Comments about the Global Shipping Program

Feel free to share your thoughts about the Global Shipping Program here. 

 

A few questions to get the ball rolling:

 

  • What has worked well for you with the Global Shipping Program?
  • Any ideas to help improve the experience for Canadian buyers?
  • What has deterred you from buying items offered using the Global Shipping Program?
  • How have you managed to search for items outside the program?

Please try & keep the comments constructive 🙂

 

If you have any questions about the program, please post them here.

~Kalvin
eBay.ca Community Manager

kalvin@ebay.com

Message 1 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program


@nogmeerwinst wrote:

GSP is added to increase PayPal's profitability.

 

 


 How does this differ from direct international shipping from the United States?

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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

This program is a JOKE, I've only had headaches every time I buy an item shipped with this program, the latest example, I bought an item in Seattle, WA which is a 2 hour drive from Vancouver (app 130 miles), I should be getting my item in 2-3 days max but Nooooo, this system ships it to the shipping center which is located on the east coast in Erlanger, KY, a whooping 2400 miles from Seattle, so it takes about 5-7 days to get there,  then it crosses the border in Toronto, ON, CAN sits there for a few days then finally gets shipped to cross the whole continent again a whooping 4400kms and that takes at least another week....

 

The other problem is the custom fee attached to it, sometimes it's dead on but a lot of times especially for items under $100, it's way off, 99% of the time if you get something through USPS the customs won't charge a thing, the rare time the customs do charge you it's only 5% GST plus a tiny admin fee of $1.50, so when you charge for a $65 item $12 shipping and $36 custom fee it doesn't make any sense at all... Fedex and DHL/Loomis are pretty similar to USPS as far as custom fees, really minimal, the only one that's worse than your Global Shipping Program is the dreadful UPS because they charge unreasonable Brokerage fees on top of the custom fees....So now I have to watch for both UPS and PBI because it takes all the incentive from buying from the USA away...and makes for a UN-pleasant  eBay buying experience

 

Please bring back the option to the buyer of choosing the carrier of his choice to avoid further disappointment or at least for now bring a shipping center to the west coast...

 

A unhappy longtime Canadian eBayer

 

Message 1322 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program


@derfzuki wrote:

This program is a JOKE, I've only had headaches every time I buy an item shipped with this program, the latest example, I bought an item in Seattle, WA which is a 2 hour drive from Vancouver (app 130 miles), I should be getting my item in 2-3 days max but Nooooo, this system ships it to the shipping center which is located on the east coast in Erlanger, KY, a whooping 2400 miles from Seattle, so it takes about 5-7 days to get there,  then it crosses the border in Toronto, ON, CAN sits there for a few days then finally gets shipped to cross the whole continent again a whooping 4400kms and that takes at least another week....

 


You do make a good point here.  While the GSP doesnt have this problem for items being shipped out of North America, this backtracking can be a source of frustration.  Having said that, I'm on Vancouver Island and I've had items take a couple of weeks to reach me from Washington State.

 

I do have to ask why you felt so compelled to purchase the item if transit time was an issue for you, though.

 


@derfzuki wrote:

 

The other problem is the custom fee attached to it, sometimes it's dead on but a lot of times especially for items under $100, it's way off, 99% of the time if you get something through USPS the customs won't charge a thing, the rare time the customs do charge you it's only 5% GST plus a tiny admin fee of $1.50, so when you charge for a $65 item $12 shipping and $36 custom fee it doesn't make any sense at all... Fedex and DHL/Loomis are pretty similar to USPS as far as custom fees, really minimal, the only one that's worse than your Global Shipping Program is the dreadful UPS because they charge unreasonable Brokerage fees on top of the custom fees....So now I have to watch for both UPS and PBI because it takes all the incentive from buying from the USA away...and makes for a UN-pleasant  eBay buying experience

 


Who charges a $1.50 administration fee?  If Canada Border Services bothers to bill an item sent through the mail for taxes (and duty, if applicable), Canada Post will charge US$9.95 to collect and remit those taxes/duty.

I'd need to know more about that $65 item you're referring to to make any sort of definitive call on it, but it appears to me as though that item wasn't charged just taxes, but duty as well.  A problem brought up in the GSP discussions on this board recently is the fact that many GSP listings don't note the item's country of origin and as a result they may be charged duty when in fact they shouldn't be as they're manufactured in a free trade zone.

 

I've never had an item sent to me via Loomis, but a quick scan of their site suggests to me that a lot of their customs clearance fees may be simply added to the shipping charge rather than separate line items.  FedEx may be pulling a similar stunt now.

Message 1323 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

I can assure you it is not just Canada that has to pay this new SCAM from ebay

 

The rest of the world is also subject to it now...

i just purchased a small bag to tie around the waist to keep scissors in

 

They wanted 60% import tax

approx 60usd extra...

Furthermore i know that there is no way my country impose a 60% tax on a bag made out of plastic!!!!

99% of items i recieve i dont pay tax unless my country ask me to when they check the item

and i am quite sure that even if i was stupid enough to pay ebays new scam - when the item actually arrived here if they wanted me to pay tax i would have to pay again. I dont think ebay actually pay it my side and if they did why dont they know there is no tax on this item?


