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.

[skymoon50]

the first thing I do before I put an item on my Watch List is see if it is being shipped GSP. I refuse to pay outrageous prices for handling on top of shipping. I am aware when I order something online that there might be taxes when it is delivered, but that is my choice. In all the years I have been purchasing items online (I live in rural Canada) I have very infrequently had to pay anything when picking it up at the Post Office. 

To pay shipping and then!!  to pay handling, duty, taxes is too much. I have been purchasing much less from US sellers since this  program started. The losers here are US sellers, as they have alienated a large Canadian market. I have in the past few weeks purchased from sellers in UK and France selling similar items as those from US sellers.

[thebidsniper]

Excellent point about buying from overseas.  Why is it that I can pay 8.99 to have an item shipped from the UK, a country across the Atlantic Ocean, and it still be far, far cheaper than having something shipped from the United States with the GSP.  This hare-brained scheme is so poorly conceived, so blatantly designed to pick the pockets of uneducated international buyers that the only word for it is insulting.  I guarantee that there are no repeat GSP users after using it the first time.  IMPLEMENT A GSP FILTER FOR SEARCHES.

[marnotom!]

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@thebidsniper wrote:

I guarantee that there are no repeat GSP users after using it the first time.

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What I still don't fully understand is why there are so many "first times" if people find the charges so objectionable.  Are people simply hitting the "buy" button after seeing the item in search results, rather than reading the details in the listing page?

The GSP can be a good deal when used by sellers who understand the program and use it to their advantage.  I bought from one of those sellers and paid less in shipping than those offering similar items shipped directly to Canada, and the import charges I paid were less than the PST and GST I'd normally pay on the item.  Those situations are either few and far between, or else few other people are mentioning them in this discussion.

[afantiques]

I've received US items with $200+ values declared and still did not pay any duties or taxes.  Not all items imported are charged extra, only the ones that are randomly pulled.  They'd have to hire everyone in Canada to look at every package's paperwork.

Your 'free ride' items were imported by post.

GSP items are imported as freight and never get that 'free ride' as far as border taxes are concerned.

The consequences of this were obvious at  once the first time I saw this scheme, a couple of years ago; the confusion and anger were predictable, and with amazement that the designers of the scheme did not seem to forsee or care about this, it lead to me watching the results with morbid fascination ever since.

[maximus7001]

$14 to` mail a sticker to Canada with GSP? I ship stickers to USA all the time for $1.20. Come on ebay get your head out of the sand regarding this GSP.

The poor USA seller has no idea how to opt out. I asked him and he wants to opt out.

[pierrelebel]

"Come on ebay"

???

The problem in this instance is clearly not with eBay but sellers who do not know what they are doing or do not care.  They may be more concerned with some benefits they see for themselves (protection against negative feedback or low DSR) in using GSP instead of what is best for the buyers.

[f20cc]

Alrite to answer the original question

• 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?

1) Nothing has worked well for me with the GSP, there is no communication and a ridiculous free

2) If Pitney Bowes/GSP would leave eBay, that would help the experience of all buyers.

3) Many reasons have deterred me from buying using GSP -

- The ( WE CAN'T SEND IT, WE KEEP IT POLICY )

- unknown additional fees and extremely slow service

- NO communication

4) I have bought other items on ebay without this program hassle free.

REMOVE GSP, eBay is better without you!

[maryellen.nb]

The Global Shipping Program must be very successful at promoting itself , as it has quickly become widely popular with sellers. The prices being charged are often very excessive , and seem randomly assigned and profoundly variable . For items being shipped to Canada, the customs and duty charges are added automatically to the buyer, when they are rarely charged by customs, especially on used items. Customs and duty charges are sometimes greater on a used item than if the product was ordered NEW from theo riginal retailer.

This program is making E-Bay a FAR less attractive shopping option for Canadians .

When requested , some sellers are willing to ship via usual channels, with according shipping decreases, but many are now committed to this program.

Is there any movement to address these issues ?

Thank you.

[demelzasmom]

I agree with the others, at least those in Canada, who call for the elimination of this money grab for Pitney Bowes and who do not want to do business with ebay sellers in the US who are part of this program.  

Too often the GSP costs and seller's shipping charges more than double the cost of the item.  If there are still buyers unaware that they may have to pay customs, duties and any applicable tax, they must be few and far between.  However, the majority know what they're committing to when they buy.  Interestingly, even when those combined government charges are collectible, they still amount to less than the Global Shipping Program charges.

The fact is that many, if not the majority, of used items coming from the US are not subject to customs, duties or taxes at all, yet they are billed by the GSP as if they're new.  The other fact is that NAFTA excludes certain categories of goods from import charges in toto, yet the GSP doesn't take that into consideration.

This Program should be eliminated for purchases made by Canadian residents.

