Internet has shrinked the world into a very small place thus the world today is attributed as a Global Village. Many of us don’t appreciate the impact of this trend, infact we all just swim along the tide. But hey, why not try something different? The most successful entrepreneurs are the ones who would think out of the box.  Be it online or offline, entrepreneurs with a unique point of view will stand out. They always have been. Only a handful of ebay sellers are making use of the ability to sell worldwide. Should you be with the mass crowd undetected or should you be taking up an aggressive approach towards selling?

Let’s see how we can squeeze this concept of Global Village into our ebay business. Selling internationally on ebay can be interesting, at the same time it should never be taken for granted. But never ever let yourself put off by the words international or global. It just means that you are willing to seek potential customers from other countries. Simple as that.

• What exactly does it mean to sell internationaly on ebay?

There are three major geographical approches to sell a product on ebay.

1. Sell locally
2. Open for international buyers, but still list on local ebay site only.
3. Target international customers and list in country specific ebay sites as well.

I don’t have to explain the first option, I guess. When you list a product in ebay you may set different postage prices for different coubtries or you may select worldwide and set a flat rate for international buyers. However, chosing many countries or worldwide at the postage and shipping settings doesn’t mean you are listed in those country sites. It only means that you are willing to sell to anyone from those countries who bids on your item at your local ebay site. Option two sorted. If you really want to target customers in specific countries to sell your products to, you have to list your product at the targeted country specific ebay site. e.g. If you are based in USA and want to target Singapore you might want to list in ebay singapore. Important – You may need to create listings in the native language of your targeted audience. So if you are unable to do it yourself, think about hiring a freelancer for the task.

Important points to consider when listing internationaly.

• Customs and Taxes

Both you and the buyer must have a good idea of the customs excise duty, VAT and other taxes in the destination country. Remember to do a thorough analysis to see if it’s actually profitable to sell in that particular country. Clearly state your shipping, return policies and give the customer a clear picture as to who would pay the taxes if there is any.

• Payments and security issues

Extra care has to be taken to make sure that you don’t fall victim to many frauds going around online( Fraudulant Credit card payments, Cheque fraud etc.). Carefully chose your payment methods and make sure to mention that the item will be shipped only after you receive cleared funds. Clearly defining your policies regarding to payment, postage and returns, helps a lot; specially when you are selling internationally. Clear cut communication with buyers is of utmost importance.

• Country specific laws

Another essential point. Some products may be prohibited in some countries. You may find some countries do not allow import/export of some goods. These country specific laws are to be strictly adhered to. Because if you happend to breach any even without knowledge, you are at great risk and ignorance is just not worth it. So spend some time doing rearch.

Overall, international trade on ebay is not as straightforward as anyone would like it to be. But, selling internationally means that you are reaching out for ebayers accross the globe who are waiting to be sold something every milisecond(… may be nanosecond, who knows!). It realy does help to find niche markets according to different cultures, unique behaviours and domestic requirements. Research is the key for success in international trade in ebay.