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Just curious, for those who frequent or sell on etsy..... I've considered selling my cards, but because of my location, I'm not sure if people would be willing to pay - and wait for - international postage. Cards I generally sell at $3.50, and postage can run up to $3.00 for one card in a well-padded packet. I'd be willing to refund if it ends up not being so much, though...
Those who sell cards, do you have many international customers? Those who buy, would you pay the postage and mind waiting 3 weeks for a packet to arrive from overseas?
I sell to quite a few intrntl folks but what I see is multiple card/item orders more than single cards. I sell a lot of tags and hand made scrapbook embellishments which they will come in and buy several sets and then ask for a lump postage price. I am more than happy to list a lump order as a custom order and lower the postage from what it would have been on a multi item order placed in a cart at the same time.
OK, thanks - that's something to consider. I almost can't stand to mass-produce or to recreate the same card twice! But smaller stuff like tags and that would be an idea. Your little lunch box notes are super cute!
I am glad you like my lunch notes! By multiple cards, I meant that the intntl customers don't typically bother with buying just 1 card but will buy lots of different cards at one time. If you don't like making multiples of 1 design, you still don't have to in order to cater to other countries. As for tags and such, that stuff is much more expensive outside of the US so I find that I sell piles of journaling tags, prestamped panels, premade scrap embellies, etc to the international market b/c even paying higher shipping still gets them a deal. I also do well with my destash and supply listings for the intntl set for the same reason. Contact me anytime, either here or on Etsy for questions. I have been doing it a while and am glad to help you.
I've had quite a few international customers at my Etsy shop as well, mostly for soldered jewelry which is relatively inexpensive to ship but I have sent larger collage pieces and even a teddy bear over seas.
It's not at all hard to ship internationally, just a simple form to fill out, you do have to wait in line at the PO though (can't use the machine). There are ALOT of international buyers on Etsy, you're really doing yourself a disservice by not offering to sell to them, they've got money too and in alot of cases better economies then here in the states, thus more expendable income And they all know it's going to be a bit more money to ship but it's never been a problem for me and in most cases it's not really that much more.
Be sure to make sure though you let international customers know they are responsible for any duties or fees on their end, if they live in a country where that applies they know but be sure to cover yourself, don't let someone sent your items back or ask you to pay for it, they know they need to.
Hope that helps.
And if I'm shopping with a US seller, I expect to pay more and wait longer than I would for anything I buy in the UK. Although sometimes, my packages from the US have been known to arrive before my UK ones thanks to our postal system
I don't mind the wait or the extra shipping costs. I expect that. And I don't particularly wait to bulk buy or anything like that to try to save on shipping although I do know people who do.
But I do agree with what Heather says about losing customers if you don't ship internationally. I have been disappointed a few times when I haven't been able to buy shop because a seller doesn't ship to the UK. I would gladly have paid and waited for my package!
I had someone from Australia buy some cards of mine. I made a 5 card minimum purchase for an international sale -to make it worth it for my time at the PO filling out customs, etc.
I say in my Shop Policies that they can contact me with what cards they want and I will do a custom listing for them reflecting International shipping charges. She didnt' have any problem with that. So far, only 1 international customer!
Thanks everyone... since I'm in Indonesia I'm expecting that ALL my customers will be international ones! I appreciate your suggestions - keep 'em coming!
Also Etsy makes it really easy to have different shipping prices to different countries and you can be very specific about what countries you will or will not ship too if you choose to. Plus they also make it easy to combine shipping on multiple purchases (Ebay could learn a thing or two from them about that). So the customer will know right away if you'll ship to them and how much it will cost. You always want to make it super easy on a customer, if it's a chore they might pass you by for the next shop.
Etsy - international buyers?
and in alot of cases better economies then here in the states, thus more expendable income 
