What the Canadian/Non-US buying and selling experience these days?18177
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 Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I have the BBC newscast on the TV most nights. Sometimes I will see the same broadcast 3-4 times before I make the effort to change the channel. It's a good reminder that there are other economies outside the US. I remember when I used to sell on Ebay, I could do a decent international business, particularly in times of favorable exchange rates. I stopped selling internationally several years ago because I just never got comfortable with the shipping. Just curious what the experience is outside the US currently for people buying and selling comics. Are exchange rates affecting your purchases? Are sales outside the US holding up? | ||
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 Collector
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Silversorrow private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Exchange rates have definitely curtailed my buying from the US. I'm looking for auctions within Canada more and more often, though sometimes even Canadians list their auctions in US currency which hurts still. Also trying to combine more purchases from single buyers, so if I find something I want from a buyer I search everything they have to see if there is anything else I want from them as well. Though now with Ebay also charging tax for Canadians I'm starting to drift more towards online Canadian comic stores since I'm not saving the tax on Ebay anyways. One place I use offers a hold box so everything I buy goes into it and they ship it when I ask (usually every 2-3 months) so I save a ton on shipping. They are now my first place I go to when looking for something followed by Ebay if they don't have it. I even consider them my LCS (Captcancomics.ca) even though they are 4 provinces away lol (sadly no comic stores in my area). |
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 Suck it up, buttercup!!
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KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Something happened just before the end times and now some sellers charge crazy rates to ship to Canada - so I've mostly stopped using their services. I used to cross to the US at lunch for gas or groceries and to pickup or ship comics - I haven't been over since late 2019 and the more news I watch the less likely I am to cross for any sort of trip - (groceries or holiday or concert etc. - sorry) It's funny - my father wasn't allowed into the US (they kindly asked him to leave and not come back in the late 60's - there's a whole story!!!) so I find it quite easy to just not bother - easier now that my head office isn't 2 hrs on the wrong side of the border. Always surprised by sellers that don't ship to Canada - as long as there is tracking everything should be good...we have disposable income too!! For sales I've started using MCS - to ship from Canada is too expensive on a per book basis but is ok when sending a group to be sold or direct from a grading house in the US to MCS Hard to say if sales are holding - the few LCS around me are well established and continue to keep on keepin' on Exchange never really plays into things for me - I'm old enough to have bought when we were in the $1 CAD only got you $0.65 USD to where $1 CAD bought $1.15 USD I say this but when we are closer to par or were worth more than the USD I certainly bough more - current rates aren't that bad though $1 CAD = $0.78 USD Right now I've dialed back purchases a bit - inflation isn't what has me on edge, sure gas costs 2x what it was but I drive half as much! It's the potential/pending recession that has me a bit on edge - I probably shouldn't be as we are in a really good spot to weather whatever happens - just my nature I guess i.e. almost always buy used (cars, clothes, bikes etc.) always bought no-name groceries or the ingredients so I could just make things (can make my own mayo for less than 1/2 of store prices) - I blame my parents for raising me that way |
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Suck it up, buttercup!!
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KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Silversorrow I almost never buy from ebay.... on-line stores are for me and usually once you hit a certain $$ in purchases you get either free shipping or tax covered etc. Doug Sulipa is in Canada -quoted prices are in USD but over I think $100?? they cover the tax. Chuck at Milehigh will give you free shipping to Canada over like $150?? and only like 5% tax (one CAN get books at or BELOW what ebayers are asking - just need to wait for the 60% off codes!!) No sales tax if you buy direct from MCS I'm sure there are more - WorldWideComics etc. Still a few deals out there When I do look at ebay I do tend to try to look at Canadian sellers too though....little cheaper shipping but also for other reasons |
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by KatKomics lol, I think your sub-conscious mind is arguing with your conscious mind. |
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by KatKomics Doug Sulipa's store is almost like a bucket list thing for me. I don't think there is any comic book store anywhere that I would rather visit. If I ever went out there it would be like Disneyland...I would take thousands of dollars (US) and get the 3-day all access pass. |
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 No rust here...
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Nearmint67 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I signed up for the Global shipping program a couple of years ago, and it works well. Cost for me as a seller is the same. It ships t Kentucky. The US ships to wherever and buyer pays all costs from there. |
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 Collector
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Cerebus3000 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by EbayMafia Sorry to crush a dream, but Doug Sulipa hasn't had a storefront in over 25 years. Comic World was my first LCS way back when I had to bus downtown to buy comics. I wish I had more disposable income back then. |
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Cerebus3000 Welp, check that one off the bucket list I guess. |
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 Collector
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calisto6 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I’m buying once in awhile still. The thing that honestly bugs me the most about buying in the US/EBay. Not really inflation cost increase, not the foreign exchange rate increase, but it’s the fricken eBay Global shipping Program. I think it’s a PITA. If I buy from a dealer/seller I like to combine items and shipping to make it worthwhile. But the GSP does not allow it with us. It won’t allow combined shipments to Outside US. It essentially charges the cost of shipping X the amount of items you buy. And increases the charges as well. For example: Ship 1 comic is $20 and $30 in import fees. Then you buy 5 comics it’s actually 5x$20 which is $100 for shipping alone plus whatever the import charges are now (depending on the items) So you can’t really combine shipping. Sometimes if I’m lucky enough. The seller will cancel the items and create a separate lot for me. Then it’s win win. Otherwise if they don’t do that I usually don’t buy from them. It wouldn’t make sense to… Any other Canadians agree? |
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 I'd like to say I still turned out alright, but that would be a lie.
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flanders private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by EbayMafia @ebaymafia Maybe you can still hang out with him in his house. That might be even cooler. |
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Suck it up, buttercup!!
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KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by calisto6 Same here...I always ask for a 'total' invoice...but I only.bid on sellers where they state in the description they will combine orders |
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No rust here...
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Nearmint67 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by calisto6 Next time you want to buy multiple books from a seller to save on shipping, contact the seller, negotiate the cost of the books you want, then ask the seller to put all of the books into one listing for you. That way you only pay one shipping charge. |
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Collector
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calisto6 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Nearmint67 That’s what I do. But you would be surprised how many sellers will refuse to do that. |
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Suck it up, buttercup!!
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KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by calisto6 Can't be bothered...can always get the books somewhere else |
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