How can we compete with overseas suppliers posting on EBAY, prices cheaper than we can purchase for

[ando-treasures4u]

My question is how can ovewrseas companies list on Ebay cheaper than prices we can purchase for and also offer free shipping.

Seems like they are dumping lower prices than the going prices here in Australia. Any comments

[i-love-my-sheep]

You will probably find majority of those sellers are in China, where they are subsidised by the govt with postage. Their 'free' postage is usually sent by ship and can take 2 months to arrive. I am selling items that are available from China for much cheaper than my starting price, but still sell stuff. I put it down to the buyer not wanting to wait 2 months to get their item, when they can pay a bit extra and have it within a few days. It's also much easier for the buyer if they ever need to return something for whatever the reason, as they are only paying domestic postage to return, not international postage, which can work out quite expensive depending on the item.

[ando-treasures4u]

Can this information be made avaialble to the buyer when he places his bid. Then as you say the buyer can then make an informed decision if he is prepared to wait. Why can't Ebay put these restrictions on International Sellers. It is an Unfair market. I feel it is Dumping, would customs not be interested.

[extra-keen]

In one small sentence. We can't compete!

I don't try and compete - because it just isn't possible. I offer my products at very fair prices within Australia - I concentrate on providing good old fashioned customer service with communication at the top of my list. I offer 1-2 day turnaround with AP taking 1-7 days to deliver to most places in Australia. If something goes wrong with the transaction I am nearby, I can understand and I can usually fix the problem quickly.

As far as Postage costs go. It doesn't matter what the Chinese Government does - what we need here in Australia is for our government to stand up and be counted. At the moment Australia delivers overseas incoming mail for almost FREE. So guess who subsidises this - of course we the users of Australia Post's services. (And to add insult to injury Ebay (as everyone knows) charges us fees on that postage cost too.

[phorum_junkie*]

It is no different from 'regular' B&M shops up against the cheapie shops selling low quality items at very low prices. You don't compete, you offer better quality goods at realistic prices and target the more discerning customer.

To succeed selling anywhere you have tro be prepared to be adaptable, if you can't compete selling one type of item change to another.

[digital*ghost]

As the previous posters have highlighted, there are numerous ways to compete, even on the exact same product, as it's not all about price alone. 

As an Australian seller, you are able to provide certain things to domestic buyers that overseas sellers can not, which can encompass anything from payment methods to delivery-related services, and other things already mentioned. These are advantages that other sellers will try to distract buyers from by lowering their prices (and often compromising on service standards in order to do so) - they're trying to compete with you. Make it harder for them by being better, and playing on your strengths, not theirs. 😉 

[fire_bird894]

I make and sell jewellery mostly beaded type stuff with a pendant and some of the individual parts of the whole peice you could buy from china cheap but like others have said it's not only price. Anything I get from a shop or wholesaler I check before I use or sell it for problems, I finish my peices off properly and carefully I do not use cheap **bleep**py glue or fittings that are not closed properly. I make sure my jump rings are closed properly and can't fall off and I offer 1 buisness day postage and 7 day money back for any problems. chinese sellers in a factory cannot spend a whole hour carefully making and designing one of a kind items or sometimes 2 hours and still sell them at $1.50.

I am in Australia have good feedback and am avaliable to the buyer and I speak English. Plus to find the beads pendants etc I use in a peice I spend many many hours each week hunting for the right stuff. I like making things it's a hobby for me and I like to cover my material costs and make some profit. I don't sell heaps but what I do sell I think my prices are reasonable and noone seems to mind paying it who like my stuff. Just a tip if hundreds of pages of items come up for what you are looking for and you cannpt easily narrow it down and are looking for something that buyers may not even know is being sold at $1.50 in china go to the last page of results and work you're way back. You sometimes find a couple of cheap bulk deals or buy it nows and more interesting peices that are not as common. If you are looking for wholesale items also and don't see a bulk deal you want but like the item you can always contact the seller and ask them if they have enough to do a bulk deal some will. If I find a wholesaler that has always sent me good quality with fast shipping I continue to use them.

If you go to spotlight for example crfat store most of what they sell in the beads section is exactly the same as the ebayer chinese sellers and spotlight has them at a massive mark up and still sell out.

Some things I sell also at local markets or on facebook.

[fire_bird894]

Another thing is I think buyers are more likely to trust an Australian seller even on cheaper items some people are nervous buying from overseas at all and would prefer to pay more to get it here they worry about mail going missing, customs, getting ripped off not knowing which chinese sellers are honest or not, that they could send them stuff that is broken or faulty. I can still offer free or cheap postage on items I can pack to large letter size if it will be under $2 and my item is for sale at $14.00 or more I can just absorb that into my costs and still make a profit and it means I get higher in search results.