Winning strategies in 2020 for selling in eBay Internationally.

Why sell on eBay internationally? 

eBay is seeing a huge rise in the number of customers using the marketplace. In 2019’s third quarter, eBay usership increased by three per cent. There are estimated to be 183 million people now using the site to purchase goods. 

So why sell on a global level, rather than just domestically? 

eBay estimates that by selling your products internationally you could be reaching over 180 million shoppers and be reaching twenty times more eBay buyers. 

These markets could be hugely influential in the growth of your business. Comparatively, only five percent of registered Australian businesses have sold their products internationally. 

Additionally, having access to international markets also enables sellers to diversify the risk of selling on these marketplaces. 

Selling internationally decreases your concentrated risk and dependency on local markets. Exposure to different markets means exposure to different growth rates. Selling your products internationally can result in a balanced portfolio of overall growth.

Furthermore, you’ll be able to use currency exchange rates to your advantage. For example, at times when the dollar is weaker, you’ll be able to make your products look more attractive when selling to markets with a stronger currency. 

While the prospect of selling internationally can be seen as rather daunting, there’s no better time to start than right now. With the seller tool, Marketplace Manager now supporting all eBay stores globally, taking that next step to being an eBay international seller has never been so easy. 

So, if you want to learn how to sell on eBay and take your business global, you’re in the right place! 

The three ways to sell internationally 

There are three ways to sell on eBay internationally. We have summarised them for you below:

‘Basic international selling’

Basic international selling is great for dipping your toe in the water when it comes to selling internationally. You’ll be able to get a feel for eBay international markets; what works and what doesn’t. 

However, basic international selling may not create those huge spikes in global sales that you might be expecting. 

But first, a bit about how it works. 

Simply, basic international selling enables you to sell your products on eBay normally, with the added extra of offering international shipping and delivery options for foreign shoppers. The given product will be displayed on the domestic marketplaces and will be displayed across multiple international sites in English.        

However, it will be clear that the product is from an international seller. This is something domestic shoppers may be keen to avoid. Buyers can also filter our international items in their product searches. This could impact your visibility quite greatly, leading to a negative impact on global sales.

Furthermore, basic international selling can affect the price of your products. The price will be converted to the local currency, based on daily currency exchange rates. This means that your eBay international prices can differ day-to-day, meaning that your converted global prices could vary. 

It is important to note that you still have to pay eBay’s normal listing fees, otherwise known as eBay insertion fees. 

Advanced international selling 

With advanced international selling, you can sell directly on all of eBay’s twenty three sites globally. Sellers can work on creating individual listings for each of the sites that you choose to sell on. 

With advanced international selling, you can work individually on each listing created. This allows the alteration of product descriptions, allowing for listings in local languages and likely increasing the number of international sales. 

Unlike with basic international selling, advanced international sellers can individually tailor  prices to each market. This allows for consistent prices and also means sellers can maintain competitive rates across a number of different countries. 

There is also no need to worry about visibility, as product listings will also appear in the default search results for each particular country’s site. You’ll also be able to pay the selling fees for the country that the item is bought in, rather than paying the selling fees set by your domestic eBay site.  

As an added bonus, if you have a featured or anchor shop subscription you could see a discount in insertion fees for the equivalent subscription in the foreign country. As a result, in many cases you could end up paying zero insertion fees. 

You also won’t have to worry about having to build up your selling credibility again. Global buyers will be able to see your previous feedback scores and see that you are an experienced seller.  

Selling internationally, doesn’t require a new user ID. Therefore, global buyers can see your established feedback scores and know you are an experienced seller. You’ll be able to avoid selling limits, unlike new local sellers. 

However, be sure to check on your payment methods, as for some international sites PayPal is a requirement as a method of payment. PayPal accepts payments from 190 countries in 25 different currencies. 

eBay Global Shipping Programme 

eBay sellers are also able to take advantage of eBay’s Global Shipping Programme. 

To participate in this process is fairly straightforward. All you have to do is select Global Shipping Programme when listing your products on eBay. 

As a seller all you have to worry about is shipping you products to a shipping centre, based in your country. eBay takes care of the rest. 

Using the programme allows for sellers to reach a global audience without having to worry about the details. The only incurred cost is that of posting the items to a shipping centre. 

With the Global Shipping Programme, eBay calculates the costs involved with international deliveries, taxes and customs. 

When bought by an international customer, the customer’s address will be shared with the shipping centre. You, the seller, will be provided a unique reference code, which you’ll have to include on your respective shipping label. 

You’ll send the item to a shipping centre in you own country. Here, eBay will take care of the delivery and customs process from this point. 

You can find the list of countries that the programme can ship to here. 

It’s an easy process to understand, but is not without its own restrictions. Be wary that items cannot weigh over 30kg, nor can they be larger than 125,000cm3 or longer than 20cm. Items must also have a net value of lower than 2,000GBP. 

