why don't they sell abroad?

[Chrome]

There is many web retailer that don't sell outside US, why? maybe you State side lounger could explain that to me. I can understand that from private ebay sellers, but from company in business of making money [huh]

It really irritates me now, since my spectator stays on your side of the pond now.

 

[Creeping Past]

Sometimes this is due to distribution and licensing agreements. In other cases it's a business decision made by the companies themselves, for whatever reason.

There are also companies in Europe that don't sell abroad — including to the States.

It can work both ways. And where clothes are concerned, this sometimes leaves people minus the item they want... but there's always another hat, coat, pair of boots just around the corner.

 

[Fatdutchman]

There can also be problems with shipping and added taxes, which the company may find too much trouble to fool with.

 

[Brinybay]

There can also be problems with shipping and added taxes, which the company may find too much trouble to fool with.

I was going to point that out, but from a buyers standpoint. In all my eBay searches, I specify only items located in the US, simply because of shipping charges. Even then, some items I want are in the opposite corner of the country and hence shipping is still too much.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

It's most likely the higher shipping costs, plus there's usually a longer than expected delivery time getting through customs and across various borders. The retailer has to fill out extra paperwork to ship out of the country. It all depends on the country the item is being shipped to if it's going to go through customs quickly or more slowly, and if there are tariffs, taxes, duties or other fees that are going to be added. Some countries open every package coming into the company, determine a value of the item enclosed and add a tax that has to be paid on delivery. The packages are also changing hands, between carriers, several times, and how do you determine which is liable when a problem occurs? It may get picked up by the US postal service or United Parcel Service, but they usually hand-off to another carrier to make the delivery, and there may be several between the seller and buyer.

 

[Daoud]

In my experience, the main problem with selling internationally is that once your merchandise leaves the United States, it is at the mercy of foreign postal and customs services, which can range from totally professional to totally corrupt. There is one Mediterranean country in particular ( I won't name it) to which sending merchandise is much like throwing it into a crowd of criminals.

Although there are several fairly secure means of shipping goods, many people balk at paying the rather high rates for such services.

And, unpleasant as it sounds, there are countries whose inhabitants have reputations as being very demanding and nagging, even arrogant.

The language barrier, of course, is a major factor. Unfortunately most Americans have little or no working knowledge of any languages besides English, which can make dealing with people of other countries and cultures rather difficult. While a great many people in other countries have a good working knowledge of English, there are many who do not.

 

[de Stokesay]

Pardon me if I misunderstand the above points, but I take issue with them as follows:

a) "It can be too expensive to ship to foreign countries." As long as the potential customer knows how much shipping will cost and is prepared to pay it, why not let him; there is no additional cost for the merchant.

b) "The product can be lost, stolen, pilfered, looted, &c." Last time I checked, that is what insurance was for. If the customer is prepared to pay for required insurance on all items shipped out of country, where is the cost to the seller? There is none.

c) "There is too much paperwork involved." Nonsense! If you are shipping something registered mail anyway (only common sense on valuable items), there is actually very little additional paperwork involved. Unfortunately, this is a very common MYTH that persists amongst people who don't or haven't shipped abroad, and yes, even though I am a Canadian I have shipped things FROM the US.


d) "People speak different languages in other countries." While this is indeed true, if an item gets damaged or lost in transit, you will actually be dealing with your local representative of the carrier you used or his insurer. Unless the call centre is in India, you should be able to understand him.

e) "This may be a business decision that the merchant has chosen to make." Yes, this is exactly what this is. The merchant has explicitly decided to give up sales. While this is indeed a business decision, it is really bad business decision if there is no risk to the merchant, unless he wishes to make less money. On a like note, it is also a really bad business decision to lend people money who realistically cannot make payments, and the asset that is securing the loan is not worth as much new as you have lent to them. This however, has not stopped this practice from occurring in the recent past. [huh] [bad]

Hopefully, I have not offended anyone with the above opionions as that was not my intent. I just don't understand why some vendors refuse to ship abroad when the justification for this choice is really quite weak.

de Stokesay

 

[HatfeathersVint]

Some sellers are gun-shy about dealing with folks in other languages and currency (even though Paypal really takes care of that nicely).
Some have been screwed badly by sellers in other countries that take advantage of charge-backs.
Some don't like to go to the post office, and don't want the extra PITA of using the online customs forms. You can have the mailman pick stuff up otherwise, with online domestic postage affixed.
Some don't have the staff to keep up with that sort of thing, if they sell a lot.
Some other countries have terrible postal service (France) and strict rules for import (Italy) and it can be hard to decipher.

I have had relatively good luck (knock on wood) with international shipping, and find the extra sales more than make up for the 6 block trek to the PO and some extra paperwork, and the few times something has been delayed or returned. Handwriting some of the Japanese addresses gets a little funny sometimes, though. Without international sales, I could have cut last year's profits by at least 1/3.

