I have read the article below at Startup Journal by By K
ELLY K
. S
PORS, Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal. It has some good points, but it doesn't mention any negative sides of selling international on eBay or on any auction / ecommerce sites such as increasing fraud credit card purchases, charge backs after receiving the shipments, and lost packages.
Even though selling international has some risks, it may be worth while for some ecommerce businesses. So, here's the article:
Companies often take advantage of the weak dollar by selling items outside the U.S. for more money than they could at home.
You can too. Internet auction sites such as eBay make it easy for sellers in the U.S. to reach global buyers, who may pay a higher price because the currency-exchange rate works in their favor. The euro, for instance, has gained about 25% against the dollar in recent years, making U.S. purchases much cheaper for Europeans.
While eBay operates separate auction sites in other countries, U.S. sellers are often better off just listing on the domestic site -- eBay.com -- since that eliminates the need to translate the listing. The key: Make sure to offer world-wide shipping so that you don't turn away international customers.
EBay says that more than half of all its 147 million registered users are now outside the U.S., and that its U.S. site is drawing more and more buyers from around the world.
Some items, especially those hard to find in other countries, can fetch a high price abroad, says Jim Cockrum, who makes a living by offering advice on online auctions. Mr. Cockrum, who lives in Indianapolis, says he once sold a pair of used Nike Air Jordan sneakers to a collector in China for about $700.
International shipping, however, can be tricky. Each country carries its own shipping rules, including weight and size restrictions, and some ban the import of items like perfume. So check with your shipper to see whether your product is allowed to be sent internationally.
Also, it's usually bettter to specify in your listing that the buyer pays for shipping and then figure out the shipping charge with the winning bidder. A calculator on eBay can help buyers estimate this amount.