eBay- international buyers.

[lollyone]

Im getting so frustrated with buyers from other countries winning my items when I clearly state UK postage only. Can I do anything to stop this happening? Am I missing something?
I sold some shoes about 2 weeks ago (stating postage to UK) they were won by a person in Bulgaria. I sent a message to them sayi g I would get back with a revised postage cost, which I did, but then heard nothing since! Then a message in pigeon English today demanding where are the shoes they should be there by now! As it happens I posted them at the weekend anyway at no extra cost to them seeing as I had heard nothing. Now this bl@@dy narky message!
I am Soo annoyed!

[grasscarp]

Why did you post them if you had not been paid for the postage? When you send the invoice is the time to add the extra postage. Ask them to remit the full postage cost now. It is not too late.

[daffy654]

In the item description you need to state in big bolded font that you absolutely will not post to anywhere outside the UK.

[snags]

You can set up specific buyer requirements when you place an item on ebay, including preventing overseas bidders/buyers.

[grasscarp]

I put in the description that the postage is UK only, and overseas buyers to contact me for cost of postage. Never had a problem and sent stuff all over the place. In fact the only 2 bad experiences were UK buyers!

[ojread2]

If you're so mightily hacked off by over seas buyers, imagine how hacked off they feel because you haven't got your settings correct to stop them bidding on your items - putting UK postage in your listing is not going to stop over seas buyers bidding
Set you settings so they can't bid, simple
http://offer.ebay.co....BuyerBlockPreferences

[lollyone]

Thank for all the answers.

Grasscarp-I posted them anyway because as it turns out it didn't cost much more to post them to Bulgaria so might only be out of pocket by pence.

Snags, ojread2- yes this is what I thought, that there might be a way to alter my settings. Thanks. But I can't seem to get much from that link...

[cathfromsaron]

that happened to me with a wedding dress! the person was' a UK bidder BUT lived abroad right now'! ggggr!

cath x

[Nibble]

Try the 3rd check box down on this link, i.e "Block bidders from locations I don't post to"

Extract from the link above:

Buyers in locations to which I don't post
Block buyers whose primary delivery address is in a location I don't post to.
This requirement can help you to avoid buyers who purchase your items without realising that you don't post to their location

[jomifl]

As an expat living in mainland Europe I find the opposite situation annoying, many ebayers are happy to post to europe but don't say so. Others are happy to post to Europe but there settings won't let them. I have got a couple of vendors to re-list the item having tried a trial bid and had it refused. Many vendors do not realise that ebay in mainland Europe is mostly rubbish with a very poor choice and unrealistc prices. That is why so many Europeans buy from UK. When I lived in the UK I sold several 'large ticket' items, the best bidders were French.

[EDDIE51]

Unless you put the listing on other ebay sites than Uk it will not even be seen by ebayers outside uk. If you have done this anyone outside Uk will not even b able to bid.
When you get to the postage part there is an option to say 'no overseas postage UK only' so just click on that.
If you want to you can put a clause in the listing description saying Uk only.
Personally I always sell worldwide and I get more bidds that way, 80% of my otems go overseas , but that is up to you.

[EDDIE51]

Just for information, post to Europe is only very slightly more than post to UK.
Some times it is even cheaper to post to Europe than in UK.
Another reason to list at least in Uk and the EU.

[ojread2]

Eddie, of course it will be seen buy buyers outside of the UK.
They buyer just uses co.uk in the same way as I can use .com to see US listings

[jomifl]

Some European items are unavailable to UK buyers (for 'legal' reasons) It is easy to get around this by registering in other countries, you keep you name and password so it is much the se as normal.
Eddie is absolutely right by the way.

[EDDIE51]

I actually make a profit from ebayers who, do not sell abroad. I sell vintage photographic items and the main market is overseas , particularly the far east.
I often buy stuff from ebayers who do not sell overseas and resell at a profit.
I just bought a vintage camera from a ''UK only'' seller for £6 and resold it for £58 to the USA. That is just one example. I have also sold a ''UK Only''lens for £100 profit by reselling to China.
Keep on with the'' UK only '' AB ers, I rely on you to make a profit.

[EDDIE51]

Another tip 'Bakelite' items are going for almost nothing in the UK but they are very much in demand in Europe particularly France.I make a steady profit by looking for anything made from Bakelite and reselling to Europe.
Probably cutting my own throat here but ebay is big enough for all of us.

[grasscarp]

Lollyone I liked your comment about snding them anyway. You are obviously a nice person. Like Eddie I find that you often get bids from abroad as some of the stuff we get easily is not so often available in their country. Never had a problem with any foreign buyers and I only post once it is fully paid for. There was never a "didnt get it" from anyone either (surprisingly).

[boxtops]

All my listings at the moment are for anywhere in the world - when I list, I just use the drop down menu in the postage section to add the appropriate costs for europe and worldwide (and it's easy enough to get the costs off the Royal Mail website).
If there is something that I don't want to sell outside the UK then I only list UK postage.
I always put a note to say that if a winner lives outside the UK, I will only accept payment by PayPal.
However lolly - why don't you want to sell outside the UK? It's no more trouble than selling in the UK - a good third of what I sell goes to "foreign parts" and it's no more difficult than sending to a UK address.

With your Bulgarian person, all you needed to do was add the correct postage when you sent them the invoice - but if it was too late, you just bill them through PayPal for the additional amount.

[jd_here]

Why don't you add to your eBay blurb on the item you're selling something to the effect - 'overseas buyers, please contact for postal rates'

My Goddaughter in France gets very frustrated by sellers who won't send abroad, she has her items sent to me and I then forward them to her.

[boxtops]

... but you don't need to add the blurb, you just work out the overseas price and add it to your listing from the start, it's dead easy...

[alavahalf]

Must admit I would expect to be paid in full before I posted anything...

Saying that I have found that I normally get better price if I include free P&P in the listing.
Reading eddie and boxtops replies, I think I am possibly missing out as I am guilty of posting to the UK only... I've always shunned overseas as I am dubious about foreign postal systems. Never having tried them, I dont know why..?
With this new found curiosity, I'm off to do some listings...no insertion fees this weekend..!