There are also certain categories in which eBay Global Shipping Programme does not support. This is clear when listing your items. eBay will tell you here that Global Shipping Programme is not an option.

Requirements for selling internationally 

Before thinking about the more detailed restrictions and requirements of selling internationally on eBay, there are a few basic things to consider. 

Not just anyone can sell on eBay internationally, you need to already have a developed eBay account which is in good standing. This means that you need at least ten feedback points as a seller. 

Make sure your first successful sale was more than ninety days ago and that you’ve met the selling requirements of the sites where you want your listings to appear. 

You’ll also need to accept eBay’s International Selling Agreement. 

Once you’ve got all these foundation points covered and in order, you can start thinking about the more complex requirements of selling online. 

eBay’s international selling policy 

To start selling in multiple countries through eBay, it is important to adhere to the requirements outlined in eBay’s international selling policy. 

eBay’s international selling policy exists for the purpose of protecting the buyer. The policy applies in two circumstances. 

The first is when an item is listed on an eBay site which uses an alternative buyer protection policy to eBay.com. The second time it is used is when international shipping is offered on an item. This may mean that a buyer is purchasing on an international site with a buyer protection policy. 

If a dispute over a certain transaction occurs eBay will monitor the situation. If eBay decides that the case is in favour of the buyer, then according to the international selling policy, eBay (or an eBay affiliate) is able to reimburse the cost from your PayPal account back to the buyer. 

If it’s the case that your account does not contain the necessary funds, eBay can reimburse the customer on behalf of your business. However, it is still true that it is your responsibility to pay the marketplace back either through a reimbursement charge or via an automatic payment method at a later date. 

The option exists to opt out from consenting to eBay removing these funds from your PayPal account in future. The process for doing this is to send an email detailing your reason for withdrawal to the following address: PayPalReimbursementOpt-Out@eBay.com  

This is not a decision to be taken lightly however. 

Removing yourself from this process could prevent you from listing your products on eBay sites with buyer protection policies. It could also prevent you from being able to offer international shipping on your listings. 

The following eBay sites contain an active eBay buyer protection policy: 

eBay’s money-back guarantee policies: 

• United Kingdom (eBay.co.uk) 
• United States (eBay.com) 
• Australia (eBay.com.au) 
• Canada (eBay.ca) 

eBay buyer protection policies: 

• Germany (eBay.de) 

eBay customer guarantee policy: 

• France (eBay.fr) 
• Italy (eBay.it) 
• Spain (eBay.es) 

eBay’s International payment requirements 

Selling on eBay globally means that it’s imperative to accept PayPal as a method of payment. 

Additionally, the majority of countries expect you to be PayPal verified. In the USA this is otherwise known as ID verification, and in Germany and Switzerland it’s known as PostIdent. 

The exception to this is if you are only selling internationally across a small number of markets. This is dependent on the countries you choose to sell in. 

Furthermore, be aware that as a seller you may need to comply with and sign an International Selling Agreement. This is to acknowledge that the items sold internationally, are still subject to the aforementioned policies.

Compliance with international selling laws 

When selling globally, not only do you have to adhere to eBay’s internal policies, but you will also have to comply with the laws of the country that you are based in and selling to. 

These laws differ from country to country, so it’s your responsibility to stay informed.

The marketplace doesn’t permit the sale of banned items to or from some countries, organisations, businesses or individuals. If you sell internationally on eBay, then there may be restrictions on where and what you can sell.

As a seller be aware of these restrictions as it may prevent you from selling certain products in some countries. As eBay does not permit the sale of banned items to or from certain countries, organisations, businesses or individuals, you may run into certain barriers here.

Compliance with international tax laws 

When exporting and importing items it is important to follow international tax laws. Like international selling laws. These too differ from country to country. It is the responsibility of the seller to look into this. 

Other things to consider… 

With selling internationally there are a few things to always keep on top of and remember. We’ve compiled a short list of these here: 

DUTIES AND TAXES: Remember! Each different country will have different duties and taxes. These could affect the final prices of your listings. Therefore, you may want to think about including a clear statement within your listing. 

This is to remind eBay international buyers about these custom charges. You may also want to discuss your tax obligations with a professional, to ensure you aren’t messing up here. 

EXCLUDING COUNTRIES: If there are certain countries you would like to avoid selling to, this is definitely do-able. You can set up your own business policies on postage and within this exclude locations. You’ll be able to apply these to all current and future listings. 

You can also adjust the locations you don’t wish to post to in My eBay. Furthermore, you can select buyer requirements here and block buyers with an address in a country you don’t wish to post to.

