I put US only on my recent sale because people try to haggle too much with the international shipping cost and I often end up paying at least $20 or so out of my own pocket. Someone did pm on the Boss first and offered to cover international shipping completely so I sold it to him/her (just have to fill out those forms at the post office...)
A big thing people in other countries have to understand is shipping anything abroad means there is no tracking (unless they want to pay an exorbitant amount of money!). I'd say 90% of my vinyl record orders are abroad and I have no problem filling out the forms or waiting in line (I actually fill them out before I got to the post office). If it's a few toys you're also in for some sticker shock once you get there. I found out the hard way recently when I had to ship vinyl over 4 pounds to Australia. New international rates apply. It's 53.50 to ship anything over 4 pounds abroad. I kid you not. I hollered at the clerk so hard I'm actually surprised those records made it to Australia in one piece. I do believe you get tracking at that rate though (53.50). Although the dumb ass clerk did not give me one at the time, so I went back an hollered at her again. It's not that we don't want to ship abroad but I think people often list things here shipping included to get the quick sale. If they listed the real prices with shipping- no tracking it would turn away a lot of international buyers.
Good to see both sides of the argument. I think we can safely say people don't do it out of dickishness. I've sold things to overseas people a few times and it is a much bigger pain in the ass than it should be. I've never limited sales to US only, but I understand why people would - sometimes it's just not worth the time/hassle, and you'd rather keep the toy than jump through the hoops.
why are people losing money on shipping overseas? why not charge the buyer exactly what you pay at the post office? if it's a difference of a dollar or two, fine, but $20?! no one should suffer that unless you're doing a favor out of the goodness of your heart. i've sold plenty overseas, and i'm upfront about the options (via pm since costs vary depending on actual location), their costs, and their pros/cons. the buyers have always been agreeable and happy to pay the option they choose.
I don't know what it's going to cost before I actually get to the PO and they tell me what it's going to cost. I've used the estimate calculator and it's generally pretty good - but there was one time where it ended up being quite a bit more than I anticipated. Not everyone has a scale at home.
^ i guess it's a matter of communication & convenience? you either 1) can't get in touch with the buyer while you're at the post office so you send it anyway, or 2) don't feel like returning home, getting in touch with the buyer, and then bringing it back to the post office. the buyer should agree to the actual shipping price (or not), and then it's up to you to decide if you want to sell it (or not), based on a mutual understanding and agreement of costs. it's terrible to hear about people losing so much money on transactions for no good reason when buyers may be willing to pay for the difference.
Well, it's no different for non US sellers than for you guys. We also lose time going to the post office, we also pay extra for int'l shipping, we also take risks... Of course people understand and even defend sellers who will only do the 'US only' thing. It's the people that live in the US. When you see things you want come and go and can't buy them then you wont be so supportive. My siamese Nag for sale to Non US buyers* *not.
I'd like to add that if a international buyer is interested and pm's me saying "I'm willing to do this much in shipping or can you get me a estimate?" I'm more than willing to figure it out and go the extra mile. I don't sell often but when I do I really like to see toys I'm selling go to someone who really wants them. To me that's as important as anything. I know what it's like to search forever so obviously I'm not going to say no to someone who's been looking forever.
I understand why some sellers would stipulate no foreign sales or US only. I've seen it before here and other places like ebay. In the circumstances that I've been very keen on something I've gone to the trouble of emailing/pm'ing the seller and asking if they are prepared to ship to Australia, and that I realise it will be expensive. 99% are happy to, if I'm prepared to pay for tracking/insurance, which usually I am because of the nature of the item I'm after..
Its a shame but many Post Office employees don't know whats going on, sometimes its best to ask for a manager, that "brown paper tape" you speak of is only for 'registered mail', the simple truth is that: 1-) Express mail is the one and only USPS international method that you can get a valid real time tracking number. 2-) With this valid tracking number, whether its insured or not, Paypal will cover any loss to the buyer if the package goes missing - and - the seller will not be held responsible, but remember you must use Express mail to get that valid Paypal recognized tracking number and you must use Paypal's standard payment method to get this protection. (that's what part of Paypal fees are for - protection) It usually costs me $35-$40 to Express mail. If I am spending real money, or, if someone I am selling to is, whats an extra few dollars? Sometimes I factor it in the price sometimes I split the cost, at other times I charge the buyer. I will not do the international transaction without a valid tracking number on expensive items.
I haven't noticed that many US only, but i do notice most sales show prices including shipping in the US, that doesn't mean they won't ship int'l. The reason I usually only list US shipped prices is because majority of the time its a US buyer. When it's int'l i look it up for them no problem, usually giving them a cheaper shipping price then what USPS tells me anyway.
i don't see any issue in shipping overseas because after all, the buyer is the one paying. and the best is always something with tracking in my opinion. 'i've got problems with overseas shipping' shouldn't be an excusing statement. i guess you lose out to the whole world especially in times when you're desperately trying to sell something off. i've been in another forum where sellers constantly whine about not being able to sell each time a drop comes round the corner. you wanna stick selling to your region only and you whine when your goods don't move. in the first place, you should've kept an open mind. i personally wouldn't mind shipping out to the world. i mean why not since the buyer's paying. just my 2-cents worth of this issue. props to those who aren't prejudiced
This was my problem with where "this shouldn't be allowed" is going. People aren't saying US only because they are nationalists who refuse to let their toys fall into the hands of the evil foreigners or some other racial reasons. Its based on what is convenient and sometimes "safest" for them in a business transaction.
You guys know you can get a shipping quote online as well as pay for shipping through USPS right ? No need to get screwed on shipping. Just look it up and boom your good. I never go to the post unless it absolutely necessary. So when I do I stock up on forms and supplies like the pouch that you stick customs forms in. International shipping I have found can sometimes be even easier than domestic.
Rich is right. International shipping is very easy, as I have been doing it for almost ten years. You can print priority international and express labels through paypal or the usps website. You can even arrange for package pick-up so that you don't have to go to the post office.
a number of times, I'd send this link to the buyer and they would back out because it was always too expensive. that's fine with me if they won't buy it cause the shipping is expensive. that's something I can't change. my PO rocks. i haven't asked a question that the clerk in front of me has not been able to answer.
I think they call that sour grapes when people in the States whine about "Japan Only" releases, eh? I think it's sour grapes no matter how you cut it. People in Japan, of which you are a member, get access to far more toys than we ever could...don't hear any complaints about that from you Andy... Boycott YJA if you feel so strongly about this injustice...those are all "Japan Only" sales... Some people who don't ship internationally, of which I am one nowadays unless I know the person, have been screwed over way too many times to risk it.
What the holy hell are you talking about? I'm talking about collectors selling to collectors, not companies' deciding to sell overseas or not. And while we're at it, I have NEVER seen a Japan based collector here start a sale thread and refuse to sell to people in other countries. Hey, and when I was in NYC a few months ago, didn't I go out of my way to give you a heads up about the Gargamel custom you were after? Yeah, I think I did. Seriously, dude.
What is the difference? And the example of YJA, that is "collector" to collector. Or more likely it seems on popular things, flipper to collector.
