Whys of "No international shipping"

[sejvaar]

I have noticed many people here refuse to ship internationally. It is often said it is 'easier' or 'less hassle' to ship inside the U.S. I am curious what makes people think it is more difficult to ship elsewhere most times. This is not specific to CPF of corurse but here I am and this is where I will ask.

The costs are in reality normally only slightly more and even if much more the buyers state they will pay this so there is no increased cost to the seller. So cost is not a valid reason. As far as receiving payment you can make the option PayPal only so you don't have to wait for MO or check etc if time is an issue.

Tracking is often unavailable using national posts once it leaves the borders...but if the buyer waives the need for this and accepts responsibility in wiriting then again no risk to the seller. This can also be remedied by using UPS/FedEx etc again at the buyer's expense..so in that case not a valid reason.

So the two big reasons I can imagine people refuse to ship internationally are truly not a big deal at all.

Either people:

1. Are misinformed as to the difficulty and risk of int shipping
2. They just "dont want to" which is their choice but a bit childish
or
3. There are good reasons my meager mind can't come up with and that's why I posted so you all can set me straight

Thanks...and to save time yes I know if people don't like it they can "should move to the U.S." and "people can sell however they want"...I would just like to know if people will be honest about why they won't ship even if the "why" is simply "I don't want to"

As is already mentioned in other threads getting mechandise outside of the U.S. is often diffcult and expensive. If I was selling I'd happily ship abroad and hope that when I am outside of the U.S. I can find people who feel the same when I need to buy.

Cheers

 

[Minjin]

Paypal, international buyer, and no tracking is a common recipe for scams. The seller has no recourse. If someone tries to scam us from the US, there are things we can do. If they're from another country, we're screwed.

 

[pete7226]

Actually the costs are usually much more for heavier items.

 

[sejvaar]

Again the "cost thing" is a non issue since the buyers pay the difference. So why would that matter to a seller?

Re: PayPal int...I agree so you have to set rules. But is is not a blanket reason to not ship int.

Cheers

 

[Jumpmaster]

An international buyer can say they will not hold the seller responsible if their package goes missing, but they can just turn around and file a claim with paypal.

In addition to what others have said, in order to insure the package, full value must be declared on the customs form and many international buyers do NOT like this.

Also, I can ship domestic packages with delivery confirmation and insurance from a machine in the PO at any hour of the day or night. To ship international, I must go to the post office between 9am-5pm (when I'm supposed to be at work) and wait in line 30-45 minutes.

So yes...it really is a lot more trouble to ship internationally.

JM-99

 

[Telkin]

I live in Canada, a lot of people have been very kind to ship some nice lights to me when I asked. I don't mind chipping in an extra couple of dollars to cover the difference (as long as it's reasonable.) Of course, people can choose to ship wherever they want and avoid what they don't want, if that's your prerogative. I just want those who have shipped to me to know that the extra little effort really matters to us internationals and we appreciate it.

My only gripe are those who buy internationally but don't sell internationally. If we can take the risks and the effort to export from Canada to the US for example, why won't you extend the same courtesy? We go through just as much trouble (sometimes more if you've seen Canadapost Custom forms) and have to go to the post office as well. We don't even have automated machines. Next time you buy internationally, think about how that person has put forth a kind guesture and can only hope you will too.

Also want to send out a little Cheer for Corallis who was hesitant at first to ship out to me a G2, it just arrived today. (about 5 business days after) and didn't charge me extra for international shipping. Why? Cause he's a nice guy and it only costs $2.20 by airmail.

Cheers,

Ken

 

[Jumpmaster]

To be clear, I did not say I wouldn't ship internationally...I do. I just wanted to illustrate why some people do not. It is a lot more of a PITA than shipping within the US here.

And you didn't necessarily imply that I didn't ship internationally. I just wanted to clarify that so others don't think that.

JM-99

 

[LouRoy]

I have shipped internationally, but prefer not to. Why? Because of all the extra time it takes.

If I ship in the US, I can print labels from the office and the mailman will pick up the package. I don't have to go anywhere or stand in line.

If I ship overseas, I have to drive to the post office, stand in line for longer than my patience allows, and drive back home. This takes me a minimum of 30-45 minutes. In most cases, I simply don't have the time to spare to do this.

 

[Telkin]

Oh yes, when I was talking about my gripe, I'm not referring to anyone. Please do not take offense, I'm merely bringing to light an observation. I actually do NOT know who doesn't ship internationally and I'm sure everyone assesses their sale on an individual bases. And Yes, I do ship to anyone regardless of their no-international stance or not.

Cheers,

Ken