Why I'm not your customer

I was actually trying to fit this into a Twitter tweet, but it really can't be contained in the 140 character limit, so here's a blog post instead.

Dear online (Etsy) sellers: if you are willing to send outside the US (or whatever country they live in, but mostly it is the Americans who are guilty of this), please say so in the item description. If you want my business, you make it as quick and easy as possible to buy from you. I don't want to have to contact you to ask. Unless you sell something that is so unique, I'd have to travel to another solar system to get it. If that were the case, then I would contact you.

But by making me contact you, you put an extra step between my initial wanting to buy your item and me actually buying it. And, for me anyway, that is usually one step too many.If I can't get it (or atleast order it) straight away, I usually go somewhere else where I can get it right away. I might actually be willing to pay a teeny tiny bit more to get that instant gratification and to AVOID the HASSLE of contacting you.

If you don't say outright that you are willing to other countries, I will assume the following, in no particular order:
- you don't realise that other countries exist
- you don't realise that people in other countries use Etsy
- it is too much bother for you to find out how much it would be to send outside the US
- you can obviously do without customers from overseas, so why should I support you, or
- you don't want customers from overseas, so what's the point of contacting you anyway
- you just don't care

And if you don't care, why should I?

I can't tell you how many times I have decided not to buy from an online seller from this reason alone. My dear husband probably appreciates this fact! But seriously, if you want my custom, make sure that I know. Don't make me have to ask (beg?) to become a customer.

What do you think? Does this sound familiar? Are you turned off (and away) by US/other only listings?