eBay first started as an auction site for second-hand items. Now, most of the offered items are quite new.
There is no official eBay site in Portugal. However, you can still use eBay if you live in Portugal, and there are lots of sellers from European countries such as the UK and Germany.
eBay is not that popular in Portugal, but it is useful to buy a great number of unique items. Many expats in Portugal mainly use eBay UK or eBay Spain to order items. They then ship them to Portugal.
If you search for Portuguese sellers on eBay, you won’t be able to find many.
Now let’s look into the details.
Can I Use eBay in Europe?
You can definitely use it. In fact, it will be even better for you to use eBay in an EU area if you have a Portuguese address. This will probably help you avoid import duties. Also, your delivery will arrive sooner if sent from Europe, compared to the US. This means a few days, whereas delivery from the US can take weeks in comparison.
How Can I Use eBay in Portugal?
It is a very easy process. If you don’t have an eBay account, you need to create one. Then, you need to indicate your postal address. Be careful to enter your Portuguese address if you want to use it in Portugal.
When this process is complete, you will see a list of possible items to be sent to Portugal. Then, you should see the final cost, including the postage costs as well. If you already have an eBay account, make your primary address the Portuguese one.
The Purchase Process
We advise you to use eBay UK or eBay Spain. The reason is that most of the sellers in these areas ship orders to Portugal. Furthermore, you will probably not face any customs issues when the products enter Portugal.
In general, most products on eBay from any country can be shipped to Portugal. Even so, eBay in the UK or Spain will be a better choice. This is because they are already closer to Portugal and in the EU area. Furthermore, if you understand English well, eBay UK can be easier to use and understand the important details about your purchase and other documents. You can use eBay Spain in English.
eBay España in English is also viable. This is because you will see results mostly from sellers in the UK. If they ship items to Spain, then they will most probably ship to Portugal as well.
What Can I Find on eBay?
There is a wide range of items, either new or second-hand for sale. You can even find items being sold at an auction.
It may, however, be difficult for you to find antique or vintage Portuguese items on eBay. This is because there are not many Portuguese sellers on eBay.Also, there is no eBay Portugal in English option. As an alternative, you can check the websites in the “Alternatives to eBay” section below. There you can find Portuguese sellers who sell second-hand or used items. OLX, Coisas, CustoJusto, and Facebook Marketplace are among them.
Is It Cheap to Deliver Items to Portugal?
It will depend on the seller and the shipping service they provide.
What is The Global Shipping Program?
eBay now offers a Global Shipping Program. It allows you to prepay the import charges before the shipping process. This will help you avoid extra charges when you receive the items in Portugal. However, they may still call you and require you to show proof of the value of the items and your payment of the customs charges.
It is also important to check the currency conversion rates and shipping rates when you buy products on eBay. A conversion tool like Bloomberg can work well for you.
Alternatives to eBay Portugal
You may very well not be able to find any item you are looking for on eBay. Or even if you do, they may not ship it to Portugal. In this case, you can try the following options:
OLX:
OLX is an ad site in Portugal. You can find a wide range of products there under different categories.
The items include second-hand items, vintage Portuguese items, cars, furniture, properties, and so on. The website is also in Portuguese.
CustoJusto:
CustoJusto is similar to OLX. It is a Portuguese website. Here, there is also a wide range of categories.
Facebook Marketplace:
Facebook Marketplace is another option. It has gained popularity in recent years. Many expats and Portuguese people use it actively. They advertise and sell items here. Bargaining is also possible, and you can filter the city where you live.
Amazon:
Like eBay, there is no Portuguese website for Amazon. However, Amazon Spain will be a good alternative. It also ships items to Portugal, and in some cases, the shipment may be free.
The Pros and Cons of e-Bay Portugal
The Advantages of Portuguese eBay
- Time is saved: You may save a significant amount of time and possibly stress by having a third-party fulfillment supplier handle some of your delivery.
- Listings can be added quickly: It is relatively easy to include the Global Shipping Program option in your listing, regardless of whether they’re new or old.
- You are given all the calculations: At payment, customers will automatically receive delivery estimates; you don’t need to bother about any of that.
- Your work is over when the GSP center gets your product: The GSP handles the rest after it receives your package.
- You are covered if the item is stolen or damaged: Most of the time, any unfavorable comments will be deleted, and your product will be insured.
- With little administrative work, you get access to a worldwide market: Sell internationally without needing to deal with import duties, taxes, or bureaucracy. Buyers in another nation could be far more likely to purchase your products.
The Disadvantages of Portuguese e-Bay
- For convenience of use, eBay sends everything in the same class via USPS Priority International Mail, which can be costly for purchasers. Customers could be turned off when buying lower-value products and paying a higher delivery price because this won’t always be the most cost-effective option.
- Customs fees are set: eBay GSP does not impose customs costs that are unique to or pertinent to the destination country. Rather, it charges a set fee—even if it isn’t truly necessary—to simplify things. The topic has been debated online on forums and blogs where purchasers state they deliberately avoid buying from merchants that utilize GSP because of the increased delivery charges.
- Returns are still your obligation: Regardless of not you utilize the GSP, you are still in charge of organizing any return shipment.
- Goods may be unwrapped and scrutinized at the GSP center, which raises the possibility that they may not be resealed as effectively as they were initially. Packages may even be damaged. This could be off-putting if unpacking is vital to the consumer experience. Additionally, if an item is determined to be ineligible for delivery, eBay reserves the right to destroy or liquidate it.
What Exactly is eBay’s Global Shipping Program?
The eBay Global Shipping Program, sometimes known as eBay GSP, is a program that enables eBay merchants to send their products to customers abroad.
All you have to do to participate in the Global Shipping Program is send your product to a shipping facility in your own nation. The purchaser’s physical delivery is then handled by eBay.
Two parties—the buyer and the delivery center—are responsible for different aspects of the eBay Global Shipping Program:
The seller is in charge of transporting the cargo to the shipping facility.
The shipment will be processed at the shipping center by the shipping center before being delivered to the customer.
Tips for The eBay Global Shipping Program
- You may select the nations you wish to use the eBay Global Shipping Program for in tip #1. You may build the ideal ecosystem for both you and your clients in this way.
- Remember that all of your postage exclusions apply to qualifying listings under the eBay Global Shipping Program when using GSP tip number two.
- Gain automatic 5-star detailed seller ratings for Delivery Cost by offering free domestic shipping, according to GSP tip #3.
- GSP tip #4: Uploading tracking information within one business day will automatically give you a 5-star detailed seller rating for shipping time.
- GSP tip #5. Specify the package’s weight and dimensions in the listing in advance.
- GSP tip #6. Ship the item only after the purchase was made.
