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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.

Sending items to overseas buyers is quick and easy when you buy international postage labels on eBay.

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

Postal services from Australia to some countries are currently limited or suspended. This means that buyers in these locations won't be able to purchase your items, even if you offer Worldwide postage on your listing. For more information, please see Australia Post's updates on international delivery times - opens in new window or tab.

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

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. Go to the Postage section.
  2. Make sure you've selected Standard postage and entered a Package weight and Package dimensions.
  3. Open the See postage options menu on the right and select the International postage toggle.
  4. Once you've enabled International postage, select the Add postage services toggle.
  5. Open the Cost type dropdown under International postage and select either
    • Flat rate: Same cost regardless of buyer location
    • Calculated: Cost varies based on buyer location

If you choose Flat rate:

  1. If a service isn't already a pre-selected, select Add services. To change or remove the service, select the three dot menu.
  2. Select which destinations you'll post to.
  3. Enter your postage costs under Buyer pays.

If you choose Calculated:

  1. If a service isn't already pre-selected, select Add services. To change or remove the service, select the three dot menu.
    • We'll suggest a recommended service with the best rate using eBay postage labels, or you can choose your preferred service(s)
  2. Select which destinations you'll post to.
  3. If you want to cover the costs of postage, select Offer free postage under Primary service.

You can also set up and manage your postage options using business policies. 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.

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 listing policies for each location.

Customs

Customs is a government agency responsible for regulating shipments entering a country. All parcels being sent to and from a country must clear customs first, so you'll need to fill out a customs form stating the contents and their value. An export declaration may also be required.

You can get customs forms from your post office or carrier company, or it will be pre-filled if you're buying your postage label on eBay.

Filling in a customs form

On the form, you'll need to enter:

  • The recipient's details, including full name, address and one contact method (email address or phone number)
  • Sender details, including your full name, address and one contact method (email address or phone number)
  • Declaration of the parcel contents, including item weight, value and a detailed description of the goods

Things to note when completing the customs form:

  • Country of origin: Specify where the goods were produced, manufactured or assembled. Providing accurate information in this field is particularly important when sending items to the US
  • Description of goods: You need to declare what each item is and what it's made from – for example, "men's cotton shirts". General descriptions such as "samples" or "food products" are not permitted
  • HS tariff code: This is an internationally recognised code that classifies international shipments. You'll need to ensure that you're providing the correct HS tariff number - opens in new window or tab for your destination country

For parcels with a total value of AU $2,000 or more, you'll also need to supply an Export Declaration Number (EDN). Any goods that require a permit for export must be reported on an export declaration, regardless of value.

For more information about customs and export, please visit the following websites:

Who pays for customs

Generally, buyers pay any additional costs associated with international purchases, such as duties, taxes and customs clearance fees. To avoid any misunderstandings with your buyers, it's a good idea to state this clearly on your listings.

For example:

"International buyers – please note: Import duties, taxes and charges aren't included in the item price or postage cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying."

Please remember:

Tariffs and customs policy

We're closely monitoring changes to US tariffs and Customs policy and how they affect our buyers and sellers. See Tariff updates on international selling to the US - opens in new window or tab for more information.

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

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