eBay

bdmtrscooter · ‎04-20-2016

For as long as I have been an eBay member, eBay has always recommended listing in USD to attract more customers. And they have been right on this. Correct. As in not off their rocker when they make this suggestion. And it is true. This is good advice. It is not broken, so why fix it? What is the purpose of this? Who's concern is it?

If this happens, say goodbye to another customer. It's bad enough that we are paying fees on top of fees. And really I accept fees. But what I do not accept is a rule that distracts and discourages buyers. It's not a win win situation.

So let me put this out there because I really want this to stop and I hope I'm not alone. Who wants this to happen? A show of hands please!

pjcdn2005 · ‎04-25-2016

For example to offer worldwide and quote the mailing rate on a cup and saucer (500 grams) to the USA, Asia, Europe and Australia, to mention a few, is important to the Buyers but a heck of a lot of work because International Small Packet rates vary by Country.and I'm not one to charge the highest of all and apply it across the board.

Then you might want to go down the center. Or price for the area that you sell the most items to.

They are not going to be changing the way shipping is set up on .com

rroader94 · ‎04-26-2016

Perhaps it is "sunny optimism" but if eBay is giving Canadians the option of pricing their items in US dollars and suggesting .com is the place to do that, then I will welcome Help from a fellow Canadian Seller who is offering items Worldwide in the "parcel category".

Just a sample eBay.com auction listing number would be fine (or is eBay Support providing that) Dreamer!!

And, it just came to my attention in fooling around with a .com listing that Canadians may need to take a step back and do their parcel measuring in inches and weighing in lbs. and ounces??

pierrelebel · ‎04-26-2016

" do their parcel measuring in inches and weighing in lbs. and ounces?? "

Why would that be? There is NO Canada Post calculator available on eBay.com.

maggiebvintage2010 · ‎04-26-2016

You should be able to assign a flat rate to your cups and saucers for Tracked Packet USA or Small Packet Air. It may be worthwhile to analyze your past sales and decide which international destinations have regular sales. By limiting those countries, you should be able to find a flat rate by using the CP shipping zone rates - you may be able to limit sales to western Europe and Australia without any loss of customers.

Since Canadian will have no choice but to use flat shipping, not calculated, unless the packages are taken across the border and shipped by USPS, there is no need for parcel measuring except for your own records.

pocomocomputing · ‎04-26-2016

@rroader94 wrote:
Perhaps it is "sunny optimism" but if eBay is giving Canadians the option of pricing their items in US dollars and suggesting .com is the place to do that, then I will welcome Help from a fellow Canadian Seller who is offering items Worldwide in the "parcel category".
Just a sample eBay.com auction listing number would be fine (or is eBay Support providing that) Dreamer!!
And, it just came to my attention in fooling around with a .com listing that Canadians may need to take a step back and do their parcel measuring in inches and weighing in lbs. and ounces??

If you were to use eBay.com and you are not able to use USPS shipping, then you would use Flat Rate shipping with generic shipping option. Flat rate does not need dimensions or weight at all.

Here is one way to list on ebay.com

Domestic - Use One of the Shipping from outside US options (Economy, Standard, Expedited)

International (two options made)

Custom location with Canada checked off and use Standard or Economy shipping

Worldwide with Standard or Economy shipping. Use exclude shipping locations to block countries you do not want to ship to.

rroader94 · ‎04-26-2016

I agree there is no Canada Post calculator....

Why would that be? Because metric isn't the nortm in the USA to my knowledge.

They have a rate lookup feature on .com because I was in there today and to get a rate one needs measurements and weight and it's imperial not metric. We're referring to USPS, etc. not Canada Post.

ypdc_dennis · ‎04-26-2016

@rroader94 wrote:
... Isn't the US dollar probably one of the most recognized currencies in the world and the value of which is understood not only in Canada but internationally in countries such as Asia, United Kingdom, Australia, etc.

As a Seller who offers 99% of his auctions "worldwide" my choice of pricing is in US dollars. ...

Another view:

I used the eBay.ca tool to identify all my US$ listings (active and inactive) on .ca I would need to convert. And it accurately found one. I've been splitting my listings between ,com and .ca ever since I discovered I could double the number of free listings available to me.

