Hi Greg
Speaking as someone who has sold on ebay having listed on the UK site (paying only UK fees), but agreeing to mail worldwide, it is very easy to mail anywhere overseas, including US, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, EU etc. etc. I have mailed to each of these in the past year. All require Customs declarations except EU for us. So where is the problem I wonder, for US sellers not agreeing to sell outside their own country?
Bidders from each of these countries, and more, have logged onto the UK site surfing for UK cycle and classic car parts as a ready source. The only issues I have experienced is incredible delays through US customs, and non-arrival on items to Brunai.
Maybe it is simply a question of exchange rates? Or the inability of completing customs forms or lack of understanding in mailing processes and services offered by US sellers. Here in the UK we have many differing tarifs and consequentially timings for delivery. If one doesn't apply the correct costing to include mailing costs, then one CAN get caught out. Like I did by sending a frame to Japan. I costed it on the public traif chart using our publicly owned courier service, only to find out that although the carton only weighed 5Kg when I got the bill, they had calculated in on Volumetric weight due to the size of the carton and I was out of pocket by GB£100 (about $150)! So I won't be selling frames overseas anymore. Smaller items, no problems!
Sometimes appealing to the seller does change minds, if the item is really something you want and need, rather than 'nice to have' purchases.
Interesting to have other views from CR list members based in US.
Regards Derek Athey Honiton, Devon UK
On Tue, May 4, 2010 at 8:12 PM, Greg Lone <gwlone@yahoo.ca> wrote:
> Hi list, I have been observing what seems to be an increasing trend on EBay
> to limit bidding to U.S. residents only. When I first started buying vintage
> cycling parts and bikes 5 years ago I would occasionally { but realy not
> that often at all} run into such a roadblock. The trend has increased to the
> point that it seems 2 or 3 item out of 10 have the bidder restriction. I
> live in Canada; a stones throw from the border , and find the whole thing
> rather puzzling. Has something changed with the post system regarding
> weather a seller can prove the buyer has realy recived something ? {and
> disprove false non delivery claims}. Or as has been suggested by some
> friends has a general distrust of foreign mail transactions of any kind
> become more commonplace. {Nigerian scams Etc.} Not all non U.S. residents
> are scheming opportunists, I for one have a substantial number of ebay
> purchases with 100% positive feedback. Is mail fraud realy that widespread?
> Of the
> several hundred vintage cycle ,car and motorcycle items I have purchased
> over the years only 3 come to mind that have never arrived. I assume that's
> about average as it's a fairly big sample number. Can anyone explain things
> from a regular EBay seller prospective, { I never sell on EBay, only buy}.
> Greg Lone
> Langley B.C.
> Canada