GLOBAL SELLER PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND OFFERED PROTECTION: Seller performance is measured across four different regions: 

 - UK and Ireland

 - United States 

 - Austria, Germany and Switzerland 

 - Global (this includes Australia) 

When selling internationally, you can become an eBay Top Rated Seller in each region. This is based off of your transactions with buyers in these countries. 

As an international seller, you’ll also qualify for extra protections when selling to emerging markets. This includes removing negative/ neutral feedback as a result of delivery delays. However the item has to have been dispatched on time, and the issue made right with the buyer. 

Cross border challenges 

HOW TO SELL ON EBAY UK: 

Customer service 

Customer service is key to success selling globally. Therefore, you’ll need to learn how best to offer support for overseas customers. You’ll need to respond to customer queries quickly and efficiently. 

• TIME ZONES: Tracking international deliveries and being prepared with good escalation procedures, should something go wrong, are critical in the development of good customer service internationally. 

This often means managing different time zones. Using a time zone calculator could be the best way of doing this, in order to expand into emerging markets. 

• LANGUAGE BARRIERS: You’ll also need to be prepared for language barriers when selling internationally. This means not only using a translator site when necessary, but also ensuring that these translations are accurate. WebInterpret or Google Translate are two sites that are usually recommended. 

If you’re not familiar with the local language of the countries you want to sell in, then look at translation software or using native translation. Keep reading to find out more about how to translate your listings.

As an online seller on marketplaces, keep in mind that it is your responsibility to ensure that your international product listings and information are factually accurate. Therefore, if you do use a translation service, make sure your translations are correct.

Item specifics and descriptions 

Remember that item specifics and descriptions may mean something different in certain countries. Be prepared for variations with sizing specifications, such as European measurements and US measurements. 

Names may also differ. For example, in Australia what is described as a water jug, may be described as a water pitcher in the USA. 

There may also exist product differences, which make certain products redundant in certain countries. For example, a two pin versus a three pin power adapter. 

Best ways to boost your global success 

Now that we’ve explained how to start selling on eBay internationally, here’s our guide on how to start doing this well. 

Is this the right time to take things international? 

Ensuring that your products are attractive to consumers and will sell well takes time. If they aren’t at this stage, it will be difficult for your products to takeoff internationally, generating the kinds of profits you’ll want to see. 

The transition from domestic market to international needs to be taken step by step. The first step is to assess whether or not each product you are looking to sell is suitable to be sold in a specific country. It’s the responsibility of the seller to research the existing laws. 

The next step is to think about the practicalities of shipping and delivery. Is your business ready to accommodate for international deliveries? 

Finally, you want to ask yourself if you can offer the necessary customer assistance in the relevant language. 

These are all things to think about before you make the decision to go global. There are things we recommend you consider, and then there are also those you have to legally consider when shipping globally. 

Invest in the right seller tools when looking to grow internationally 

Running a successful eBay business, that is operating in multiple countries and is turning over a sizeable profit is no easy feat. It can be a difficult thing to manage and operate. 

This is why investing in the right tool can go a long way in making the process manageable and efficient. 

One seller tool we can recommend is Marketplace Manager. Marketplace Manager allows sellers to connect their global stores through eBay credentials. Within minutes, you will be able to review and compare performance through a series of dashboards that cover categories, sellers and top sellers.

With the tool also monitoring account performance, sellers will receive custom insights into performance. The tool provides a fully listed quality diagnostic across your eBay listings and provides opportunities to improve search ranking in real life. These are all crucial steps in boosting business performance on eBay. 

Selling internationally, your focus is really improving efficiency and boosting profitability. These tools are key in doing that. 

Translate your listings

Adapting your listing to the market you are targeting can get you very far. If you’ve expanded past basic international selling, you can translate your listing to the local language of the market your selling to. 

This is sure to widen potential customer reach. Your products will become visible to those searching in their home country, rather than strictly international customers searching for products in English only. 

Translations are easy to perform, either by using free translation tools or a third-party service provider. Native human translation will ensure higher levels of accuracy than an online translation tool. 

Avoid translations if you’re not ready 

While translating can be a positive step in selling internationally, it should be avoided if you don’t feel confident enough to translate product listings. 

However, this shouldn’t be a barrier to selling internationally. 

Rather, look to selling overseas to English-speaking international sites in Canada or the USA for example. 

Use international postage policies to attract customers 

Selling internationally already requires you to include your international postage rates on your listings. 

Including more detail about delivery services and costs involved could attract more consumer attention. With most online sellers expecting international buyers to cover shipping cost, displaying your postage fees for delivery fees is a good tip.  

You may also want to think about purchasing insurance for those items of higher value. 

While tracking parcels may not be cost effective for cheaper items, it can see an increase in international sales. You could also upload this information directly to eBay so that eBay can confirm when an item has been dispatched. 

Be wary of custom delays too. Ensure that your products include all the relevant customs documentation and appropriate forms. 

