Overseas Purchases...a pain?

Hi Everyone...here's my question. There's a bag on ebay I like. Problem is that it's from a buyer in another country (Australia). I've never bought anything abroad before. Is it worth it? I worry about the package getting stuck in customs or paying more money than necessary in custom charges. Should I go for it or wait until I see one from the states. Need your infinite wisdom from personal experience on this one. Thanks.
 
i've bought 3 bags from overseas - one from Holland, one from Singapore and the other from Dubai. the holland bag took FOREVER! it got stuck at the post office for 2 weeks - they never told me it was there! i had to hunt it down myself.
the bag from Dubai got here in like 4 days. i didn't pay customs on either bag, somehow. i think it depends on how they ship the bag.

however, i did end up sending the bag back to Dubai and it cost me a fortune! i think i chose the wrong shipping method...

long story short, if you want the bag and know it's a keeper, the overseas shipping shouldn't worry you.
 
ALso remember that if anything were to go wrong with the transaction, it is very difficult to get recourse on your transcation. This is from prior experience from my sister who's ebay customer did a chargeback from overseas, and the client had already rec'd the item. She lost out over 1k & a limited edition LV bag. So point being, make sure that the seller is reputable with a good tracking history & a return policy... Good luck~! ;)
 
I'm based in the UK and have bought several bags from US sellers, which has all gone smoothly. The only thing that has caught me out has been import fees, etc. However, as oogiewoogie says, be so careful and confident about your seller. A friend of mine recently sent a 1K bag back to a seller in another country and is still waiting for her refund 12 months on! Legal recourse is very limited. You are a little more protected if you use paypal or credit card payments.