Paypal Survey About Changes to International Shipping (1 Viewer)

[Gideon]

I have so many questions - it's crazy.

So, eBay and Paypal have the idea to provide a clearing house of sorts where sellers will send their packages for international locations.

From what I understand, they intend to show non-USA buyers the total shipping cost with all customs, VAT and other costs factored into the price which they will prepay to buy or bid on an item. So, now the cost of getting it to them looks HUGE and will likely discourage them from bidding.

Now, ebay/paypal says that they will bear responsibility for the packages once is arrives at their clearing house. So, sellers are protected against claims of loss or theft (maybe).

Like I said, this all leaves a lot of questions. Thought you all might like to know whats likely heading down the pipe.

 

[tdubel]

I have so many questions - it's crazy.

So, eBay and Paypal have the idea to provide a clearing house of sorts where sellers will send their packages for international locations.

From what I understand, they intend to show non-USA buyers the total shipping cost with all customs, VAT and other costs factored into the price which they will prepay to buy or bid on an item. So, now the cost of getting it to them looks HUGE and will likely discourage them from bidding.

Now, ebay/paypal says that they will bear responsibility for the packages once is arrives at their clearing house. So, sellers are protected against claims of loss or theft (maybe).

Like I said, this all leaves a lot of questions. Thought you all might like to know whats likely heading down the pipe.

Gid,
Will sellers be required to use this service? Isn't that a violation of trade?

Tom

 

[mikemiller1955]

Gideon...I think this is another Ebay/Paypal ripoff that will discourage International sellers from buying US...most probably hurting their own bottom line...

 

[Gideon]

Gid,
Will sellers be required to use this service? Isn't that a violation of trade?

Tom

As the description was worded, international orders would go through their clearing house. I do not know if it is required or an option that eBay will offer as a service. I have to wonder if they will still gouge us for the percentage of shipping cost still. I also wonder if this means that the buyer opens a dispute of item not as described - all of that, will eBay hit us or really take responsibility. Their offers are always double faced and usually profit them handsomely. Like how will they cover the cost of this clearing house? Who pays for that? Certainly not them.

As far as a trade violation, I don't know this. Seems they would be taking shipping options away from us.

 

[Gideon]

Gideon...I think this is another Ebay/Paypal ripoff that will discourage International sellers from buying US...most probably hurting their own bottom line...

I think you are right on about that. Great, show a potential bidder how much more they'll be paying for an item before they bid. That's a great idea.

 

[thebritfarmer]

I think you are right on about that. Great, show a potential bidder how much more they'll be paying for an item before they bid. That's a great idea.

Of course it is a great idea !! I want to know how much I am paying before I buy something. Why waste my time and the sellers if at the end there are hidden charges that I may not be willing to pay for.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

It will probably calculate the total cost as well as their postal cost calculator works in Canada - it doesn't work at all.

I'm not sure if shipping from Canada to the US will be effected - I hope not. I already don't ship International. If I don't ship to US, there is no point in using ebay or Paypal.

Terry

 

[Gideon]

Of course it is a great idea !! I want to know how much I am paying before I buy something. Why waste my time and the sellers if at the end there are hidden charges that I may not be willing to pay for.

your vat and customs charges have nothing to do with sellers. we don't calculate those fees. further more, what's to say they'll get those costs right?

 

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

Of course it is a great idea !! I want to know how much I am paying before I buy something. Why waste my time and the sellers if at the end there are hidden charges that I may not be willing to pay for.

I thought that is what the SHIPPING CALCULATOR is for.

 

[thebritfarmer]

your vat and customs charges have nothing to do with sellers. we don't calculate those fees. further more, what's to say they'll get those costs right?

What I am saying is if those costs are not outlined then I find out and I tell the seller I am not buying it I have just wasted the sellers time. It would be nice to have an approximation of the costs at least.

 

[thebritfarmer]

I thought that is what the SHIPPING CALCULATOR is for.

That calculator is about as much use as a screendoor on a submarine !!

 

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

You weigh your item, enter in the auction set up. Then your interested party enters their zip code or country in the SHIPPING CALCULATOR. Doesn't get much easier ?

 

[thebritfarmer]

I didn't say it wasn't easy to use. The pricing it gives you is daylight robbery. I never use it and always ask for a individual quote.

 

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

But it's exactly the same shipping quote you get on the USPS web site {eek3}. That's why when I get an email asking for a shipping quote I tell them to use the shipping calculator. Because all I'm going to do is go to the auction page and use the shipping calculator. Are there some secret discount shipping rates I'm unaware of ?

