International Customers

[Johanna]

I do some work for a company on Canada. I want paid is USD. What is the easiest way for them to do that? Is PayPal really the best solution? Can their bank write me a check in USD?

If I want to send an invoice to Canada, can I just put a first class stamp on it and hope for the best, or does it need special attention at the window?

I have a client in Spain that I would like to talk to on the telephone. My Verizon plan assures me there will no charge if I initiate the call on my cellphone. If I call, am I going to cost him money or minutes? He's the type that won't say, even when directly asked.

I have company in Australia that I would love to do business with. I can figure out the time thing just fine, but how does one call out of the USA on a landline? I dial "1" before the number to call Denise in Canada, but I know I need a country code or something like that to call Oz or Europe, or at least I think I do. I looked in my phone book (remember those?) for instructions, but apparently my local ISP assumes we will never call anyone further than Toledo.

TIA

Johanna

[cem]

Paypal is probably the easiest, I use it all the time for overseas purchases, if you do want a cheque though their bank should be able to write it in USD. I know in Australia we can but we get charged an extra fee to do it. I haven't had to use a bank cheque since Pay Pal came along.

To ring Australia 0011 61 then the state code then the 8 digit number (61 is the country code)

State codes

2 NSW, ACT

3 VIC, TAS

7 QLD

8 SA, NT, WA

Example: 0011 61 8 ---- ---- (only thing you need to check if it still is 0011 it's been awhile since anyone has called me from overseas).

Cheers,

Clair

[ferret]

paypal will pay in any currency you specify, I think there is a small charge for the service. Not sure but I think most banks and credit card companies do the same.

Got no idea about posting from the U.S. or international cellphone charges.

International dailing codes can be found here

[Lobo]

PayPal works quite well, as payment is made in the currency specified with all the conversion taken care of by PayPal. Foreign buyers may use major credit cards for PayPal payments, regardless of currency. One note on PayPal is regarding the seller protection and buyer protection plans; if the buyer reports an item not received the seller must provide proof of delivery (delivery confirmation, tracking number, etc). Not all countries' postal services can provide this. UPS and FedEx serve many countries, and can provide delivery confirmation on-line. If the seller is unable to show evidence of delivery PayPal will take back the funds from seller's PayPal account and reimburse the buyer.

There have been quite a few PayPal buyers in other countries that have learned how to manipulate the PayPal buyer protection plan. I know of sellers who simply refuse to ship to some countries (notably Italy and France) because of this.

Many banks will issue checks in US dollars for their customers. There are also a lot of check forgeries reported in international transactions. Check clearance can take quite a long time internationally, so delaying shipment pending check clearance may cause some friction with customers.

I have actually had customers in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, Italy, Japan, Korea, and China (mainland) send me US currency nicely folded up in an envelope. Cash is king, and it appears that US dollars are in wide circulation.

Note on insuring a parcel in international shipment; many countries simply do not have a system in place for insuring mailed parcels. Items sent via US Mail with insurance may lose that insurance coverage when passed over to the postal service of another country. FedEx and UPS are pretty good on their standard insurance coverage on international shipments.

Note on customs and duties; make sure to specify that customs and duties are the responsibility of the buyer. Otherwise, in some countries, parcels may be held (pretty much at ransom) until the SENDER pays customs fees and/or duties.

Lots of issues involved in international sales and deliveries. I might become concerned in the event of a high-dollar order, but since most of my sales are less than $100 I usually just verify the purchaser and means of payment, issue disclaimers regarding insurance and delivery by non-US services, and ship the item (should worse come to worst, I can duplicate a $100 order with about $10 in materials and a couple of hours of my time). One-of-a-kind items, and items requiring many hours of artistic endeavor to produce deserve more attention and protection.

Some US cell phone plans permit international calls without long-distance charges, others don't. Some foreign countries do charge customers for incoming calls, particularly those with government-owned telephone services.

Mail to Canada must have sufficient postage to cover both US and Canadian postal charges. I think it's about a dollar for a letter-sized envelope now, check with your post office or the USPS website.

Good luck.

[Denise]

You definitely need more postage than normal to go out of country. From Canada, we have three rates: in country, to the US and then every other international country. Your Canadian (I won't speak for anyone else) customers are allowed to write you a normal cheque but put "US dollars" on it - but their bank at least will charge an arm and a leg to do that. The best way we have found is to send money orders (the US equivalent is the cashier's cheque) in US funds. There is a fee for that and the banks can charge whatever they want as an exchange rate, but as far as we know it is the least expensive way. We can use our credit cards for purchasing in US dollars, but the companies not only use their own exchange rate (considerably higher than a bank) but also add an extra fee for it. I don't know about Paypal. (The "money lenders" still have you coming and going. If I put $100.00 US into our Canadian account, and then need a $100.00 US money order, I only have $95.00 US left. The difference in and out is almost 5%. On larger items, that sure adds up! And I am sure credit cards, etc. are higher rates than that.) Your best bet is to ask to be paid in US dollars and let them figure it out. US dollars are probably the easiest currency in the world to change money into and the banks are pretty used to doing that.

