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Author
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Topic: Helping overseas cS bidders with shipping
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Gonzo
Member Posts: 596
From: Lansing, MI, USA
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 08-06-2013 04:18 PM
   
I've been a member of cS for about a year and a half now and have gotten much more from the site than I've given it. While I've always tried to do what I can to help others, I often feel that I have received more help than I've given. In that year and a half I've been fortunate enough to get to know a couple guys in Europe and the UK. They have asked me on several occasions, and I've always done what I could, to forward patches to them from US sellers that will not ship overseas. But to the point of this thread. From this experience, I've come to realize that there may be others on the site in the same situation. So, if there is interest, I've opened a new email account on Google just for this purpose. If you'd like to bid on something and the seller will not ship overseas, feel free to email me and let me know. I'll then do what I can to help you. There will (of course) be a couple small rules. And I'll explain those in time. The way I see this working is simple. You want to bid on something on eBay where the seller won't ship overseas. You email me with the lot number and the closing date and your address and any other pertinent info. If you win the auction, you can have it sent to me. I will then receive the package and email you with the shipping costs. You then send me the cost of the shipping and in about a week to 10 days (depending on the mail systems), you receive your package at its new home in your collection. I realize there's a zillion places this could go astray. And at this point I suppose it's more on the honor system than anything else. But as I said above, I've done this before for a couple great guys in Europe without any issues so far. I'm not doing this for profit. I'm simply offering this to other collectors. Again, at this point, I'm only asking if there is interest in this kind of thing. If you think could use it, email me at gonzos.travels@gmail.com to voice your interest and if it ends up being worthwhile, I'll post again here to "formally" let everyone know and a couple rules to make this work. |
tnperri
Member Posts: 452
From: Malvern, Ohio
Registered: Jun 2011
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posted 08-06-2013 05:46 PM
You do realize that you will have to bid for them and be responsible for the payment? This is because when a seller won't ship to a country, those in that country are blocked from bidding. |
fredtrav
Member Posts: 1673
From: Birmingham AL
Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 08-06-2013 06:51 PM
This is not necessarily true. I have been receiving items for friends in Europe and the UK who have been able to bid but have them sent to a US address. If an overseas bidder wants to bid on an item that has an international bar in place, contact the seller and explain the situation. Sometimes they will let you bid. I have bid for some overseas friends/acquaintances when the seller would not allow the overseas bidder to bid. I have never had a bad experience with any of them not paying. I am happy to help our overseas collectors like Gonzo does. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-06-2013 08:23 PM
Some of the international blocks are to comply with ITAR/legal restrictions on export. |
fredtrav
Member Posts: 1673
From: Birmingham AL
Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 08-06-2013 09:35 PM
That is true. I have never helped any one circumvent ITAR nor has anyone asked me to. Most of what I have helped with are patches and medals. |
mama04
Member Posts: 151
From: Haarlem, N-H, Netherlands
Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 08-07-2013 02:29 AM
As someone who lives across 'the pond' and who has asked Gonzo to help me out a few times I have to say that I really appreciate his and other cS members help in buying certain patches that the seller will not ship directly overseas. I have never asked anyone to bid on my behalf by the way and never will in the future, nor have I have tried to buy anything that US law forbids from sending outside the US. So Gonzo, I think a public 'Thank You' is certainly in order and I really, really appreciate the help offered. Of course I am more then willing to do the same the other way around if necessary. |
Kevin T. Randall
Member Posts: 1082
From: Chesham, Bucks UK
Registered: Dec 2008
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posted 08-07-2013 06:18 AM
I would also like to thank especially Fred and Jerry for helping me out on numerous occasions with bidding, buying and having my eBay won items send to their home addresses for re-direction to me here in the United Kingdom. Without their kind help in this matter, I would only be able to bid and win on less than half the lots I currently do.Many thanks gentlemen!  |
Tykeanaut
Member Posts: 2212
From: Worcestershire, England, UK.
