International eBay Purchases - this seller won’t send to your location

Davidt · Oct 16, 2023

I’ve just won an eBay auction from a US seller. I’m in the UK.
The listing states the item can be shipped internationally and lists the UK specifically as a destination. However, I can’t pay. When I try and make payment I get the error message “we noticed a problem. Unfortunately this seller won’t send to your location”.

Has anyone else had the same issue?

I’ve called eBay and they’ve told me it’s the sellers issue. The seller has phoned eBay and they’ve said it’s not his issue.

dsio · Oct 16, 2023

It might because eBay calculates their fee based on item plus shipping now, so the lack of a price set for shipping to the UK could be holding it up. The seller may need to estimate and set that price and then hit issue invoice or request payment or something similar, or there is a request total thing on your end you can do to trigger the same thing from memory.

I’ve had this happen often too being in Australia, everything I buy is overseas.

watchyouwant · Oct 16, 2023

If you can talk to the seller, circumvent eBay and pay via PayPal. Goods , not Friends . That gives you the security and the seller can state a value on the parcel, that suits your UK import obligations.

Snooz · Oct 17, 2023

Is the item using Ebay International shipping? I wasn't able to buy any watches from the US for delivery to the UK when the seller was using the Global Shipping Programme but haven't tried recently.....

Spruce · Oct 17, 2023

EBay international shipping from USA to UK is very slow. If you’re negotiating, see if the seller will post by US mail

HamDoctor · Oct 17, 2023

If nothing else works, you can also use a "reshipper" like ship7.com - this gives you an adress in the U.S. that the seller can ship to. The goods end up in a warehouse, are inspected if they are the correct item (when I last used them I got photographs of the item purchased) and you can then choose from a variety of shipping methods.
Good way to circumvent eBay international shipping (which is costly, slow, and error-prone).

Davidt · Oct 17, 2023

Thanks guys. After 4(!) calls to eBay it seems like @dsio is right, the seller didn’t include a shipping price and this appears to be the issue.
I’m trying to get it rectified but I’m half expecting the seller to cancel the sale.

I’ve asked if he fancies cancelling the sale and re listing at the winning bid but he’s not keen on manually filling out customs forms etc

Davidt · Oct 17, 2023

Spruce
EBay international shipping from USA to UK is very slow. If you’re negotiating, see if the seller will post by US mail

im finding that too. I bought another item on 4th Oct and it hasn’t even left the US yet!

gatorcpa · Oct 17, 2023

Most people in the US have no clue how to fill out customs forms, as we rarely deal with them. With budget and service cutbacks, the US post office doesn't have much bandwidth to help.

I would advise people outside the US to avoid US private sellers unless they are a retail outlet familiar with customs procedures.

It will save you heartache later.
gatorcpa

dsio · Oct 17, 2023

gatorcpa
Most people in the US have no clue how to fill out customs forms, as we rarely deal with them. With budget and service cutbacks, the US post office doesn't have much bandwidth to help.

I would advise people outside the US to avoid US private sellers unless they are a retail outlet familiar with customs procedures.

It will save you heartache later.
gatorcpa

Yea I pretty much do the customs form for them when I really want something from a vendor that only sells to CONUS or hasn’t done it before. Takes me no time to update for whatever I’ve bought and their box dimensions and saves a lot of time. There are so few watches in Australia by comparison that there’s no choice but to be proactive or miss out.

Davidt · Oct 17, 2023

gatorcpa
Most people in the US have no clue how to fill out customs forms, as we rarely deal with them. With budget and service cutbacks, the US post office doesn't have much bandwidth to help.

I would advise people outside the US to avoid US private sellers unless they are a retail outlet familiar with customs procedures.

It will save you heartache later.
gatorcpa

I’m in the same boat as Dsio. Although there’s a thriving market in the UK and EU (thanks Brexit!), if I’m looking for something specific I need to look in the US as well.

Does anyone have any experience with services such as Shipito? I know there’s the OF ‘underground railway’ but I’d like to look at all options.

Fish70 · Oct 17, 2023

watchyouwant
If you can talk to the seller, circumvent eBay and pay via PayPal. Goods , not Friends . That gives you the security and the seller can state a value on the parcel, that suits your UK import obligations.

And it violates eBay's TOS.

Davidt · Oct 18, 2023

Fish70
And it violates eBay's TOS.

Unfortunately eBay’s own broken system means I can’t comply with their ToS

Davidt · Oct 18, 2023

Snooz
Is the item using Ebay International shipping? I wasn't able to buy any watches from the US for delivery to the UK when the seller was using the Global Shipping Programme but haven't tried recently.....

Yes exactly. EBay say the seller hasn’t entered a shipping cost. The seller says he has and he’s had this issue before with EBay international shipping.