Help bidding on ebay

[scalenut]

I have stuff on ebay now and I always offer international shipping .

it's not rocket science ..the person enters their country and it tells them what shipping will be and it's automatically set.

I don't have to do anything but turn it on

it's not any more hassle.. once the auction is over I print the shipping label directly from ebay already filled out.. with free confirmation ,, slap it on the box and send it out.

if there is a customs label needed , you simply fill it out and print it .. it's a very simple form.ebay will hold your hand as much as you need

.. it's just that a lot of people are lazy .. they don't want to click some extra buttons , or turn on international shipping.

too bad because many outside bidders are willing to pay whatever it takes to get an item.

If I don't get paid ..it don't get shipped.. they can't trick paypal

Edited January 18, 2012 by scalenut

[Hypermung]

All's well that ends well Guys. Jonathan's won the kit & it will be on it's way to me once he receives it, but there's lots of encouraging words in this thread that should be mentioned. Whilst it is entirely the sellers decision where & who he sells to, all this could have been avoided if more sellers were to include international postage. I think the problem arises with the sellers when overseas buyers are offered first class postage (@ a third of the cost of priority postage) rather than making priority postage manditory for overseas bidders (as lots of US sellers do). If an overseas buyer takes the cheapest postage option, then it goes bye bye, it's his own stupid fault. Stiff kack idiot, take it on the chin. Priority postage ensures the seller of a signature of receipt at the other end, tracking & some insurance as well (I think, Correct me if I'm wrong). I recently approached a seller in the US about 2 vintage AMC train kits that were for sale to the US only, but he made an exception for me due to my 100% feedback. Well I won those 2 beautiful, old, rare?, complete kits for a reasonable price, but the point here is they cost me US$45 for priority postage (more than the kits price combined). Did I whinge? Not on your life. I wanted tem, & If you want the item bad enough, then expect to cough up the dough. There are so many great / rare / old kits in the US that we overseas will never have the opportunity to see or aspire to own if we can't bid, so to all the guys who won't sell overseas, think about priority postage as a way of broadening your prospective bidding base & giving you peace of mind in the postage department. Your modeling friends overseas will thank you with increased sales, I'm sure.

[Johnny K]

Glenn,

What you say about shipping internationally is all well and good for the most part, but then human nature enters the picture. I'd really like to offer International Sales, but I've tried it in the past with poor results. The fact of the matter is that most buyers are not nearly so understanding as you seem to be as regards the advisability of Priority Shipping. Most, being aware of the existence of First Class International, and its significantly lower cost, can not understand why it isn't available. Upon attempting to explain in the listing, it is inevitable that people write decrying the very possibility that they should ever do anything such as not admitting to receiving a parcel - and most wouldn't. It's just those couple who would.

Further, those that do want the item enough to pay the higher shipping cost are likely (about 50% in my previous experience) to leave lower feedback star ratings stating the cost of shipping was 'too high.'

I do readily agree to those who contact me and want a friend with a U.S. address to make a purchase and have it shipped to a location within this country.

As I said, I would really like to make it available, but as long as people remain people - in any country - it's just not worth the hassle and the couple extra bucks it would bring.

Congratulations on getting your kit.

[scalenut]

..great ,,, now watch me get shafted for jinxing myself in my reply

[bandit1]

ITEM AS ENDED!....see similar items!

[bandit1]

HERES 2!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOM-DANIELS-1971-GROOVY-GRADER-X-2-RESTORATION-/150661156847?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23141acfef#ht_500wt_1287

[Fabrux]

I used to get rather upset when finding items on eBay that are perfect, except for not shipping outside US borders. If you think its maddening being overseas, try sharing a land border with the US! Thankfully, I am close enough to the US to travel there and back in a morning. I have a receiver in the US that accepts parcels for me and, even though I am registered in Canada, because I have a confirmed US shipping address I no longer have this problem!

I do understand sellers's reasons for not offering international shipping due to the high potential of fraud/genuinely lost items, but there are those that are simply unwilling to do just a little bit of extra effort of filling out customs forms to ship internationally. Those are the sellers that really irk me.

[martinfan5]

I am just happy I was able to help a fellow modeler out.

[fumi]

The fact of the matter is that most buyers are not nearly so understanding as you seem to be as regards the advisability of Priority Shipping. Most, being aware of the existence of First Class International, and its significantly lower cost, can not understand why it isn't available. Upon attempting to explain in the listing, it is inevitable that people write decrying the very possibility that they should ever do anything such as not admitting to receiving a parcel - and most wouldn't. It's just those couple who would.

I guess this situation can be avoided if the seller explains the priority shipping is for the protection of the buyer as well as the seller, instead of implying the potential buyer might fake not receiving a parcel.

I have lost a package from a US seller once, and I had no recourse because it was shipped by regular air mail with no tracking. Now I always insist on Priority, even when the seller offers First Class International.

Further, those that do want the item enough to pay the higher shipping cost are likely (about 50% in my previous experience) to leave lower feedback star ratings stating the cost of shipping was 'too high.'

