Greg,
As an active eBay seller, I'll speak to this. A good 30% of my sales are outside the USA. What has spooked eBay sellers is eBay's/PayPal's insistence that a shipped item have a tracking number to verify delivery. If the package is lost (or the buyer says he didn't receive it) and the seller can't provide proof of delivery via a tracking number, we as sellers have to eat it.
The only way to have a tracking number outside the USA is to send via the very expensive USPS Express Mail. My actual cost is $37.50 & up for small parts with insurance coverage. I tend to take the chance & send "without protection" for items under $75. But over that amount, I set up the auction for $37.50 International shipping. I HATE to charge that much for an item that I normally could send for $10-15 via USPS 1st Class Airmail. But on the other hand, the buyer IS using PayPal & not sending me cash. The risk always remains that a loss could occur and I could get a chargeback. I don't want to be hung out to dry, or be in a difficult spot risking negative feedback over a dispute. But knock on wood, I can't remember ever having a legitimate lost item overseas. Occasionally it takes too long. And, believe it or not, occasionally a buyer will forget that he actually already received something (this happens more than you would think).
It's for these reasons I suspect some sellers don't want to hassle with sales outside the USA. But, I think it's better to at least offer an item worldwide and let the buyer decide whether he wants to pay the high price of Express Mail or, as a seller, be willing to take a chance on "loosing" a $30 package. Again, it's been my overwhelming experience that the post office IS dependable and people ARE honest on the other end, no matter the country.
Mark Winkelman
Dallas, Texas USA
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
_______________________________________________
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5086 (20100504) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.