eBay

dakkman · ‎01-04-2016

eBay's Global Shipping Program seems to add many days to the shipping time for items supposedly sent 'International Priority'. I received non-GSP items all the time from the US shipped via USPS and they arrive quickly and can be tracked all the way from their shipping point in the US to their destination in Canada.

Yet eBay's GSP seems to fail miserably in terms of long shipping delays AND more importantly, you can't even track the item! Its one of those 'UPAA' tracking numbers. Once it hit the GSP center all it tells me now is that the item has been sent to its destination. Huh?!?!?! How is that helpful?

Has anyone figured out how the actual tracking info can be obtained using one of those UPAA #s, or are we at the mercy of the poor quality GSP tracking only?

dmil8030 · ‎01-05-2016

Hello 'dakkman',,

<<eBay's Global Shipping Program seems to add many days to the shipping time for items supposedly sent 'International Priority'.>>

Quite so. I find the wording of that to be absolutely infuriating. There is nothing "priority" about it and in my opinion was chosen solely to obfuscate the truth.

But for all that, you did, in the end, buy a GSP item.

<< eBay's GSP seems to fail miserably in terms of long shipping delays AND more importantly, you can't even track the item!>>

You say all this as if it were something new. You are right, and if you go to the Discussion Boards (doubtless where this will end up) you will see that 3 years on people are still griping about these exact issues and nothing is ever done to improve the program.

<<... all it tells me now is that the item has been sent to its destination. ... How is that helpful?>>

Quite helpful, actually, because it informs you that the item is at least on its way. Of course, if you are elderly, handicapped, convalescing, or a single parent with 3 or 4 small children at home, that tidbit of info will be next-to-useless to you when what you really want is to make sure you are available to receive the item when it arrives.

It is but another reason to ask a seller to take the item out of the GSP for you and mail it either First Class or if it is big and heavy, then through Priority mail.

<< ... are we at the mercy of the poor quality GSP tracking only?>>

Pretty much. A lot depends on the carrier who handles it on this end. If you are so fortunate as to have it delivered by Canada Post, you can try any number you might get here:

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/track/personal/findByTrackNumber?execution=e1s1

A larger item may come with CanPar or some other courier. This same issue is being tossed around today on the Buyer Board if you have time and want to join the fray.

dakkman · ‎01-12-2016

Thanks for your reply.

"But for all that, you did, in the end, buy a GSP item."

Yes, it was my first. I have been buying and selling on eBay for the better part of twenty years and have never stepped on that particular mine before, to my knowledge. At least, I wasn't aware of the program or the 'consequences'.

"Quite helpful, actually, because it informs you that the item is at least on its way."

I get that much information when the seller marks the item as shipped.

"It is but another reason to ask a seller to take the item out of the GSP for you and mail it either First Class or if it is big and heavy, then through Priority mail."

Yes, an excellent suggestion, which I will do in the future. Of course, the seller likely uses the GSP for their own security, and are unlikely to send an item by First Class, but then there's always actual 'International Priority'.

"A lot depends on the carrier who handles it on this end."

I have my doubts. I did finally receive a tracking update when the item hit Canada Post. But since then - nothing. That was 8 days ago. I use USPS and Canada Post all the time, and I never have issues with their timing or the tracking. I noticed that the tracking number in Canada has changed, but is still not a normal CP tracking #. And the tracking results are sub-par to say the least, so I have my doubts about it being a CP issue.

dakkman · ‎01-12-2016

Btw... items sent First Class from anywhere in the US to here typically takes a max of two weeks. Its now three weeks, and no sign of my parcel since it hit the border and cleared customs 8 days ago. Once in Canada it moved to 'Expedited', but it does typically take 5 days or so to get across the country. So we're just a few days later than typical on the Canadian side. But it took nearly 2 weeks just to leave the US? Terrible.