eBay

antoinettbouche0 · ‎04-07-2016

I have a $4000 item of jewelry to sell. How do I go about posting from Canada? Does my buyer sort out the customs when it arrives? I have only one item and am not experienced at this at all..

xeposter · ‎04-07-2016

@antoinettbouche0 wrote:
I have a $4000 item of jewelry to sell. How do I go about posting from Canada? Does my buyer sort out the customs when it arrives? I have only one item and am not experienced at this at all..

I don't know anything about Canada shipping either (I live in the US), so I will not get too deep 🙂 Here are the only things I know about shipping expensive items:

When shipping you should probably use insurance.
Most buyers feel safer when a seller uses tracking although it is not necessary

One other thing that has nothing to do with shipping...if you start listing lots of expensive stuff soon after you have created your account, eBay may block you from listing. The reason is simple. New ~~people~~ scammers come on, list a ton of expensive stuff, sell it, steal people's money, then run. Obviously, eBay (and buyers) do not like it when new sellers do this, so eBay is cautious with all newer sellers.

Hope this helps a little.

Alex

This is my POSTING id.

femmefan1946 · ‎04-07-2016

You can't get postal insurance for that much.

Nor would I be comfortable shipping it in the mail, although I have shipped more expensive items by post around the world.

We insured with Hugh Wood International, a British firm with offices in Toronto. They insure dealers and collectors and specialize in collectibles.

However, they also require annual contracts. A good deal if you are a 'real business' since they cover shoptheft, shows, travel, transit, fire and water damage. Also great to work with if you are a collector.

For this you want tracking, signature delivery and insurance.

You could look at a courier or you could insure as a one off with a third party like shipinsurance. I don't know the latter personally but they are often given favourable mention by posters here.

The buyer is responsible for his own nation's duty and sales taxes.

All that being said, this is not a good venue for new sellers or high value/high fraud items.

Your best bet is to take it to a local jeweler and get a cash offer. It will be safer and probably higher. If you are not happy with that, pay for an: "insurance" appraisal, which is the replacement /retail value of the item. The jeweler should preferably be a member of the American Gemologist Society or similar.

Don't forget. You paid retail for your $4000 item. Wholesale is about 25% or less of retail for jewelry. So (sight unseen and knowing nothing much about the subject) don't expect to get more than $1000 .

femmefan1946 · ‎04-07-2016

Most buyers feel safer when a seller uses tracking although it is not necessary

EEEK!

No ,tracking is not necessary for the buyer.

But it is very very necessary for the seller, since it is the only way she can win an Item Not Received Dispute through eBay, Paypal or a creditcard.

This has nothing to do with the buyer. You are quite right to discourage a newbie, who has not even bought on this site, from selling expensive items here at the getgo.

xeposter · ‎04-07-2016

I thought you can win an item not received dispute even with no tracking.
Alex

This is my POSTING id.

femmefan1946 · ‎04-19-2016

I thought you can win an item not received dispute even with no tracking.
Alex

Good Lord NO!

The only purpose of Tracking is to protect the seller from unwarranted Item Not Received claims.

Neither eBay nor Paypal will protect a seller who cannot show that the purchase has been Received. Not just shipped but received.

Even credit cards at the least want proof of shipping, and on a high value item would probably also want proof of delivery.

Tracking also gives buyers an expensive warm fuzzy feeling that the item is on its way. Expensive because Confirmation of Delivery (which is basically all that eBay and Paypal require) and Tracking are expensive services.

Moving from untracked Light Packet to Tracked Packet can move a 500 gram shipment from $10.66 to $18.07 (USA rate).