Comments about the Global Shipping Program

[kalvin@ebay.com]

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.

[mwc1942]

Those "great US sellers" likely haven't crossed over to the dark side and adopted the GSP

"adopted" ..... don't you mean forced  

[marnotom!]

Nothing I've seen so far has led me to believe that sellers who know what they're doing are being "forced" into the GSP.

However, they do have to be on their toes.  Sellers finding themselves unknowingly enrolled in the program seem to have misunderstood what they're accepting at the bottom of the latest eBay user agreement due to the sneaky way in which it was designed.

[ace_4420]

Here's my answer to the 4 question about the Global Shipping Program.

1. Nothing has worked for me with this greedy program. No upside to this ridiculous program 

2.You could raise this 20.00 duty free up to 200.00 (like there Americans have)

3. I will not buy anything outside of Canada or in Canada for that matter. (Canada does not  have the items I like to collect.)

4. I have not searched any items from the US after I got blind sided by duty and HST.

This will devastate the Mom & Pop USA sellers. I have purchased from a regular US seller since 2004. I called him to let him know that I would not be buying any of his jewelry because of this over inflated Duty, HS/GST/ handling fee. He and his wife are upset. Regards, Ace

[pjcdn2005]

You could raise this 20.00 duty free up to 200.00 (like there Americans have)

That's up to the government, not eBay

I have purchased from a regular US seller since 2004. I called him to let him know that I would not be buying any of his jewelry because of this over inflated Duty, HS/GST/ handling fee. He and his wife are upset.

If they are upset about losing business then why don't they just stop using the gsp? It isn't mandatory.

[marnotom!]

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@ace_4420 wrote:

Here's my answer to the 4 question about the Global Shipping Program.

1. Nothing has worked for me with this greedy program. No upside to this ridiculous program 

2.You could raise this 20.00 duty free up to 200.00 (like there Americans have)

3. I will not buy anything outside of Canada or in Canada for that matter. (Canada does not  have the items I like to collect.)

4. I have not searched any items from the US after I got blind sided by duty and HST.

This will devastate the Mom & Pop USA sellers. I have purchased from a regular US seller since 2004. I called him to let him know that I would not be buying any of his jewelry because of this over inflated Duty, HS/GST/ handling fee. He and his wife are upset. 

---

Ceasing purchases from sellers who are not using the Global Shipping Program doesn't strike me as being a terribly effective way to encourage U.S. sellers to continue shipping directly to their non-U.S. buyers rather than using the GSP.

But the way your post comes off, I'm wondering if your issue is more with the fact that any personal import with a declared value of over C$20 can be assessed and charged taxes and duty by Canada Border Services, no matter what the shipping method.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/postal-postale/duty-droits-eng.html

[femmefan1946]

1. Nothing has worked for me with this greedy program. No upside to this ridiculous program 

Well, no. The program was never meant to benefit buyers. (Except tangentially, by encouraging xenophobic US sellers to offer international shipping.) The purpose was to increase sales which had flatlined, by encouraging US seller to ship outside the lower 48 (US seller panic about shipping to Puerto Rico. And of course many are convinced that Hawai'i is a small town in Kenya.)

The US seller is only shipping, with cheap Delivery Confirmation, to the GSP/PB plant in Kentucky. After that, Pitney Bowes takes responsibility for delivery.

2.You could raise this 20.00 duty free up to 200.00 (like there Americans have)

The Honourable Joe Oliver, PC, MP

Minister of Revenue

House of Commons

OTTAWA ON K1A OA6

 You don't even need a stamp on the envelope. Just write OHMS where the stamp would go.

3. I will not buy anything outside of Canada or in Canada for that matter. (Canada does not  have the items I like to collect.)

European and Asian sellers do not use the GSP. Of course, that doesn't mean the items you buy won't be assessed for duty, tax and shipper's fees.

