Ebay postage abroad

Silaqui

Hi there,

I'm sure this has been done many times but I could do with some quick help - please feel free to add to any similar threads.

I am currently selling some items on ebay, a couple of people have emailed to ask how much postage would be to a different country. (I think they are genuine, good feedback and not any 'dodgy' countries).

I don't mind posting out to those countries but I'm not sure how I would go about altering the postage, currently I only have a UK option and obviously I don't want them to select and pay for that if they win.

How do I change the postage over to add an overseas option?

Thanks in advance,
Silaqui

epm-84

Edit your listing you'll see options for adding in international postage. Usually you'd use two rates one of EU posting by airmail and one for Rest of the World by airmail, but you can add other options like surface mail. You can also specify to include or exclude certain countries - you may for instance include Africa but exclude Nigeria as a lot of scams originate from there.

The thing to be aware of with airmail is 'Airmail packets' is cheaper than 'Airmail letters' and you would usually use 'Airmail packets' for eBay items meaning if you charge for 'Airmail letters' you could get accused of inflating your prices by the buyer.

cyberbob

Any item below £41 you are covered for loss through your proof of posting. Also don't post to Italy or Malta I think they dump all their post in the sea.

Silaqui

Hi, thanks for the help. They didn't win in the end but I will remember the advice for next time!

softscoop

Can anyone help me please I have just sold my first item on ebay and winner is from Italy I only put the postage for uk which was £4 I have email the person telling them that postage will be £10. When we did the estimate postage it came out more than this, but I just said this price to them and they say they have had things from uk and only paid £6 before I dont know what to do I don't want negative feed back on my first sale

baby-mechanic

Hi silaqui

Ended up sending a synthesizer to Hungary, after the buyer won !!

He had messaged me about postage, and I sent him back the info, even though my listing had said 'pick-up only' !
He was fine about it, and it got there, at a cost of £50 or so !

In my books, once you have given them the information as to your P&P charges, it is the buyers decision about going ahead and bidding.

You also have the opportunity to change the postage costs when you send the winning bidder their payment invoice.

And don't forget it is P&P they are being charged, not just postage, see below

softscoop wrote: »

Can anyone help me please I have just sold my first item on ebay and winner is from Italy I only put the postage for uk which was £4 I have email the person telling them that postage will be £10. When we did the estimate postage it came out more than this, but I just said this price to them and they say they have had things from uk and only paid £6 before I dont know what to do I don't want negative feed back on my first sale

Hi softscoop

Congratulations on your first sale :T

I've got a situation similar at the moment.

Buyer messaged me a few hours before the end of the auction asking about postage for mulitples to Portugal (selling bil's records).

Sent him the info, and he won the auction yesterday.

Messaged me today to say that £14 was pretty steep, and that £8 postage was more appropriate.

So I've sent him a message pointing out that the £14 is for postage and packing, and that I have spent considerable time and effort to sort the records out for the auction, have had to pay for the mailing envelopes, and I felt that what I had charged was fair.

I then went on to say that if he still felt it was too much, he should cancel the transaction, and the items would be relisted.

Not heard from him yet.

A couple of weeks back, when selling the first round of records, I had someone from Poland (if memory serves me) who wanted to know costs of posting items there.
Sent them the info I had, and they replied stating that it was too much, and supplied a Royal Mail link as 'proof' of posting charges.
I didn't open the link, and pointed out that living here we use the Isle of Man Post Office, as well as pointing out that they are paying for packing as well as postage.

As far as I am aware, please feel free to update me MSE Guru's, you are entitled to charge whatever you want for P&P, within reason, and it is up to the buyer to decide if he wants to pay those charges.

Don't feel threatened to reduce the price further, and you can challenge any negative feedback, again folks, please feel free to correct my assumption here.

It looks like they're trying it on, as they will know that you're probably a newbie by your feedback status.
Why not have a look at theirs, and see if they've bought similar things, as they could have bought, for example, one bottle of water before, and are now buying two or three together.

martindow

softscoop wrote: »

Can anyone help me please I have just sold my first item on ebay and winner is from Italy I only put the postage for uk which was £4 I have email the person telling them that postage will be £10. When we did the estimate postage it came out more than this, but I just said this price to them and they say they have had things from uk and only paid £6 before I dont know what to do I don't want negative feed back on my first sale

Has your item sold for under 41 pounds? In that case I would use airmail small packets rate and get a free certificate of posting. This covers you for loss so I would not bother with paying a lot more for international signed for or airsure. The buyer could be right that you could send it for a lower price.

Ultimately it is your decision. You only quoted postage for the UK and you decide what the international postage charge will be. It would be a shame to lose the buyer though.

In the future you can set up your auctions to limit to the UK, or set up postage charges for international buyers. as you prefer. This can avoid this problem happening again.

Good luck!

Silaqui

Thanks Baby-mechanic - that was really helpful.

macfly

The buyer is right. If UK postage is £4, EU airmail should only be a little more. It actually used to be the same price, but was found to be too costly for the mail services. Charging 250% is asking for trouble.