Import tax = yes
Customs tax = yes (dealt with in my country by my customs dept)

export tax from USA or Canada = NOT THEIR BUSINESS!

Message 1324 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

"Import Taxes" have always been a fact of life when shopping internationally regardless of which countries are involved.

 

However, not until the GSP has buying from the US become all ABOUT import taxes.

 

That is:  When the central focus of the purchase is all about shipping costs and hassles and added taxes then buying from other countries falls apart and the GSP has put these issues to the forefront.

 

It would be interesting to know how many sales have been trashed due to the GSP and the added related CS costs.

Could eBay possibly be coming out head on this? 

Some scam!

 

 

 

Message 1325 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program


@marnotom! wrote:

@derfzuki wrote:

This program is a JOKE, I've only had headaches every time I buy an item shipped with this program, the latest example, I bought an item in Seattle, WA which is a 2 hour drive from Vancouver (app 130 miles), I should be getting my item in 2-3 days max but Nooooo, this system ships it to the shipping center which is located on the east coast in Erlanger, KY, a whooping 2400 miles from Seattle, so it takes about 5-7 days to get there,  then it crosses the border in Toronto, ON, CAN sits there for a few days then finally gets shipped to cross the whole continent again a whooping 4400kms and that takes at least another week....

 


You do make a good point here.  While the GSP doesnt have this problem for items being shipped out of North America, this backtracking can be a source of frustration.  Having said that, I'm on Vancouver Island and I've had items take a couple of weeks to reach me from Washington State.

 

I do have to ask why you felt so compelled to purchase the item if transit time was an issue for you, though.

 


@derfzuki wrote:

 

The other problem is the custom fee attached to it, sometimes it's dead on but a lot of times especially for items under $100, it's way off, 99% of the time if you get something through USPS the customs won't charge a thing, the rare time the customs do charge you it's only 5% GST plus a tiny admin fee of $1.50, so when you charge for a $65 item $12 shipping and $36 custom fee it doesn't make any sense at all... Fedex and DHL/Loomis are pretty similar to USPS as far as custom fees, really minimal, the only one that's worse than your Global Shipping Program is the dreadful UPS because they charge unreasonable Brokerage fees on top of the custom fees....So now I have to watch for both UPS and PBI because it takes all the incentive from buying from the USA away...and makes for a UN-pleasant  eBay buying experience

 


Who charges a $1.50 administration fee?  If Canada Border Services bothers to bill an item sent through the mail for taxes (and duty, if applicable), Canada Post will charge US$9.95 to collect and remit those taxes/duty.

I'd need to know more about that $65 item you're referring to to make any sort of definitive call on it, but it appears to me as though that item wasn't charged just taxes, but duty as well.  A problem brought up in the GSP discussions on this board recently is the fact that many GSP listings don't note the item's country of origin and as a result they may be charged duty when in fact they shouldn't be as they're manufactured in a free trade zone.

 

I've never had an item sent to me via Loomis, but a quick scan of their site suggests to me that a lot of their customs clearance fees may be simply added to the shipping charge rather than separate line items.  FedEx may be pulling a similar stunt now.


Not sure why you would question a guy that has the paper work right in front of him, obviously he knows what he is talking about..As far as the charges he paid and the shipped item being sent the opposite direction,and then across Canada i believe him..

 

Even our Canada post does this,,I can send a letter to the neighbour next door and it goes 244 kms west to get sorted and then back another 244 kms.

Message 1326 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

 

it would be interesting to know how many sales have been trashed due to the GSP and the added related CS costs.

Could eBay possibly be coming out head on this? 

Some scam!

 

 

 

On my part , 2 already this morning!!!!!

Message 1327 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

To counter these lost sales apparently, according to eBay reps:  """" Global shipping is great in theory because it opens up more inventory to Canada that previously only shipped to the USA. """"""

 

 

 

I still have to wonder exactly what that "inventory" is which makes these lost sales balance out?

 

That is, what are these items that Canadians are lusting after which the GSP makes possible for them to acquire which is not available otherwise?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program


@rick31797 wrote:

Not sure why you would question a guy that has the paper work right in front of him, obviously he knows what he is talking about..As far as the charges he paid and the shipped item being sent the opposite direction,and then across Canada i believe him..

 


I'd like a bit more information before I decide what to believe.  For example, we're not talking about a shipment from Seattle to Vancouver, by the looks of things.  The item's actually heading for somewhere in Alberta.  Still a roundabout journey for the item, but not quite as high on the ridiculous-o-meter as the wording of the post suggests.

 

Presented for our consideration is a case of stiff import charges on a $65 item, but we have nothing to which to compare this same item, whatever it is.  And for all we know, that item may have been listed in a category that made it subject it to all sorts of glitches.  We see a comparison of customs clearance fees of the GSP to other carriers, yet we have no idea what those carriers charge in shipping.  We see a generalization about UPS.  UPS only charges its laundry list of customs-related fees on ground shipments.  Air or express shipments already have those fees folded into the shipping price, and it may be the same with the two other commercial carriers that he's mentioned.

