I've done a couple searches, but can't quite find an answer that really helps me....
I live in Canada (and I'm sure there are quite a few others here who do, as well)....
What's with the statement "CONUSA ONLY please" when it is for Buy & Sell?
Is there issues with shipping to Canada via UPS / USPS / FEDEX / DHL?
I'm an avid e-Bayer - and have shipped 80% of my items through to the USA with no issues. I've paid duty on items from B&H & Midwest Photo -- but nothing out of the ordinary.
I would never sell to anyone in a foreign country. It is nothing personal, but the hassle of dealing with a dispute is not worthwhile for an occasional, non-professional seller. I would sell to US states besides just CONUS, but extra shipping charges are added for AK and HI.
I've ran into problems shipping out of the US. People complain about import taxes and things have gotten broken. Nothing personal, but I hate dealing with international disputes. I sold a laptop on eBay and UPS broke it. He then accused me of selling him a broken laptop, I told him to contact UPS. He got nowhere and finally had to take UPS to court. I'd rather just keep my sales CONUS.
My big issue is the extra time and paperwork. When shipping within the US it takes me just a few minutes to print a label, using the online services from USPS, UPS, or FedEx. To ship international, the cheapest way is usually USPS, but that requires a trip to the post office (~15 minutes each way), filling out the customs forms in triplicate, and then a wait in a usually slow-moving line. Add to that the sometimes ridiculous extra transit time involved and the risk of damage. Summer before last I shipped a 550EX flash from my home in Florida to Montreal. Delivery took over three weeks, and the box looked like it had been through a war. I've also had buyers ask me to ship the item as a "gift" to avoid taxes, which I'm not going to get involved with. Nothing personal, really, but it's just too much trouble.
(I'm in Canada and) Since I'm well aware of US export shipping hassles I typically offer the vendor a premium over his asking price...generally like $10-$15 more on a $50-$150 item, $20 on $150-$300 and $25 or more above that. I figure while everyone else is sending PM's to lower the price I stand a better chance of getting the item if I do the opposite and offer more.
When I PM the vendor I offer the premium right up front. I never request favors (i.e. lower declared amount) I also give the vendor as much personal contact information so he can independently verify who I am and where I work.
Finally, if the vendor says OK (with supplied payment instructions) I pay IMMEDIATELY.
Funny, but to date no one has ever said no...not even the CONUS only items.
Note, however, that I won't buy from just anybody...the vendor has to have a good track record...and this only applies on FM....er well it used to...the sudden drop in the value of the Canadian dollar has kind of discouraged me from buying more!
And as for shipping...I prefer insured USPS; the tracking number also works in the Canada Post system and you can track your parcel all the way to your front door. The brokerage fee is $5 plus you pay the sales taxes...er that's if Customs even bothered to check your parcel! At this time last year there were so many parcels that roughly 30% never even got checked I got a $1000 lens in plus a bunch of other stuff tax-free! Average delivery time: 10 days to Montreal from anywhere in the US.
Chris Tylko wrote:
And as for shipping...I prefer insured USPS; the tracking number also works in the Canada Post system and you can track your parcel all the way to your front door. The brokerage fee is $5 plus you pay the sales taxes...er that's if Customs even bothered to check your parcel! At this time last year there were so many parcels that roughly 30% never even got checked I got a $1000 lens in plus a bunch of other stuff tax-free! Average delivery time: 10 days to Montreal from anywhere in the US.
Agreed...
Shipping USPS cross border to Canada will save both parties hassle time and time again. UPS is especially crooked, the few times I have received shipments from them I have been saddled with brokerage fees upwards of 50% of the total declared value. If someone is new to importing, and receives a package with that kind of mark up, I can see why they would be upset.
As far as coverage, Paypal is pretty good, I have had to use it a couple times after having received damaged goods off of eBay, and every time got my money back, on both international and domestic purchases.
I got a $1000 lens in plus a bunch of other stuff tax-free!