posted on August 24, 2000 08:03:00 PM new
Hi I haven't started selling overseas yet. Still getting my feet wet in the U.S. plus I prepackage Priority when I get my first bid. So my winning bidder ignored the message and is in Spain. What to do??? The next lowest bid was one dollar less. Oh the feedback for the spain has been wonderful.
posted on August 24, 2000 08:14:14 PM new
When I first started selling I also wanted to sell only to the us but had many international bidders winning auctions from me. I found it irritating and only after I finally gave up and started agreeing to ship anywhere did I come up with an idea on how to stop these bidders from bidding. I have always wondered how many international bidders I would have had with this in my TOS. I Prefer to ship only within the United states. International customers pay $25 plus the cost of shipping as a handling charge. I probably would have gotten many angry emails from international bidders but maybe they would finally have learned to read the auction before bidding.
posted on August 24, 2000 09:04:21 PM new
You have to decide for yourself whether or not it's worth it to deal with buyers outside the US, but you might want to consider...
The next lowest bid was one dollar less.
If your bidder from Spain hadn't come along, you wouldn't have known just how much that next lowest bid was, since without your Spanish bidder, the high bid would have only been one bid increment above the third place bidder.
posted on August 24, 2000 11:04:30 PM new
I have in my auctions USA only but my first non USA was from Spain. Paid in cash and left very nice feedback. Since I have had a bidder from the Netherlands, paid in cash, good feedback, Canada the same, Rio De Janerio paid with american check but no feedback. Evidently that bidder didn't leave feedback for any of her purchases, but who cares it was a good auction. If your Spain bidder had a high feedback they will know what to do. Good Luck
posted on August 25, 2000 08:08:19 AM new
If you don't want to sell outside the US, don't. Notify high bidder that you don't accept outside-US bids and that you're voiding the sale, and contact bidder #2. Remember, however, that bidder #2's high bid, if bidder #1 hadn't bid at all, would be ONE increment higher than bidder #3, NOT $1 less than bidder #1. IOW, if bidder #1's high bid was $11, and bidder #3's high bid was $8, bidder #2 owes you $9, NOT $10.
posted on August 25, 2000 08:14:21 AM newRemember, however, that bidder #2's high bid, if bidder #1 hadn't bid at all, would be ONE increment higher than bidder #3, NOT $1 less than bidder #1. IOW, if bidder #1's high bid was $11, and bidder #3's high bid was $8, bidder #2 owes you $9, NOT $10.
That might not be so bad, but what if...
Bidder #1's high bid was $81, and bidder #3's high bid was $8, bidder #2 owes you $9, NOT $80.
posted on August 25, 2000 09:47:55 AM new
I will only suggest that you do not accept credit card payment from Internationals. Only reason why is that they have up to 1 year or more to dispute the transaction. Your choice, but I prefer International Money Orders in US Funds. Canada isn't much of a problem but- when you get into some countries, it can be difficult to correct the problem and time consuming. Been there...
posted on August 25, 2000 10:24:14 AM new
mr potatoheadd-- if the high bidder is $81, then high bidder #2 would have bid $80. a bid doesn't jump from $9 to $81. the increase by small increments.
posted on August 25, 2000 11:32:05 AM new
Not necessarily one increment lower. If the high bidder is 81 and the next bidder says 80 that only means that the second bidders high maximum was 80 but his original bid could have been quite low say 20. The 2nd bidder might have thought the item was worth 80 so that is
why he put 80 but in reality his first bid was 20. There is a gray area because of the way we bid. We put our maximum bid in but it only goes to the next highest increment so bidder 3 comes in and has to bid 81 because of the maximum bid of no 2. I know it is quite confusing but you might loose quite a bit and then again maybe not. You do your TOS the way you want it and I don't think you have to take foreign bidders, but if you have items that this foreign bidder likes he is sure to bid again. Good Luck
posted on August 25, 2000 03:29:17 PM newmrpotatohead - re your first post - My point exactly. So, mildreds, what was the winning bid, and high bids of #2 and 3?
I don't think a seller is REQUIRED to sell to bidder #2 if #1 backs out. If what I think is correct, if there's a huge disparity between bids, it might be to seller's best advantage just to relist the damned widget, if in his/her judgment it's not cost-effective to sell to bidder #1.