 

[Daoud]

Pardon me if I misunderstand the above points, but I take issue with them as follows:

a) "It can be too expensive to ship to foreign countries." As long as the potential customer knows how much shipping will cost and is prepared to pay it, why not let him; there is no additional cost for the merchant.

b) "The product can be lost, stolen, pilfered, looted, &c." Last time I checked, that is what insurance was for. If the customer is prepared to pay for required insurance on all items shipped out of country, where is the cost to the seller? There is none.

c) "There is too much paperwork involved." Nonsense! If you are shipping something registered mail anyway (only common sense on valuable items), there is actually very little additional paperwork involved. Unfortunately, this is a very common MYTH that persists amongst people who don't or haven't shipped abroad, and yes, even though I am a Canadian I have shipped things FROM the US.


d) "People speak different languages in other countries." While this is indeed true, if an item gets damaged or lost in transit, you will actually be dealing with your local representative of the carrier you used or his insurer. Unless the call centre is in India, you should be able to understand him.

e) "This may be a business decision that the merchant has chosen to make." Yes, this is exactly what this is. The merchant has explicitly decided to give up sales. While this is indeed a business decision, it is really bad business decision if there is no risk to the merchant, unless he wishes to make less money. On a like note, it is also a really bad business decision to lend people money who realistically cannot make payments, and the asset that is securing the loan is not worth as much new as you have lent to them. This however, has not stopped this practice from occurring in the recent past. [huh] [bad]

Hopefully, I have not offended anyone with the above opionions as that was not my intent. I just don't understand why some vendors refuse to ship abroad when the justification for this choice is really quite weak.

de Stokesay

You certainly didn't offend me- my opinions are based on my experiences and those of others with whom I'm acquainted- real-life experiences. In a perfect world everything would run smoothly; alas, it isn't and it doesn't.
And when shipments disappear- are lost, strayed or stolen- whether the seller has insured the shipment or not, the bottom line is that the buyer is unhappy- the goods didn't arrive when they should have.

Further, at the end of the day, it is only the seller's business, the seller's decision whether or not to ship internationally. He or she doesn't need to justify anything. Nobody has a RIGHT to buy goods from whomever they please, thank God.

 

[Creeping Past]

I think Daoud has got it spot on, viz. -

it is only the seller's business, the seller's decision whether or not to ship internationally. He or she doesn't need to justify anything. Nobody has a RIGHT to buy goods from whomever they please, thank God.

I'd guess that, as he suggests, the decision about who to accept orders from, etc. -- organising this aspect of their business affairs to suit them -- is one of the few rights a sole vendor/retailer has. And having worked in retail for many years in the past, I can see that having even this low level of control would help keep you sane.

Why get angry and anxious about not being able to buy non-essential consumer goods? After all, it's not quite in the same league as being refused the opportunity to buy groceries at your local store.

 

[dit dah]

Americans have little or no working knowledge of any languages besides English

You mean including English? lol

 

[Daoud]

American English, I suppose would be correct- but, yes, some of my fellow citizens have trouble mastering its intricacies.......

 

[ortega76]

I think Daoud has got it spot on, viz. -



I'd guess that, as he suggests, the decision about who to accept orders from, etc. -- organising this aspect of their business affairs to suit them -- is one of the few rights a sole vendor/retailer has. And having worked in retail for many years in the past, I can see that having even this low level of control would help keep you sane.

Why get angry and anxious about not being able to buy non-essential consumer goods? After all, it's not quite in the same league as being refused the opportunity to buy groceries at your local store.

I'd have to agree with you on this. I've sold on E-Bay and I never wanted to deal with the headache of international customers. Yes, I'm speaking of pure laziness. I don't want the extra trip to the post office or filling out another form. Or waiting for payment. Nope, I just put my item in a box and throw the UPS label on it and I'm good.

 

[de Stokesay]

I'd have to agree with you on this. I've sold on E-Bay and I never wanted to deal with the headache of international customers. Yes, I'm speaking of pure laziness. I don't want the extra trip to the post office or filling out another form. Or waiting for payment. Nope, I just put my item in a box and throw the UPS label on it and I'm good.

In my earlier post, I was actually referring more to those running an actual business as a livelyhood, not hobbyists such as the occasional e-bay seller. As was mentioned earlier, the seller does indeed have the right to choose to whom he sells, and I agree that this is important when conducting a business, if only for the maintenance of sanity. If selling is how you make your living however, to turn down sales just because the customer lives abroad seems silly to me. My business training is that a buck is a buck and the main reasons not to sell to someone is if there is default risk (credit sales) or moral issues. Extra costs are borne by the customer after all.

Ultimately, everyone is entitled to his own viewpoint, but if you don't want to sell your product, my thinking is that you shouldn't be in business.[huh]

de Stokesay