eBay Sellers Surprised by International Orders

by: ebayout

I have ZERO interest in eBay repackaging my shipments.

Now, with the current USPS intl. rates, foreign buyers have ZERO interest in me.

by: pace306

Look, just because you say No international shipping doesn’t mean that eBay listens or cares.

We are eBay, we do what we please!

by: Bidonmine

I stopped international shipping years ago when the rates went up3 to 8 times what they had been.  

by: Incognito American

A point that might not be obvious: I tried to sign up for the new shipping program but found out in a really polite and business-like email response that it is currently limited to $150 max value items.  As most of my items are 3-digit and 4-digit prices this wouldn't work for me. The ''eBay international Shipping Team'' person said they are planning to go to $500 max listing value around the New Year, and then gradually additionally increasing the max listing value going forward.

Also interesting was this point provided in a list of program features:
>   *   When an order is refunded by eBay, the “Total” column on the
> Seller Hub Orders page will show $0.00. However, please be aware that
> eBay has paid the refund and you will keep the funds from your sale.

by: Casmige

Been on eBay for 20 some years.
100% Positive F/B Top-Rate PLUS Seller.

We Used to have very robust international sales but that all stopped about 5 years ago when USPS started bending over backwards and giving mainland Chinese deep discounts on USPS services while USPS just keeps raising our rates year after year after year.

We sell a $30.00USD 1-pound proprietary auto accessory packed in a 9” x 6” x 3” box. What used to only cost us around $11USD for international shipping almost anywhere and everywhere in the world? Now cost us $28USD.

Nobody in their right mind is going to pay $28 USD for a shipping a $30 USD item.

Oh but wait it gets better.

My friend is a Chinese-Speaker flight attendant with American Airlines and so she checked with a few Hong Kong mainland Chinese sellers who use USPS shipping and inquired what they pay for the similar size and weight product and they told her and it was consistent among all the sellers there that USPS allows them to ship worldwide for only $5.00USD per 1-lbs package.

American sellers are subsidizing their own demise through USPS deep discounts to the mainland Chinese.

And eBay that is there to bend over backwards and spoonfeed mainland Chinese sellers over that of the American sellers that made eBay what it is, and was, and used to be.

I used to think the vitriol on the eBafia Community boards was a 1-off but I’ve been blackpilled unfortunately.

by: Marie

@Incognito American

That limit will go up next year after they get the program rolled out to the entire site.  We don't all currently have access to it.  EIS is a program that you do NOT have to opt into.  So no signing up required.

by: Rexford

I don't sell internationally.  Don't even think about it eBay.  My settings are set to NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING.

For those who do, when an international buyer opens a SNAD, is eBay going to hit you up with an enormous return international shipping fee?  I tend to doubt that they are going to use the lesser expensive "hub" shipping system to ship it back.  

Is tracking going to to track to every international destination and show that the item has been delivered?  If not, get ready for the buyer freebies as a result of buyers filing "item not received".

by: JohnGermaine

Wow, grasping at straws to stay alive.  They have destroyed a once viable and fun company down to mandatory capitulation so they can keep their paychecks.  I shut down there, I buy some music from there now and then, but for the most part I ignore them.  So disappointed in the greed of the CEO and management that started when NutMeg Whitman was at the helm.

And as far as their "Business Policy" nonsense goes, I could never figure out where or what it was so I never did anything with it.  I once could make a living there, but not any more.

by: Dragonfyree

I had my first International sale in years (buyer asked before buying) and got this new program.  Sent it out to its' consolidation center where it shows arriving on 11/23 and then stops.

I finally messaged them yesterday and they sent the usual e-mail about how I can sign up for lost package and refund my buyer.

In the letter it gives me the tracking which takes me to the same information on my Ebay page, except at the bottom of this that tracking numbers leads to another shipper.  When I clicked on that it shows my package arrived today at the delivery city in New Zealand.

Why doesn't the Ebay tracking show this, why did I have to ask and then get a separate tracking to show it.  Why didn't they say in the e-mail that it shows the package is in New Zealand.  

How many people are not going to check the tracking carefully and refund their buyers, meanwhile their package is moving along just fine.

Can Ebay screw things up any worse?

