Need a little help/advice.

Coincracker

Hi people, I could use some help, if you don't mind much.

1) How much difference does shipping overseas have on your ebay auctions? (do see bettter results)
2) What are the more common methods of shipping overseas from North America?
3) What form of payment would you consider acceptable?

Anything you can add would be appreciated.

wybrit

1) How much difference does shipping overseas have on your ebay auctions? (do see bettter results)
Since I sell a lot of British coins, it makes a huge difference that I sell to the UK, Australia and Canada. Buyers from Germany and Japan have also won my auctions.

2) What are the more common methods of shipping overseas from North America? USPS air mail for cheaper items, Registered post for more expensive items. Customs forms can sometimes be a hassle if you deal with a crusty postal worker. Watch out for really nosy postal employees as well.

3) What form of payment would you consider acceptable? PayPal is the simplest approach. I've done cash deals and ome moeny orders in the past, but PayPal, for all of its warts, still works better.

Coincracker

Thanks, wybrit, Ive decided to go international.

laurentyvan

How much difference does shipping overseas have on your ebay auctions?

Probably 50% to overseas shippers. No problems yet after dozens of sales. My biggest sales have been to Russian and French buyers. They also have a tendency to bid early and often (by contrast to US buyers who tend to wait and possibly snipe)

I like to put my payment and shipping methods and charges in the body of the auction description (at the end), as well as where they normally belong. Virtually all overseas buyers know how to go to the USPS postal site and calculate appropriate charges to their respective countries for items they're interested in. They are knowledgeable buyers
who (in my experience) are rarely unreasonable.

I don't know what I would do without them...

Coincracker

Laurent, thanks for the help. What method(s) would you suggest using to mail 1 or 2 coins to UK or europe?

WillieBoyd2

I live in California and I always US Postal Service to ship stuff outside of the US.

Air Letter Post for small items (coins).

Doesn't need customs form if under 4 ounces.

Coincracker

Ok, so if I use a 4.75x8 in. bubble mailer that is under 4 ounces with coins. Would not need a customs form? I'll run over to the P.O. and check it out anyway. Thanks!

wybrit

Doesn't need customs form if under 4 ounces.

That depends on the mood or personality of the postal worker.

ajaan

<< <i>Doesn't need customs form if under 4 ounces. >>


Not true according to my PO people. If the item is taxable in the country it is being shipped to, then a customs form is required no matter the weight.

WillieBoyd2

I think that "wybrit" has the right answer:

That depends on the mood or personality of the postal worker

I have sent many small coins overseas in regular envelopes without customs forms, but occasionally a postal worker asks for a form.

Since the postal worker doesn't know what is in the envelope, he/she can not tell if it is "taxed" in the destination country.

Most of the coins I have sold on Ebay were low-value, the highest value was around US $70.

I would probably be more careful if I was mailing a Brasher Doubloon or 1933 US $20 gold piece.

Coincracker

Do these small bubble envolopes go through a metal detector? Any ideas on avoiding telling the people at the P.O. what is in the envolope? When they ask me what is in it, I say numismatic items, they say what is that. I just hate saying coins.

ajaan

My local Post Office has been getting Registered Mail returned from Canada that don't have a custom form attached. This according to one of the guys working there.