Canadian buyer

I live in the UK and often buy from and sell to international sellers. Paypal automatically converts the value of the goods into your own currency. I don't like to deal with anything other than paypal. You have to make a guess at shipping costs unless you take a few test parcels to the post office, get them weighed and ask how much for certain destinations. I short changed myself early on but Have it about right now. You do need always to use airmal and any other type can take up to 12 weeks (eg Australia).

Thank you.....I will contact my local Post Office and see if there is a "how to do it" sheet for mailing out of the US.

Years ago I sold a toy car to a buyer in the UK and barely came out ahead since I didn't have a clue what it involved. By the time I finally had everything filled out and the car mailed, the line behind me stretched out the door (I'm exaggerating but it was LONG)

Tenny

What types of items do you sell and would be shipping to customers overseas??

I sell mainly clothing so most all of my items are 1lb or less. Once your item is weighed, you can go to usps.om and find out about how much it will cost. For items weighing under 4lbs and under 36 inches (l+w+h), you can send the items via USPS First Class International Mail. That route does not take too long and is economical for lighter items. For heavier or bigger items, it will be international parcel post (I believe that is what they still call it).

As for international money, I only take Paypal from International customers as they do the converting for you. You can also buy shipping insurance through Auctiva for your international packages for peace of mind.

Hope that helps...I would give international shipping a try...might just open up a whole new world of buyers for you. I know it did me.

Marcia

Hi, thanks so much for the help.....I had another question regarding selling to Canada, but went to your site and saw how you handled it...very smart! Mind if I copy your idea? I didn't even think about listing the postage fee directly on the auction site. I notice that you do not add a handling fee to the postage. How do you recover the EBAY fees, Paypal charges and your out of pocket expenses?

I sell a mixture of items, clothing, books, shoes, etc. Since I have a large family and lots of grandchildren of varying ages, I have boxes of items from them....I also buy "reduced or on sale" items from major stores here.

My main reason for not selling outside of the U.S. is that it is inconvenient to drive to the post office to fill out the forms.

Again, thanks for your input....I appreciate it.

Tennie

Tennie,

Sure you can copy whatever you would like from my listings...I certainly have no secrets.

Basically what I do on my listings since MOST of my items weigh under a pound (clothing) is that I have a sheet listing out postage fees for the US, Canada, UK/Europe, and Asia/Australia. My little chart actually goes by ounces and I just look at that when I weigh and list an item. AFter the postal rates changed, I went to usps.com and looked up the postal rates for the different weights going to each of the countries. On most of my postage fees, there is a small handling fee (maybe 50-75 cents) but that is about all. You can decide how much of a fee you want to add to your postage and then state the total in the auction.

I do understand about not wanting to drive to the post office. I have twin 4 year old girls and I HATE dragging them with me. So I went to the post office and picked up customs forms (white and green) along with Priority envelopes. Since most of my international items go First Class International, I just fill out the forms at home and then take them to the post office so I am not filling anything there. Once you do it a few times, it really does get to be old hat. You can even say in your TOS that you only ship internationally on certain days. I only have auctions ending on Sunday and Thursdays so Fridays and Mondays are my drive to the post office days typically.

Again, I hope that helps. Good luck!

Marcia

I do the same thing - I just fill out the paper work before I go to the post office - makes life a bit easier - Dawn

quote:

Originally posted by dllepisto:
I do the same thing - I just fill out the paper work before I go to the post office - makes life a bit easier - Dawn

I did all of the above and everything went just fine. The only thing that concerns me is that I didn't insure the package...a $2.99 toy that would have taken $16.00 to insure. How do you handle that? I have the receipt from the PO but is that enough to trace the package if necessary? If the toy is lost in the wilds of Canada, I can cover the cost and refund the buyer, but if "hope it arrives" is the only option, I don't think I will sell out of the US.....I have enough gray hairs now and don't need any more!

One thing I would add in general, is that many people are blissfully unaware of the fact that they could well incur customs/duty fees when their purchase arrives from another country. I would be quite clear in pointing out that the buyer is liable for these fees.

On a $2.99 toy it won't be a problem, but I do know people who have had quite serious problems with buyers who expect the seller to cover these fees...and they can be expensive!

