Make sure
the seller accepts PayPal from international bidders.
If they
don't list the cost of shipping to your country, ASK! You don't want
unexpected large shipping costs.
Remember
that if an item weighs more than 4 lbs when it's packed the shipping costs
goes UP dramatically.
Take into
account your shipping costs AND any custom fees you might have to pay
before you make your bid.
Make sure
the item you are bidding on is allowed to be shipped to your country.
Make sure
your shipping address is up to date and accurate in both eBay's files and
PayPal's. Having a package rejected and sent back is expensive for
both parties!
After
you bid:
You
might drop your seller a quick email reminding them that you are not in
the US. Sellers use different programs and they don't always notice
the out of country sales.
Make
sure you pay in the manner they described within the auction. Banks often
charge to cash out of country checks or money orders even though they are
in US dollars. Your best options are PayPal or an
international POSTAL money order.
If
there are unusual customs or rules about shipping to your country don't
assume the seller knows these. There are 130 countries in the world
and no one can memorize that many postal and import customs!
DON'T
ask your seller to mark your item as a gift. I know it's rotten that
you have to pay more fees but a seller can get into a lot of trouble if
they are caught doing this.
Communication
is what it's all about!
The
reality of shipping international:
Your
seller has no control over the rate of shipping. It's not uncommon
for valuable or heavy packages to get held up in customs for days.
Shipping
surface/economy will save you a lot of money but expect to wait weeks, if
not months before your package arrives depending on what country you are
in.
Special
forms are required for items over 4 lbs and this means your shipper will
have to make a special trip to the Post Office. This may cause a day
or two delay in getting it shipped depending on their circumstances.
Not
all sellers are comfortable nor all that knowledgeable about international
selling. If they make a mistake, don't get angry. Explain to
them what they need to do or if you know of a better way, tell them.
It's a learning process for all of us.
Odds
and Ends about int'l shipping:
Canadian
regulations are changing these days. Did you know that now the
country's name must be in capitals or it could be rejected at the
border? Some post offices are even requiring that the entire address
be in all CAPs. You must also include a return address on
anything that goes to Canada (letters included) or it will be rejected.
Boxes take
longer to arrive than padded envelopes. I don't know why, but this
is true.
) 