[afantiques]

The fact is that many, if not the majority, of used items coming from the US are not subject to customs, duties or taxes at all, yet they are billed by the GSP as if they're new.  The other fact is that NAFTA excludes certain categories of goods from import charges in toto, yet the GSP doesn't take that into consideration.

It's an old chestnut,  not a fact. Used items are just as taxable as new ones, although both new and old usually pass untaxed if sent by post. GSP items are not sent internationally by post so they have to pay all the taxes they are subject to.

The North American Free Trade Agreement has nothing to do with most import charges which are GST/HST related.

[afantiques]

3000 mostly negative posts.

I'd say many sellers using it simply do not know it on their listings.

[marnotom!]

You missed the two threads pinned to the top of this discussion board?  🙂

No matter, your post and these responses will be incorporated with one of those two threads shortly.

[ Edit:  This should be in reply to maryellen.nb, not afantiques ]

[emily1679]

I buy alot of sewing patterns and yarn from US Sellers. A lot of sellers have now opted out of Global Shipping/Pitney Bowes. Thank God for that!  Used patterns do not require priority mail shipping. Nor does  Global have any business charging duty and taxes. They are out to lunch with that too.  No fees are charged if $20.00 or below.  First class mail should be the 1st option and than  Global as a second option...But whatever idiot set this up should have their heads read.!! If US Ebay doesn't want border crossing sales, they should just close the site to Canadians. Total idiots at Ebay for climbing into bed with Global shipping Scammers.

They have lost respect from most Canadians and looking for new source to buy, not using GSP  like Etsy.com. I am looking there now.  I also ask every pattern sale or yarn sale to cancel and re-list  using first class mail shipping only.  Most are quite willing to do that.  Thanks for listening to me. I refuse to support Global Shipping. That is my way of fighting against it.

[chubbz187]

I have been an ebayer for 14 years and I am disgusted with this money grab eBay has going here. It is absolutely outrageous and is basically setup to systematically fleece Canadians .. I am getting close to calling it a day.. And lots of us feel the same way.. Just FYI ebay

[proxyx99]

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@chubbz187 wrote:
I have been an ebayer for 14 years and I am disgusted with this money grab eBay has going here. It is absolutely outrageous and is basically setup to systematically fleece Canadians .. I am getting close to calling it a day.. And lots of us feel the same way.. Just FYI ebay

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There are so many CONCRETE examples how Ebay + PB are scamming users and I don't get how there can be still few advocates here who despite all the evidence to the contrary seem not to get it. One has to be locked up in an asylum and so detached from the reality that all the arguments, examples, quotes, numbers etc. are not getting to them. It is simply disgusting to see them unscrupulously pushing a flawed Ebay/PB agenda and still have the audacity to claim otherwise. What's in it for them?

I just don't get it. Numbers don't lie. I bet they will still come back saying black is white. Get real.

[jsmont]

I just don't buy from anyone using GSP!!!!

[nubian_treasures]

Ebay has gone to bed with Pitney Bowes. The excessive fees are PB fees and not just the duty charges. I frequently suggest buyers outside the US to tell the sellers that you will not buy from them if they are using the GSP.

[almost86]

Wow I am glad I'm not the only one that is completely disgusted with the GSP. I will not buy with auctions that use this program as it is a complete ripoff. When the cost of shipping and "import charges" hits in the 50%-70% range, its laughable that anyone would expect to buy these items. Ebay has been in decline for the last couple years and I have started to look all over the internet to purchase items. Just used to be nice that there was little risk in buying through Ebay. Shame. 

[proxyx99]

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@almost86 wrote:

Wow I am glad I'm not the only one that is completely disgusted with the GSP. I will not buy with auctions that use this program as it is a complete ripoff. When the cost of shipping and "import charges" hits in the 50%-70% range, its laughable that anyone would expect to buy these items. Ebay has been in decline for the last couple years and I have started to look all over the internet to purchase items. Just used to be nice that there was little risk in buying through Ebay. Shame. 

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Most Canadians buying on Ebay are with you. Once you try GSP you automatically join the rest of the already disgusted crowd, guaranteed.

Most users don't even know about this forum, many don't care about complaining, just stop buying, like most of us here.

I recently bought several items on Amazon, shipping was reasonable, no extra or hidden charges... how do they do that? How does Amazon manage to be cheaper then Ebay/PB? At least this is my impression after ordering 4 items in the last 3 weeks. I paid less, no fees + quick delivery. Wasn't Ebay doing that in the past? (actually members themselves, not Ebay... once Ebay got involved things go down). Most businesses that started treating customers like cattle ended up badly. Something to think about.

[proxyx99]

Breaking news:

Target Canada CEO got fired. 1 billion in losses. High prices, empty stores.

Haha, this is how it usually ends. Reminds you of something?