4. I have not searched any items from the US after I got blind sided by duty and HST.

Many US sellers do not use the GSP because they were already shipping to Canada and overseas and were sophisticated about the system . Again. That does not mean you will not be charged duty, GST and shipper's service fees on your doorstep without notice.

This will devastate the Mom & Pop USA sellers.

[chimera148]

Trouble is it shouldn't be up to the buyers to have to educate sellers about the GSP, especially when it could be made compulsory for sellers using the GSP to list their items properly in respect to country of manufacture to avoid unnecessary duties being charged to an item.

Maybe Pitney Bowes can keep the overcharged duties when the package is opened and resealed in Kentucky and country of manufacture is ascertained.

Possibly compulsory metric measurements would help some international buyers if ebay is serious about helping GSP sellers sell internationally. 🙂

It's unfortunate that some non GSP and international sellers on ebay will lose sales and value as some buyers look for other selling venues.  

[sugarbaby2011]

The answer is; if any Seller is using GSP ask them if they would ship the item/s using First Class shipping & cost BEFORE making the purchase or bidding on an Auction.

If the answer is yes the Seller would ship the item by First Class, once you get the invoice , request the total from the Seller as the request goes to them to fill in.

As far as the GSP is concerned, no one has mentioned that;

Would it be fair to say that eBay has pushed for this GSP so as to benefit from the % received from the Seller.

[pjcdn2005]

If the answer is yes the Seller would ship the item by First Class, once you get the invoice , request the total from the Seller as the request goes to them to fill in.

As far as the GSP is concerned, no one has mentioned that;

A gsp seller cannot issue a non gsp invoice. They would have to relist the item without gst or send an invoice through Paypal.

Would it be fair to say that eBay has pushed for this GSP so as to benefit from the % received from the Seller.

The seller doesn't pay any fees on the import fees or international shipping costs so ebay doesn't benefit in that way. But they did implement the program to encourage more U.S. sellers to sell internationally so as to bring in a larger buyer base which results in more sales. So yes, they are pushing it to make more money.

[ace_4420]

They didn't use GSP, they sent it USPS First class Int'l packing. They shipped some items to me a month ago and had no problem. The Canada post gal in town doesn't know why either. She thinks it's customs pulling packages at random.

[marnotom!]

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@ace_4420 wrote:

They didn't use GSP, they sent it USPS First class Int'l packing. They shipped some items to me a month ago and had no problem. The Canada post gal in town doesn't know why either. She thinks it's customs pulling packages at random.

---

When my wife and I started buying stuff online from outside Canada in the late 90's, I'd say 70% of our $20-plus items were pulled by customs and charged taxes.  (We were charged taxes and duty in one case: a book from the UK.)  

It seems that buyers are getting off a lot more easily these days and many people are regarding it as the norm not to be charged taxes (and duty) on a personal import.

I still consider it a bonus when I don't get charged PST/GST on something I buy from outside of Canada.  I guess that makes me an old geezer or sumpfin'.

[mwc1942]

The answer is; if any Seller is using GSP ask them if they would ship the item/s using First Class shipping & cost BEFORE making the purchase or bidding on an Auction.

Providing there is no existing bid.  Understand that a seller can not change the listing after the first bid, could be wrong.

[mwc1942]

1. purchase from Canadian sellers.

2. possibility that Canadian customs will charge you when the item crosses the border.

1. limited Canadian sellers compared to US sellers, depending on item[s].

2. would rather take my chances at the border than have PB practically hand delivery the duty to custom 

[arlene_v]

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@chimera148 wrote:

Maybe Pitney Bowes can keep the overcharged duties when the package is opened and resealed in Kentucky and country of manufacture is ascertained.

Possibly compulsory metric measurements would help some international buyers if ebay is serious about helping GSP sellers sell internationally. 🙂

---

Yes.

