eBay

pumpyblue · ‎04-19-2016

Ebay seems to ignore or pretend they understand the Pitney Bowes situation and they are trying to avoid contacting them or taking action as I've asked to sent me an e-mail confirming our discussion about them and was told yes and never received an e-mail. So it's two against one. How wonder they don't take action. The big problem with Pitney Bowes they overcharged,their repacks are bad and it takes longer to receive items than it would thru another courier, Get rid of this program it turns off a lot of potential buyers. Check the WEB,there's talks about it and video's.

pierrelebel · ‎04-20-2016

"So it's two against one"

????

Could you please explain.

The Global Shipping Program (GSP) managed by Pitney Bowes has been around for more than three years and is considered a success by eBay who recently expanded the program to the UK.

It is not buyer friendly for Canadians and should be avoided in most instances.

Its purpose is to make life easier for American sellers and increase sales for eBay.

dmil8030 · ‎04-20-2016

Hello 'pumpyblue',

<< . . .I've asked to sent me an e-mail confirming our discussion about them and was told yes and never received an e-mail. >>

No one, not that I've heard of, has much luck when trying to email anyone at ebay or Pitney-Bowes. That in itself

is not particularly alarming.

Are you having a certain difficulty with an individual order? Maybe other members here can help you sort it out.

No matter what unique situation you believe you have, chances are that someone around here has experienced it or

heard of it before. If you would be willing to post specific questions or details, others here can offer their suggestions.

<< The big problem . . . they overcharged, >>

You would have to be more precise. It is an expensive service, certainly, and a lot of folks here question the accuracy

of the import charges added on to GSP items, but other ebay members would need more details to comment.

<<their repacks are bad >>

You are not the first person to make that assertion. Was anything broken or damaged, -- or was it merely a mess?

<<it takes longer to receive items than it would thru another courier, >>

Right you are. The GSP is not a courier, but more of a 're-shipper'. The seller sends the item to the GSP center in

Kentucky from where it is checked and forwarded on to you. Definitely not for the chronically impatient.

<<Get rid of this program >>

It'll never happen. You have to conduct your Seardh to avoid and ignore GPS listings. That's what most furiously

indignant Canadian shoppers do.

So then, . . . Is there anything specific the folks around here can help you with?

femmefan1946 · ‎04-20-2016

The big problem with Pitney Bowes they overcharged,

The import charge was listed on the order BEFORE you clicked (twice) to accept and pay them.

Canadians are liable for duty and sales taxes on any item valued over $20CDN (about $15USD).

Pitney Bowes adds their own ~$5 USD service charge for wrangling the parcel thourgh CBSA.

And don't tell us that you have never paid duty and tax on an imported shipment.

It is normal practice for CBSA and Canada Post to ignore small and low value (under $100CDN) shipments, on the sensible basis that it would cost more to assess and collect the applicable duty than could be collected.

Canadian public servants are smarter than Canadian politicians.

However, private companies like PitneyBowes/GSP or FedEx are not allowed to ignore low value packages.

their repacks are bad

Was is repacked by PB? They leave a note in the package when they do.

Usually the repack is because PB needed to know the place of manufacture of the item.

If there is no origin marked on the package by the seller, PB investigates. Hard and fast. There are lots of complaints about this.

But really it comes back to a sloppy seller,w ho did not include the necessary information for exporting.

And if there is no note, the damage was just as likely to be on the seller, who did a bad job of packaging.

GSP is a Seller Protection program, which works very well for its purposes.

NONE of which help the buyer.

It is best to avoid low value items which ship by GSP in favour of sellers who are comfortable using USPS services.

On high value items (well over $100) the GSP can actually save you money.

sylviebee · ‎04-21-2016

Lately I have the feeling that the GSP is encountering some difficulties.

For some time more and more sellers were intentionally opting into the program, but that trend seems to be reversing with more and more sellers opting out.

The GSP has been either not charging import fees when applicable, or they're burying those fees in the shipping cost.

It's not clear which it is, but if they're hiding the import fees the numbers often just don't add up.

I also received a message from a seller stating that they broke or damaged half the items he shipped via the GSP.

I don't think I've ever received a GSP item which wasn't repackaged. To me these parcels always look like some of the packaging has been removed although I can't always prove that.

It seems like they are repackaging to lighten the load and reduce shipping cost for P.B. (but which has been paid up front by the buyer) and thus increase profits.

I don't know what, but something has changed.

marnotom! · ‎04-22-2016

@sylviebee wrote:

The GSP has been either not charging import fees when applicable, or they're burying those fees in the shipping cost.

As importer of record, Pitney Bowes pays any taxes and duties on a GSP transaction on behalf of the buyer. The buyer then "pays back" in the item's "import charges" (or as part of the shipping charge on more expensive items with no "import charges").

For what it's worth, this is why Pitney Bowes cannot issue receipts for taxes/duty since the buyer isn't on record as having paid them.

Long story short, it doesn't matter whether or not Pitney Bowes is charging "import charges" as they're paying the taxes/duty owing on a GSP item. It's up to PB to figure out how or if they want to recoup the taxes and duty.

femmefan1946 · ‎04-23-2016

It seems like they are repackaging to lighten the load and reduce shipping cost for P.B. (but which has been paid up front by the buyer) and thus increase profits.

Which is weird. One of the biggest costs nowadays is labour, even in a 'right to work' l state like Kentucky. Their minimum wage is $7.25 USD ($9.06CDN) and will be rising soon to $10.10USD ($12.62CDN). Then there are dump fees.

So repacking wouldn't save them very much when they look at the big picture.

I also received a message from a seller stating that they broke or damaged half the items he shipped via the GSP.

Really? I'd be wondering about his packing skills.