If you get paid by paypal you can print and pay your internation labels through paypal. You can hand your package to the postal person and not have to go to the post office.
go to usps.com and you can get your shipping quotes for internation shipping.
Ebay has a shipping calculator. the was I found it is to revise an item, scroll down to shipping, You will see Services ? right Of the ? mark is a small icon that's a shipping calculator. Click on the calculator and than I make a short cut on my desk top for the calculator so I can get to it easier. here you can do ups, usps, and internation quotes for shipping.

quote:

Originally posted by marciay96:
Tennie,

Sure you can copy whatever you would like from my listings...I certainly have no secrets.

Basically what I do on my listings since MOST of my items weigh under a pound (clothing) is that I have a sheet listing out postage fees for the US, Canada, UK/Europe, and Asia/Australia. My little chart actually goes by ounces and I just look at that when I weigh and list an item. AFter the postal rates changed, I went to usps.com and looked up the postal rates for the different weights going to each of the countries. On most of my postage fees, there is a small handling fee (maybe 50-75 cents) but that is about all. You can decide how much of a fee you want to add to your postage and then state the total in the auction.
Marcia

Do you insure your packages? Thats what my main concern is....

Also, what is the deal about the buyer paying customs charges on the package? I sold a $2.99 toy, so I doubt if there was much there, but previously I sold a $30.00 dress (not through EBAY)...is she going to have to pay customs on it? I didn't even think of insuring delivery for the dress, and when I found that insurance was going to be $16.00 on the $2.99 toy, I didn't do that either. I asked both of the buyers to please email me when the items arrived, but its been over two weeks and haven't heard from either of them.

Someone mentioned buying insurance through Auctiva???? Haven't found that area yet.

Tenny

quote:

Originally posted by tennisntrains:

Do you insure your packages? Thats what my main concern is....

Also, what is the deal about the buyer paying customs charges on the package? I sold a $2.99 toy, so I doubt if there was much there, but previously I sold a $30.00 dress (not through EBAY)...is she going to have to pay customs on it? I didn't even think of insuring delivery for the dress, and when I found that insurance was going to be $16.00 on the $2.99 toy, I didn't do that either. I asked both of the buyers to please email me when the items arrived, but its been over two weeks and haven't heard from either of them.


Tenny

Different countries have different levels set for when customs/duty/tax becomes applicable. $2.99 will certainly be fine, and $30.00 should be too. Here in the UK, it's about $30.00-$40.00. This is the amount of the item + the postage charge (we're taxed on postage too). Packages over this amount can occasionally come in untaxed, but this is down to luck!

With regards to insurance, I do, but it's a judgment call, but for items around $30.00, I would want at least recorded delivery of some kind, otherwise Seller Protection from Paypal won't be applicable (can of worms).

quote:

If the toy is lost in the wilds of Canada,

Sorry...had to chuckle at that one! We are actually quite civilised way up here in the frozen North!

Our limit before we have to pay Customs Duty + Taxes when we receive something in Canada is $20.00 CDN. You may have the occassional person ask you to mark as a gift...don't do it. I agree that it would be a good idea to put a short para in your listings stating that all Taxes and Customs Fees are the responsibilty of the Buyer.

We send all over the world and have done since 2002. I can honestly say that we only have had one buyer who could be considered an "International" problem and she was from the same Continent and just too impatient!

Today we are sending several parcels to Australia, Korea, Japan & sell quite a bit to England too. Our latest bidder is from Norway.

My advice ( and like I say to my kids..you can either take my advice or chuck it out the window) get some forms from the Post Office, fill them out at home and then sit back and enjoy all your new Buyers and I can guarantee you will make new friends!

Sorry about that (grin)... I spent a lot of time in the "wilds" of Minnesota when my parents had a fishing resort....but the mail always found us!

I would really like to be an international seller but the "insurance" is still my problem! I'm back to that "$16.00 insurance for a $2.99 item".

It isn't the fact that it might be lost, although that is a possibility, but if and when the buyer receives the item. Maybe I am misunderstanding the "insurance" part since all I want is someway to trace delivery.

I was "burned" once by a US buyer who kept saying where was the item hadn't been delivered, when was it going to arrive, she has been waiting for over a week, etc. Luckily I had used the Paypal shipping program and had proof that it HAD been delivered to her address....once I said that, she wrote back, "oh yes, my daughter had put it "somewhere" and didn't tell me about it"

So, the reason I want some way of tracing the item is for my own peace of mind.

Tenny