Can Anybody Explain ......

[trammayo]

... why I sometimes cannot bid on an item? As I reside in Eire, I am sometimes excluding from bidding on an item because the seller has specified no deliveries to Ireland.

It is obviously a setting facility that some sellers are not aware of. If I was a successful bidder, the item would be delivered to UK Mainland address (as I have set in the "Postage" section when confirming postage costs).

Having contacted the seller (who replied "he was happy to send it Ireland if I paid the postage" - obviously missing the point that it would be delivered to a mainland UK address), he is unaware of these parameters that he has set.

If the listing said "will not post to Ireland" or "will only post to UK Mainland" I would accept that although I think it is discriminatory against those people residing in the British Isles.

 

[idlemarvel]

Whilst I sympathize, IIRC as a seller you are only given the choice of saying UK only, Europe only or Rest of World. Normally I say UK only as I can't be bothered to get involved with posting overseas which can involve additional negotiations over P&P and bureaucracy including customs. If you have a UK address can you create a new UK ebay userid which would avoid this problem if it happens often?

 

[trammayo]

Whilst I sympathize, IIRC as a seller you are only given the choice of saying UK only, Europe only or Rest of World. Normally I say UK only as I can't be bothered to get involved with posting overseas which can involve additional negotiations over P&P and bureaucracy including customs. If you have a UK address can you create a new UK ebay userid which would avoid this problem if it happens often?

Thanks for your reply Dave. It doesn't happen too often but, when it does, it can be annoying! I thought it might be the pedantic ebay settings - for the seller to change his settings to allow me to bid might bring him problems.

Obviously it is my IP address that triggers the ebay auto response. Most frustrating - the UK is my main source of G Scale stuff!

 

[PhilP]

You *could* use something called a 'proxy server', which masks your IP address..
Though whether evilBay would block this, I do not know??
This is also a slightly 'technical' thing to setup on your computer, so might not be an option for you.

Could you not get the UK Addressee to bid on your behalf? - Having been given a strict upper limit for the item?

 

[pugwash]

I think it is discriminatory against those people residing in the British Isles.

Same problem for me, either ebay UK or DE, however a quick message to the seller usually finds them to be okay with sending stuff (they simply left the defaults in place). Still a bit of a pain though, European free trade? My bottom.

 

[trammayo]

Same problem for me, either ebay UK or DE, however a quick message to the seller usually finds them to be okay with sending stuff (they simply left the defaults in place). Still a bit of a pain though, European free trade? My bottom.

I agree 100% with your final sentences. Trouble is the item I would like have is up for auction and, even though seller is willing to post over to here, I cannot bid!

 

[trammayo]

You *could* use something called a 'proxy server', which masks your IP address..
Though whether evilBay would block this, I do not know??
This is also a slightly 'technical' thing to setup on your computer, so might not be an option for you.

Could you not get the UK Addressee to bid on your behalf? - Having been given a strict upper limit for the item?

Hi Phil - yes you are right about a Proxy Server (and me being unable to address the technical side of things!!!).

The UK address (AddressPal) is purely to get my purchase to my local post office - an absolutely brilliant service arrangement between An Post and a UK air freight company.

As one son lives in the Scottish Highlands and the other in Northern Ireland, the prospect of them bidding for me will cause problems - the accommodation address is linked to me as is Paypal. I'll just resign myself to the fact that I'll have to sit this one out.

Thanks for your replies all.

 

[stockers]

Do you log in to Ebay.co.uk, or is there a Irish ebay.
The reason I say this is I use Ebay.de when buying in Germany. Still have to be careful about delivery though.

 

[trammayo]

Do you log in to Ebay.co.uk, or is there a Irish ebay.
The reason I say this is I use Ebay.de when buying in Germany. Still have to be careful about delivery though.

Hi Alan - yes I log into the UK version. If I get any messages they are sent to ebay.ie with £s converted to yoyo's - I usually then go to ebay.UK. The Irish version of ebay is usually populated with UK sellers pushing their wares! As most of our pensions are in Sterling (apart from UK state pensiom paid direct in euros), I find it economically viable to deal in Sterling rather than pay bank charges. Anything from de is paid in euros so no charges.

 

[GAP]

When I want to search the world I just use www.ebay.com

This is what I get when searching G scale locomotive.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro..._dcat=122576&Brand=LGB&_trksid=p2045573.m1684
Prices in US$

If I use www.ebay.com.au I get
http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_...le+loco.TRS0&_nkw=g+scale+locomotive&_sacat=0
Prices in Aust$

Vastly different results, maybe doing the worldwide search might make a difference, my suggestion only and is not backed up by any scientific evidence.

Being in the far flung reaches of the planet I do not encounter many difficulties with postage except the cost.

If I see only posts to US, UK or Europe, I just don't go any further which is the sellers loss, in the past I have been interested in buying pieces but as soon as I see only posts to country "XYZ" then its "Sorry son its No Sale!!!." and I took my money elsewhere.

 

[trammayo]

When I want to search the world I just use www.ebay.com

This is what I get when searching G scale locomotive.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=g scale locomotive&_dcat=122576&Brand=LGB&_trksid=p2045573.m1684
Prices in US$

If I use www.ebay.com.au I get
http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_...le+loco.TRS0&_nkw=g+scale+locomotive&_sacat=0
Prices in Aust$

Vastly different results, maybe doing the worldwide search might make a difference, my suggestion only and is not backed up by any scientific evidence.

Being in the far flung reaches of the planet I do not encounter many difficulties with postage except the cost.

If I see only posts to US, UK or Europe, I just don't go any further which is the sellers loss, in the past I have been interested in buying pieces but as soon as I see only posts to country "XYZ" then its "Sorry son its No Sale!!!." and I took my money elsewhere.

Normally, I don't encounter any problems - even when the seller Posts Only to the UK. I still think this particular posting has some parameters that other sellers don't use but I don't sell on ebay - hence my question. And postage can be a lot dearer than the cost of the item (as you well know in the Antipodes).

 

[beavercreek]

Do you use a bidding sniper prog Mick?
I am not sure if that might allow an Irish bidder to be accepted?

When I list an item, that could go overseas, I always just put a flat rate for shipping but then put a message to bidders saying that they must contact me before bidding to obtain a correct shipping quote for where the package is going abroad (or the Highlands and Ireland).
The other thing is payment.... Paypal will only cover the seller if the package is going to the address of the bidder. It can get a little chancey if the buyer asks to ship to a UK address which is different to the buyer's real domicile.

 

[trammayo]

Do you use a bidding sniper prog Mick?
I am not sure if that might allow an Irish bidder to be accepted?

When I list an item, that could go overseas, I always just put a flat rate for shipping but then put a message to bidders saying that they must contact me before bidding to obtain a correct shipping quote for where the package is going abroad (or the Highlands and Ireland).
The other thing is payment.... Paypal will only cover the seller if the package is going to the address of the bidder. It can get a little chancey if the buyer asks to ship to a UK address which is different to the buyer's real domicile.

Hi Mike

No I don;t use any bidding tools. The seller emailed that he had altered his listings to International - save one which had already received a bid. Tried to bid and same message comes up. I have three addresses on PayPal (as well as the ability to pay in Sterling or Euro) - home, my son's, and the accommodation address.

If I wished to purchase something like a present (to be delivered direct to an intended recipient) I would alter the delivery address. PayPal would indicate if this was a confirmed address.