 

[Phantom Warrior]

But it's exactly the same shipping quote you get on the USPS web site {eek3}. That's why when I get an email asking for a shipping quote I tell them to use the shipping calculator. Because all I'm going to do is go to the auction page and use the shipping calculator. Are there some secret discount shipping rates I'm unaware of ?

Yes there are some secret shipping discounts in Canada. I don't know about the US. And the ebay shipping calculator doesn't work in Canada. So I calculate the shipping costs to Toronto, Vancouver, NY, TX and CA as a guide.

Terry

 

[Gideon]

I have to give a lot of refunds to buyers for shipping charges because the shipping calculator sometimes takes a 1 pound item and bills it at a 3-4 pound rate. This happens a lot. I don't always catch this and it does cost me bids.

I find the entire listing pages obsolete now, in fact. So many clicks, all these pointless ridiculous fields to fill in. The photo uploader is a joke.

I've been selling a lot of my custom woodworking on etsy.com. Their listing page is so beautifully simple. eBay should really put a focus on streamlining and re-architecting their processes instead of taking over shipping. This new shipping insanity is going to wind up costing sellers a lot of money.

 

[jazzeum]

I guess it must be me but I calculate shipping charges by going to USPS and I find the eBay form rather easy to use. Nothing wrong with the photo uploader from my perspective.

Also Etsy is rather small. You may complain about eBay but it has a wide variety and a selecton of items. What other auction type sites have that?

 

[Iron Brigade]

I have so many questions - it's crazy.

So, eBay and Paypal have the idea to provide a clearing house of sorts where sellers will send their packages for international locations.

From what I understand, they intend to show non-USA buyers the total shipping cost with all customs, VAT and other costs factored into the price which they will prepay to buy or bid on an item. So, now the cost of getting it to them looks HUGE and will likely discourage them from bidding.

Now, ebay/paypal says that they will bear responsibility for the packages once is arrives at their clearing house. So, sellers are protected against claims of loss or theft (maybe).

Like I said, this all leaves a lot of questions. Thought you all might like to know whats likely heading down the pipe.

Hello:

Since I no longer will sell anything to any place outside the USA since 2011 when I had a bad experience with "eBay in the UK" any changes to shipping to non-USA locations will not effect me. I also determined that for the most part at least one can just about make as much price wise overall with just going with USA sales and avoid problems with non-USA buyers relative to customs taxes, issues over cost of postage and more complicated USPS Insurance claims procedures when there is damage to a shipment. I also found out the hard way that eBay in the UK is a separate corporation and the eBay in the USA could not help me with problems I had with eBay in the UK, ugh! Of course eBay in the USA never tells anyone that you are on your own with eBay in the UK and I must assume there may be other nations that have their own eBay corporations. I started selling on eBay in August 2005 with USA sales only, but changed to worldwide sales after a few months and it turned out to be a bad decision.

"iron Brigade"

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Hello:

Since I no longer will sell anything to any place outside the USA since 2011 when I had a bad experience with "eBay in the UK" any changes to shipping to non-USA locations will not effect me. I also determined that for the most part at least one can just about make as much price wise overall with just going with USA sales and avoid problems with non-USA buyers relative to customs taxes, issues over cost of postage and more complicated USPS Insurance claims procedures when there is damage to a shipment. I also found out the hard way that eBay in the UK is a separate corporation and the eBay in the USA could not help me with problems I had with eBay in the UK, ugh! Of course eBay in the USA never tells anyone that you are on your own with eBay in the UK and I must assume there may be other nations that have their own eBay corporations. I started selling on eBay in August 2005 with USA sales only, but changed to worldwide sales after a few months and it turned out to be a bad decision.

"iron Brigade"

I will sell only in Canada and the US. International shipping costs from Canada are prohibitive. But from experience, when I would sell International, I often got a better price (the winning bidder was international and there were more bids)

Terry

 

[Iron Brigade]

I will sell only in Canada and the US. International shipping costs from Canada are prohibitive. But from experience, when I would sell International, I often got a better price (the winning bidder was international and there were more bids)

Terry

Dear Terry / "Phantom Warrior":

Yes, it is possible that over some period of years you may indeed get better prices by selling international Vs just in USA (or in your case Canada & USA). But the extra money gained is probably not so much as to offset the assorted problems or possible problems that you can avoid by just going with USA sales only. Avoiding pain in the neck problems is worth something too. I know of other people who have avoided non-USA sales as well.

Gary / "Iron Brigade"