posted on July 1, 2003 07:58:49 AM new
I was selling a very old functioning welding torch kit. It was a small one used for hobbies. It came with metal canisters of air to use with it. I listed the item to sell in the US only. In ebays description of shipping and in BIG CAPS I wrote that I would sell in US only. It didnt sell. A guy in Germany has been asking me (through ask seller a question) to relist it and change the shipping policy so he could buy it. I really don't feel comfortable doing that. I don't even know if I can ship it with compressed air canisters INSIDE the US because they could explode. I am worried about the entire thing. Others have sold them but I guess I am a little worried.
I didnt know that even if you list to ship an item in the US only, it still shows up in ebay's of other countries. I checked his link
email from ebay. There is my auction! in GERMAN. Didn't know that ebay did that.
posted on July 1, 2003 09:01:56 AM new
Pitney Bowes used to send me a cleaning kit every 4 months for my postage machine which included a can of compressed air. I don't think it's a problem. If you are really that concerned, check the USPS website.
Mario Andretti - “If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.”
posted on July 2, 2003 04:39:35 AM new
In your case I perfectly understand your reluctance to widen your customer base.
I've been an eBay user for the last 4 years; living in Norway I find it difficult to understand why so many items are listed as "US only". And generally, when I contact the sellers and ask, they are willing to send to Norway. Their problem is that I often just leave such items out, and that means fewer bids and - possibly - a lower closing price. Especially for items with a non-US provenance, like stamps, coins and banknotes, the best market is in the country of origin and a "US only"-policy will not be beneficial neither for seller nor for buyer.
I suspect that many such listings are only "bad" habits and would like to see some arguments for a general US only policy.
posted on July 2, 2003 04:47:58 AM new
Although I DO ship internationally, it is a PITA:
1) NO PayPal seller protection -- so, even though my auctions state NO international PP payments accepted, they TRY & TRY!
2) I HAVE to go to the PO for international packies -- can't just give them to my mail-person like I do for domestic. I don't drive, so I have to beg a ride!
3) The endless hordes who INSIST on dis-honest customs declarations!
I fully understand why MANY USA sellers refuse to sell outside the USA & bidders are REQUIRED to RESPECT this option!
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" http://tinyurl.com/5duz
posted on July 2, 2003 05:37:47 AM new
i give my intl shipments to my postman-small ones with green form and big ones with white form.
it is only when i run out of stamps or not sure which is the best way to ship ,then i go to the post office.
as long as you have the correct postage and form,your postman should take it just like domestic.
posted on July 2, 2003 05:40:56 AM new
ALL of my items are > 16oz & thus, even though I have correct postage, THEY MUST be presented to counter clerk & POSTMARKED with ROUND STAMP!!
I just had one RETURNED to me the other day because the FOOL forgot to stamp it!!
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" http://tinyurl.com/5duz
posted on July 2, 2003 05:48:28 AM new
i will ship anywhere in the world,i was scammed by indonesians in indonesia and an american asking me to ship to saudi arabia.
it is not just the loss of merchandise,it is also the chargeback fee and the shipping costs.
as for the honest buyers who send cash or bank money order in registered mail,sometimes it just take too long to arrive,which makes us wonder if they will ever arrive.
best is for the intl buyers to pay thru bidpay or payingfast.com ,it would cost more,but it will relieve us sellers the anxiety of doing business with foreign buyers
posted on July 2, 2003 06:22:35 AM new
Paloma, if it is a welding outfit the canisters would be oxygen and acetylene - both hazardous and highly flammable.
And it's not just the USPS regs you must satisfy, it's also the German regs - and perhaps any other countries the package passes through.
But you could empty the cylinders, mark them as empty - no contents. Then shouldn't be a problem. Or if he wants only the torch and hoses, no problem also.
Have him pay by Western Union transfer, or an international postal MO.
posted on July 2, 2003 09:01:36 AM new
Thanks so much everyone for the info. One canister is BUTANE - it is empty and the other one is Nitrous Oxide - (laughing gas!)Which still has some left This thing is OLD
One thing I recently learned about Postal International Money Orders. Our post ofice (USA) will not cash them from some countries. I recently had a buyer in Spain who was going to send one to me. The post office said no can do because they don 't have an agreement with the spanish postal service.
[ edited by paloma91 on Jul 2, 2003 09:07 AM ]
posted on July 3, 2003 03:42:51 AM new
fluffythewondercat
posted on July 2, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, here we go again.
I don't need to justify my US-only policy. It works for me. Period.
Don't like it? Too bad!
*******************<br>
1. I were not aware we "went again" - to me this is the first time to post this question, and I've been on the lookout for an arena in which to ask.<br>
2. Of course you don't have to justify your policies - you could e.g. have kept quiet? I asked a seriously meant question, in order to gain insight into how things work, on a problem that has intrigued me. Others have come up with facts that were not known to me, thanks to them I've learned something new and useful. Not thanks to you - and I must confess to not understanding, neither liking, the rather brusque tone of your posting.<br>
3. No, I still don't like it but after this I see more justification for it - and will look for ways to compensate for the problems. Using BidPay instead of PayPal should relieve sellers of some of the risk. And a large non-US market not bidding on your items could be contrary to your interests, too.<br>
A heartfelt thank you to those of you who have posted answers to my posting, nice to know there are people who wants to share information.<br>
Best wishes from the Arctic,
janeriks.no
posted on July 3, 2003 08:10:12 AM new
Thanks everyone for helping me with this thing. Here is the latest. The guy emails me EVERY DAY with the same email.
"Sir/Madam,
That item wasn't sold. I am from overseas (Germany) and would like to ask you to alter your shipping policy. I am interested in a purchase - please LMK if you want to sell it off auction or not."
I have not responded. I checked his feedback. Over 100 positives, 15 negatives, and a few neutrals and bid retractions. Just kind of weird. I have sold out of the country many times. This one just gives me a strange feeling. Probably just me.
