RMweb Premium Hilux5972 Posted September 26, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 26, 2017 Anyone else international get frustrated when you find an amazing bargain of exactly what you are looking for, only to find that postage is UK only? Why do it? Surely these days, postal services are reliable enough that we can safely assume the item will arrive. Or is there another reason I am missing? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelpara Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Anyone else international get frustrated when you find an amazing bargain of exactly what you are looking for, only to find that postage is UK only? Why do it? Surely these days, postal services are reliable enough that we can safely assume the item will arrive. Or is there another reason I am missing? Unfortunately they are not, many eBay sellers have lost out on posting abroad as item takes too long to get through, buyer gets annoyed files against seller, wins then item turns up so seller looses out big style. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ikks Posted September 26, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 26, 2017 I usually message the seller and ask if they would make an exception always worked so far and yes I am prepared to wait longer for the item to get here. Rgds....Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 21C123 Posted September 26, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 26, 2017 Living in New Zealand I use a NZ post service called YouShop. They provide a UK address which the seller sends to and then I pay the postage from there, which is usually pretty reasonable, compared to eBay's global shipping program. Roger 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 (edited) UK only for me as a seller. 5000+ transactions and I've only ever been shafted on feedback and returns by overseas buyers. As everything else on ebay seems to favour the buyer, a seller choosing where he ships to is about the only control he has left. Edited to correct "lack of coffee" syndrome... Edited September 26, 2017 by Pete 75C Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted September 26, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 26, 2017 I don't restrict where I will ship to, but I fully understand those that do as although I've been lucky enough to have had very few negative experiences as a seller those I have had have been with overseas buyers who know that the cost of return postage means you're highly unlikely to just tell them to return the item if they don't like it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire2865 Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Ive had issue with a lot of Amazon sellers who refuse to ship overseas, which is a little surprising considering Amazon doesnt seem as "buyer friendly" as eBay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted September 26, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 26, 2017 UK only for me as a seller. 5000+ transactions and I've only ever been shafted on feedback and returns by overseas buyers. As everything else on ebay seems to favour the buyer, a seller choosing where he ships to is about the only control he has left. Edited to correct "lack of coffee" syndrome... You're riding for a fall Pete, you'll soon be an "overseas buyer"! Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Hayter Posted September 26, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 26, 2017 Ive had issue with a lot of Amazon sellers who refuse to ship overseas, which is a little surprising considering Amazon doesnt seem as "buyer friendly" as eBay. I have to agree there. I tried buying a book (used) on Amazon and at the final step only, I got the message that the seller did not ship abroad - despite the despatch information on a previous page saying "dispatched from the UK". So I went to Abebooks (owned by Amazon, where I bought the book and had it shipped to me. Strange thing is, it was the same seller. I think Amazon have some software quirks or badly set up conditions for sellers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eddie reffin Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 UK only for me as a seller. 5000+ transactions and I've only ever been shafted on feedback and returns by overseas buyers. As everything else on ebay seems to favour the buyer, a seller choosing where he ships to is about the only control he has left. Edited to correct "lack of coffee" syndrome... Agreed 100%. My only problems have been overseas transactions and because of this, I'll only ever post to UK addresses. What does rip my knitting though, is the refusal of some UK sellers to post to the Highlands -mainland! I live in Inverness which is at the end of a trunk route and some won't even quote postage. We are not talking about large items but things that will fit in a small padded envelopes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted September 26, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 26, 2017 Agreed 100%. My only problems have been overseas transactions and because of this, I'll only ever post to UK addresses. What does rip my knitting though, is the refusal of some UK sellers to post to the Highlands -mainland! I live in Inverness which is at the end of a trunk route and some won't even quote postage. We are not talking about large items but things that will fit in a small padded envelopes. Abroad, overseas, in foreign lands, it's all the same Eddie. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Just been through this. Bought engine from UK on E Bay, engine didn't work. Sent engine back, all monies refunded without hesitation. It would appear that a lot depends on the seller; obviously those who have been screwed are hesitant but if you are a seller of goods and are lucky enough to have a buyer, then he has to be taken care of to his satisfaction which is E Bay's mantra. Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe MCMLXI Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 I can understand your frustration. I only list items as 'UK' only, but if contacted by a potential buyer will often ship abroad ( which I have done successfully ), as long as they are prepared for additional costs/time. So far I haven't had a problem, but will continue the same way for now.... joe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Colin_McLeod Posted September 26, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 26, 2017 An Post, the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail recognise this problem with on line shoping in that many companies, eBay and Amazon sellers etc will only post to UK. An Post have a service called Address Pal which gives you a UK address to use for orders. The seller posts to the UK address and An Post delivers the item to your address in Ireland, or if you prefer to have it for collection at your local post office. https://addresspal.anpost.ie/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Anyone else international get frustrated when you find an amazing bargain of exactly what you are looking for, only to find that postage is UK only? Why do it? Surely these days, postal services are reliable enough that we can safely assume the item will arrive. Or is there another reason I am missing?I feel your pain, as the boot is often on the other foot for me too, in the UK. The amount of US Sellers who won't ship beyond the "Lower 48"... