Selling internationally

[Lefty Geek]

I am selling a couple of items on Ebay right now, and I am getting many requests to ship internationally.

My first concern is how safe FOR ME is it to ship internationally? How can I be sure that some buyer doesn't say the item never arrived and requests a refund from Paypal? Most of Paypal's protection are for the buyers, not the sellers.

Been reading various threads here on TB about shipping, and it seems every international buyer wants to use USPS because it's cheaper. I refuse to even step foot inside a post office since they tend to be extremely incompetent. FedEx and UPS are so much easier and cost the same when shipping in the US.

[rustynuts]

Old thread, I know but maybe the OP still needs an answer....

DO NOT ship via UPS or FedEx (or DHL, etc.) when sending overseas. The USPS has contracts/agreements with foreign postal services to expedite customs processing whereas these other carriers do not. As such, the carriers have to contract with third party brokerages to handle documentation and clear customs and any fees incurred are passed on to the recipient. If the receiver refuses to pay, they send you, the shipper, a bill. Someone has to pay it, and it's usually not cheap.

If you do ship internationally, make sure your buyer understands that they are responsible for any import fees or duty on products coming into their country. You have no control over that, nor should you be responsible for anything their own government levies against them.

[IanStephenson]

UPS/FEDEX are pretty lame outside the US. They charge the sender more up front, and then when they actually deliver the item demand more cash to actually hand the item over. Not only do they want the custom's fees (fair enough), but they charge about $25 for putting the item through customs - despite the fact they knew full well when they accepted the item that it would be going through customs.

you might think USPS are incompetent, but once it leaves the US, it goes to the local PS who are actually pretty good (at least around here).

Just send it USPS, get it signed for, and don't send it to any stupid places that you've never heard of (oh - wait you're in NY. Any where out of state is probably unfamiliar ;-)). Seriously most of the world is actually pretty well set up to handle this stuff - you do know that the postal system was INVENTED in the UK? Royal Mail have been doing this stuff far longer than UPS or FEDEX, and don't screw up nearly as much.

Ian