Do I smell bad?

[comicwiz]

The Canadian Market is much smaller (10%) of theirs so they don't need the hassle.

I don't know if I agree with this statement.

 

I've had more Canadians buying from me on Ebay when I started out a few years ago then I did folks in the USA. Especially with titles like Batman and Detective Comics. I never understood it, but Canadians would bid up my Batman books if they were high-grade copies rapidly.

 

Even this forum is loaded with Canadian collectors, if that is a decent sample of what is potentially out there for an overall market.

 

 

Whether or not it's true (and I agree, percentages don't mean anything if it that 10% makes up 40-50% of ones sales), and despite the pitfalls of shipping, if a seller doesn't have the presence of mind to make exceptions and/or work on a one-by-one case with buyers that demonstrate a willingness to co-operate, they really don't deserve to be selling on eBay.

 

The other point is if eBay/PayPal actually put a grain of thought and effort into resolving some of the logistical issues being discussed here, there wouldn't be a need for these restrictions, nor would they be allowed in the same way a seller isn't allowed to accept any other form of payment except PayPal.

[Bosco685]

You know, even UPS which is designed for international shipping more than the USPS has their own issues.

 

I mailed a package to a Canadian buyer last year via UPS, and requested signature confirmation. When the box arrived at its final destination, and a few days went by, I sent the buyer a note to check if it arrived okay. He responded back immediately that he was on the road for another week, and nobody else lived at his place to sign for the package.

 

When I called UPS and asked who signed for the package, they informed me even though I had requested signature confirmation, it was at the discrection of the driver whether or not to just leave the package. This was based upon how remote the destination is, and if it is visited often enough to make capturing a signature a requirement.

 

 

Luckily, the buyer was an honest fellow, and when he got home he confirmed receipt immediately.

[comicwiz]

UPS is a big no-no for Canadians. Unless you want to forever disturb an otherwise promising trade/commerce relationship with a Canadian buyer, don't ever ship UPS without asking the buyer first if it's ok. This blog post (see the comments) is probably the best representation of the total grievances towards UPS' brokerage/clearance practices.

[joe_collector]

[despite the pitfalls of shipping, if a seller doesn't have the presence of mind to make exceptions and/or work on a one-by-one case with buyers that demonstrate a willingness to co-operate, they really don't deserve to be selling on eBay.

 

I kind of agree, but how are they supposed to do that?

 

If the seller only ships to the US, then it turns away 99% of interested Canadian buyers (the other 1% may email and beg), while if he leaves it wide open, the scammers and fraudsters will rob him blind.

[comicwiz]

[despite the pitfalls of shipping, if a seller doesn't have the presence of mind to make exceptions and/or work on a one-by-one case with buyers that demonstrate a willingness to co-operate, they really don't deserve to be selling on eBay.

 

I kind of agree, but how are they supposed to do that?

 

If the seller only ships to the US, then it turns away 99% of interested Canadian buyers (the other 1% may email and beg), while if he leaves it wide open, the scammers and fraudsters will rob him blind.

 

If there is a book I'm after on eBay, and the seller only ships within the U.S., I always send a polite message asking if they would make an exception and ship to Canada - and most importantly - how much it will cost.

 

99% of the time, the seller agrees. The issue most of the time is that they have very little experience shipping to Canada, so this is where it's important to suggest services that fit your budget. Most of the time, sellers agree to only charge exact shipping. Without this established communication rappoire, I agree, there is very little incentive for sellers to take the risk.

 

This isn't foolproof, but if it's a book that you want, it can't hurt to ask. The worst that can happen is they say no.

[Bosco685]

This isn't foolproof, but if it's a book that you want, it can't hurt to ask. The worst that can happen is they say no.

Just did this last week for a Canadian buyer, although it helped that he identified himself as a board member.

 

Now, doing that at the last 2 minutes of an auction so I had to scamble and put him on the exception list - that was an interesting dance.

[joe_collector]

If there is a book I'm after on eBay, and the seller only ships within the U.S., I always send a polite message asking if they would make an exception and ship to Canada - and most importantly - how much it will cost.

 

I used to do this, with excellent results, but once eBay got rid of their buyer feedback system, I started getting a lot of curt No's. I can understand it too, as without a way to see a true picture of the buyer, most are wary.

[InvstmntComcSuply]

I sell to anyone who asks, but the only problems I've had were with out of the area shipping. Surprisingly, it's always been Canada,never Australia , and shipping to Australia is relatively cheap, but I don't think there is an Australia only option.

 

So I just tell people to ask.

 

Actually there is.

You can block all other countries that you don't want to ship to except OZ

[comicwiz]

This isn't foolproof, but if it's a book that you want, it can't hurt to ask. The worst that can happen is they say no.

Just did this last week for a Canadian buyer, although it helped that he identified himself as a board member.

 

Now, doing that at the last 2 minutes of an auction so I had to scamble and put him on the exception list - that was an interesting dance.

 

Good of you to offer to do it (thumbs u

 

I usually don't bother unless there is at least a day left on auction. For best results, try to get your message in a few days before auction ends.

