As If Ebay Isn't Bad Enough

**goamules** · 17-Jul-2013, 19:02

Try shipping to China, or Russia, or Brazil, or ...... Forums like this one and markets like Ebay are global. But each country has it's own, special rules, and often corrupt postal deliver systems. The statistics of overseas shipping are that you have a very high likelyhood of a lost package. Often, there is no real insurance if that happens. Before "globalization" I'm sure each country enjoyed excellent postal service with no problems in country. Now....anyone who ships overseas will see occasional problems. Yet the foreign customers have NO tolerance for any problem, even if it's caused by their own country's system.

**Jac@stafford.net** · 17-Jul-2013, 19:05

One more thing about that big auction site. I limit sales to persons within the continental USA, and post that potential buyers overseas who wish to buy should work through a US broker. My very best sales have largely been to China through such brokers located in the USA.
.

**photoevangelist** · 17-Jul-2013, 19:43

I'm an American expat. US sellers do tend to be a lot more tight up than other sellers. I always try to thank the sellers in the US for being open to ship abroad (and give great positive feedback if it's on the auction site). I can imagine there is hassle and worries about shipping abroad. I had worries myself, but there are enough checks and balances the protect the seller and buyer.

So a big THANK YOU to everyone that is open to shipping to us in other countries. And a big THANK YOU to all of you in other countries for buying. I've had sales from Russia, China, France, and Finland that have bid higher on my for sale items than if they were US Only Sales. The world is really much larger than the US.

**Corran** · 17-Jul-2013, 20:18

Originally Posted by Will Whitaker

But my point is that USPS is a joke. It's an entity that is hovering at death's door, destined to fail in a cataclysm of incompetence.

Dangerously close to political talk here, but I have to say that you are flat-out wrong.
It's the people running USPS causing the most problems. And I don't mean the management.
And YES, I am close to this issue - my father has worked as a sorter for the post office for over 20 years.

**Corran** · 17-Jul-2013, 20:21

Another thing, regarding eBay - they recently started a service where you can send the item to a shipping depot, and then eBay will handle the int'l shipping. I don't know how that will work regarding problems with the item, but it might be relevant to those adamant about not shipping outside the US.

BTW, I have shipped things just fine to Russia, China, and Brazil.

**Tin Can** · 17-Jul-2013, 20:24

I was a teenage mailman, from 16 to 22 years of age, on and off.

I got's stories, I am not telling.

Great job for a kid, not so great a career, not then.

I agree with Brian.

Originally Posted by Corran

Dangerously close to political talk here, but I have to say that you are flat-out wrong.
It's the people running USPS causing the most problems. And I don't mean the management.
And YES, I am close to this issue - my father has worked as a sorter for the post office for over 20 years.

**Brian Ellis** · 17-Jul-2013, 20:25

Originally Posted by Lachlan 717

Yeah, because there's no crime in the US. Oh, wait, according to this, and to this, the US has the highest reported crime in the world.

And you might want to read this before falling back on to US credit cards.

But don't let facts get in the way if you don't want them to.

It has nothing to do with crime rates (which are bogus anyhow). If a U.S. buyer screws me I know what to do and where to go to try to collect my money. If a buyer in a foreign country does the same I have no idea what kind of remedies are available there. And even if I did, the cost would almost certainly be prohibitive not to mention the fact that I probably wouldn't know the language.

**photoevangelist** · 17-Jul-2013, 20:27

Originally Posted by Corran

Another thing, regarding eBay - they recently started a service where you can send the item to a shipping depot, and then eBay will handle the int'l shipping. I don't know how that will work regarding problems with the item, but it might be relevant to those adamant about not shipping outside the US.

BTW, I have shipped things just fine to Russia, China, and Brazil.

Yeah, I strongly hate that service. They call it import charges on my end. There's been a few times I've paid that extra cost, but 9 times out of 10 it discourages me from buying from that seller.

**Corran** · 17-Jul-2013, 20:33

Hmm, well I haven't (and don't plan) on utilizing the service, just pointing it out. I don't understand how it could affect what you pay though on your end? I think they would have the standard charge and it wouldn't be a "surprise" or anything. But I haven't the slightest clue how they are doing it.

**jnantz** · 17-Jul-2013, 22:46

i ship silver recovery stuff worldwide and i am always amazed at not only the cost of freight,
BUT then the $$$ the countries at the other end charges in tariffs +fees ...
not sure how, but people seem to be used to it.