Selling & Shipping Outside the U.S.

[Don Ferrette]

After getting a PM from one of our fellow board members, I'm curious- why are some of you residing in the US afraid to sell & ship outside the country?? I do it all the time without hassle & actually have had more difficulties with folks INSIDE the US borders. So let's try to be more factual, less opinionated, share some thoughts & maybe we can clear up some myths........... :huh:

 

[Slideblues]

Well first of all let me say this is nothing bad towards the countries involved,

I had real bad luck with one from Canada being tied up in customs for a month and then arrived damaged, and a shipment from Australia got lost and was not even traceable. I got to include the US postal service here too, they kinda just said dont know what to tell ya here, and threw there arms up in the air.

Neither were high ticket items, But the hassle involved was just not worth it to me,

Just my experiences here,

Gene

 

[boaterbill]

I've shipped to Australia, Netherlands, Canada with no problems. They know they have to pay in US dollars and there is no problem with that. In fact those that are not willing to ship overseas Don, are loosing out on a very good market.

Stuff coming back and into Canada does take longer to deliver, but heck I shipped a pipe to a guy in Australia and it got there in four days, 10 days to Netherlands with no hassles.

 

[Don Ferrette]

I had real bad luck with one from Canada being tied up in customs for a month and then arrived damaged, and a shipment from Australia got lost and was not even traceable.

What was the shipper you used in both cases??

 

[Slideblues]

No, both was the shipper used to send to me,

Gene

 

[Don Ferrette]

So who was the shipper they used?? And actually I'd like to address things going FROM the US first........

 

[Slideblues]

There own postal services, not UPS or Fed X

Gene

 

[izitbrokeyet?]

I have sold two hulls to Canada and one of them was "damaged" upon arrival. I insured the boat hull for 200 but the USPS claimed it must have been damaged beyond Canadian customs. I ended up giving the guy a refund and he kept the boat <_<

I don’t mind shipping to people I know who are in Europe and Australia as I don’t expect things to get mysteriously damaged.

I'm much more cynical about shipping over our borders to people I don’t know.

My .02

 

[Don Ferrette]

"I'm much more cynical about shipping over our borders to people I don’t know."

Is there a cause for this, or is it a general perception?

 

[jasoncsc]

Dear Don,

Thanks for asking this for me!

Actually I used to stay in California, and I remembered in post office its the same line for packages sending to domestic and foreign addresses..... Maybe something's changed lately, but I keep on asking why some boaters would not want to send their stuffs overseas..... With all due respect, a seller would have all his liberty to choose to whom he wanted to sell his stuffs, but I notice a lot of boaters only ships to continental US..... I wondered why.....

This is actually quite odd as in R/C helis that I am familiar with we sent things all over the world all the time! I sometimes think that maybe its boaters' mind wanting to keep good stuffs within their country so they do not want to sell to overseas..... I keep on missing good deals in ebay and here because boater do not want to send their stuffs overseas, and truly its really frustrating.....

Don, Charley Howarth and Joe Knesek, I truly enjoy the boats and stuffs that you've sold to me! Thank you very much!

Regards,

Jason

 

[Slideblues]

I pack my stuff up a certain way, anyone that has bought from me knows this, I kinda over pack stuff and make the tape real neat, One sent me a pic of the box I had sent and MAN it was a mess, it had been opened so many times the box was torn to pieces!!!

Gene

This was a sale that stayed here in the US boarders

 

[boaterbill]

One of the problems with insurance in Canada, on items shipped here, is that the insurance is from a private company not the Canadian goverment, so they find all kinds of excuses not to pay. :angry: Just like here, insurance doesn't like to pay, just take our money! <_< <_

So as far as I'm concerned shipping stuff overseas is no different than shipping stuff within our country. Why miss out on the sale?

 

[Don Ferrette]

Hmmm, there seems to be one area that may be cause for extra concern with packing, crossing the Canadian border. I did have a hull I had sent here for a friend arrive damaged a couple years ago, it was fixable. The packing job left something to be desired though so I put that one on the shipper. I pack everything I ship, being in or outside US like it's going thru a war zone. :blink: :blink: :blink:

 

[izitbrokeyet?]

Is there a cause for this, or is it a general perception?

There is a cause for this:

There is real insurance protection for items shipped within ConUS. Outside of ConUS, I ship to folks that I trust. So if by chance it arrives damaged, and I shell out to make things right, at least I wont have any concerns that that individual saying "it's damaged" in order to be compensated for no reason.

 

[Don Ferrette]

" Hmmm, I haven't run into that one yet. Did you request pics to show said damage? Something well within your right to request BTW.

 

[Slideblues]

Well here is my spin on it, if I dont know the person shipping to the only way I would ship right now is USPS priority with tracking and insurance, there is just to many things that can happin and I dont need the hassle of the damaged goods thing.

Gene

 

[Mike Byer]

I ship ups about ever day from my business, Canada and Europe, are a ***** with the paper work and the cost, the last boat that went to Canada, came back twice before it ever had enough papers to get out of town, and the usps.......come on. All the canadians like to cheat the tax deal comming in and always want you to lie about the value of the stuff too. Stuff comming in is about as bad with all the customs bs. Don, it doesen't sound like you have shipped anything latley, or just don't mind the bs that goes with it, me, I can't stand it.

Mike Byer

 

[izitbrokeyet?]

I'll tell you like this:

I ship outside ConUS semi-regularly to folks here On Intlwaters because I trust every last one of the guys in here, and I dont expect there will be any problem. And there haven't been any problems as far as I know.

on the other hand:

If I get an E-mail from someone off of E-bay that's obviously from across our borders, I dont even respond unless it's someone I know.

 

[MarkScott]

I've sent items to Belgium and Oz without shipping problems.. Both were to IW friends. The problem going overseas, for me anyway, was size. Sent a Aerotech 7.5 tunnel to GTR, but it took around 3 weeks to figure out how to ship it USPS.. UPS was out of the question since they wanted over $300 for shipping. Believe everything made it ok. Never have sent anything to the north though..

When I started selling on e-bay, I kept it US cont. only. Since then I've switched to all. They pay the cost if they want it that bad.

Mark...

 

[whoopass22]

I have been buying and selling RC items with the USA and worldwide for the past 4 years. I have had over 178 successfull transactions and have found no real difference in dealing with Canadians, Americans or oversea people.

You get your good and bad apples no matter where you buy or sell. Not taking advantage of the internet to both buy and sell anywhere in the world substantialy limits your selection when buying, and ability to to sell.

Thanks again to all of the people to which I have had transactions with on ebay and International waters for taking the chance to deal with a Canadian neighbour and fellow boat racer.

ps

Thanks Don for the awsome cmb green head 80 engine I bought off you last month.