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted September 26, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 26, 2017 Once you have rearranged to ship to the uk Parcelfarce take the parcels in then spend weeks avoiding you and return it to a depot 50 miles away and tell you that :- choose from below It's too heavy to leave at the post office (drills in Jiffy bag) It's too big to leave (a hardback novel) It's not on my route. We couldn't be arsed Oh and that's £13 handling charge we've added on to our incompetence for the pleasure of taking your parcels for a tour of southern Britain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 You're riding for a fall Pete, you'll soon be an "overseas buyer"! Mike. True. Maybe I'll have to fly back with Ryanair from time to time. Deep joy... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted September 27, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 27, 2017 True. Maybe I'll have to fly back with Ryanair from time to time. Deep joy... Don't start that again!!! Mike. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Abel Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Agreed 100%. My only problems have been overseas transactions and because of this, I'll only ever post to UK addresses. What does rip my knitting though, is the refusal of some UK sellers to post to the Highlands -mainland! I live in Inverness which is at the end of a trunk route and some won't even quote postage. We are not talking about large items but things that will fit in a small padded envelopes. <DEVILS ADVOCATE MODE - ON> Curious as to why, given you impose a shipping restriction yourself, some restriction imposed negatively on you is then a problem? Example: Say I'm a seller who ships worldwide, BUT, "my only problems have been Scottish transactions" and I therefore won't post there, aren't I essentially imposing the same arbitrary but acceptable "to me" type of restriction? <DEVILS ADVOCATE MODE - OFF> Being an overseas buyer (and an occasional seller "worldwide") I have had similar disappointments as the OP and others. As an expat modeling UK BR/SR in the US, about 95% of anything I want/need is UK sourced, and whilst I understand the potential problems increase especially with the higher shipping costs and therefore returns/recovery issues, I've had many occasions where I've not been able to get a wanted items for just such limitations. Some sellers are very good and even charge amazingly low shipping to me, some simply won't ship even if asked privately. It doesn't diminish the reality that there are actually bad buyers everywhere. Oh well... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eddie reffin Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 There is a significant difference in shipping to another part of Mainland U.K. than shipping to a different country. Royal Mail is supposed to be a universal service (which it is) but many retailers won't post to the SAME country. My point about posting overseas was that the only problems I have had with eBay selling have been those who have been out with the UK so that's why I have placed the restriction on it when I sell. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted September 27, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 27, 2017 Oh and that's £13 handling charge we've added on to our incompetence for the pleasure of taking your parcels for a tour of southern Britain. In recent weeks I've bought two models from the US. The first one spent three weeks at the parcel force customs clearing depot, the second one two and a half weeks. In neither case was the package opened and their handling was either limited to just reading the customs declaration and sticking the customs charge on it or possibly x-raying them. And for that, and sitting on my packages for two and a half weeks and three weeks they have the nerve to charge eleven quid something, it is outrageous. Luckily they were tracked so I could see where they are, and it is nothing to do with the sender, but if they weren't tracked then I probably would have been starting to follow up with the seller. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lee Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 I have to agree there. I tried buying a book (used) on Amazon and at the final step only, I got the message that the seller did not ship abroad - despite the despatch information on a previous page saying "dispatched from the UK". So I went to Abebooks (owned by Amazon, where I bought the book and had it shipped to me. Strange thing is, it was the same seller. I think Amazon have some software quirks or badly set up conditions for sellers. I believe that you might be correct. Recently I have had a look on Amazon for small solar powered pumps for ponds. A lot of them wouldn't be shipped to Bulgaria. The only thing that I found on their explanation page was that batteries couldn't be shipped to certain EU countries. As I don't require water features to work at night and I believe that batteries are likely to fail before anything else I was specifically looking at the cheaper ones *WITHOUT* back-up batteries. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Do Ebay not still offer an international shipping service from a UK hub? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Hayter Posted September 28, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 28, 2017 Yes Pitney Bowes - aka the Pits 'n' bowels. They seem to charge users a nice fee to allow standard delivery - least ways all of my goods received have arrived via the French Postal service - La Poste. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerr Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 What does rip my knitting though, is the refusal of some UK sellers to post to the Highlands -mainland! I live in Inverness which is at the end of a trunk route and some won't even quote postage. We are not talking about large items but things that will fit in a small padded envelopes.The issue here is usually when using a Courier company, as it includes the postcode area, not the actual location, as they are only using the postcode office area code (in this case IV) Therefore Inverness is treated the same as Dunvegan (Skye) or Kinlochbervie Perth is also affected A similar, and probably worse issue occurs with the Paisley (PA) postcode, and when that happens it is just silly! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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