[ edited by HartCottageQuilts on Aug 25, 2000 03:31 PM ]
posted on August 25, 2000 04:14:08 PM new
I can't figure out why some of you avoid or worse, prohibit International sales.
I have found them to be some of the best deals I have done. Usually get paid in cash, or wire transfer, or International bank checque, or certified US funds.
There is only one country that I've ever had any problem shipping to, and not having it received, (Haiti), although I'd avoid all third-world countries as well. I have very successfully shipped to Argentina, Brazil, Norway, Denmark, Germany, South Africa, Australia, UK, France, and of course Canada, and dozens more I can't even remember.
The only down side I can think of, is that you need a box and packing (rather than freebies for priority).
I'll take any International buyers you guys don't want []
posted on August 25, 2000 04:18:25 PM new
To answer the ORIGINAL question , I'd say it depends on the item you sold (in light of shipping expense) and what payment options the bidder is willing to pursue. If you're selling a small, light item that can go airmail or Global Priority for about the same cost as US Priority, and the bidder will conform to your payment method, I'd say go for it. I had the same thing happen, and after investigating the shipping options, I found out that I could airmail the item to Germany with recorded delivery at about the same rate as US Priority mail. The buyer sent cash (his request!!), and we were both very happy with the transaction.
posted on August 29, 2000 07:26:32 PM new
Hi. Thanks for the responses.. I had a family emergency and have been away for a few days. posted on August 25, 2000 04:14:08 PM
Pantheus "I can't figure out why some of you avoid or worse, prohibit International sales.
I have found them to be some of the best deals I have done. Usually get paid in cash, or wire transfer, or International bank checque, or certified US funds. "
It's just a newbie thing I guess. I never heard of Priority Mail before I started selling or PayPal. So just takes a little time to get comfortable with the process. Longer for some of us than others. How do you get "paid in cash" by an international buyer??? Wire Transfer - Do I go to my bank?? Certified U.S. Funds ?? Not a clue how to get. So it is a learning curve sort of thing. Also I have a VERY limited space for storing boxes and hardly have room for priority boxes let alone any other kind.
Hart Cottage Quilts. I started the auction at $8.99. Several days later 2nd bid was for 15.50 End of auction day 2 minutes before end $27.00 and 1.5 minutes later the winning bid of $28.00. I enjoy reading your posts.
I have decided to start International sales. The gentleman from Spain has been very polite and helpful.
I have had someone from Canada high bid something else. Only he wants to know the cheapest way to get it to him. At this moment I don't know anyway except the post office nor do I want to invest a lot of time for a $9.99 item. (One of a Kind).
The prodding was probably necessary, I just have a hard time when people do not read the auction terms. Likewise, I am sure international buyers are frustrated to see something they want and can't bid. I think an Email might be a nice first step unless in the final minutes they run across the item.
posted on August 29, 2000 08:03:29 PM new mildreds asked:
"How do you get "paid in cash" by an international buyer??? Wire Transfer - Do I go to my bank?? Certified U.S. Funds ?? Not a clue how to get. So it is a learning curve sort of thing."
The International buyer goes to their bank or money exchange station (like at an airport) and gets Green US cash, and mails it, usually by an express mail service.
A wire transfer is much more widely used by Europeans than by us, so they merely need the info that is on MY check and nearly overnight the money is in my account. This is less security risk to ME than me mailing a check to anywhere. The place to start on wire transfers is at your bank, ask them what they expect and what you need to tell your buyer. Usually it is simply the account name and number.
Certified funds is an International Bank Draft, or money order, (in some countries they can use a postal money order in US funds as well) but make sure it is designated to be in US Funds, not that persons currency. This too is no problem, as they usually know this too, like wire transfers.
I also find Western Union transfers easy to do, but expensive for the sender. I have one regular customer in Argentina who sends purchase money that way, and it costs him $ 15.00 US to send $30-$50, but he feels it is better for him than exposing his credit card to the net when in his country there are NO secure servers. I merely go to the Western Union station here, which is in Safeway, Rite-Aid and KMart and pick up cash.
uh huh. that's what i thought! 