Why are many private sellers reluctant to post abroad?!

cheesenmarmite

I've only sold a couple of things on ebay so far, but even so, I have had questions from potential buyers on 2 items about the p&p cost to post abroad and whether I would be prepared to do it. Now bearing in mind that I presume they would pay the extra, why is it that many private sellers seem so anti posting abroad? Is it that items are less likely to arrive (hence potential dispute, negative feedback etc), or is it that the additional postage isn't paid by the buyer?

I feel rude telling the buyers that I won't post abroad, but I'm sure there's a very good reason many people don't ship internationally - and I'd like to know what it is!

Thanks!

PS - extra anxiousness here, as the last potential bidder that asked me wanted to know p&p costs for the 'economical' shipping to France. Presumed he/she meant the 'slowest' option and Royal Mail postage calculator estimated it as the same £££ as sending first class in the UK, but they would aim for it to arrive in 14 days. Quoted same cost to the bidder, but did state RM time delay - was I naive to do so?! Should I have just said I am not prepared to post overseas? Thanks!

NeilJung

When the messages start coming in babbling in foreign languages about how they did not receive their items you will understand why many sellers are reluctant or indeed refuse to post abroad. I've never had a problem with USA, Canada, Australia or Japan, but several European countries either have the most thieving posties in the world or a large percentage of opportunist fraudsters who somehow think it's ok to lie to sellers and get lots of delicious free items. Call me a cynic, but I suspect the later.

cheesenmarmite

Hmmm - yes, fair point! I was originally thinking about the questionable ability of our own postal service to send something to foreign climes.

I didn't even assume that anywhere else could have a worse service, but I spose you're right! Thanks for coming back to me!

cyberbob

I sell a lot to Ireland, Australia and the US. I normally avoid mainland europe as you cant select individual countries in your seller preferences. Otherwise I would sell to some others. Italy and Malta have terrible postal systems. I have also had problems with belgium in the past

cyril82

i used to post abroad when i was running a business on ebay and to be honest i had very few problems, you learn certain countries that are rife with scammers and block those pretty quickly.

You should always use a fully tracked currier service though as mail can be tricky, our own postal service is unreliable enough but by using royal mail to post abroad you are relying on two potentially unreliable postal services, with a courier you have one company handling the whole process and you can track the item fully.

Brooker_Dave

cheesenmarmite wrote: »

I've only sold a couple of things on ebay so far, but even so, I have had questions from potential buyers on 2 items about the p&p cost to post abroad and whether I would be prepared to do it. Now bearing in mind that I presume they would pay the extra, why is it that many private sellers seem so anti posting abroad?

Because the people abroad pretend your item has not arrived, and paypal refund them.

Plus the foreign ones get stroppy when you charge them more to express ship to outer mongolia than you charge to send stuff to england.

NeilJung

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

Because the people abroad pretend your item has not arrived, and paypal refund them.

Plus the foreign ones get stroppy when you charge them more to express ship to outer mongolia than you charge to send stuff to england.

That's a more succinct explanation than mine, but essentially that is what it boils down to.

Ebay should allow sellers to block individual countries so I can strike off any more non-reciept claims from Italy, Spain and Greece. I've had one French buyer claim not received as well, but I wouldn't block the whole country just yet.

NeilJung

cyril82 wrote: »

you learn certain countries that are rife with scammers and block those pretty quickly.

As far as I know you can't block individual countries within a postage block. For example you cannot block just Italy without cutting off Europe.

I have seen sellers state that they will not sell to certain countries before in the listings, but there is nothing to stop the people there from actually bidding, and if they won an auction they would have the ability to neg you if you didn't fulfil the sale.

Selling low value items with Airsure or International Signed For is a non-starter too, as they simply won't sell if another seller is willing to post them by standard Airmail. That does however mean that it's that seller whose goods get stolen rather than yours, but if it's a genuine honest buyer then you just lost a sale.

With Royal Mail clamping down on claims I just wish Paypal would start to do the same. Limit the number of claims they can make or stop them buying if nothing they buy ever seems to arrive. I've seen accounts of people who simply never seem to receive a thing they purchase though, or all the items they do receive are damaged. Why Paypal let them get away with it, I don't know. It's criminal, litteraly.

soolin

The new changes on ebay.com allow sellers to block individual countries within a chosen region (I suspect Italy will be hit quite badly!). So it may be a change that will come here at some point in the future.

I do open some of my auctions overseas but only those that are below £39 in item value and where the item is not too heavy so postage costs are not ridiculous. I have a large market in Australia and they are great buyers and leave very flowery feedback although they are a tad late in paying .

I never use tracking, but then I don't in the UK either.

The main things to remember though is that 1) enhanced signed for services with RM only cover up to £39 of loss, you have to pay extra for additional cover. 2) Phones ar enot covered if they are over £39 in value regardless of what service and what insurance is taken and 3) Buyers can still open an item not received claim on day 7, so never ever get talked into a surface mail option as despite buyers promising they don't mind waiting weeks..they always do!

prowla

I've had two issues with selling abroad:
(i) You always get a message from someone in Italy asking how much to post there.
(ii) If there is an issue with an item then you will end up out of pocket.

(Of course, you also get the scammers, but you can just ignore them.)

mrcol1000

As long as you get proof of postage if the item disapears then you can claim through Royal Mail. You can always send high value items through a courier who will get proof of postage. I have had a few problems with stuff going missing but have always claimed it back through Royal Mail. You can also use translating tools. I usually write the message in English and then the translation as they are not always 100% accurate. I have been told to avoid Africa, Russia, Italy, Israel and Brazil. I won't send to Africa or Russia under any cirmcustances and the rest and all Asian countries I will only send Air Signed For as if someone has to sign for something they are less likely to claim it lost (I don't think they realise we can't get tracking info). Never ever send anything surface mail as it takes so long that they can claim its not arrived and get a refund before its even half way there.
To be honest if someone is dodgy then it doesn't matter which country they are from and people will scam you no matter where. Just remember if you only sell to UK then you are limiting your customers. Oh and don't forget a customs form if your sending outside Europe.