Has anyone dealt with an International buyer on selling a car on EBAY?

[6hk71400]

I just sold my 41 Commander Skyway Landcruiser on Ebay. The buyer is from Poland! Here is his message.

grzegorzskalpel Hello, I'm from Poland. I need a photo from you. Title, photo of the VIN number and data for an international transfer. Best regards, I'm going to bed because it's 11:00 p.m. here.

I have sold and bought stuff on ebay but I have never had this response to a sale. It appears it is outside of ebay policy. The buyer has been a member since 2007 and has a 52 feedback at 100%.

I don't think this passes the smell test. Have others sold items outside the USA or Canada and required all this as requested? I sent a reply back that I would only accept cashiers check drawn on US funds.

[Dick Steinkamp]

The safest, most secure, and fastest way to accept payment is through use of a wire transfer. I think that is what the buyer is referring to when he says he needs "data for an international transfer". Talk to your bank about security and process. Generally just a routing number and account number is needed. Europeans transfer money electronically far more often than we do. It is normal for them to do so.

I don't see a problem with sending an unsigned COPY of the title and picture of VIN. The buyer is likely going to need additional information from you to arrange customs clearance on both ends and transportation.

This could be a tough time to be doing this transaction. Lots of unknowns at least in the next few days on the tariffs that might be applied to vehicles imported to the US (new and used), and reciprocal tariffs that might follow from the countries penalized by the tariffs. You and/or your EU buyer may want to wait until the dust clears.

[willys54]

Save yourself the hassle and cancel the listing citing item is no longer available. Block the buyer on your bidders list and relist it citing NO INTERNATIONAL SALES. You'll be much happier in the long run .

[64V-K7]

After you get the wire transfer, you can send him anything you want. Those docs are usually needed to prep the car for a shipping container and import docs at the Port of Entry in Europe. I sold my GT Hawk to a French individual and had the same request. When the car is being picked up for transport, the carrier will want original docs of Title ( signed), the current registration and anything else you have from your state. Do not make multiple copies of anything, only original documents. You might also want to make an inventory of things that are going with the car, take the hub caps off and put them in the trunk, then make sure it's locked.

[6hk71400]

Well the language barrier eased a bit. Buyer mentioned he has a PayPal account and I do too. I sent pictures of the Serial Number and the signed title. I am waiting to see if the funds are transferred.

I looked on the 2018 Roster. There is no one mentioned from Poland. Thank you all for your helpful advice. Maybe I should send an application for the Studebaker Drivers Club

[mbstude]

If the money shows up, then there isn't anything to worry about. Just be sure to provide the buyer with whatever paperwork and documentation he requests so he can import it easily.

A few years ago I sold a '32 Rockne on eBay for a friend, it went to a buyer in Romania. Wasn't any more difficult than selling a car to someone in the US.

[Guido]

I have only sold one vehicle to Europe, it was a rusty 2R5 pickup that went to Sweden. I was paid via PayPal and arranged transport to Newport News, VA where it was put in a container. A number of years later I learned it was seized for back taxes and sold (it was used as advertising outside an antique store).

I have sold and shipped several vehicles to Oz, but they were private sales to known club members. As long as you get the money there are no issues.

[Steve Winzar]

Hi all- I thought I'd wade into this discussion from the other side of the pool, as it were... I imported my Avanti II back in 2015 after having seen it in Craigslist Sacramento Ca. I e_mailed the owner and then rang him, being fully frank about where I was calling from. Knowing this he still agreed to sell to me. I was lucky because he was honest and so was I. The sale went ahead after having him e-Mail me a pic of the Title. I told him I had an international importing firm (based in my country but operating out of HTX in Long Island) going to organise pickup, transport, prep, and freight across the ditch to Oz. Looking back over the transaction , I probably should have let my freight agent do the negotiation and payment- he did offer to do so and gave me candid advice regarding pink slips. It would have been safer if I had let him employ an agent in the US. I was lucky, in retrospect.
Just in case anybody is wondering what I ended up with- I got exactly what was described and was very pleased with the deal. RQB3269 is having a frame-off restoration, currently coming to finish.

[6hk71400]

I have good communication with the buyer and the US dollars appeared in my Pay Pal account yesterday. He has a friend that will arrive in a month to pick the Commander up when his friend returns from vacation. It has worked well. Thank you for all your comments and help. I looked in the 2018 roster but there is no one listed from Poland. I will send a SDC application as well as the owners manual and shop manual when the friend arrives.

Thanks again everybody