posted on October 13, 2000 03:55:17 AM new
I sell to the USA only.....I sent out my usual eoa email to buyers, a couple of nights ago. This auction was for small collectibles. This one buyer had won three items, she emailed me that she was bidding on several more items that would be ending in several hours. She said she would like all shipped together. Ok, I understand this. I email her she has won five items total for total of XX$$$.She calls my shop gives my daughter credit card #,then emails me shipping info. She says I don't know if you realize it or not, but I live in the UK, and I know there will be additional charges so just take it out of the credit card. Well how in the world was I to know she was not in the USA. So we will get the proper form to fill out for international shipping. I've been considering selling internationally,but just hadn't gotten there yet. I suppose this was just a little push....This was a substantial sale. If I would start selling internationally, what about currency exchange? Please I would appreciate some input from sellers that ship internationally. I personally do not handle the shipping the girls at the shop do this, but I would be the one on the pc answering the emails. Any advise? Thanks
posted on October 13, 2000 03:58:41 AM new
Use US dollars only. Do not accept anything in foreign currency. I have foreign buyers send cash or soon they can use PayPal.
posted on October 13, 2000 04:06:12 AM new
Billpoint (I think) and BidPay are already accepting international payments, but it sounds like you possibly already have a merchant CC account. Please let us know how this works out. I've considered it myself, and have shipped one item out that could go for at Airmail packet rates. I've wondered what the shipping would be like for small packages, say in the 2-3# category.
posted on October 13, 2000 05:04:10 AM new
If you have a merchant account you should enter the payment as usual and the card company will convert just as if they were here - and charge their account in whatever currency they use.
I use ProPay often and they accept international payments with no trouble.
They do however warn that
you do have to be aware of fraud from countries such as Romania and Indonesia.
If you get unusually big orders of something that can be resold easily and they give you the hurry up and don't care what it costs to ship stop and ask why? Really orders like that from the US would set off alarm bells also.
I had a customer in Singapore buy items made in China right next door. It is cheaper to have me send it halfway back around the world than buy it locally.