[comicwiz]

If there is a book I'm after on eBay, and the seller only ships within the U.S., I always send a polite message asking if they would make an exception and ship to Canada - and most importantly - how much it will cost.

 

I used to do this, with excellent results, but once eBay got rid of their buyer feedback system, I started getting a lot of curt No's. I can understand it too, as without a way to see a true picture of the buyer, most are wary.

 

Not trying to be spammy with this response, but I genuinely think it helps that my eBay ID (www.comicwiz.com) acts as an online reference check via my online store. The eBay feedback rating helps too, but I do notice a lot of direct hits on my web stats, which very likely means a lot of my attempts to communicate on shipping protocol translates into sellers being intrigued enough to type out the url and visit my online store to check out what I'm all about. I guess there is some truth to that old saying about making a good first impression.

[Pirate]

I ship priority international and it includes tracking which showed delivery. Have never shipped a $250+ slab so not sure if that bumps to express or not.

[Bosco685]

I ship priority international and it includes tracking which showed delivery. Have never shipped a $250+ slab so not sure if that bumps to express or not.

When's the last time you shipped Priority International with Delivery Confirmation, as I was told (and shown by my local post office) it was eliminated in January 2009? My only option is Express Mail with Delivery Confirmation, which also allows for a signature confirmation upgrade.

 

If they are wrong, I'd love it as I don't want to turn away buyers.

[the blob]

yeah, what's the cheapest abroad with tracking?

 

and is that tracking sufficient to convince paypal/ebay the item was delivered?

 

and which countries are we talking about?

 

i ship to english commonwealthish countries and to a few (continental) european countries i have some faith in re: their postal service as well as japan, but i cross my fingers every time a package goes out and do not do so for expensive stuff.

[Mark 1]

Now I need to remember when I want to search an international shipping thread I need to search under "smell bad".

[Point Five]

I still ship outside the US for ebay buyers... I hate the idea of losing out on international bidders, plus I genuinely do like the idea of helping out non-US buyers. But as Blob says above, I'm pretty much just crossing my fingers each time I ship outside the US, because shipping with tracking is prohibitively expensive if I'm selling single books in the $10-80 range, and I know Paypal won't cover me if I use first class and someone files a claim.

 

Last year I was very close to receiving my first neg in 7 years of ebay selling... a hothead buyer from Germany argued with me for a month because he didn't want to pay $12 shipping on a couple of Donald Duck comics he won. Even sending him links to USPS with the shipping charges indicated did nothing for him. He finally paid a day or two before the 30-day mark and was clearly set to either neg me or file a false claim, but by a stroke of luck he was NARU'd right before he could do either.

 

I continue to ship outside the US, but I have to feel like sooner or later my luck will run out.

 

 

 

[the blob]

i haven't gotten burned yet either. so far so good. i'm guessing 50-75 transactions over the years, mostly to canada.

 

it is so ridiculous that we'd have this problem shipping to canada, which is seems a heck of a lot more like the same country as the U.S. than, let's say, puerto rico or guam, where I CAN get cheap delivery confirmation!

 

i'm guessing that canada actually accounts for more than 10% of the comic market, though that might be by volume, not dollars. i think canadians might be a bit more prone to collect.

[InvstmntComcSuply]

i think canadians might be a bit more prone to collect.

It is the winters

[InvstmntComcSuply]

I ship priority international and it includes tracking which showed delivery.

 

If you look at the tracking it usually only shows that it was delivered to XXX country or to their customs, etc. This does not satisfy Paypal and they will refund the buyer every time a claim is made.

 

Also you can not get a signature on anything other than global express so if the total price including shipping is over $250 that is the only method that satisfies PP.

[Thomas Nielsen]

I ship priority international and it includes tracking which showed delivery.

 

If you look at the tracking it usually only shows that it was delivered to XXX country or to their customs, etc. This does not satisfy Paypal and they will refund the buyer every time a claim is made.

 

 

Try the receivers postal site ?

 

I have a package coming from the US right now (Priority Mail International Parcel)

 

Your item left the United States from ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS) at 4:27 pm on October 16, 2010.

 

Detailed Results:

 

International Dispatch, October 16, 2010, 4:27 pm, ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS)

Arrival

Acceptance, October 15, 2010, 3:10 pm, SANTA MONICA, CA 90405

Electronic Shipping Info Received, October 14, 2010

 

My local postal site gives the following info:

 

October 15, 2010 03:10 PM Identified abroad

October 16, 2010 04:27 PM Sent to Denmark

 

And once it lands here you well be able to follow it through the last couple of steps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[InvstmntComcSuply]

About 6 months ago, I had a PP rep on the phone with me and went over between 6-9 Priority Mail international packages I had sent within the previous month. About half were flat rate boxes, the other half shipped by weight. The PP rep actually checked the USPS tracking website on each one of the packages while we were on the line. In every instance the rep claimed that IF the buyer had claimed INR they would have refunded the buyer and deducted funds from my account. IIRC some of the tracking even said that the package was at a local delivery unit prior to being delivered. The PP rep basically said that with US delivery confirmation they were sure packages got to at least the right zip code but internationally they couldn't narrow it down far enough.