Hello Derek,
Luxembourg is one of the main Banking places in the world, I think most people know that. Although, most people who work in the Bank business here are not Luxemburgers... It's a strange situation. I think all big companies from all over the world do have some connection and/or a major director's building here. Which does not mean the native population ( as I am) knows a lot of what's going on in the (big) business sector. But one thing for sure: if big companies do have a building or even a main building here, it does not necessarily mean they love Luxembourg or communicate a lot with the "normal/simple" people from here. It means they love the lower taxes they have to pay to our government , compared to other places. Also, it is a politically quiet place. That's what they're here for. I do not say this is good or bad. But maybe You understand how strange situations like this one can exist.
best regards,
Jean-Marie Biwer Basbellain, Luxembourg, Europe
Le 5 mai 10 à 11:00, Derek Athey a écrit :
> Interesting comment by Jean-marie about not being able to SELL
> through Ebay in Luxembourg. As, last year the centre for all UK and
> Ireland (if not all EU) financial (Paypal) ebay activity was
> recentred in....Luxembourg. All my invoices and fees go through
> Luxembourg!
>
> Ebay have some srange policies!
>
> Regards
> Derek Athey
> Honiton, Devon UK
>
> On Wed, May 5, 2010 at 12:49 AM, Jean-Marie <jmbr@pt.lu> wrote:
> Hello to all,
>
> Living in Europe, I found spare parts in the USA and Australia.
> ( Small parts recently from list members right here).
> There was no problem sending the amount and receiving the bike parts.
>
> I've got to say that I use Ebay on very rare occasions. Mostly I
> communicate on Web Forums - over here in Europe, this works out
> fine, and sometimes ( I'm not the only person who thinks this way) I
> think, watching items on Ebay: they're mad. I'm talking about spare
> parts an prices paid for them, not absolutely high-level bikes or
> frames... although sometimes even these happen just to be over valued.
>
> Everything has its price, and older parts become rare. But there
> still is a lot of post-war stuff around, and even pre-war bikes or
> parts. Many of them "sleep" in barns or cellars ( I recently found 3
> entire bikes this way). Most people are absolutely not interested in
> bikes over here, which is a good and bad thing at the same time.
>
> My small collection grows slowly, maybe also the way I do collect is
> a bit different from others. I look what comes up, and I work on
> what seems somehow interesting to me.
> Of course, if someone is only looking for absolutely rare and
> highest-level bikes, things are different. I don't, as I do not have
> the material possibility to do that.
> One exception: my new bike that's being build right now. But that's
> off-topic and a strictly personal dream I want to realize before
> being too old to ride it:-)
>
> All this to say that, yes: Ebay is a possibility. But it is not the
> only one.
> Living in Luxembourg, ( a very very small country) I can buy on
> Ebay, but I cannot sell on Ebay ( if I'd want to). It is a strange
> situation. The reason is very simple: Ebay-Luxembourg just does not
> exist.
> And there is no way to put whatever there to sell: after filling in
> the information, at the end: access refused / country unknown.
> Strange but true.
> It never was a problem. On the bike Forums, I exchange, buy or sell
> parts I need or don't, even frames. And it allways worked out fine,
> as one comes to know the people.
>
> Best regards ( and thanks to many people here, again. I do learn a
> lot just reading and following their links).
>
> Jean-Marie Biwer
> Basbellain, Luxembourg, Europe
>
>
> Le 5 mai 10 à 01:17, John Hurley a écrit :
>
>
> I'll add my penny's worth.
>
> The vast majority of the on-topic bike goodies we know and love
> originated outside the USA. Cycling, as we know it, is a European
> sport. This being the case, I've been surprised how little I sell
> outside the USA. I expected a much bigger international market, but
> 80
> percent of my sales have been domestic, and only 20 percent
> international. My domestic market is four times bigger than from the
> rest of the world combined.
>
> Before I checked, I would have said my international sales were even
> smaller. Maybe some sellers just feel the real market is in the
> USA, so
> why bother selling foreign? I don't look at it that way myself; I'm
> glad to have the extra 20 percent.
>
> Why isn't the foreign market larger? I suppose either they don't need
> to buy from us because they can get the good stuff locally, or
> Americans
> just spend more freely or have deeper pockets. Probably what is
> happening now is a bike boom echo as Americans collect in later years
> what they valued in their youth.
>
> Risk: At first I couldn't understand eBay shoving all the risk off on
> the seller, but it finally dawned on me (duh) that the party who
> stands
> to make a profit is the logical one to accept a greater share of the
> risk.
>
> As for the income tax, this sounds like bad news for eBay. One more
> reason not to use eBay, and seek alternate outlets. One more step
> toward converting eBay into another Amazon.
>
> John Hurley
> Austin, Texas, USA
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>
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