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What’s with all the US ONLY selling threads?
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Started by THE_BEYONDER,

162 posts in this topic

F For Fake

F For Fake

Posted
Posted
On 3/9/2022 at 2:39 PM, Point Five said:

Thanks, this is helpful. Thinking about trying it. hm

For a book that I value at a few hundred $, I usually list a flat domestic shipping rate of (say) $12 to cover US Priority shipping with sig confirm. If a Canadian buyer is viewing my auction, will they automatically see the higher GSP shipping rate and not the $12?

 

Correct. The buyers outside of your normal shipping list should see the rate of whatever eBay is charging, which would include shipping charge, import charge, etc. 

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F For Fake

F For Fake

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 3/9/2022 at 2:39 PM, Point Five said:

Thanks, this is helpful. Thinking about trying it. hm

For a book that I value at a few hundred $, I usually list a flat domestic shipping rate of (say) $12 to cover US Priority shipping with sig confirm. If a Canadian buyer is viewing my auction, will they automatically see the higher GSP shipping rate and not the $12?

 

And to be certain, you should do whatever you're comfortable with. At the end of the day, maybe it's not worth it to you. For me personally, I am, at least currently, a "top rated power seller", (for whatever that's worth) and have been selling a couple hundred listings per month. Certainly not a ton, but not nothing, for sure. I don't have the numbers right in front of me, but of all of my sales, I'd say GSP sales account for maybe 10%? It's not a ton, but it's enough that I notice. So, for me, it has been worthwhile to use GSP, as I'm reaching buyers I would not be reaching otherwise. Your mileage may vary.

I'd say if you're really concerned about it (and I totally get it!) maybe just list a couple of lower dollar items to begin with, and see how you like the GSP experience. For me, this is primarily a hobby, not really a full time business, so anything that makes the hobby not fun, I try to eliminate. 

Edited by F For Fake
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1Cool

1Cool

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On 3/8/2022 at 10:56 PM, MattTheDuck said:

I've said this about other things sellers do that artificially restrict the potential market for their product: it makes no sense to me.  I have the same problem with "only PayPal" threads because I don't have PayPal so I'm automatically out.  I've had the great privilege of buying some really awesome books from several Canadian sellers with zero problems that weren't caused by the unbelievably long time it takes to get a check from the US to, say, eastern Canada.  Canadian collectors seem to me like crazy patient and laid-back people.

I still sell to Canadians because they are laid back and easy to work with but I stopped a couple years ago selling to pretty much every other country other then the US.  The occasional returns stink when you have to eat $4 return shipping but it stings quite a bit more when the return shipping is $15.  I'm sure I've lost out in some sales over the years but in general my number of complaints and issues has dropped quite a bit when not shipping books across the pond. 

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1Cool

1Cool

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On 3/9/2022 at 2:46 PM, THE_BEYONDER said:

Shipping costs are crazy, but the buyer pays it. (shrug)

Who pays for returns?

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Randall Dowling

Randall Dowling

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Covid did a number on my experience shipping in general.  For me, I stopped shipping to Canada initially for 3 reasons (2 already stated before):

  • Standing in line and waiting to have it be accepted at the post office during Covid was messed up.  Especially my local P.O. which is tiny inside.
  • The cost of shipping to Canada was crazy expensive and I honestly felt bad charging customers for all the shipping cost so I paid part of it myself on a few occasions
  • I had one package somehow get lost for a month at the border and then bounce back to me and had to pay for postage twice.  Another I had disappear completely.  The USPS really got messed up (as we all know).

However, I've still been happy to ship to a few Canadian board members that I've always enjoyed working with.  After reading this thread, I'm willing to change that policy now as things are a little better.  Not looking to alienate my Canadian friends.  :foryou:

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october

october

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On 3/9/2022 at 9:25 AM, THE_BEYONDER said:

This is totally fair.  I think most Canadians understand it’s going to cost more and will happily pay the extra fees.  It’s the outright banning of Canadian buyers that sucks.

"Happily pay" was not my experience with a lot of non-US transactions..

I frequently got asked to ship without tracking, ship first class instead of Priority, use an envelope instead of a box, put a super low value on customs forms and put something other than "comics" on the form....all because of the added costs. I wasn't a fan of any of the above work arounds, though I understood it.

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1Cool

1Cool

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Posted
On 3/9/2022 at 3:40 PM, MattTheDuck said:

The sales threads here seem to always indicate the buyer pays for return shipping.  Not sure what places like eBay require as I don't buy there.

E-Bay will almost always side with the buyer in terms of forcing the seller to pay for the return shipping.  I'd have no problem selling to a bunch of the International guys on the boards since they are cool but the average guy on E-Bay is not as cool.  I've not had too many issues with Canadian buyers even on E-Bay so I still sell to them. 

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THE_BEYONDER

THE_BEYONDER

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On 3/9/2022 at 4:04 PM, october said:

"Happily pay" was not my experience with a lot of non-US transactions..

I frequently got asked to ship without tracking, ship first class instead of Priority, use an envelope instead of a box, put a super low value on customs forms and put something other than "comics" on the form....all because of the added costs. I wasn't a fan of any of the above work arounds, though I understood it.

I wouldn’t deal with any of that either, and would never ask that of a seller. I’ve had buyers ask for cheaper shipping options, but I refuse to ship anything without tracking.    

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BEAUMONTS

BEAUMONTS

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 3/9/2022 at 3:04 PM, october said:

"Happily pay" was not my experience with a lot of non-US transactions..

I frequently got asked to ship without tracking, ship first class instead of Priority, use an envelope instead of a box, put a super low value on customs forms and put something other than "comics" on the form....all because of the added costs. I wasn't a fan of any of the above work arounds, though I understood it.

I've asked U.S. sellers to put a low amount on the customs form so I don't get hammered from Customs, but I also stated that I accept all responsibility if something should happen.

 

Edited by BEAUMONTS
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D2

D2

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On 3/9/2022 at 2:46 PM, THE_BEYONDER said:

Shipping costs are crazy, but the buyer pays it. (shrug)

I also had a buyer on eBay refusing to send to Canada because one time they sent a shipment out to a Canadian and the border rejected it. So now he refuses all Canadians. 
 

 

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Joshua33

Joshua33

Posted
Posted
On 3/9/2022 at 12:19 PM, Randall Dowling said:

Covid did a number on my experience shipping in general.  For me, I stopped shipping to Canada initially for 3 reasons (2 already stated before):

  • Standing in line and waiting to have it be accepted at the post office during Covid was messed up.  Especially my local P.O. which is tiny inside.
  • The cost of shipping to Canada was crazy expensive and I honestly felt bad charging customers for all the shipping cost so I paid part of it myself on a few occasions
  • I had one package somehow get lost for a month at the border and then bounce back to me and had to pay for postage twice.  Another I had disappear completely.  The USPS really got messed up (as we all know).

However, I've still been happy to ship to a few Canadian board members that I've always enjoyed working with.  After reading this thread, I'm willing to change that policy now as things are a little better.  Not looking to alienate my Canadian friends.  :foryou:

Who cares? Canadians are lame... except for Ricky, Julian, Bubbles and @detective35 :roflmao:

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