Really? I'd never do that, I know the cost of shipping and I have factored that in when I place the bid.

[Johnny K]

Really? I'd never do that, I know the cost of shipping and I have factored that in when I place the bid.

I have absolutely no doubt that you understand the need for Priority and Tracking in a deal such as this. I think most Buyers really do; unfortunately, however, some don't. They may be willing to pay the higher price when they really want an item, but during the week or two transit and after arrival, some begin to resent the cost. It only takes one or two to make one rethink International Shipping, but I can only speak from my own experiences with this.

While I have stopped shipping kits and parts, which require boxing (and a Tracking Number) overseas, I do still ship paper, or letter-sized, items (such as Decals, etc.) by First Class International Mail and have only had 2 instances in the last year in which the Buyer stated the items were not received. In those cases, I simply took the loss and refunded the monies. The amounts are so minor here that it remains worth it in the long run. That situation is different, though, in that sending a heavy letter remains less than $2.00 in most cases.

[Greg Wann]

I have an original issue I would be willing to part with but I would like to make new tire molds before I let it go.

[JesseJames]

I sometimes have the same types of problems on Ebay. I've been after a Tamiya Mazda 787b for a few months and they rarely pop on at a decent price, and one finally has. Actually 3 of them have but two of them have already sky rocketed beyond what I am willing to pay.

The seller has it listed as ships to United states, but states to email him for a shipping quote to another country. Which I had done on the first day it was put up for auction, also requesting an estimation for combined shipping as I was interested in other items he has as well. After a week of waiting, and now only one day left for the auction, he rudely replies last night; "No thanks!"

In my passed experiences, this usually leads to the seller offering me a ridiculous shipping charge after I've won the item. Perfect example;

About a month ago during the christmas rush, my girlfriend had found a shirt she liked on Evilbay that was listed to be shipped to United states. It was listed for a short 3 day auction with no reserve. On the last day with no response from the seller for a shipping quote, I bid and won it for 4 dollars. I knew I was taking a chance by bidding on that item in the first place with the shipping being a mystery. The ball was in her court so to speak. But is was a cotton shirt i was bidding on, "How much could shipping really be on an item like this?" I asked myself..

Immediately after winning the auction, the seller messages something to the effect that it is too late tonight to get a quote from the post office and she will first thing in the morning. So we go to sleep and wake up in the morning to another message from her stating that the shipping will be 25 dollars, no options of this or that.. Somewhat bewildered by her message I ask her if there is a mistake as one cotton tank top could not be 25 dollars to ship. Which she replies that this is the price given by her shipping calculator, still no options of what type of shipping, tracking, etc,.. To be honest, that is similar to what it costs to have two or three kits shipped to me from Hobby Search in Japan. Anyway I reply to her once again stating that I'm no longer interested in buying the item and it is too bad we couldn't do business. I also suggested that she set a reserve if she was looking to make certain amount off an item rather than sneak profit through the shipping charges. This apparently made her angry and she wrote back a crazy message and at one point stated that she isn't on Ebay to make money/profit... What a laugh!

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe that all sellers who don't offer international as an option are like this. Just unfortunately my few run ins with them always turn out cruddy. I'm not cheap and opt to have my items shipped priority with a tracking number to avoid problems, but I will not intentionally let someone make a dollar off me when screwing me over. Terrible practice of business!

[CadillacPat]

I offer International Shipping on all my EBay items. It just makes sense to open your sales to the broadest market possible.

While I print my own Domestic Postage at home and ship most packages Priority I do allow International Bidders to choose First Class Mail for cheaper rates.

It's very easy for Buyers to check what their Postage will be (approximately) by using the Postal Rate feature.

I don't yet print my own Customs Forms so I note in my Description that International Buyers will have their items shipped on one of the 3 upcoming Saturday's, since I have to actually walk into the Post Office and wait in line.

If I estimate a shipping price and it turns out the items ships cheaper than I thought, I simply refund the difference.

When communicating with a seller and trying to get answers about the product, if you get a bad feeling about straight answers just look for your item elsewhere. It will always turn up.

Remember, you can always retract your bid.

Keep all your Emails and PM's and show them to the EBay Customer Service about your attempts to do the deal.

I see people complain about the tiniest of things on EBay saying they will never use it again.

Okay, I see EBay as a great tool for Buyers or Sellers.

CadillacPat

[dodgefever]

I can understand sellers wanting to protect themselves by only offering Priority shipping, but I'm not paying $35 shipping on a $15 kit. I'll just forget it and move on to the next one.

If I'm buying something rare or expensive, I'll pay the extra for Priority, but for run of the mill stuff, I'll only buy from someone who offers First Class shipping. Then, if it goes missing, I knew the risk and I accept the loss. That's only happened once, and it was around Christmas, when the mail is busier, more casual workers are employed and things are more likely to be lost or stolen - lesson learnt, I avoid buying at that time of year. I lost out, but even so, one loss of $25 doesn't look bad compared with paying an extra $15 - 20 every time for Priority mail.