lindajean
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posted on November 15, 2001 11:08:56 AM new
I have it clearly stated at the end of my auction (right before the picture so it cannot be missed) that I ONLY ship within the USA.
The emails where people ask me if I will ship outside the country I can just answer them with a no, but every week I get at least one who bids and then wants to send shipping total shown which is usually first class and will not pay for international shipping fees.
I know lots of people don't mind international sales, but I don't like the 6 to 9 week delay in receiving items. It's hard enough here in the US to keep track of what's what.
Has anyone found a successful way to stop the international bidders?
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wowwow85
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posted on November 15, 2001 11:26:07 AM new
on amzn,if the seller said he does notship internationally,an overseas customer cannot even press the buy button on your item page.but this is not so on ebay,even though a seller can specify he does not ship internationally on item page.
one suggestion is to monitor the bidding activities ,if you notice any overseas bidders(email addr),ask them to withdraw their bids before auction closed.
or let them know if they win,shipping will be extra.
this could screw up the bidding results though
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clarksville
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posted on November 15, 2001 11:26:08 AM new
lindajean I sell internationally so I don't have any advise your specific inquiry but similar topics has been discussed many times here and elsewhere so I do have a somewhat opinion on "international sales" from your POV.
I think people need to respect those such as yourself who don't sell internationally. I
know that this is frustrating and annoying.
Personally I don't think there is any successful methods to stop such bidders other than the emailing the bidders with a "friendly" no answer and a possible occasional cancel of bids.
Some international bidders do ship within the states so please don't jump to conclusions if an international bid occurs. It would be nice if they emailed you an explanation "hello...I live in Brazil but will have shipment in America. Is it ok for me to bid?" However not all do
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toolhound
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posted on November 15, 2001 11:52:31 AM new
Here is how I stopped them. "All out of USA winners will be charged $5.00 handling + shipping"
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RB
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posted on November 15, 2001 11:57:04 AM new
Call up the B-52's and bomb the snot out of the country you don't want to deal with ...
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clarksville
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posted on November 15, 2001 12:19:32 PM new
item description:
Bonus! For international winning bids $5.00 and a neutron bomb will be added to the postage fees.
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RB
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posted on November 15, 2001 12:54:03 PM new
Right on ... our customs guys will never find those. They're too busy looking for pictures of nekked ladies
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sparkz
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posted on November 15, 2001 01:31:43 PM new
What is really strange is that I haven't had any bidders from Afghanistan for over a month.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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meridenmor
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posted on November 15, 2001 01:42:04 PM new
Why would you not want to have bidders from out of the USA? If the problem is getting payment, specify that bidders from outside US must pay by credit card: which ever ones you take or the Western Union option. We find that frequently we put up things that only foreigners are interested in. And the Canadian bidders pulled us through some very bad months when we had no US bidders. I can not really understand restricting the market I sell in. I want all the bidders I can get and really don't care where they are. International shipping is not that hard, the PO will tell us rates on anything we pack. So, I would suggest you rethink this restriction. Dale [email protected]
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kyms
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posted on November 15, 2001 01:53:41 PM new
I hate shipping outside the US, I tried for two years to ship everywhere but enough was enough.
I had late payments, payments get "lost" (only the cash ones...hmmm).
Many people outside the US want me to lie on Customs Forms, accept Canadian Currency, ship via Air for the same cost as Media Mail within the US.
Many can't wait to get the item and become irate when the slow boat to China hasn't reached them within a week... The list goes on and on.
I have thought it out and I don't want to do it. That is my choice. I would think foreign bidders would just respect that and not bid, but I had to ship two to the UK today... Both are upset by the actual shipping charges, both think I should send them Air for the same cost. Neither seem to understand that I am not profiting from shipping... sigh..
There is no way to stop them. Ebay should help, but they are only interested in money. If they stop bids, they lose fees... I think it is that simple.
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MAH645
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posted on November 15, 2001 03:41:19 PM new
I state in my auctions "I do not ship Internationally." I have had some bid anyway but have had no problems but on Amazon I went thu Hell on this issue.I'm glad they changed it because I stop selling there because of it.
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lindajean
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posted on November 15, 2001 07:57:34 PM new
meridenmor - I knew people who don't mind shipping internationally wouldn't understand. I did ship internationally for two years. In fact, about a third of my sales were international.