Not sure how this program is set up re the Canadian customs broker paying the tax and duty on shipments, but have wondered why, since  PB is opening items to determine place of manufacture, a simple recalculation can't be done, and any over payment refunded to the buyer. 

Since this program relies on seller info to calculate tax, duty and shipping costs, and when that info is insufficient or lacking, the program, in order to remain cost-effective,  calculates  prepaid charges using a  "worst case scenario"  buyers are very often seeing inflated charges. 

I completely understand that PB is in this for profit, this is all about bottom line ..so I figure PB is constantly looking for ways to make their business more profitable, right? 

If anyone at PB has not thought that this differential might not be a "good thing" I'd be surprised. The T&C of the program indicate all "import charges" and program fees are nonrefundable after all, and nothing illegal will be done if the "estimate"  prepaid at time of purchase, and the final amount are at odds, as long as the Canadian Government is paid its legal due.

Anyway, the buyer has waived the right to claim any over payments when agreeing to the terms.  

I wonder if this is the reason why nothing has been done about these issues (place of manufacture and shipping info) even after all these months? PB and eBay have been awfully slow to implement any changes in these areas. And seller education continues to be woefully lacking. Perhaps this is deliberate? 

Please anyone feel free to comment, because I may just be barking here.

 "Arf "arf. 

[brightviewmusic]

I am just learning about the Global Shipping Program and how it is NO GOOD.Other comments have been, not to use it or find what your looking for somewhere else but.......

I purchase memorabillia which can't be found just any old place.I just lost 3 important pieces to a collection which are extremely rare

Someone was selling off their collection The cost would have been double the price I'm used to paying

.The seller listed GSP and I contacted him asking him to ship USPS.He explained why he wasn't using USPS and so on.By the time our communications were settled the item was sold.I was willing to pay more so seller lost out on that too.
Of the 2 times I had something shipped to me using GSP, I was charged substantially more money and both times the packages were opened.Why would the packages have to be opened.It's like a violation of privacy.
I have never had that happen with USPS
I asked a US seller to reconsider shipping to Canada as they weren't shipping to Canada.His comments were:
"we only ship to US addresses due to ebays poor backing of sellers and tracking
requirements...sorry"
So I asked to them to comment on ebays poor backing of sellers and what about GSP over charging and looking into our packages
Their response was"

I understand your issue with global shipping. That is why we opted out. They
really overcharge buyers in other countries on postage. For sellers we have to
purchase a "international tracking" number and in the case of just 1 comic book
to Canada it is approx $17 to $28 per pkg. If we do not and if the pkg gets lost
or whatever we have to take the loss. I sent a cd to Brazil, I had the customs
tag number that showed it was delivered but the "unkind recipient" in Brazil put in a
"not received" claim, we immediately lost. Even ebay could see it was
delivered...they said it was not valid tracking that was outlined in ebays
policies and procedures.

Global shipping is a business money maker for
ebay. They partner Pitney Bowes and open all pkgs and remail and pass the costs
on to you. They both charge a fee for that service above and beyond normal
postage rates.
That's from a USA seller
So from where I sit it seems clear GSP is not helping anybody,especially buyers

Please remove Global Shipping Program as a viable means to ship.Keep it as it was.

Thanks for reading
brightviewmusic

[marnotom!]

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@arlene_v wrote:

Not sure how this program is set up re the Canadian customs broker paying the tax and duty on shipments, but have wondered why, since  PB is opening items to determine place of manufacture, a simple recalculation can't be done, and any over payment refunded to the buyer. 

Since this program relies on seller info to calculate tax, duty and shipping costs, and when that info is insufficient or lacking, the program, in order to remain cost-effective,  calculates  prepaid charges using a  "worst case scenario"  buyers are very often seeing inflated charges. 

I completely understand that PB is in this for profit, this is all about bottom line ..so I figure PB is constantly looking for ways to make their business more profitable, right? 

