3 min article

International postage for sellers

Selling internationally is a great way to grow your business, and it's easy to get started. Simply add international postage and your listings will become available to millions of eBay buyers worldwide.

If you're offering international postage but you'd prefer to exclude certain locations, see our article on setting buyer requirements

Tip
Before making your items available internationally, we recommend reading through our International trading policy.

Posting internationally through the Global Shipping Programme

Before adding international postage to your listings, consider using our Global Shipping Programme. The benefits include:

  • You only need to send your item to our UK shipping centre and we'll take care of the rest. We'll manage international shipping and customs, and add tracking information so you and your buyer know when the item will be delivered
  • If anything goes wrong during international shipping, your seller performance won’t be affected and you won't have to handle eBay Money Back Guarantee cases
  • Standard eBay fees (including the international fee for sellers) will apply to transactions under the Global Shipping Programme

Posting internationally through eBay Delivery powered by Packlink

eBay Delivery powered by Packlink is a platform that allows UK sellers to purchase and print delivery labels at competitive rates - opens in new window or tab. You have the option to pay for your labels as you go, or by invoice.

Once you've printed your labels, simply take your sold items to your nearest drop-off location or have them collected. eBay Delivery offers fully tracked services, protecting you if the item is not received, or damaged in transit. For detailed guidance on the benefits of eBay Delivery and how to use it, see our Buying and printing postage labels article.

How to add international postage to listings

To add international postage to your listing, select the countries you're open to posting to and enter your international postage service and costs. Here's how: 

  1. On the create a listing page, scroll down to the Postage section.
  2. Choose whether you want to edit an existing policy or create a new one. 
  3. In the International postage dropdown, select Flat: same cost to all buyers.  
  4. Then choose Post to locations (Worldwide or Choose custom location), Services, Cost and Additional delivery locations (optional) 
  5. If you want to exclude international buyers in certain locations from purchasing your item, select Create exclusion list.
  6. Select Save and close.

For more control over setting postage costs by region, you can use postage rate tables.

When you offer international postage, we may ask you to sign an International Selling Agreement. This is an acknowledgment that your items are subject to the policies of other eBay sites that they appear on, including the eBay Money Back Guarantee - opens in new window or tab.

Tip
Before we can process payouts for your international sales, you may need to provide additional verification information for the sites you're listed on. You should also comply with eBay listings policy for each location

Set your international postage policies

Go to Manage postage preferences - opens in new window or tab to set up a postage rate table where you can specify any of the following:

  • A flat postage rate for each country
  • A postage rate for each country based on weight, for example, £2.00 per Kg for postage to Italy
  • A surcharge on top of your standard worldwide postage cost for certain countries

To add a postage rate table to your listing, scroll down to International postage in the Delivery details section and tick the box beside Use my rate tables. 

You can also add postage rate tables to multiple active listings in My eBay > Selling - opens in new window or tab.

Choosing the right courier

Which international courier service is right for you will depend on what you’re selling, where your buyers are located and which services you require.

When choosing a courier, consider if the service include tracking or insurance, or if they arrange customs clearance.

Here is a selection of international courier services used by eBay members:

You may also want to consider a fulfillment partner if the price of your items doesn’t allow international postage, you’re posting to a location with infrastructure challenges or if you’re simply selling overseas a lot.

They take care of your warehousing and inventory management can be beneficial, or even necessary. 

Contact UK Trade Invest - opens in new window or tab or the British Chambers of Commerce - opens in new window or tab and its Local Chambers - opens in new window or tab for help finding a fulfillment partner.

Selling and posting goods from an EU-country to a non-EU country

Packages being sent from the EU to a non-EU country must clear customs, and you must complete the appropriate customs forms. Based on your customs documentation, local customs authorities verify that your item can be imported and define the amount of duties that are due. 

Your item could be held up in customs if the documentation you provide is incomplete or incorrect. You may need to pay additional costs if items don’t clear customs and have to be returned. Your courier must arrange for a customs broker in advance – most couriers provide this service automatically.

When you post goods from an EU to a non-EU country:

  • Customs duties and import taxes (e.g. import VAT) are applicable
  • Excise duties might be applicable for the import of certain goods
  • Some countries might also levy customs fees
  • Legally, the importer of record (i.e. the person in whose name the goods are imported) is responsible for taking care of any import and customs duties, fees, etc. Who the importer is depends on your offer. You should specify clearly in your listing whether you or your buyer is responsible for customs duties, taxes and procedures

Full details of British and European customs issues can be found on HM Customs and Excise website - opens in new window or tab.

Take a look at our International trading policy for more detailed information on posting items domestically and internationally.

When creating your listing, add international postage by selecting the countries you're open to posting to, and an international delivery service.

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