I won't say it's easy journey to list on both, it takes time and effort to get the best results. The biggest stumbling block for eBay.com is shipping. The biggest advantage for eBay.ca is calculated shipping, a minor advantage is the cheaper listing fees (C$ vs US$)

Which sells best? C$ or US$

My recent stats:

Canada -35% (all in C$)

USA - 30% (21% C$ + 9% US$)

Australia - 15% (12% C$ + 3% US$)

Rest of the world - 20% (all in C$)

If you have stuff people want to buy, I find that currency is a minor factor in their decision making. Cost of shipping and other things are far more important.

-..-

pierrelebel · ‎04-26-2016

"I find that currency is a minor factor in their decision making. Cost of shipping and other things are far more important."

I totally agree. I also list in multiple currencies on multiple sites and currency is a negligible factor in buyers decision.

rroader94 · ‎04-26-2016

Thanks for your reply. I accessed a draft .com auction I was experimenting with and followed your suggestions. You won't find the word Domestic but under US Shipping I found "Use one of the shipping from outside US options". Then as you said for International you can choose Canada as a custom location or Worldwide and tick off the Countries you wish to include OR down below exclude some.

It is a cumbersome work-around and inasmuch as Flat Rates require no dimensions or weight, outside of eBay.com I'llI have to go through that routine for sure for parcels over 1 kg to the USA and Small Packet Internationally and parcels over 2kg. Once again thanks. I feel that my hourly wage as an eBay Seller has taken a significant tumble and I just might retire for the second time.

rroader94 · ‎04-27-2016

Sincere thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. Completing the "shipping" fields on eBay.com is truly a task for a Seller selling from Canada, that aside; when you list on eBay.ca using Canadian pricing and notwithstanding we're told the Customer sees the approximate equivalent pricing in his or her currency, you're suggesting they don't have a problem paying in Canadian dollars? At some time I must have had a transaction like that but I've been pricing at US $ on eBay.ca for so long, I forget.

I could ask the same question about somebody in Australia or the UK for example. Another thought; could the US winner pay for my auction in the currency of his/her choice; US or Canadian. Maybe Pierre can answer that. Thanks Pierre for your opinion on the significance of shipping cost and price versus as opposed to what Currency it's in.

pierrelebel · ‎04-27-2016

"suggesting they don't have a problem paying in Canadian dollars? "

I have over 106,000 transactions on eBay in 18 years on eBay.ca, eBay.com and a few on other eBay sites. About half in Cdn$ and half in US$ with a few in Sterling and euro.

NOT ONE customer ever complained or indicated they had difficulty paying in their currency (American in US$, Canadians in Cdn$, Europeans in euro, British in Sterling, etc...)

Whatever currency is used in a listing does not really matter. The buyer pays for the transaction in his/her own currency. PayPal does the conversion if needed.

jersey..authentix · ‎04-27-2016

"NOT ONE customer ever complained or indicated they had difficulty paying in their currency (American in US$, Canadians in Cdn$, Europeans in euro, British in Sterling, etc...)"

How would you know? Your only counting people who purchased from you. You not counting the ones that didn't. You are getting 50% CDN and 50% American, and I'm guessing your listing in CDN $. If you listed your sales in USD your % tage would lean much greater to American buyer. That being said you have to wonder how much of that 365 million population ( est ) are you losing out on.

Im sure you have , but just asking. Have you checked your American counterparts to see if they sell at the same list price as your CDN list price? Speaking for myself, if that Canadian seller ( for example ) sells an item for $100 CDN, and then another lists the same item for $100 USD, and sell it. Which way do you go.

I think when ebay made their study, they never put into account currency exchange when saying Canadian sellers, ( using CDN$ ) will sell faster. If it sells faster that's only due to it being sold for less money than a CDN seller using USD. I refute the notion that it would sell faster. Personally I feel I do better in USD, but even if you said it was the same, Canadian sellers will lose money because they will have to compete with other Canadian sellers prices.To Simply say to list from USD to CDN is just adjusting the currencies will not necessarily help those sellers . That 100USD item is now $125 CDN.

Funny , and I agree as many have said . This is done. Ebay will not change their minds. We are going Canadian and that all she wrote. This seems more about more Ebay nonsense to again get us to once again adjust.

And the debate continues

pierrelebel · ‎04-27-2016

Some of us are very experienced in worldwide mail order and have been doing it - as a full-time business - for decades, well before the Internet and eBay. Our experience obviously is different from most eBay sellers who are often using eBay to sell on a part-time or occasional basis.

My point is that the fear (sometimes paranoia) expressed by some Canadian sellers about the currency of payment has little to do with reality. Worldwide buyers wanting to purchase your goods do so because the price, quality, service, reputation and shipping charge meet their requirements. Those buyers know you are located in Canada and shipping from Canada. The currency of payment is not an issue as the payment agent (PayPal) takes care of converting payment in their domestic currency.