If anyone at PB has not thought that this differential might not be a "good thing" I'd be surprised. The T&C of the program indicate all "import charges" and program fees are nonrefundable after all, and nothing illegal will be done if the "estimate"  prepaid at time of purchase, and the final amount are at odds, as long as the Canadian Government is paid its legal due.

Anyway, the buyer has waived the right to claim any over payments when agreeing to the terms.  

I wonder if this is the reason why nothing has been done about these issues (place of manufacture and shipping info) even after all these months? PB and eBay have been awfully slow to implement any changes in these areas. And seller education continues to be woefully lacking. Perhaps this is deliberate? 

Please anyone feel free to comment, because I may just be barking here.

---

Meow, fssst.  😉  (I am a "tom", after all.)

Something else to consider is that if the seller calculates the weight of the item incorrectly or doesn't bother to do so at all, the GSP robot may end up calculating a shipping rate that's completely at odds with the item and possibly in the buyer's favour.  I don't believe the GSP demands additional payment from the buyer after the fact in these circumstances, so if the GSP were to refund overages, then I think PBI would want the ability to make up for shortages as well.

Of course, the chances of situations such as those that you and I are describing could likely be reduced if filling in the "Item Specifics" fields were made mandatory on a GSP (or any) listing, as has been suggested before.

I don't think the issue of the accuracy of charges is the main reason why little has been done about the issue of seller education for the GSP.  I think it's more a case of PBI wanting this program to look as "simple" for sellers to employ as possible, and PBI being somewhat notorious for foot-dragging.  (I have an image of a dozen vice-presidents stuck in an elevator because their mobile phones don't work and nobody can take on the task of using the emergency telephone.) 

[ace_4420]

No Canadian sellers sell Native American, Zuni, Hopie or Mexcan silver vintage Jewelry. The Canuck sellers that do (thinking that they know something on these vintage pieces) is laughable. Ace

[sagidan]

• As a Canadian I am outraged US sellers are using and imposing this program without knowing the implications.  What happened to NAFTA, (Free Trade) agreement among Canada US and Mexico & (Chile):

• According to NAFTA agreement there is no duty to be paid if the goods are for personal use and "the goods are marked as made in the United States, Canada or Mexico, or the goods are not marked or labelled to indicate that they were made anywhere other than in the United States, Canada or Mexico."

  ]I just checked one seller and here is what he is offering for shipping service: US $15.27 for tracked shipping + US $128.65 using global shipping program.  Canadians receive the item and pay the applicable HST taxes.  This program is inappropriate.   Who ever is running GSP, is acting as a custom officer inside the USA, not at the border and  is actually removing NAFTA out of the picture! And Canadian customs now have some outfit who is collecting the duty for them and they are not employed by Canadian customs!  Of course a lot of Canadians are not buying from sellers who force this GSP on Canadian buyers.

  My added comment is:  Would United States of America sellers buy from sellers from Canada, who impose the very costly GSP? US sellers who use that program have not examined it carefully before enrolling or they simply don't care.

• Another eBayer stated:

  "Our auctions clearly state that buyers are responsible for any customs duty or import tax their Country(Canada) not another country (USA!) may collect on delivery.   eBay, therefore must do something about the Global Shipping Program, or do away with that statement because now it looks like our country Canada is NOT collecting on delivery!

[ace_4420]

It's no problem if you"re buying cd's,books, t-shirts, stamps, pins etc. Items that I collect run into the hundreds and a thousand dollars, there should be a notification on how much HST, handling ,duty etc..that you have to pay?? It should be listed before you buy. This is why my US seller is scratching his head. Items that I purchased from him a month ago didn't have this extra charge upon pick up at my Post office. Buyers need to know EXACTLY what their costs are.  It has to be shown on the invoice somehow. It's a **bleep**shoot the way it is now and that's a game that a lot of buyers are unwilling to play. ..Ace

[ace_4420]

Lol!! Can't believe they "bleeped" an innocent word. It rhymes with scrap.