Postage costs from abroard on ebay

[Barry Attwood]

I'm not sure overseas sellers on ebay realise what ebay are asking for postage (especially from the U.S.), I saw a buy it now film that was reasonably priced, but the postage was more than 4 times the cost of the actual film. I've got a feeling this is there global shipping procedure that's to blame, I know the U.S. is now one of the dearest to send to and buy from for postage costs, but come on some of the pricing is absolutely ridiculous, I wonder if they ever think why they are not selling more items to the U.K. What I'd like to know from U.S. users of ebay, do they know what prices ebay are charging, and do they have any control over them, as I never sell on ebay, I just do not know how it works.

[Maurice Leakey]

Barry
It's not just the postage from abroad via eBay, there's the additional cost of 20% VAT unless the Global Shipping Program is used.

[Nick Regan]

Barry,

As a small business I sell a lot on eBay, (I must point out I don’t like eBay but at the moment it is a necessary evil). I offer the eBay Global Shipping System on any of the items listed for sale. I post to a local hub and eBay sorts the rest.

As a seller I know the prices that eBay charges my customers for this is extortionate and also the delivery times totally over the top, (I could swim to the USA quicker than some of the deliveries), however, abroad is not my main marketplace so I work on the principle if people are willing to pay this, and some are, then it’s a bonus as if I was to sell direct I would then have to get involved with taxes import export duties, paperwork etc. at listing which takes time and is the proverbial pain in the bottom.

Having said that, am selling more worldwide since Brexit, (work that one out?) and if somebody emails me, and some do, asking if it could be sent direct for the concerns listed above then I will provide a cost price. I ended up sending something to Mexico this way last week, but it is just too complicated and time consuming to set down worldwide postage costs on every item upon listing.

Perhaps the way to go would be to ask the seller before purchase if they would send direct and at what cost? You may be surprised by results.

Nick

[Osi Osgood]

Barry, this is something that I have been "harping" about for the longest time. Now, sadly, it has been a little while since I bought from you personally, but I know that to buy a 600ft super 8 from you, it was about 10 to 12 pounds, but buying the very same item with the GSP, would be about 40 or so pounds today and, as you stated, it takes longer, which just adds insult to injury. Actually, how much would a 600ft cost, going to the U.S. just as an object lesson, these days, from you? I bet that it will be an eye opener!

[Barry Attwood]

Osi,

I can send a 600' for roughly £8.50p for Syandard Air Mail and £13 for the Tracked and signed service, this being a little cheaper as it comes under our 'Large Letter' category. I recently sent 2 400' and 2 200' together and that cost £30 (small packet), so swings and roundabouts as usual with prices, but still much better than the ebay Global Shipping prices (in most cases, I would imagine!).

[Osi Osgood]

Thank you for that, as well as the object lesson for everybody! I thought it might be higher than that these days, but it is still highly affordable! This answers unequivocally, that shipping is truly cheaper directly. Now, I know that the main reason for people using the GSP is that it is easier, but translates to laziness quite frankly. If people who sell on eBay (myself included) just don't want to be bothered with going to the local post as it is "too inconvenient", folks like Barry, mail FAR MORE packages than you will almost any day of the week, save his customers more quid, and, as a general rule, get your film purchases to you quicker than GSP folks.

[Ozzie Williams]

Hi Osi,

Now, I know that the main reason for people using the GSP is that it is easier, but translates to laziness quite frankly. If people who sell on eBay (myself included) just don't want to be bothered with going to the local post as it is "too inconvenient",

I think there are some additional benefits for the seller, in addition the time they save using GPS. A seller need only make sure the item arrives at the local hub, that is their responsiblity over as far as delivery is concerned. A simple post to a UK address.

If posting directly, and the item fails to arrive, the customer need only make a claim and likely ebay will refund them their money from the seller's pocket just like that. There was a time before GPS when you simply could not post to some destinations because claiming an item had not arrived had become so rife.

