[Leica] Why I live at the Post Office, was Just curious

[Jim at hemenway.com (Jim Hemenway)]

I ship to any country where the buyer can find a way to pay me in a 
reasonable time without using PayPal. Take the time to read the PayPal 
agreement if you want to know why I refuse to use them.

Accordingly, I find that I mostly ship to Asia.  A Japanese buyer can 
send me a postal money order, and other buyers in that general corner of 
the world can send me a money order from a bank there, one with a US 
bank affiliation.

The Italian money order system is the worst because the money order 
isn't mailed by the buyer, instead the Italian post office takes over 
thirty days to get some sort of a form to a facility in Kansas City, 
which in turn issues and mails to me a US postal money order.

Folks in England can't seem to pay me at all except in US cash or by 
wire transfer.  A $25.00 fee is always extracted from the amount that I 
receive.

More... but I won't go on, and on, and on.... Oh, and the French! :-)

Canada is no problem, but you'd think that it was another country! ;-)

The other PITA is that because a fraction of an ounce in weight can make 
a big difference, I have to first package the item and bring it to a 
post office for a DEFINITE price, then email that info to the buyer and 
then go to the PO again to mail it.  The customs forms are nothing, I 
don't even blink my eyes.


Jim. "Posthumous apologies to Eudora Welty" Hemenway


Robert Beaudoin wrote:

> Bonjour,
> 
>   I just noticed that one of our lugger friend is selling a camera and 
> will only ship to the US.  I've also noticed that many people on eBay make 
> it clear that they do not ship outside of the USA.  Heck, some won't even 
> ship an item to Alaska!  Now just out of curiosity really, in this day and 
> age of globalization and international trade, why are so many americans 
> refusing to ship outside of the continental USA, and potentially lose 
> sales and money?
> 
>   Again, just curious and...puzzled.
> 
>   Best,
> 
>   Robert (Un chevalier sans blason)
>