Hey everyone. I’ve been selling on eBay for a little while now, but I’ve always only shipped within the country. I’m thinking of expanding and starting to do some cross- border trade. Can anyone give me some tips to get started and get used to international sales? Thx.

Cross-border trade can be used to describe either a sale or a purchase from a different country or region. CBT can be tricky and many people do run into speed bumps.

Here are some ways to help keep things moving smoothly when selling internationally:

- Keep track of differences in currency. You don’t want to rip off your customers, and you don’t want to be jipped either.
- Keep in mind that some items such as very heavy or extremely fragile may not be the best items to sell internationally.
- Be aware of units of measurement, inches and pounds are not used in European countries. Try to include centimeters, kilograms etc.
- Post plenty of pictures, it’s easier for potential customers to see what they might be purchasing than reading through the text, especially if they are not completely familiar with the language.
- Post disclaimers and warnings, disagreements with international sales are harder to settle than domestic.
- Do your research. If an item is particularly popular in a specific country, cater to them. Find out where your business would be best marketed.
- If you plan on selling many items, consider an auction manager.
- Check the laws, make sure you are only listing items that can be legally exported

Is there anything I should be worried about as far as payment transactions?

I would recommend you use PayPal. PayPal lets you decide which currencies you accept. PayPal currently uses US Dollars, Canadian Collars, Euros, Pounds Sterling, Yen, and Australian Dollars.

Any other ways of payment takes much longer and are less reliable. Some people do use international money orders, but you have to provide bank account info and it takes 10 or more days.

When buying and selling internationally beware of the taxes and fees that might be applied during the customs processes. Some items may be heavily taxed. Tell your buyers to check into the taxes or duties that might be charged when they get their item.

Thanks guys, cross-border trading doesn’t seem so scary after all. I’ll be sure to give it a try.

You might want to try posting your items on one of eBay’s 33 international sites. Many people only open their auctions to international buyers. If you post it on international eBay’s you might get more foreign buyers. But you might need to post in a language other than your own!

Also, remember different spellings of English words. Foreign buyers might search for the word ‘colourful’ but your listing might not show up because you have only written ‘colorful’ as a key word.

The more open and willing to communicate you are, the greater your chances are of getting international buyers.