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 08-07-2013 07:11 AM
That's very kind of you Gonzo and Fred has help me out too on one occasion which I appreciate. There are sometimes items I would like but the shipping rules prevent me from making a bid or buying.Just make sure you are not "out-of-pocket" for your generous efforts. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 08-07-2013 09:49 AM
quote:
Originally posted by fredtrav:
Most of what I have helped with are patches and medals.
And I can't thank you enough for those! |
Gonzo
Member Posts: 596
From: Lansing, MI, USA
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 08-07-2013 11:14 AM
First, I want to thank Maarten in particular, but everyone for their kind words. I'm glad he appreciates what I've done for him and will continue to do in the future, regardless of how this venture turns out. He is in fact one of the friends I was referring to when I started this thread and is part of the inspiration for the idea. So everyone can thank him (for one) for the idea.All the above are great posts and accurate for the most part. What I have learned from my experience doing this for my friends is this - - Most sellers do not want to ship overseas due to the hassles of it, not because of customs. Agreed, I would need to be careful about what I forwarded in order to prevent breaking any laws, but that would be set up front in the ground rules I mentioned.
- Most bidders, due to this, if you contact them first and tell them that you have a US address to ship to will allow you to bid. It's only to their benefit. However, you must contact them first or run the risk of your bids being blocked.
- While I have also bid a time or two, that would not be the norm. I've only done it for friends I know and can trust.
- While the cost of shipping twice can add up (I was recently given a very nice Apollo 12 presentation that now sits on my desk at work due to shipping costs getting higher than the value of the item - thanks again!), for some collectors, the added shipping is worth having the item.
- While there is also added risk in shipping twice, I've not lost a package (yet!) and those that have asked me to do this for them know (I believe) that they can also trust me to forward the item.
This is not for everyone. It takes extra shipping and a lot of patience. While I have always turned the items around as quickly as possible, shipping to me and then on to you takes a lot of time.So, there are two questions that come up. The first is, as I asked at the start, is there interest in this? Only the community can answer that question. Second, why would I do this? What is in it for me? Very simple. As I said, I've received much more from the forum than I feel I've given sometimes. This is my way of helping the community and paying everyone back for sharing their knowledge and experience so freely. As I said, I'm not doing this for profit. However, as a collector, there is one benefit for me. Think of all the great items that could pass through my hands at the expense of others! And for me, THAT is what collecting is all about. |
fredtrav
Member Posts: 1673
From: Birmingham AL
Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 08-07-2013 01:04 PM
Gonzo, I wholeheartedly concur with your reasons for doing this. Collecting is not all about making money. Chris helps out greatly with his announcements of upcoming books. Without those, my bookshelf would be poorer (and I might have more money). Others have helped with advice helping me decide whether an item is authentic. It is nice being able to give back to the community.In the many packages I have received and sent on, I have had only one postal mishap, one patch did not make to me. Fortunately it was not an expensive item, all the others have made both legs of the journey fine. One other point to note is that for buyers who buy multiple items, having it sent to the US address and then aggregated into one package can save money on overseas shipping. |
Besixdouze
Member Posts: 235
From: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 08-07-2013 03:09 PM
I can only re-emphasise what has already said - indeed I have a couple of patches now in transit which I wouldn't be anticipating without Gonzo's assistance. I only wish we could do more to reciprocate on this side of the pond. Nevertheless, my wholehearted thanks go out to Gonzo, Ben Guttery and others willing to take on these kindnesses. It is very much appreciated. |
Ross
Member Posts: 472
From: Australia
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 08-08-2013 09:06 AM
I would also like to thank Fred. He bought and shipped two wonderful patches to me that I would otherwise have been unable to obtain. The wait, which was not that long, was well worth it. |
vidoz
Member Posts: 82
From: Italy
Registered: Aug 2011
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posted 08-20-2013 01:35 PM
What a great idea! This would be very helpful.I have just emailed you to get information and rules on that. Thank you so much for being so helpful to us overseas cS'ers! |
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