Some sellers from UK, Netherlands and Germany are blocking orders to USA on Discogs and eBay. Does any know why?
It might be because they don't have their USA or even Canada shipping set up. When I want something a seller whom shows this has I make direct contact and usually they're very obliging.
If they're willing to sacrifice a sale, and with somebody able to pay the shipping cost, that's always their prerogative.
...and right on cue the postman has just delivered an lp I ordered from Discogs from a seller in Germany!
Probably the same reason I don't sell outside the US on Discogs: Too much of a hassle, the requirement to set a fixed price for shipping that applies to all countries, too much overseas sale fraud. I'll sell outside the US on eBay, using their international shipping program (which indemnifies me against loss/damage once the item reaches the US shipping center). But I stopped selling anything internationally via Discogs when they changed their shipping price listing rules.
I don't ship outside of EU. my why: - If it's a low ticket item it ain't work the hassle and the paperwork. - If it fetches a good amount, what if it gets damaged in transit? I will have to require the buyer to send it back. At which point, given the shipping price, they might be inclined to ask for a partial refund which I don't like and don't do. Also as a buyer, I don't like saving up some money but ending up with a record the condition of which isn't satisfactory. Either way one of the two parties will be unhappy. - Last but not least, shipping time.. Within EU in a couple weeks the item usually reaches the destination or moves towards it. Even during pandemic I didn't have much problems. You never know who you are selling to, and they might be pressuring you cause of delays and who knows what else on which I have no control whatsoever. I just avoid entirely.
No tracking number from the U.S. out of the country and you can get a reversal even on lies. USA only eBay. Not worth it.
The ASP allows sellers to set different rates according to country. Though, you do have to set it for each country as opposed to eBay where you can just enter in the package details and it'll work out the cost based on USPS rates for that country automatically, which can be easier.
Many sellers in the USA do the same. I guess it’s far more costly, inconvenient and risky to ship to another continent? Just spitballin’.
If shipping out of the EU is anything like having to ship into the EU, I don't blame you. I used to avoid selling outside of the US and Canada because of the cost (buyers would not be willing to pay the high prices) but even if they came down, I'd still avoid it because of all the rules.
Receiving something from out of the EU is almost worst than sending! Customs tax plus “processimg labor” ends up costing me 25% of price of music and shipping. And them there are online forms to fill out. Almost never worth it unless its something really rare and desired.
For me one of the reasons hat @SoNineties said: the paperwork. It's since some time ridiculous what you have to describe what you are shipping.
I'm in the US, and am reluctant to purchase LPs from the EU and UK because the packaging is usually insufffienct -- LPs arrive damaged at least 75% of the time -- and the postage costs are usually prohibitive. There are exceptions. Boomkat and Burning Shed package things very well. I sell a lot on Discogs, but won't ship outside the US because I've had stuff lost in overseas post offices, or had items "stall" in post offices and be lost for weeks. Also, many overseas buyers try to bargain on postage, which is a non-starter.
I am confused by the "no final tracking". I have ordered dozens of titles from Europe, and have received tracking numbers that let me know every step from when it was shipped to when it was dropped off in my mailbox.
At the moment, I get why UK sellers are not shipping internationally: a strike has caused ridiculous delays. I just received word that a package I orders three weeks ago from London has finally been processed at a sorting station here in Canada. I imagine some sellers don't want to deal with customers repeatedly asking where their stuff is, or opening lost package claims prematurely.
>> I am confused by the "no final tracking". Simple. If you mail through the USPS the last tracking shown is at what point they leave the US. Nothing beyond that. So no final delivery date. I've never shipped through FedEx or UPS so I don't know how they do it. Based on my experience I won't do it. And in recent years the cost has gotten way to prohibitive.
Very odd. I have the USPS and Canada Post apps on my phone. All the tracking numbers I have received from US sellers have indicated when the package was delivered here, on both apps. Canada Post's app always confirms delivery of all International packages I have received and sent with tracking. As for USPS, here's what it looks like on the USPS App:
Fine, but every country in Europe uses/shares the tracking. If you are sending a package to the UK, you can confirm delivery by entering the tracking number on the Royal Mail website, and vice-versa. Same with Germany, Norway, etc. And their respective Postal Systems. I have done this to confirm delivery. The USPS is not the only way to confirm delivery.
Thought there weren't any more postage strikes after late December (Royal Mail's official strikes update page (last updated on the 16th of Feb) only mentions possible future action.) Royal Mail's system got hit by some kind of "cyber incident" in January that's only recently been sorted that meant there was a backlog & nobody could send anything overseas via the post office. There's currently some kind of problem with tracking/delays too. https://www.royalmail.com/international-incident-bulletin "Service Update Export Delivery of International items may take slightly longer than usual. Customers using International Tracked / International Tracked and Signed services may notice different tracking information as items leave the UK. We are seeing some delays to some Tracking events in a small number of destinations. As we continue to work with our partners to resolve this, if you cannot see tracking information for your items then it is likely to be available on the overseas’ Posts own tracking websites. Please see hereOpens in a new window for links to the overseas’ Posts websites to access tracking information. Customers sending items requiring a customs declaration (such as goods or gifts) internationally should purchase postage online, through shipping solutions or over the counter at Post Office branches rather than using Postage Stamps or Meters. A small number of International Untracked services for Business Contract customers remain unavailable however alternative services are available for use. "
Often, the information is not updated on the foreign sites tracking page in real time. Most of the items I get from Europe have either an indefinitely time lag (ie I stopped checking), or a very long time lag, between it arriving at my house and, for example Royal Mail's website showing I actually have it. I had that happen with a lp I sent back to Germany. PayPal almost ruled against me but my teary eyed begging over the phone made them relent and closed the case in my favour. I knew the tracking was wrong because the seller told me they actually had it. They just refused to tell PayPal they had it or close the case so I could get my refund. I returned a package to the UK and it arrived, I received my refund, and the tracking still said it hadn't arrived. I stopped looking once I had my money. No idea if it ever updated properly. The US and Canada managed to get a pretty good system together with real time updates happening. It's essentially seamless. I can often start tracking a package from the US on Canada Post's website with the USPS tracking number fairly quickly after it's mailed. Systems between USPS, Canada Post and other postal carriers isn't always as efficient.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. That sounds aggravating, to say the least. I guess I have just been lucky with tracking information from those same countries. Lately, the Royal Mail has been a disaster, and I'm holding off on purchases from there for now. However, tracked packages from Germany and other countries have remained consistent and accurate for me. At the end of last year, I had two packages never show up, both from the Netherlands. Two different sellers from the same city, one tracked, one untracked. They just vanished. I let them both know about the other experience, as the circumstances made me suspect it was someone at a local sorting station. Everything else I ordered, from various corners of the planet, all arrived safe and sound.
