You guys needs to explain me something.....

[mrlexan]

Oh and to you ALMS fans, Mr. Corvette Racing calls Mississgugaaisggisia (SP?) home, Mr. Ron Fellows. Nothing but respect for the man, he can drive.

[Halgar]

When we first started ebaying we were selling puzzles and household sundries, generally all less than $10. Initially we offered international shipping, but to have to make special trips to the PO for forms and paying adds anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes to the process of shipping. While that isn't all that much, you gotta figure that your time is worth something too. Spending an hour mailing a $10 package just isn't worth the time or effort.

So now it's my responsibility to make phone calls to the other side of the world because she can't figure out how to filter junkmail or sign for a package.

We've since gone to electronic products and run into this frequently. Our product ads clearly state to TURN OFF SPAM FILTERS OR ADD US TO YOUR OK LIST. There are a number of other "majik bocks" things that people can't seem to grasp either, such as "THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC ITEM" (they want printed materials or CD's ). They can't seem to "right click" to download, and then there are those who don't know what a .zip program is, Adobe Acrobat, or how to download or install them. My sister is the one who fields the tech issues, I'm the one who gets to field the product questions, which 99% of the time arise because the people can't read - everything they ask is either covered in our ads OR covered in the electronic file that they've downloaded.


All that said, I will ship internationally for my online friends, just not the average ebayer, particularly for penny ante items.

[mrlexan]

I send everything with delivery confirmation (domestic) as paypal says that is the one thing that is a sellers protection. My point, I fill out a form regardless if it is domestic or international, as all international shpiments require some type of form. IMO, the international forms don't take much longer than the domestic.... the only additional thing you have to enter is your address.

Also, visit the PO I grab a stack of forms, a handful of each and throw then in my drawer, that way I have them on hand. Auction ends, pull the right forum, fill it out. DONE. Everything is prepped and ready to go and the PO workers love us for it. I don't see how it takes 30 minutes.

To me, it is all about process and finding the most efficient means that works for the individual. I am sure mine has room for improvement, but it works fine for me and the amount I ship out.

[Volumiza]

i can totally understand US sellers reluctance to ship outside their homeland, postage is a pain in the backside wherever you are in the world, unreliable and getting expensive. but it pains me to see some of the bargains i could be getting. sometimes it forces you to buy off people you know you shouldn't be (choppers) for inflated prices because if a part comes up that you want, it may be ages till one comes up again (and even then, you're still in a bidding war with the same folk who lost out last time) so you pay more (which i hate, even though i know i'm doing it).

sometimes common sense needs to prevail, i'm desparate for some NIP RPM black front arms at present and a guy had some but wouldn't ship! they could be put in an envelope and posted normally.

i have to buy off ebay, and most of my stuff comes from the guys that WILL ship from the US (hats off to them, no matter how shady some are), and sometimes i get a note through my door (when i should get a parcel) saying they are holding my parcel till i go and pay a customs charge. that is annoying as i've already payed for postage. its a minefield out there.

[aconsola]

Jay,
If you do postage through paypal you do not have to fill out any forms, paypal does it all for you. The rates are discounted for online postage too, so it saves money and writing.
I bought a digital scale off ebay(where else?) for like $30. Even when I do have to go to the post office usually everything is paid for and I just cut to the front of the line to drop the package off.

For international packages, first class is not available online for some reason. Priority international can be printed from home, but I wait at the post office to get the customs forms stamped to prove I dropped it off.
-Anthony

[saucisse]

Your avitar is disturbing. I used to ship to Canada, but now I'm too freaked out by that image that I think that all Canadians are bald dudes with sausages around their necks smoking cigarettes on sticks, that I don't want nuttin to do wit dat place no mo. Sorry Canada, you're too freakin weird.

That is actually a pic of a very famous French guy (who died recently) who founded a non less famous "anarchist" newspaper (called Charlie Hebdo) with lots of sarcastic comic strips. His "scene" name was Professeur Choron, ship to Canada with no fear Melvin, be careful when doing the same to France

Man I'm surprised that someone actually knows Professeur Choron I always liked is strips and when I found this picture, I told myself this is it, that's my new avatar since my friends are calling me ''saucisse'' which means sausage in English

[terry.sc]

International packages aren't a problem for us in the UK because we still have to queue up in the post office to send domestic parcels as well so it takes no longer.

I'm more annoyed with the Germans, they usually don't sell outside of Germany yet they seem to be sitting on a huge supply of Kyosho parts. As they would still be selling inside the EU there isn't any problem with customs or duty, I get annoyed when the odd parcel of second hand r/c parts get stopped and I have to pay tax and customs fees on them. At least Tower labels their packages properly so we don't pay duty on them just the vat.

[Halgar]

Also, visit the PO I grab a stack of forms, a handful of each and throw then in my drawer, that way I have them on hand. Auction ends, pull the right forum, fill it out. DONE. Everything is prepped and ready to go and the PO workers love us for it. I don't see how it takes 30 minutes.

That's the minimum amount of time it takes to make a special trip to the PO. If there is a line, and there usually is, it's a much longer trip. Most of our domestic packages get sent Priority Mail, so that the shipping label is printed and paid right here in the office and the package is picked up by the postman from my doorstep. no added time or hassles.

As I said, I'll still ship anything, anywhere, for my online buddies. I've sent things to Singapore and Greece with no problem, but it did take something along the lines of 7 months for the Greece package to arrive at its destination.

[RC Chick]

I don't know why people don't want to ship international either. I bought some parts from Didiou in france and I got them in three days. I bought some parts from a guy off ebay in California, I live in the same state and I just got them today! It took a week to get them. He said he shipped them out the next day and even gae me the conf. number. I guess the pigeon that was carrying them stopped and had a vactaion.

[Halgar]

I guess the pigeon that was carrying them stopped and had a vactaion.

Maybe it was just a little too early to fly south?

[templeofspeed]

I'm more annoyed with the Germans, they usually don't sell outside of Germany yet they seem to be sitting on a huge supply of Kyosho parts. As they would still be selling inside the EU there isn't any problem with customs or duty, I get annoyed when the odd parcel of second hand r/c parts get stopped and I have to pay tax and customs fees on them. At least Tower labels their packages properly so we don't pay duty on them just the vat.

I watch ebay Germany quite often as I have some oddball German motorcycles... there have been quite a few times that a seller had the item I was needing but wouldn't sell internationally or accept Paypal as payment...stuff I was willing to go big on, but not pay the huge fee for an international money order...

Come on, even the French accept Paypal (for the most part...).