Prepare to Sell to the World What buyers want varies depending on local culture and item availability in a particular market. In general, items with a high dollar value relative to their weight are most likely to sell internationally. Some of these items include collectibles (such as coins and stamps), jewelry, electronics (such as PDAs and MP3 players), auto parts, and sporting goods.

Decide What to Sell

Look for products in demand on different eBay sites and make those products available to buyers. To find out what's in demand in a particular market:

• Search completed listings. Use the Advanced Search feature on any eBay site to view "Completed listings only." The results can help you get a better idea of final sale prices in a particular region and spot sales trends.
• Know what eBay is promoting. Visit ebay.com/hotlist to find out what products are in demand and being promoted on eBay.com. Also, visit individual eBay sites where you're considering selling items to see what is being promoted.
• Consult eBay Marketplace Research. If you have a subscription to eBay Marketplace Research Pro, select different countries from the "Site" pull-down menu to see top searches on various eBay sites around the world.
• Use third-party research. To independently research markets by country, visit the U.S. government export portal at Export.gov and click "Market Research," or visit your local export development agency's Web site.

Determine Where to Sell

Once you know what you want to sell, determine where you want to sell. You can select to sell on a single eBay site serving a particular regional market, sell to several eBay markets, or sell worldwide.

When you want to sell to an individual market, list your item on the eBay site favored by the region's buyers. To reach more potential buyers, which could help you sell more and command higher prices, consider listing your item on eBay.com and choosing an international shipping option. By choosing international shipping, your item will appear in search results on eBay.com and other eBay sites serving markets where you're willing to ship items.

Imports, Exports, and Prohibited Items

Certain items cannot be traded on eBay. Never attempt to sell products that are on the Prohibited Items list.

As you expand your business on eBay, respect the import laws of the buyer's country, as well as the export laws of your own country. Items legal to buy and sell in your country may be illegal somewhere else. Certain countries have restrictions on importing of electronics, foods, plants, clothing, luggage, or even books, and items may be seized or destroyed by customs officials. Additionally, exporting of certain items may require a special license.

Sellers and buyers are responsible for ensuring that their transactions are lawful. eBay strongly encourages you to research relevant import and export laws, and to contact buyers who live in other countries to discuss potential problems before a listing closes. You can check to see if your item is legal to export to a specific country on the United States Postal Service® Web site.