Slow and steady wins the race! 

Don’t rush the process of selling internationally! 

Perhaps try expanding into one specific international site first. This will give you insight into what sells well and what doesn’t. 

Work out which countries are best suited to your products. Working this out early is going to set you up for greater success in the long run. 

The process of going global can be overwhelming and time consuming, especially when translating your listings. Taking this step by step can free up the amount of time you spend translating and ensure the process is meticulous, accurate and hassle free. 

Make yourself seen: utilise eBay’s international site visibility upgrade 

With some international eBay sites, there is an option to purchase the marketplaces’ international site visibility upgrade. This will increase item visibility within search results. 

If eligible, the process of enacting this is fairly simple. All you have to do is add it your listing on the “review your listing” page before you submit your final item listing. There is a separate upgrade fee for each chosen country. 

We advise that you test how visible your listings are on international sites initially. Do this before you choose to invest in a site visibility upgrade. International sales can still be made without the upgrade. 

Building up trust to attract more buyers 

Having an international returns policy is critical in the development of customer trust in you business. Having a return policy that is consumer friendly can see a big boost in sales. Typically, eBay sellers consider a thirty day returns policy to be the retail standard. 

It is worth seeing how cost effective developing this returns policy may be. Increasing your returns policy does incur a cost, but it could be worth it. 

eBay prioritises their customers. Therefore, they reward international sellers with buyer-friendly policies. For example, eBay allows sellers that have a free returns policy, to offer a less than full refund, up to fifty per cent deduction, if the item is damaged upon return. 

Buyer-friendly returns policies could reward you with increased visibility. These policies also seek to inspire confidence in buyers who may be more willing to purchase your listings. 

Reach for global top seller status 

Seller performance, excellent service and positive transactions internationally can hold massive rewards for you. 

Being a top rated seller is not only a prestigious position to be in, but it also sees exclusive benefits and rewards for sellers. You could see higher ranking in search results or greater eligibility for discounts. 

Establishing top-rated seller status could see the addition of an eBay Premium Service badge. 

This offers several benefits such as maximum search visibility, ten percent discount on final value fees on eBay.co.uk or eBay.ie, eBay Top-rated seller displayed on your feedback profile and the option to add the eBay Premium Service badge on the listing so long as you include a 30 days return option, or a one day/ same day dispatch, an express delivery option and a free domestic delivery option. 

Sustaining excellent customer service for a period of time is the only prerequisite for earning top rated seller status. There’s no need for extra fees or costs. 

However, prepared for altered expectations in the minimum required standard for all eBay sellers. Typically, eBay sellers are allowed a 2% limit on orders with defect. This falls to 0.5% with top rated sellers. 

The pitfalls to avoid

Now that we’ve provided you with the top tips when selling internationally, we also want to make you aware of the two dangerous steps to avoid when selling on eBay internationally. 

Not monitoring your eBay seller health across different marketplaces 

Seller health is something to be prioritised as an eBay seller. It is the foundation of eBay search engine optimization (SEO) and can secure participation in marketing events. 

You can’t afford to take your foot off the pedal with this, which is why we recommend you check and review your seller health daily. Using eBay seller hub can help in providing health reporting for you.  

Using a seller tool such as Marketplace Manager can massively help with this. Marketplace Manager seeks to provide a real-time view of your projected seller health so you can anticipate any issues here and consequently avoid a downturn in seller health. 

Not optimising and localising listings for different countries 

We’ve already touched on how translating listings can see a huge benefit in product visibility and sales. However there are other things to think about too. 

You want to optimise listings in order to maximise impressions, conversions and sales. We have a few ways you can do this, in addition to translations: 

1. Identify locally trending keywords: Varying spelling, measurements and local seasons can have a huge impact on the trending keywords country to country.

We recommend using keywordtool.io as a seller tool. This will enable you to expertly identify the local trending terms and use this to your advantage with product listings. 

• Review primary eBay categories: eBay categories are not the same from country to country and they can certainly vary. Ensure your product is listed in the most appropriate category 

• Complete eBay item specifics: As these vary country to country make sure to update these in order to reflect local eBay requirements. 

Conclusion 

Selling on eBay could be a huge turning point for your eBay business. With access to a wider network of customers and a greater number of markets you could really see a huge increase in profits. 

However, make sure that you’ve understood the foundational requirements of selling internationally on eBay and how to get started in the first place. A solid understanding of this will set you up for greater success. 

Once you’ve done this then prepare yourself for the possible challenges when entering the international markets and ensure you’re prepared to tackle these. 

Investing in a seller tool could make selling on eBay internationally all that much easier and more successful. 

Offering great excellent customer service, localising your listings and taking your time are key in your journey of becoming a successful international seller on the marketplace. Keep this in mind and you could see your business moving to the next level on eBay’s marketplace.