On eBay, you have sellers who make millions of dollars shipping internationally every year—and then you have sellers whose revenue stays in the four or five digits over several years.
The big question is: Which seller are you? Or, more specifically, which seller do you want to be?
If you want to be in the multi-million-dollar eBay seller category, you’d better learn how to sell and ship items internationally.
The U.S. market is big—and you could make good sales by reaching out to domestic shoppers. But the big bucks are in the international arena.
This article teaches you everything you must know to ship eBay items internationally, including how to:
- Sign up for an Account
- Choose a Carrier Service
- Get a Valid Shipment Label
- Select an Insurance Company
- Package Your Items
- Choose the Proper Box Size
- Add Tracking Shipments
- Add an Invoice
- Inform Your Buyers When Their Items Will Arrive
Ready to learn more? Let’s go!
1. Sign up for an Account
To start shipping eBay items internationally, sign up for an account and choose your package forwarding service—eBay registration is free and only takes a few minutes.
Click on the signup button and start your registration. Fill in your valid name, phone number, and email address. Set your shipping address.
Choose the carrier service that will store your items until they receive special instructions on where to send them next.
2. Choose a Carrier
To ship eBay items internationally, look for carriers that provide shipping services on eBay. Choose a carrier service based on your findings. Don’t choose any carrier service without first engaging in extensive research.
Select a carrier that can ship from eBay to your desired location, paying attention to customer service, package integrity, shipping speed, and all other paraphernalia of e-commerce logistics.
Consider major delivery services such as USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL—and if your operations and resources permit, explore “new kids on the shipping block” such as ShipBob, ShipHero, Shippo and Easyship.
To pick your ideal carrier, think about the items you’re shipping as well as the carrier’s fees—including customs clearance costs.
Some international carriers cost more than others. Choose based on your budget. Check the carrier service features like tracking ID to know if you can work with the carrier service.
Some countries require you to pay import taxes on any goods shipped into their country. Find out the shipping policies before shipping internationally.
3. Choose an Insurance Company
To ship eBay items internationally, check if you are shipping valuable products internationally. Insure expensive products against theft, damage, or loss. Most carriers offer low-cost insurance options to protect your products while shipping them internationally.
If you have expensive items or a large number of smaller items, you may be able to save money; some carriers charge less fees when you have a bulk of items to ship internationally.
You could lose a lot if something happens to an expensive item during shipment without protection (insurance). Insuring items gives you the confidence that if anything happens, you will get a refund from your insurance company. The company would bear the loss.
4. Package Your Items
To help your package arrive at its destination intact, pack it securely. Many sellers use packing materials like bubble wrap, foam, newspapers and plastic peanuts. These items not only make your packages easier to transport, but they also protect your items from harm during transit.
If you’re shipping a delicate or fragile item, pack it properly so it won’t break or suffer damage if it inadvertently drops while in transit.
5. Choose the Proper Box Size
To ship eBay items internationally, choose the box size your item needs for shipping. Select the size box big enough to hold your item(s) and enough space to package material.
Keep an eye on how much you will spend on shipping the products. Some items on eBay are easy to ship, such as small and lightweight items.
The number of boxes you need for an international shipment depends on various factors: where you live, where your buyer lives, how many packages will be in each box, and how many shipments will occur over time.
Choose the boxes wisely to help your buyers package their items and deliver them in a perfect state.
6. Add Tracking Number/ID
Add a tracking number to your item to help you monitor the product during transit. With a tracking number, you know the product’s location and can anticipate the item’s arrival while tracking. Add a tracking ID to your packages before you ship eBay items internationally. There are different ways of doing so, including:
- U.S. Postal Service to track your product internationally.
- UPS to track your items internationally during shipment.
- FedEx to track your product when shipping them via its mobile app or website.
- DHL also tracks the information about your shipments via its mobile app or website.
Your choice of service determines how your item will arrive at its destination.
Use USPS First-Class Package International Service if you sell a product that weighs under 4 pounds that don’t require special handling.
Make sure you know the types of services the carriers offer and the information needed from you before sign-up. Find out through research, or you can contact their customer service representative for detailed information.
7. Get a Valid Shipment Label
Get a valid shipping label to ship your eBay items internationally. Choose among several different internationals when listing your items on eBay.
Use free shipping services or subscribe to a paid service. Check what service has to offer before you choose it. If a free service does not provide the service you need, get a service like USPS.COM.
8. Include an Invoice
To ship eBay items internationally, add an invoice with the packed products you ship to your buyer. Adding an invoice tells a buyer you operate a credible business, and the buyer may come back to buy from you.
You save your buyers enough stress in case of any inadvertent occurrence. Keep an invoice for yourself and add one to your buyers’ packages for reference purposes—the invoice provides documentation of your business financial records on eBay. You may need the invoice later on.
9. Inform Your Buyers When Their Items Will Arrive
Tell them when to expect their items. Treat your buyers well before and after getting their packages. Make sure they are satisfied with the products or services so you avoid negative feedback. Ensure the products arrive at the stipulated time.
Use shipping labels and send out tracking numbers to your customers. Provide your buyers with clear information about their orders. Make their experience worry-free by providing them with all necessary details upfront. Tell them if an item will arrive before or after a date.
Send an update to keep your customers posted. Your buyer may not feel frustrated for waiting if you keep them informed.
Conclusion
To ship eBay items internationally, sign up for an account to start shipping your items on eBay international. Choose a carrier that can help you ship your eBay item internationally. Insure all your valuable items with an insurance company along with a valid shipment label on the packaged product.
Choose the box size to use in packaging the item with an invoice in the packaged product for clarity. Keep in touch with your buyers until their items arrive at their destination.