Actually the money is not really the issue for me personally, because these losses can be priced into stock. For me the problem is time and worry. An item failing to arrive takes a long time to sort out, and if not done properly one is at risk of a neg with the more inpatient customers (and in fairness email communications are open to misunderstandings and take time). One might have to get to grips with any number of overseas mail services, which may or may not respond or honour the service you have bought or find the lost item. With direct postage these things are the responsiblity of the seller. The customer need only wait for the goodnews...that their item is coming or their refund is. Anyone who has received the terse "wheres my item...please advice?" email from someone on the other side of the world, possibly speaking a different language and in another time zone will know why some choose only GPS.

I would post directly if I was asked, and it all seemed okay, but I can understand the attraction of GPS from the sellers perspective.

[Nick Regan]

Osi,

I don't know that it is laziness so much, as practicality. The word here is global. If I were just directing my product to one country i.e. the USA I would certainly advertise it with the correct direct postage costs etc. to that location and process it myself, however using the Global system my product is made available worldwide (or globally) and any potential customer advised of this, which is a very important factor, without having to find an international courier that would deliver to each and every country in the world, without having to price delivery to every country in the world, to work out additional costs to every country in the world and then put all this info on every listing so the customer can see this in his own countries currency before he buys. This is a lot of information for each item.

Please bear in mind this price depends on weight and size of item and can change for every individual item.

My international customer base using the global shipping is eclectic, Hong Kong, USA, Peru, Australia, Russia, The Balkans, Europe , Scandinavia to name a few

It is important when buying from eBay that the customer knows both that the item can be delivered to his country and how much it will cost him before he buys the item,

I personally also think that once a customer knows the item can be sent globally he should have the option of asking for it to be sent direct.

Unfortunately we don't have access to the software to just plug in a weight and size and get a table of direct charges for every country. If I had this software eBay would not see me for dust.

To reiterate : "Perhaps the way to go would be to ask the seller before purchase if they would send direct and at what cost? You may be surprised by results".

Nick

[Nick Regan]

Barry,

I must apologise to you I have just re read your post and just noticed the words " I do not know how it works. Please let me give an un-biased explanation for you :

• A seller will list his item for sale in the usual manner
• On this listing he will add the cost of local delivery as normal
• He then clicks the "Offer Global shipping button when listing
• He then lists as normal.
• eBay then automatically works out the cost of delivery and any taxes etc due to anywhere in the world and adds this to the listing dependent on the potential buyers location
• This means the actual cost of the item will change on listings in every different country. (The seller is unaware of these final costs)
• When the item sells the seller dispatches to his local Ebay depot using the local postage he charged for and collected form the buyer
• The sellers part in the transaction is now completed
• eBay then get the item, book it in with their own international carriers, do any paperwork customs invoices etc. and eventually send the item overseas taking the extra charges they added to the listing at the start
• The seller gets paid exactly what he listed the item for including local delivery minus the standard eBay charges he has not received anything from the international delivery
• The seller has no control over the deliver time or anything else to do with the international leg of the sale.

The reason I say unbiased is because this can be an emotive subject on this site as you might have noticed


Hope this makes it all a little clearer for you

Nick

[Osi Osgood]

Simple fact of the matter is that a customer is forced to pay approximately 30 pounds or so for shipping to the US, for instance, than 8 or so pounds. With the GSP being so prominent these day's, and probably not even knowing that it could ship for 8 or so pounds, they just go along with it, as just a fact of life, with no options, when there are options. I have heard, ( may not be true), that in some countries, eBay is starting to force the GSP on sellers, so now, they would have no options, and eBay just takes in the quid! Barry, how is it that you can ship for so little? I don't ask in an accusatory way, I just hear from many UK sellers that there are all these tariffs, extra costs, but apparently, you are able to ship fairly cheap, and I doubt that you have some special permissions from her majesty.