »
    German buyers are au fait with paying by bank transfer -this could save you money on paypal fees and generally be better for you than accepting paypal. (although obviously you have to accept PP if they want to pay that way)

    You do need to be careful about bank transfers from outside the UK as many banks including mine (First Direct) charge you for the service. It used to be £8 - much more than PayPal fees. Check with your bank first.
    Numpties...I'm surrounded by them...save me...:whistle:
  • frivolous_fay
    frivolous_fay Posts: 13,302 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    BuddyBonthenet wrote: »
    You do need to be careful about bank transfers from outside the UK as many banks including mine (First Direct) charge you for the service. It used to be £8 - much more than PayPal fees. Check with your bank first.

    From FD's fees page:

    'Inward payments received from banks within UK in currency above £100 equivalent £8.00'

    It doesn't say anything about IBAN payments in euros from European banks, which is what it would be if you do it the best way. Normally these are free, with perhaps a few pence lost to the exchange spread.
    My TV is broken! :cry:
    Edit: refunded £515 for TV 1.5 years out of warranty - thank you Sale of Goods Act! :j
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