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eBay's global shipping program?

mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
edited March 2013 in Strut Central
I'm about to sell off some high ticket records and I'm assuming the Euro market may be more interested in them than the U.S.

The only time I've really gotten burned on an overseas sale was to a Japan but I've seen enough horror stories here about ITalian and French buyers to be wary.

eBay is now offering a relatively new service where they assume all liability for shipping overseas but the caveat is that buyer costs balloon as a result.

I'm wondering if any of you have experience with this and whether or not it's worth trying? From what I can tell, the seller doesn't assume much additional cost: it all falls on the buyer but that might be high enough to ward off overseas buyers from even wanting to bid.

I guess this comes back to the age old question: what's the best way to ship overseas and not get ganked?

  Comments

  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    With the new postage rates, it's going to cost about $30 to send it registered overseas as it is...how much more is it through this new eBay service?
  • downtownrobbrowndowntownrobbrown 446 Posts
    I shipped something first class and the guy said he never received it. Since first class has no delivery confirmation I got fucked and lost price plus shipping.

    So send priority not first class.
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    Yeah, overseas, I'd never do anything less than UPSS priority or express but even then, they're not perfect.

    Just wondering if the GSP is better? Protects me but may also drive off buyers, so that seems to be the trade off.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    USPS Express Mail is the only service that will protect you in the even of a PayPal chargeback, because it is signature confirmation.

    NO other service - Registered, Priority - protects you in the event of the dreaded chargeback.

    I've been lucky to have very few chargebacks over the past five years. Of those, only one went beyond the reach of the 3rd Party insurance I use (through Endicia), which has reimbursed me for chargebacks a number of times. This is truly the best protection available, because it doesn't rely on the policies of eBay/PayPal.

    I don't know about this eBay shipping service but I would be wary, considering that the entire operation is structured to benefit the buyer at the expense of the seller, and the dispute/chargeback policies have only gotten more one-sided over the years. I would want to be certain that their guarantee didn't have any fine print to that end.
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    JP: This new shipping service is designed to flip that around. It benefits the seller at the expense of the buyer. Via GSP, the buyer has to pay a frickin' slew of fees + full custom costs. The seller pays ZERO beyond normal selling fees. This is a way, it seems, for eBay and Pitney Bowes to make more money at the buyer's literal expense.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    I really don't see how this will work unless eBay mandates its usage
    Buyer will always elect to use the cheaper of shipping services, the only times I've been able to inspire my customers to move up is when I force them to. Do you have an idea of how much the slew of fees will be? As long as there's a cheap, basic option, people will take it if given the choice.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    full customs costs would be a total deal breaker to most customers.

    I think you would be doing your valuable items quite the disservice by using the eBay shipping program... I would just make very clear in your description that you will require people to use Express shipping at a certain dollar amount, and then hold to that.

    And I would insure the fuck out of everything - you can download Endicia and I think there's even a deal for the first month or something.

    ETA: Insurance runs about $1-2 for up to $100 (depending if domestic/intl) and then about a buck or so per extra $100. I've insured stuff for $1000s and it's still pretty affordable.

    ETA 2: you don't need to buy a label printer either - you can print labels on an inkjet, and tape them on. (or you can buy Avery-type stickers)
  • gazgaz 232 Posts
    Jonny_Paycheck said:
    full customs costs would be a total deal breaker to most customers

    ^^^^^^^ without question

    charge us anything you like for postage we just factor it in on how much we bid, in other words we bid less
  • dreskieboogiedreskieboogie 951 Posts
    I totally agree, full customs will not go down well with any overseas buyers. It might even get you some neg feedback.

    Do the PO have to put in the address on the customs form by hand for every overseas package as it is now?

    Also, is it possible to insure one package through Endicia or do you buy a subscription for a month or how does it work?

    Thanks!
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    Dres: Endicia is great if you're shipping consistently but for "sometimes sellers" like me, I find that stamps.com is actually the better option since there's no monthly fee but you still get access to the same range of services, including auto-print custom forms, built-in insurance, etc.
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