Global Trade

Sellers wishing to list items internationally will be required to meet the following two criteria:

• Have a PayPal Verified account linked to your eBay account
• Offer PayPal or an approved merchant account as an accepted safe payment method for your items

Learn more about how to get PayPal Verified and linking your accounts.

Welcome to the World's Online Marketplace! With users in 150+ countries, eBay is a great way to access the world market of international buyers. Items sold internationally with PayPal receive an average of 16% higher prices.

The tastes of buyers around the world vary depending on local culture and item availability. In general, items which have a high dollar value relative to their weight are those most likely to be sold internationally. Items that fit these criteria include collectables (such as coins and stamps), jewellery, electronics (such as PDAs and MP3 players), auto parts and sporting goods.

You can do an advanced search of "completed listings" to get an idea of average selling prices on other eBay sites.The Singaporean government has a number of resources to promote international trade and to help businesses of all sizes familiarise themselves with export regulations and foreign markets. Information can be found at the Ministry of Trade & Industry and IE Singapore Web sites.

It's important to make sure that you do not export items to countries where they are prohibited. You can check to see if your item is legal for a specific country by using the SingPost Prohibited Items list .

Additionally, eBay has a list of prohibited items that cannot be traded on the site.

If you are targeting a specific audience, be aware of the language(s) spoken in that country or region. If there is a need to translate a description, go to the international boards where eBay users have volunteered to provide free translation services .You can also use free online translation tools such as Babelfish or Google.

The easiest way to attract buyers is to write in simple, clear language. In general, avoid using colloquialisms or abbreviations that may not be understood by an international audience.

You can help international buyers by writing a listing that gives a clear understanding of what will happen after they purchase your item:

• Delivery Time: Be sure to include an estimate of delivery time and specify if additional costs will be involved to expedite delivery.You may also want to tell potential buyers how to research customs fees before they place a bid.

Including postage rates to international destinations is a great way to encourage international bids on your item.

Important Note: To keep eBay a safe place for both buyers and sellers, sellers who register after January 17, 2007 and want to sell internationally on eBay sites (such as eBay.com or eBay.co.uk) are required to offer PayPal or an approved merchant account as an accepted safe payment method for their items.

Receiving payment quickly and securely is a key concern with all eBay sales. To facilitate international transactions, PayPal has been aggressively expanding its global reach and the currencies in which users can complete sales.

Use your current PayPal account to receive payments in: Singapore Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Euro, Pound Sterling, US Dollar, Yen,  Australian Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar, New Zealand Dollar, Swedish Krona, Swiss Franc, Danish Krone, Norwegian Krone, Czech Krone, Hungarian Forint, Chinese RMB* and Polish Zloty.

*Note: Chinese RMB is only available for transactions in China.

PayPal lets you choose what currencies to accept and how you would like to accept them. When a buyer sends a payment in a currency you hold, the funds will automatically appear in your account in the balance of the given currency. When a buyer sends a payment in a currency you do not hold, you will be asked to Accept or Deny the payment as shown below:

• Accept the payment and open a new currency balance
• Accept the payment and convert it to your primary currency
• Block the payment

You may also set up your Payment Receiving Preferences to indicate how you would like to handle incoming currency payments.

Fees apply only when you accept payments. No set-up or monthly fees, plus, upon withdrawal, funds are automatically converted to your primary currency at a competitive exchange rate.

To learn more about receiving money in Multiple Currencies, see the Multiple Currencies FAQs in our Help Centre.

The best way to reduce your fraud risk is to refuse invitations to transact "off-eBay", and use PayPal as your only payment method. Let common sense and instinct be your guide -- if it seems "too good to be true" it probably is. In general, here are some tips to remain safe while transacting internationally:

• Complete transactions with the winning bidder or fixed price buyer only after the completion of the eBay listing.
• Review the member's contact information to verify that the information corresponds with the postage address provided by the buyer.
• For high-priced items, you may also want to consider using Escrow.
• Make sure that payment has been received and confirmed before you post the item. If the buyer is using a credit card, contact the card issuer and verify that the name on the card matches both postage and contact information.

Visit the eBay Security Centre for more information.

While the majority of transactions happen without incident, if you do ever experience a problem with a PayPal transaction, the PayPal Resolution Centre is the place to go.

To ensure your package arrives undamaged at its international destination, extra care should be paid to how it is boxed and secured.

Duties and taxes may be charged on certain items and can vary by country. Customs forms help officials in different countries understand the contents of the package, and its value and purpose. These forms are attached to the outside of the package so that they can be easily examined by customs officials. You can get information on key Customs forms at Singapore Customs.

When you declare the value of the item on the customs form, use the listing closing price of the item, not including postage and handling costs. Don't declare what you originally paid for the item or what you believe it is worth. If you state an amount higher than the final closing price, the buyer may have to overpay duties and taxes in their country.

You should also include a printout of the closed listing in your package. This can be used as a record of how much the buyer paid if customs officials inspect the package.

As a general rule, you should not declare your items contents as a "gift". While buyer may ask seller to do so, it is against the law to misrepresent an item in order to avoid customs fees.

Here are some services that have worked best for eBay sellers who sell internationally:

IE Singapore is an excellent resource for information on International sales. According to their Web site, they provide "market information, and assist enterprises to develop their business capabilities and find overseas partners".