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Originally Posted by Brian
Very interesting. I have never acquired one, but I was always pretty amazed at how comparatively undervalued (there's that word again) Sadaharu Oh's cards were, him being the 'Babe Ruth of Japan' and all that.......
What also surprises me is that some sellers in Europe nowadays don't ship to the US. If they are selling cards and Americana most frequently bought by Americans (including Ruth and Ali), that is a poor business model in IMO. I never figured that one out. Is there some new glitch in shipping to the US? I am seeing this more and more.
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I think the not shipping to the US is a combination of reasons.
One being the different approach to doing things.
A bike I bought from Italy, from a guy I knew from online took long enough that I was getting worried. When a set of wheels that were "right" for it with the same provenance were for sale I got worried enough to ask a couple questions. Apparently shipping something when they get to it is a thing there. (Perhaps not for all countries, but I've come to expect something ordered from a hobbyist in Europe may not ship anytime soon unless it's Ebay or another venue that requires it. )
It's a pretty big mismatch with most of the US which has come to expect very quick shipping, and returns for any reason at all. To some, we're simply not worth the hassle.
There may also be odd customs delays. Another seller did pretty big volume from the Netherlands, and eventually moved his business to California because every shipment was subject to months waiting to be inspected. and that pre-covid. (there was apparently loads of ecstasy coming from the Netherlands at the time)
They also have peculiar to us laws about some things, and there may be a lot of paperwork involved in exporting and expensive item in a way that it's not subject to VAT.
Most of the bike guys in the UK or elsewhere that buy bikes in France end up having the seller hold it for "a while" until they can take a small vacation and pick it up in person, as most French sellers simply won't ship anything.