However, the time spent waiting for payment and then wondering if it ever arrived as well as the customs forms just made it not worth the time it took and the extra worry about packages arriving. Besides I really hate giving the post office twice as much money as I am making. I have found that a couple of relists will result in a 90% sell through here in the US with none of the hassle.
Those that do ship internationally - you are more than welcome to my customers. But, I wish there was a way to keep the bids away for those of us that do not want them.
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JWPC
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posted on November 15, 2001 10:00:55 PM new
lindajean
Limit your overseas sales to credit cards, and you don't have to wait for payment, worry about lost MO's and such.
We have had very little problem over the years with international buyers.
About the only problem we have ever had is the slowness of the mail system within other countries themselves, and then it is just a matter of proving to the customer the item was shipped, which is simple enough, and that it is their mail system holding it up.
Perhaps if you limited how you handle international sale, you could accept them without the hassles you seemed to have had.
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Libra63
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posted on November 15, 2001 10:21:21 PM new
It's to bad there isn't a way to tell international bidders by their email address. In my TOS I say U.S.Buyers to pay then I state the amount. I have the box checked I do not accept international bidders, but if an international bidder emails me and it is discussed before the auction ends, the price of postage then they can bid. I had a bidder from Japan interested in an item. I took the item to the Post office with the box I was going to use to send it, they weighed it and told me it would cost $11.00 to mail so then I emailed back the buyer and told them the price. Now that isn't to bad a price. I have mailed watches to spain and the buyer sent cash and I sent a 9 piece jewelry lot in a $5.00 global priority envelope. Not a piece was broken and a very expensive piece of jewelry to England and that person paid cash. I have had no problems with international bidders so I can't complain. If they are willing to pay the postage I will sell to them.
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lindajean
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posted on November 15, 2001 10:40:21 PM new
Guess I will have to do the same -- if they bid and win then I will have to sell to them. I just had someone from Australia win some postcards and they wanted to send me $5.45 cash which included $1.25 shipping. I told them it would cost $4.05 to ship them and they said no problem.
I now have an email from someone in the netherlands wanting a record but I told him I prefer to ship within the US so we will see how it goes.
Maybe if I put the "Sorry, but I no longer ship outside the USA" comment in large red letters people will see it? Or maybe they just don't want to? I really do like the sales but the customs forms are a real Pain!
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kiara
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posted on November 15, 2001 11:11:53 PM new
It's to bad there isn't a way to tell international bidders by their email address.
If you click on the bidder's feedback it will tell you what country they are from on their ID card.
[ edited by kiara on Nov 15, 2001 11:14 PM ]
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yeager
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posted on November 16, 2001 03:58:33 AM new
kiara,
What a good hint about clicking on the fb for their country of origin!
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Libra63
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posted on November 16, 2001 06:54:44 AM new
Kiara-I have been selling for about 2 years and never new that. Thanks a bunch for that information. This is one reason I like the AW message board
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Libra63
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posted on November 16, 2001 06:59:40 AM new
Now I want to ask a question. Do you think it is against ebay policies (rules) that after you look up what country the seller is from and you find out it is not the US can you write them and tell them what your shipping charges will be to their country? I am sure after they get that email most of the buyers will back off.
I feel my TOS is long enough now I hate to add I do not accept international bidders but when I say U.S.Buyers to pay S/H don't you think they would get a hint?
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lindajean
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posted on November 16, 2001 07:58:37 AM new
Libra63 - I don't think they take hints very well. I state -- shipping within the U.S. Sorry, but I no longer ship outside the United States.
I still get bids and emails.
Kiara - Thank you so much for that information. I didn't know there was any way to tell. I will definitely keep a check on that.
I started to add a paragraph to my EOA notice, but it seemed unfair to everyone else to have to wade through a whole paragraph about shipping elsewhere so I did not change that. I will just try to keep an eye on where everyone is from before sending them out.
Thanks,
Linda
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kiara
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posted on November 16, 2001 09:01:23 AM new
It was earlier this year that I noticed the location of the bidder on the feedback page. I can't remember but was it back in March that ebay changed the feedback page?
Libra63, I'm not sure if it's against ebay's rules but I don't think there is anything wrong with e-mailing the bidder and letting them know the shipping charges. Also if you don't wish to ship internationally and have it stated in your auction you could cancel their bid before the auction closes or tell them to retract their bid.
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