Shipping - go post office as much as you can. Any of the courier companies have a brokerage fee to cross the border and so your customer will be dinged $25 to $30 (not totally sure on the amount, but in that ballpark) on their end to receive something that would come with no fee through the post office. If they are not expecting that, it could lead to poor relations. Canada/US mail is pretty good, especially if you insure it, and the insurance carries over between these two countries at least.

[dirtclod]

Johanna i sell and send several things to Canada, Europe and the UK. Paypal is easiest way to get paid. If the customer wants to do a wire transfur be sure and check with your bank before you do it. The banks here charge $20.00 to do it. I have one customer in Canada that sends a International money order in USD . Like one of the other posters said the post office is the best way to send something out of the country.

One customer in Canada told me that UPS charged a pretty high brokeage fee to deliver a package from the US. If you send a package with the post office by Express mail you get tracking and insurance. If you send it by Priority Mail you get insurance included in the shipping and you can buy more if you need it. I give my customers a choice on how they want it shipped but i make it clear that if they don't want insrance it's their baby if it gets lost. Of all of the packages i have sent out of the country one person said they didn't get it.

It does cost more to send a envelope out of the US. Phone calls i have no ideal what the cost is. I hardly ever call anybody in the states 2 or 3 times a month is alot for me...LOL.

[Tosch]

Hi Johanna

you can either google for "country codes" or go directly to http://www.countrycallingcodes.com/.

Sending money internationally: within Europe you can send money from your banking account to somebody else's by using the other person's bank's IBAN = Intern. Banking Account Number . (Most - or all) US banks are not members of this new system, but at least they are a member of the older system and have a "swift number". THat system works for sending money from Europe to the US since . Whether it also still works from the US to Europe - have the receipient of the money check with his bank and have him send you his banks "swift number". Then all you need to know in addition is the name of his bank, the banks postal address, the persons name, account number and his address. You put all that info on a form you get from your bank , take it to your bank, pay a fee and your are done. This "swwift number" system should alsowork between the US and Canada and Australia.

Tosch

[David Genadek]

I use two programs for my out of country communication. The first one is free and that is Skype. Everyone seems to have it and it also allows you to call to land lines but there is a charge for that. My favorite way of communicating is through a program called ReGL which also has the VoIP but allows me to share pictures, drawn things and make notes, view any program on my computer jointly and it allows me to do very high end webinars that can be presented to people that just have dial-up. I do have to pay around $30 a month for the service but it is the most used program on my computer. I use it for taking orders and it makes it as close to having the people right there with me as can be.

David Genadek

[judyzleather]

I do some work for a company on Canada. I want paid is USD. What is the easiest way for them to do that? Is PayPal really the best solution? Can their bank write me a check in USD?

If I want to send an invoice to Canada, can I just put a first class stamp on it and hope for the best, or does it need special attention at the window?

I have a client in Spain that I would like to talk to on the telephone. My Verizon plan assures me there will no charge if I initiate the call on my cellphone. If I call, am I going to cost him money or minutes? He's the type that won't say, even when directly asked.

I have company in Australia that I would love to do business with. I can figure out the time thing just fine, but how does one call out of the USA on a landline? I dial "1" before the number to call Denise in Canada, but I know I need a country code or something like that to call Oz or Europe, or at least I think I do. I looked in my phone book (remember those?) for instructions, but apparently my local ISP assumes we will never call anyone further than Toledo.

TIA

Johanna

Hi Johanna:

About international calling I do recommend you to use Skype, which works well for me till now. You can download it from www.skype.com . Download--->Install-->register, and buy some credit. Very easy to use , quite cheap.

good luck

judy

[dmr400]

+1 for Skype, I use to call home from Iraq, my monthly subscription for ulimited Landline/Cell phone calls is...drumroll...2.95/month. Canada isn't much more, or you can just pay by the minute. I have a local US number that I paid 30 dollars for the year, so anyone in the states can call me with no oversea's charges.

[gary jackson]

gary jackson. Kia ora Joanna, 0011-64 will connect you to New Zealand and paypal or Visa seems to be the best way of doing transactions re Australia at the moment you would just about be better off dealing in the Aussie but check Forex rates. Seasons Greetings to all from the South Pacific.

I do some work for a company on Canada. I want paid is USD. What is the easiest way for them to do that? Is PayPal really the best solution? Can their bank write me a check in USD?

If I want to send an invoice to Canada, can I just put a first class stamp on it and hope for the best, or does it need special attention at the window?

I have a client in Spain that I would like to talk to on the telephone. My Verizon plan assures me there will no charge if I initiate the call on my cellphone. If I call, am I going to cost him money or minutes? He's the type that won't say, even when directly asked.

I have company in Australia that I would love to do business with. I can figure out the time thing just fine, but how does one call out of the USA on a landline? I dial "1" before the number to call Denise in Canada, but I know I need a country code or something like that to call Oz or Europe, or at least I think I do. I looked in my phone book (remember those?) for instructions, but apparently my local ISP assumes we will never call anyone further than Toledo.

TIA

Johanna

[Hennessy]

johanna,i've sold and shipped to aust and nz many times,i found credit cards to be th best.no money orders[bad]calling long distance on land line anywhere we were put onto a carrier 1010502 just dial it first then rest of # saved us mucho over the years.they bill you every month very easy n honest.and you are an amazing lass adios