 

And I'm still really curious about what carrier levies a $1.50 "administration fee" for taxes and what that fee is actually for:  Collecting?  Remitting?  Advancing?  Because it certainly ain't Canada Post.

 

People who feel that eBay isn't taking the outcry on the GSP seriously may want to consider that some of the arguments presented against it aren't complete or all that credible without evidence.

Message 1329 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

Thats what i thought,when there benefit of the doubt, you give it to GSP.
Message 1330 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

Not so much that I'm giving the GSP the benefit of the doubt so much as there isn't much of substance to doubt or agree with in that post after it points out the shortcomings with the GSP's forwarding mechanism.

 

If posters want the "GSP team" to take their concerns seriously, concrete evidence is more useful than numbers tossed out without any sort of context to support them.

Message 1331 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program


@marnotom! wrote:

 

 

If posters want the "GSP team" to take their concerns seriously, concrete evidence is more useful than numbers tossed out without any sort of context to support them.


To put it politely:  That statement is full of holes.  I won't even start.

 

There are enough posts to this board alone to provide crystal clear evidence that Canadian buyers do not love the GSP.

If the posts are accurate, then Canadian buyers are not buying as much from the U.S, as they used to buy.

 

The only way that the GSP team will make changes is if sales drop, or more accurately if income drops as a direct result of the program.

 

That's not difficult to determine.

 

 

 

Message 1332 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

lots have been trashed... I will not buy from any seller using the global program..

 

i am sure i am not the only one..

 

 

ttyl

 

dave

Message 1333 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

We know individual American sellers using the GSP are losing Canadian and other International sales.

 The real question is, is eBay losing money because of the GSP?

 

When a buyer moves on because of the GSP it only means that a particular seller has lost the sale.

That doesn't necessarily hurt eBay because It doesn't mean that eBay has lost the sale.

 

In fact, buyers that are here to complain and comment are likely still buying on eBay and just moved on to a seller who doesn't use the GSP.

 

 

 

 

Message 1334 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

"The real question is, is eBay losing money because of the GSP?"

 

If you really want an answer to your question, it will be available on January 22nd, after the close of the stock market:

 

http://www.media-server.com/m/p/qjcfj9ue

 

I have no inside knowledge but I suspect that, once again, eBay will report an increase in revenue, an increase in sales by its sellers, including American sellers, etc...

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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program


@zioniche9 wrote:

 

Import tax = yes

Customs tax = yes (dealt with in my country by my customs dept)

export tax from USA or Canada = NOT THEIR BUSINESS!


I see you are registered in Thailand.  Are you aware that the GSP is not (yet) available to Canadian sellers?  

 

If you buy from a Canadian seller, you won't have to deal with the GSP at all.  Why not try finding what you're looking for by logging onto eBay.ca?  We Canadian sellers would love it if more buyers would come here! 

 

Message 1336 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

This is in response to Pierre.

 

If the stock market shows an increase in revenue that in no way implies a cause and effect relationship between the GSP and the value of stocks.

 

It doesn't even imply that's a correlation between the two.

 

 

Saying that the GSP is responsible for stock fluctuations is the same as saying the weather caused eBay stocks to go go up or down in value.

 

 

Message 1337 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program

(C'mon:  You know that!)

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"Saying that the GSP is responsible for stock fluctuations"

 

????

 

Where does it say that in my post?

 

The financial report comes from eBay - not the stock market.

 

It is announced by eBay's senior management after the close of the market, as is normal with all public companies.

 

As stated earlier, if you want to know the effect on eBay (sales, revenues, profits, etc...) the best time to find out is when senior managers address the issues.

Message 1339 of 6,171
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Re: Comments about the Global Shipping Program


@i*m-still-here wrote:

@marnotom! wrote:

 

 

If posters want the "GSP team" to take their concerns seriously, concrete evidence is more useful than numbers tossed out without any sort of context to support them.


To put it politely:  That statement is full of holes.  I won't even start.

 

There are enough posts to this board alone to provide crystal clear evidence that Canadian buyers do not love the GSP.

If the posts are accurate, then Canadian buyers are not buying as much from the U.S, as they used to buy.

 

The only way that the GSP team will make changes is if sales drop, or more accurately if income drops as a direct result of the program.

 

That's not difficult to determine.

 

 

 


Don't start, then.  😄 

 

Most complaints about the GSP seem to be about the import charges.  Thing is, the tax and duty component of the import charges have to be charged somehow (Yes, we know how murky that process is right now.) and paid. 

 

I doubt the GSP team is going to take complaints about the import charges that seriously provided that those charges are realistic and accurate.  And there are lot of listings where they are.  If they aren't, those listings should be pointed out rather than saying "I found a 65 dollar item that had half of that amount in import charges."  That doesn't help anybody.

 

For what it's worth, the only way the GSP is going to get rid of "import charges" is if everything gets lumped into the shipping charge, and you can bet that's not going to make people any happier if the charges continue to be as inscrutable as they are right now.

 

I really doubt there's been anything like a huge sales drop on eBay.com that can be attributed to the Global Shipping Program.

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