International Shipping On eBay - A Customer Response
There’s a sensitive symbiotic relationship that exists between business owner and customer. On the business owner’s side, he/she wants to do everything in their power to please an ever increasing (or maybe not) amount of customers. On the customer’s side, he/she wants to do everything in their power to get the best product at the best price.
The business owner must be willing to take a hard look at their current resources and set up boundaries based on those resources for the benefit of the majority of their customers and the business. The bottom line to a healthy business is to ride that delicate edge between doing what is necessary to stay alive in business while at the same time giving as much to as many customers as possible. As obvious as it sounds, if you don’t stay alive you don’t serve any customers.
A couple of months ago I had to look at my resources and make a business decision concerning what was the best thing for the majority of my eBay customers in regards to shipping internationally, even into Canada. Back when I started my eBay adventure in June of 2006, I wanted all the business I could handle but as I became busier I decided shipping internationally was not worth it and stopped. First I just hate emailing eBay customers the astronomical international shipping charges. Sometimes the shipping charges can be more than the cost of the product.
Yea, I know, I thought about the argument that if my eBay customer is willing to pay for the shipping charges who cares, but I still hate it. Also, compared to shipping into my own country, shipping international is a pain in the “patootoo”.
Once you have a smooth system in place anything out of the norm seems to slow things down and goof up the entire mix. I’m not going to spend the time now to list all the reasons I dislike shipping internationally, and I know someone out there who ships internationally regularly can enlighten me (and please do as I might learn some tips that would change my mind) on how easy it is but at this point in my eBay adventure I’ve determined it’s not worth it.
But what really interests me is how a customer feels like they have the right to run your business. Somehow they can see into all your decision making processes and determine from the armchair where they sit what is best for my business. Huh?? Why they bother to attempt to change your mind when there are others to purchase from on eBay, and there are, is question I’d love to ask them but never would.
Here is an example of an exchange I had with an eBay customer when I finally decided to stop shipping internationally, including Canada, back in October of 2007.
First Customer Email:
Hello. I am interested in purchasing this item. However I want to be sure of everything prior to purchasing. I live in Canada and my Postal Code is V0R 2N0.
I wish to know if the listed shipping price is the cost for shipping this item to my address. I know that sometimes it is listed to the Postal Code Area of the buyer automatically.
If it is NOT the proper shipping amount please include the correct amount so I can decide of it is still affordable to continue with the transaction. If I go ahead with a purchase I can make an immediate payment to you. Thanks.
My first response:
Hi, thank you for your interest in our auctions. We do not ship to Canada at this time. Sincerely, MarJan’s Marketplace
I always try to keep my emails short and to the point when I first communicate answers to customer questions I know they don’t want to here, and 95% of the time it works. Not this time.
Customer second email:
Hi. So does that mean you won’t consider it? It isn’t exactly a world away. I buy and sell tons of stuff to and from the US… including some VERY expensive gold coins. Never had a problem.
Customers are customers…no?
Drat, now I’ve actually got to think and give the customer some kind of reason that makes sense in a way that won’t continue the email communications. The shorter the communication with the customer, especially on eBay, the better, for so many business reasons.
My response:
Hi Doug, this is a decision that has slowly been brewing over time for me. I have sold in the past to Canada (when specifically asked) I do not list the fact that I sell to Canada in my auctions for a reason. It has nothing to do with Canadians
. My sister has lived in Canada for 30 years. It’s just that it gets to be a hassle for me to look up shipping, filling out extra forms, and more often than I like I seem to run into goofy situations that aren’t worth my time to resolve. It’s strictly a business decision. I’m selling into a 13 trillion dollar economy in the States. That’s large enough to support my little business and I have plenty of issues to deal with already. When my business reaches a sufficient size and I have more help I will reconsider selling into Canada. Thank you again for your interest in our auctions but I prefer you look for another eBay seller who sells into Canada. Sincerely, MarJan’s Marketplace
I was successful as I received no more responses from this eBay customer. But like I said what interested me the most was how the customer thinks the business owner has not thought out all the reasons for their decision.
I had another “incident” a couple of months back on eBay that is more interesting and had me a bit concerned that I’ll share soon.
Ta Ta for now. Hey please do me a favor and chime in………I like to do things my way because I believe it breeds the ability to make your own decisions but in no way do I believe my way is always the right way, it’s simply my way.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on international shipping. So come on tell me what you think. Maybe we can help each other out here.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
Hi Steve, I do remember St. Elmo’s. I’ve still got that restaurant down in Indy to look forward to someday. Oh and by the way I’ll be posting fewer thought provoking and more site promoting posts in the future. I’m thinking most people like it a bit on the lighter side.
I can’t stand people like you .
You’re the prototypical eBay seller I wish I could be more like and am going to force myself to try and become. You actually collect something. I’m dead serious I collect nothing but dust.
I’m thinking eBay’s business model was originally set up for collectors, and from some of the news I read eBay is inching ever so slowly back toward the seller such as you that collects items and uses eBay mostly for fun.
It truly is a business model I envy. I’ve used eBay as merely a traffic machine to sell my products. Really boring stuff when you get right down to the business mechanics of what I’m doing. But in the most conservative of ways its been able to work OK.
If I was a collector and selling on eBay I would definitely sell internationally!! And like you say I’d do it not only to sell some stuff but for the fun of meeting new people all over the world.
The only reason I don’t is because I’m selling normal stuff that I send regularly each week.
Thanks for reading and have a fantastic 2008!!
Mark
Hey, Mark…
Glad to see you’re able to spend more time posting. I’ve been with ya from the beginning (remember St Elmo’s Steakhouse?) and always find your posts thought provoking.
I ship a lot internationally. Most of the stuff I sell is collectbles (sports figures, diecast cars, etc) so most packages are fairly small and light weight and can go by International First Class. I insure everything with DSI so, I suppose, I’m covered if any ever get lost.
It is a bit of a PITA to prepare the packages, address lables, customs forms, etc, but I don’t send hundreds a month (wish I did) so I just go ahead and do it. I figure if an international bidder wins an auction he’s bid more than I could have gotten by limiting my area.
On a side note, I made a friend in Germany and one in South Korea that spent several $$ with me both on and off of eBay. Those two definately made international shipping worth it!
I guess for me it’s a mixed bag. I don’t really like doing it but I don’t dread it either. A buck’s a buck…ya know?