Being in a small european country I often find goods that I'd like to bid on but that are marked, sometimes in a polite way: US sales only. Sometimes they are marked in huge letters with texts suitable to offend those of us not so "blessed" as to live in the only country worth selling to. However I notice that excluding such a large number of potential buyers has a price... the "US only" auctions seem to attract less bids and end with lower final sales prices than the auctions open to international buyers. I ship internationally and have few problems with that. I've no understanding for sellers who are only willing to ship internationally if the buyer pays an exorbitant fee for the "paperwork". I know the paperwork is hardly any work at all, I do it myself all the time. So why do US sellers fear shipping abroad? Is it fear of shipping to some unknown place full of foreigners? Is it arrogance and bigotry (In some cases it definitely is, but not the majority I trust...)? Is it the fear of "laws and regulations"? Is it all the work involved (there is hardly more work involved)?

Why are so many US sellers prepared to loose money by excluding customers who would like to pay for their products?