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The below refers specifically to 1st Class Mail from the U.S. to foreign countries, but applies in principal to 1st Class Mail parcels sent from anywhere.
The biggest risk with international shipments coming FROM the United States TO foreign countries occurs on uninsured, First Class mail parcel shipments. For relatively inexpensive ($100. or under) items, it is generally not worth it to ship via Priority Mail, and the buyers will not pay for Priority Mail.
And then when you ship via First Class Mail, insurance is not an option, nor is complete tracking.
Now, the USPS customs number on 1st Class Mail parcels WILL give you some form of tracking - it will confirm acceptance and give you a date that the item left the country, but the label will generally NOT be scanned upon delivery. So if the item is lost or stolen in transit, you will never know and have no recourse. More importantly, with First Class Mail parcels - you cannot prove that the buyer received the item.
I will offer one crucial tip: if the buyer starts complaining about non-receipt, at least have him file the claim with Ebay and not with PayPal. With PayPal, as soon as PayPal notes that there is no delivery confirmation, it will side immediately with the buyer.
But with Ebay's Buyer Protection policy, on a non-receipt claim if you can prove shipment, which you will be able to do with the USPS customs #, and if the dollar amount at stake is not too high, then Ebay will still side with the buyer and pay the claim BUT it will often pay it out of pocket and not turn around and charge you.
Ebay Resolution Fees - Reimbursement as a result of losing an EBay Buyer Dispute - Free EBAY, PayPal, Business and Law Forums - Ebay Suspension, PayPal Limited
You just have to claim that you shipped it, be able to prove that you shipped it, and state that it must still be in transit.
NOW, a buyer has 40 days to file an Ebay claim - and 60 to file a PayPal one. But even after 60 days a buyer can still file a chargeback if he paid with a credit card. In general foreign buyers do not pay via credit card - they pay with their PayPal balance, SO if you can drag the matter out, constantly reassuring the buyer that the item will arrive eventually, past 60 days, then you should be home free, but again - if the buyer is antsy and it looks like he will file a claim no matter what, then you are better off with an Ebay rather than PayPal dispute in this type of situation.
The biggest risk with international shipments coming FROM the United States TO foreign countries occurs on uninsured, First Class mail parcel shipments. For relatively inexpensive ($100. or under) items, it is generally not worth it to ship via Priority Mail, and the buyers will not pay for Priority Mail.
And then when you ship via First Class Mail, insurance is not an option, nor is complete tracking.
Now, the USPS customs number on 1st Class Mail parcels WILL give you some form of tracking - it will confirm acceptance and give you a date that the item left the country, but the label will generally NOT be scanned upon delivery. So if the item is lost or stolen in transit, you will never know and have no recourse. More importantly, with First Class Mail parcels - you cannot prove that the buyer received the item.
I will offer one crucial tip: if the buyer starts complaining about non-receipt, at least have him file the claim with Ebay and not with PayPal. With PayPal, as soon as PayPal notes that there is no delivery confirmation, it will side immediately with the buyer.
But with Ebay's Buyer Protection policy, on a non-receipt claim if you can prove shipment, which you will be able to do with the USPS customs #, and if the dollar amount at stake is not too high, then Ebay will still side with the buyer and pay the claim BUT it will often pay it out of pocket and not turn around and charge you.
Ebay Resolution Fees - Reimbursement as a result of losing an EBay Buyer Dispute - Free EBAY, PayPal, Business and Law Forums - Ebay Suspension, PayPal Limited
You just have to claim that you shipped it, be able to prove that you shipped it, and state that it must still be in transit.
NOW, a buyer has 40 days to file an Ebay claim - and 60 to file a PayPal one. But even after 60 days a buyer can still file a chargeback if he paid with a credit card. In general foreign buyers do not pay via credit card - they pay with their PayPal balance, SO if you can drag the matter out, constantly reassuring the buyer that the item will arrive eventually, past 60 days, then you should be home free, but again - if the buyer is antsy and it looks like he will file a claim no matter what, then you are better off with an Ebay rather than PayPal dispute in this type of situation.
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