To Ship Or Not To Ship OVERSEAS

Status
Not open for further replies.
I

is it sharp? OUCH !

Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
35
i live in australia and find it very difficult scanning the forum for days or weeks and finally finding a suitable blade only to be told the seller wont ship overseas.

there are experienced sellers out there that have no problem shipping OS but a vast majority have some fear in doing so.i wonder if there worry is justified or are they just afraid of the unknown.ive seen a thread where someone said shipping to australia and UK was no problem but other countries they wouldnt do.ive purchased dozens of items including folding knives from the US with no problem.

could you guys give some feedback on this issue so the rest of the hogs can get a better idea . perhaps a list of countries that are safe to ship to and those that should be avoided.

thanks
 
I have had no problem at all selling to Australia. Anything first-world wouldn't cause me a problem but I would expect the buyer to bear all risk in transit.
 
I have shipped one thing to Australia, my only overseas sale. The negatives for me was having to mess with the customs paperwork, and not being able to track the shipment.
I had an uneasy feeling until the buyer got it safe and sound. So for me, CONUS only just due to the hassle/paranoia factor.
 
I would be hesitant to ship outside the US. However, I would consider it if I recieved payment first and the seller understood and agreed that I would not be responsible for any lost in shipment, non-deliveries, customs holdups, etc.

I would consider shipping simultaneously with payment to Hogs of long standing and sterling reputation,
but the other caveats would still hold. Once outside the US, things become totally beyond the seller's control.

On the flip side, were I you I would be hesitant to ship payment except to, again, Hogs or others on this forum of sterling reputation. The good news is that they are plentiful.
 
I've shipped to Hungary and Japan, and maybe Australia, though I don't remember for sure.

Truth is:

1. It's just uncomfortable not having a measure of control if there's a problem. EMS at least allows some tracking, but there is always unease, as was mentioned above, until the buyer gets the knife in his or her hands.

2: It's just easier to get ripped off when there's that much distance and bureaucracies with different languages involved.

3: I have seen it happen where a blade is held up by customs on the foreign end, and as a result the buyer feels he/she might have been ripped off. All of a sudden there is a flame war and bad blood exists. After that it's hard to work anything out.

Truly, if the person who wants me to ship is a recognized member of whatever community we're trading in, and he/she has positive feedback, I'll do it. Otherwise, the risk for trouble/frustration seems to outweight the benefits.
 
thanks guys
im actually surprised there are so many issues
maybe ive been naive but i thought that perhaps only one out of a thousand parcels would go missing and paypal refunds buyer so im never concerned
 
I sent a knife to Canada once. After tightening the pivot down and going through the forms he asked to return it because it was too big for him to carry. That means going to my bank and getting a money order, mailing it, and waiting for my knife back so I can put it up for sale again.

I have no problem dealing with people from other countries but it must be an international money order, and no refunds.
 
Offer to accept full responsibility for the package once its out of the U.S., if the buyer has your word (especially in writing like an email) that he wont be liable for any of the aforementioned issues it would help, and offer to pay with a money order instead of paypal.
 
I've been burned selling to outside the US. Paypal will give them back your payment if they tell paypal they did not recieve the item. It's a huge gamble.
 
It is mucho simple. I do it all the time. You can do 99% of the work online now and print it all out to bring to the PO. Takes 5 min extra.
 
I've shipped many times overseas and to Canada but I must admit I bite my nails on every transaction even though I claim no responsibility once it leaves my hands. It's much easier just keeping it in the CONUS.
 
Whiskey River said:
I've been burned selling to outside the US. Paypal will give them back your payment if they tell paypal they did not recieve the item. It's a huge gamble.
Click to expand...

They sure will. And the buyer telling the seller that he will take all responsibility after its mailed means nothing in a PP case.

It can also be a hastle with folks asking you to lie on a federal form about price and contents. This subject is brought up quite often, so i won't go into it any further except to say i also worry untill the package is in hand....and I hate to worry more than I have to.

If I know you I will and have shipped abroad though.
 
Whiskey River said:
I've been burned selling to outside the US. Paypal will give them back your payment if they tell paypal they did not recieve the item. It's a huge gamble.
Click to expand...

Very good words of wisdom. Thankfully I haven't had that happen to me. I've been wary of MOs from other countries b/c I had a seller back out and not tell me, and there I was waiting a month for a MO that never showed. This might make me reconsider my preferred method of international payment. Like I said, I've fortunately never had this problem with PP, but wouldn't you be able to send a copy of the shipping receipt to PP to prove it was shipped? Or does it not work that easily?

I typically will ship outside the US, and it really isn't that much hassle anymore if you do it online. Only a few extra minutes, depending on how many things you're shipping and the size. I always make sure I get it in writing (PM or email) that the buyer will accept all responsibility once the package leaves my hands, and that it is legal to ship said knife to him (for what it's worth).

Also, Paypal fees are higher for international purchases. Lately, I've been asking international buyers to pay the full shipping cost to offset this, rather than giving a shipping credit for what it would have cost me to ship in the US.

I guess the bottom line is fear of getting ripped off, but sometimes you take a risk in order to make a sale.
 
I avoid non-USA sales.

Money conversions, shipping uncertainty, shipping costs, and customs issues all concern me.

Then you can get someone trying to buy from Russia, UK, or elsewhere with a bogus Paypal account.

I personally hate keeping a Busse Combat fan, where ever they live, from their favorite blade.

But that's just the way it has to be.

No regrets!!!!!!
 
I've sold internationally plenty of times. I always use a shipping method that offers delivery confirmation. One time a package took over two weeks longer than expected; the buyer and myself talked about it and just as I was going to send his money back it got delivered. Then again I've had similar scares within the continental US as well. No concerns for me. :thumbup:
 
Ive had Busses shipped to me from two experienced hogs, and it's been fine. I always pay to have my package tracked and insured, just in case. Of course the seller has no responsibility.
 
I've shipped to China. $43 to ship. Put 'camping tool' on the customs form. No problems. China has a blade length rule. It was a maximum of 5 or 6 inches.
 
kdstrick said:
I was told by USPS that international packages cannot be insured.

Is this true?
Click to expand...
usps.com said:
221.4 Insurance and Indemnity

Express Mail International items are insured against loss, damage, or missing contents at no additional cost. Indemnity will be paid by the U.S. Postal Service as provided in DMM 609 and 503. However, Express Mail International items are not insured against delay in delivery. Indemnity payments will not be made in the event of delay. Postage refunds for delay are considered only for countries with Express Mail International with Guarantee service.


221.41 Express Mail International Merchandise Insurance

Express Mail International merchandise insurance coverage against loss, damage, or missing contents is provided up to $100 at no additional charge. Additional insurance coverage above $100, up to a maximum of $5,000, may be purchased at the sender’s option. See Individual Country Listings for merchandise insurance limits. See Exhibit 221.41 for the fee schedule for optional Express Mail International merchandise insurance coverage.
Click to expand...

The usps tracking is also transferred to other national post services, so we can use the US tracking number with our domestic service (at least true in Norway).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top