Insular North Americans?

Who cares? They're only restricting their own exposure to the market, and that keeps their potential return down.

Occasionally I find something restricted to Britain that I'd like so I've established a contact with a local who's into the dame stuff. She acepts delivery for me and posts the item on.

GG

1.) afraid of the unknown and to learn what they need to do to ship there.

2.) afraid of being ripped off. Rather than just not shipping to eastern block countries or some in the south pacific they just dont ship anywhere outside the US. There is just too much fraud in those areas. One would think the UK, Germany, France and a few others should be fine. But then eBay doesnt let ya select which countries outside the US to allow. Perhaps if they did this would be less of a problem.

3.) they're lazy and dont want to deal with the extra couple things that come along with shipping overseas.

4.) many buyers ask the seller to lie on shipping forms so they can save on import taxes.

etc etc.

Well, I guess that explains a few things which I hadn't realised.

eBay and its operation is very different on the various sites. I have just started buying low(ish) value items from Germany, France and Austria, and it is driving me slightly around the bend making payments. PayPal hasn't really penetrated (especially France) and one can end up paying 5x the cost of the item in bank charges, or sending cash (literally) with all the inherent risks. A French seller recently asked me why I had sent her an empty envelope with a hole in the side....so sending cash is a bit dumb.

However, there are serious bargains on those smaller sites - my last dozen or so purchases haven't had one underbidder.

A tendency toward isolationism has been an American trait throughout the last century, perhaps it's still a mindset in some parts of the country.

Agreed about the Paypal with France business. Because of that, and one bad experience, France is definitely off my list - a bargain isn't a bargain if it never arrives!

Bargain or not, I restrict my dealing to UK, US, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Scandinavia and of course Australia/NZ.

Sara, I didn't realise that US users can't specify countries they'll deal with, is this correct? I feel sure I've seen listings with specified countries.

GG

quote:

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Will Ship to

Will ship to the United States only

Will ship worldwide

Will ship to the United States and the following: (check all that apply)
Canada
Europe
Australasia


Africa
Mexico and Central America
South America


Middle East
Caribbean
Asia



Will not ship -- local pickup only
Specify pickup arrangements in the Payment Instructions box above.

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This is what our US Ebay listing choices are.

Thanks Mrs. M. for clearing that up;

Something Sara said suggested (to me, at least) that there was no such choice, but that's about the same as over here.

GG

Remember Americans already have 50 states to deal with - why add other countries?

Janette

Seriously cheap bargains.

Gnome
You may find it worth persisting with France, I have had some eye-wateringly good purchases at the lower end of the market, and Gallic charm still works despite the occasional (OK, one) loss.

quote:

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Remember Americans already have 50 states to deal with - why add other countries?

Janette

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I don't know whether that's meant to be serious or tongue-in-cheek!

Australia only has six or seven states (I'm never sure myself) but distances are similar to the US. Postage is worked out on weight and distance, irrespective of state boundaries so it's no more trouble to send a package to Darwin from Melbourne than to send one to the next suburb.

Do US states have differing postal systems from each other? Do they have varying restrictions/taxes on goods at the borders?

GG

It was tongue-in-cheek. Sending a package from New York to California is the same as sending to your neighbor next door.

There are different state laws about what you can send (like guns, ammo, fruit, ect...)

Relieved to hear it!

When talking TIC it helps if you put one of those funny little faces next to it, otherwise I miss the joke.

GG

There are more complications than just 50 states. There’s Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Samoa, Guam, and Washington, D.C. (a district so no star on the flag). Also, I’m uncertain how Indian reservations are treated and perhaps the military has their own postal (now that’s “going postal”, or would that be going nuclear postal?).

Possible FYI: I think the U.S. Post Office employs more people than the U.S. Military, but that may be dated. There’s probably something funny in that, but the closest thing to a tongue-in-cheek icon is a razzie.

Regarding tongue in cheek – perhaps a sign like they use with T.V. audiences to tell them when to laugh or applause would be desirable.