Hope this makes sense.  

by: rhw1

I for one had this happen to me this week. I had two international orders, one to Canada, and one in the South Pacific region. I had the gsp  settings off. Sent invoice to Canada customer for their 7 widgets, boom, done.
Went to to the other one. Now this customer has purchased many times in the past.  I put their widgets in a box until the weight is just under 3 lbs. Of the 27 widgets they bought, 22 of them got the package to the 3lbs. Went to send invoice, and get an error no international invoices can be sent.
Long story short….sellers are AUTOMATICALLY enrolled in the new international shipping service. Sellers have to OPT OUT of the program, which I did. The changes take effect 24-48 hours. 72 hours later still not fixed. Ok ebay, you want to play that game? I have my customers real email. I have shipped 18 packages to them this year, so I have their address. Needless to say, I have been paid. Package is leaving today. That 15% fee you charge, goes now to those that can figure work around. Get it fixed, great. If not, I’ll do it again in a New York minute.
I have said it before, keep up the great job ebay. The line of sellers leaving is starting to look like the soup lines during the depression.  

by: rhw1

Marie…..
You are absolutely correct. Sellers do not have to opt in. But sellers have to opt out. Had eBay notified sellers of this, and it was overlooked, that’s one thing. Me personally, I don’t need eBay telling me how I should ship. I have absolutely zero desire to give them a penny more than I already do. I need their additional services, like shipping, promoted listings, etc, etc, etc like a fish needs a bicycle.

by: Denny

Just another way for E-bay to rip customers and sellers off on shipping charges.

by: rhw1

Sorry for the multiple posts! To change or check your settings, go to your eBay page. Upper left under the hi xxxxx, click the sub menu to look at your account settings. That will open a new page.
Under your selling go down to your shipping preferences.
It’s the top line you have to change. Now I have 2 selling accounts. One is still global shipping…..not enrolled, and daily I will be checking that for the change.
The other had that setting, but it was forced into the new program, and you’ll see now no mention of global shipping but the new and improved program and an opt out on the right. You’ll also have to click why you want out. And they only let you pick one of the 5 or 6 choices.  I tried to do all six. Now  I am waiting for the opt out to take effect.

by: spooky

Warning: if the item takes more than 30 days to deliver eBay will leave you hanging out to dry. No help whatsoever. I was made fully responsible. And when the item did eventually get delivered and the buyer was so honest he insisted on paying for it again, eBay basically told me to eff off

by: Shanna

I had an order go through eBay's current International Standard Shipping option, and that buyer requested a return, so I posted my own label returning the item from eBay's shipping center to my home. I never heard back from the buyer and eBay closed the return for inactivity.

by: Disgruntled_Seller

We opted in early via invitation 3 of our 5 accounts. I honestly do not see the heart burn in it that so many seem to have with the program other than being opted in automatically without the seller's awareness.  The program itself for us seems fairly flawless and smooth.  

by: Marie

@Rexford

The new EIS program protects sellers on returns.  Per the program policy "If the buyer opens a return, eBay will provide them with a return label and issue a refund at no cost to you. You keep the sale."  It further says "Once your item is received at the domestic shipping hub, your sale is considered complete. If the buyer opens a return, eBay will provide them with a return label and issue a refund at no cost to you."

As for tracking, the policy page says "We will track the movement of your package to the shipping hub and then to your buyer. You can find tracking details on the Order Details page.

There will be two tracking numbers for your shipment. The first tracking number will be the domestic tracking number for the shipment to the shipping hub. The second tracking number is the international shipment to your buyer.

When you upload tracking information, we notify the buyer by email that the item has shipped. Tracking is also visible to the buyer on the Order Details page and My eBay."

by: Marie

@rhw1

You are correct.  I too just learned that recently.  FYI, shipping is cheaper in this program.  EIS is an enhanced version of the Standard International shipping program I've used since it started a couple years ago.  I've been very happy with it and the prices.  Hopefully as we learn more about EIS and more sellers are using it, it will work well too.  Time will tell.

by: Marie

@spooky

When did you start EIS?

by: Dragonfyree

@Marie

''There will be two tracking numbers for your shipment. The first tracking number will be the domestic tracking number for the shipment to the shipping hub. The second tracking number is the international shipment to your buyer.''

There was not two numbers listed on my order page, it shows what turned out to be the International tracking which when I checked shows it movement to Illinois, but none after.  When I got the letter from Ebay the link they had showed the same tracking I had, but at the bottom of the page there was DHL icon with the same tracking number, and when I clicked on it, that took me to the page that showed it leaving the country and getting to New Zealand.  

If I was a new seller and just took Ebay's word, I might have just refunded.  

Nowhere in the letter did it give me the information that they showed the package moving, just the file for lost package and refund information.  Or that I should go to the link they provided and check the DHL tracking at bottom of page.

I almost didn't click on the tracking link as it showed the same tracking number I already had.