Cross Border Trade on eBay

Reach 138 million active buyers worldwide!

Ever thought about selling your products internationally? eBay offers you Cross Border Trader (or CBT) opportunities which enable you to penetrate key global markets such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Germany.

More markets, more opportunities, more profit.

In fact, 86% of sales made by Southeast Asian eBay sellers are from the US, UK and Australian sites. Then there’s the niche market opportunities from FRITES countries which comprise of France, Italy and Spain.

Hey, people all over the world love our trade. Little wonder that there are now 51 eBay millionaires (That’s USD millionaires) in Southeast Asia.

CBT Challenges and International Shipping

It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. Understand the business risks and challenges before you dive right in. Each country is different. Take the time to learn and understand the different systems, laws and practices.

Import & Custom Laws

As a seller, it is your responsibility to know and adhere to all import & custom laws. For example, all food imported into the USA must be FDA-approved. [Unless you have the proper approvals, maybe save yourself the headache and not sell food to the USA

Custom Duties and Tax

Familiarize yourself with each country’s Custom duties and taxes including VAT and GST. As a seller, you should always aim for smooth delivery to buyers. But if you are unwilling to cover the tax(es), make certain your buyers are aware they will be required to pay the import taxes to avoid any disputes.

Competition

There are over 1.1 billion active listings on eBay. How can you stand out and compete? Take it easy and start selling in one market. The USA is the easiest but also the most competitive. Niche markets such as FRITES have high import volume and less competition but there’s the language challenge. Start small and get a feel of the best markets for you.

Buyer Behavior

Buyers from western countries such as the US, UK, Australia and Germany are accustomed to good Customer Service, Free Shipping and 30-day free Returns. Are you prepared to compete against the domestic sellers and match their service offerings?

International Shipping - Things to consider

Distance

Due to the long distance of the shipments, time is now a concern. That is why there are various service types a seller or buyer can choose. Economy, Standard and Expedited. It is important for sellers to inform buyers on the shipping type so they know what to expect.

Item size limitations

As most of eBay’s transactions are shipped via airplane, shipping large items can be tricky due to the high cost. However, if the demand is there and with the right price, a buyer would not mind paying for the shipping fees.

Carrier limitations

Some logistics companies do not support shipping to some areas. You can consult your service provider for more on this.

Airplane rule

Shipments need to follow rules set by the airline. Usually, they can’t ship liquid and batteries if sellers don’t provide proper documentation.

Get started

Each country has different eBay site policies, rules and regulations. Do take the time to learn and comply. A good place to start is the eBay Seller Centre:

Next Steps

Setting up

How to use eBay

Shipping Guide

Returns Guide

CPaSS

SpeedPAK

Improve your Listings

Advancing your Listings

Manage your Listings

eBay Store

Promotion Manager

Promoted Listings

eBay Policies