This applies whether you offer your items through eBay, other online venues, your own website or through other media.

.

jersey..authentix · ‎04-27-2016

"Some of us are very experienced in worldwide mail order and have been doing it - as a full-time business - for decades, well before the Internet and eBay. Our experience obviously is different from most eBay sellers who are often using eBay to sell on a part-time or occasional basis."

Selling online today 2016 is so different from the beginning of the Internet . Sellers that have had decades of experience are facing challenges the same as newer sellers of today. Today we navigate through bureaucracies ,scams, thieves, and so on. Constantly changing. I have been selling since 2000 and even in that time its different and continues to be different.

"My point is that the fear (sometimes paranoia) expressed by some Canadian sellers about the currency of payment has little to do with reality."

I don't really think this currency issue is expressing fear. I do think it has become a debate to which currency has proven to be better. But getting back to the issue, I agree many buyers simply want your stuff and will pay whatever currency and where ever you are. Then there are those are not that easily going to purchase your item due to currency or even your location. I have to ask, have you ever not purchased an item due to the fact it is being sold in a country you we not comfortable with? I have. Look at the GSP. This was put in place to give confidence to US sellers to sell internationally. Is it then not safe to say the reverse. That there are US buyers that don't have the confidence to buy in other currencies? Who knows maybe being from another country could be the bigger problem than the currency.

But you're right many will buy, I only will say there is enough that shy away from other currencies that would make a difference in my sales. Sales the way they are , I need every advantage available as I many other sellers can contest.

I can only say, listing in USD is the best way to go for me, and I hate the fact that we are being made to choose.

musicyouneed · ‎04-28-2016

Well after a month of listing in Canadian $ on .ca, I have noticed a decline in US buyers. Almost all my sales on .ca have been from Canadian and international only a couple were from the US. On .com, almost all my buyers are from the US.

38 sales total for April.

22 of 800 on .ca
16 of 350 on .com.

So in my field, I make more sales when I list in US $. I will slowly move (as time permits) most of my listings over to .com. I might list 1 month in Canadian $ on .ca and then the next month in US$ on .com who knows.

Jersey: Your statement definitely holds true for me.

I can only say, listing in USD is the best way to go for me, and I hate the fact that we are being made to choose.

femmefan1946 · ‎04-28-2016

And, it just came to my attention in fooling around with a .com listing that Canadians may need to take a step back and do their parcel measuring in inches and weighing in lbs. and ounces??

USPS seems to be set up to deal in Imperial measures, and I would recommend using that on dotCOM.

But there actually is a metric option under the dotCOM Options dropdown.

I suspect it will be as inaccurate as the Imperial option on dotCA and would not suggest using either alternative.

pjcdn2005 · ‎04-28-2016

@femmefan1946 wrote:
And, it just came to my attention in fooling around with a .com listing that Canadians may need to take a step back and do their parcel measuring in inches and weighing in lbs. and ounces??

USPS seems to be set up to deal in Imperial measures, and I would recommend using that on dotCOM.
But there actually is a metric option under the dotCOM Options dropdown.

I suspect it will be as inaccurate as the Imperial option on dotCA and would not suggest using either alternative.

Why would a Canadian seller enter any type of weight or measurement on a .com listing if they were shipping with Canada Post? Flat rate shipping does not require that information on the listing form.

femmefan1946 · ‎04-28-2016

I don't think it's required, as such, but there is certainly a place for the information to be entered.

Maybe only because it was not removed when the Flat Rate Shipping option was designed.

pjcdn2005 · ‎04-28-2016

Yes I know but why suggest that anything be entered there? When flat rate shipping is used that section is irrelevant. I'm just saying that suggesting the merits of imperial and metric is misleading because the information isn't needed in any type of measurement with a flat rate. 🙂

rroader94 · ‎05-03-2016

It's information. My guess is you're probably alright with the .com generic words in Shipping? If eBay is accommodating Canadian sellers on eBay.com in any way whatsover, couldn't they at least have Small Packet Air and Expedited Parcel in their drop-down of modes of shipping?

No that would help when it came to using PayPal shipping and be relative information to the Buyer. Why would they do anything on .com except accommodate US sellers. End of debate. Have fund with your flat rate parcels to worldwide countries. They won't see consistency and accuracy relative to actual pricing......some will be guesswork on the high side with comments that Canadian postal rates are so expensive.