What's wrong with selling overseas ?

[WillC]

I've only ever dinged someone for postage when they've charged me more than the postage actually cost, e.g. I once paid $8 for postage when the item actually cost $3 to post. That annoyed me so I dinged the seller slightly.

But if I paid $40 for postage and it cost the seller $40, then there's no way I'd ding the seller.

[Orangejello727]

Originally Posted by AlabamaSlamma

this is dead on. i have a potential international buyer who's very interested in a card of mine that sells for about a hundred bucks. i've explained the express intl shipping situation to him several times. its cost prohibitive for me to sell to him because i would have to spend almost half of the price of the card on shipping to be protected by PP. hes told me multiple times he 'doesnt mind' if i send with regular mail & that he's never had a problem with anything showing up. thats most likely true, but im SOL if something were to happen. it sucks, but its the nature of the hobby these days.

Ive had this issue many times before. The perception ruins it for the buyers when they figure out shipping is expensive. I changed the way I sell things because of it. I bascially incorporate the price of shipping into the item and consider it dlvd.

I sold a $400 card this way. I listed it for $400 BIN with $38.50 (Half the cost of shipping. I pay half and they pay half). It didnt sell but I had offine for $300 for it. I then relisted the card for $499.99 with free shipping. I was offered $470 for it. I accepted. I noticed it was from the same user id that had inquired about it earlier.

[XL5]

Originally Posted by Shaun

if i have ever enquired about any of your cards, and when you told me $20+ i didnt get back to you, that does not make me a crook trying to sus out my next target. thats just me trying to find someone that is willing to be fair and reasonable.

It does make you a tad inconsiderate. A simple "No thanks, that shipping is too much for my blood," would work and the seller wouldn't be sitting there thinking you're off to the next target.





I don't ship international because any additional money I'd make on the card, if any, wouldn't make up for the extra time of filling out customs forms and dealing with the Post Office. If it were as simple as domestic shipping, and had reliable DC, I'd do it.


I do a free fantasy hockey league and half the participants are in Canada. Mailing out the prizes used to cost me way too much, even if just half the prize winners were Canadians. A sweatshirt cost me something like $14 to ship. Insane. Plus they got nailed for some kind of customs fee on their end. So now Canadians can only win autograph cards and I send them PWE. I'd rather send their free $25 auto via PWE than deal with international shipping.