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.

[zynnax]

Not sure it will cost more.

But why should we not get a refund in case the charges are higher than the actual shipping and customs cost?  Is this not ripping off people?

[toby_le_pue]

Sent by Canada Post and checked by Customs,  $22.23 Tax + $9.95 handling fee

Sent By UPS courier $22.23 Tax and about $30.00 handling fees.

[ajm-1]

The seller checked, actual USPS shipping was US $26 priority and I know the charge at my end would be Cdn $5. Basically ebay raped me for 20% more on the transaction.

To add insult the seller got $11.35 for his handling and ebay took $41.53 for a used pair of x-country ski boots that weigh < 2 lbs to ship

The best part is they hide the true cost from the seller completely and only reveal the cost to the buyer after they bid.

[ajm-1]

zynnax. the ebay GSP scam charges shipping on used goods more than most retailers for shipping new goods. I get items all the time from the US with lower shipping cost on auto parts, sporting goods, etc from large retailers.

This ebay global shipping scam charges almost as much as UPS and hides the cost almost the same way.

[pjcdn2005]

The double cost stays hidden until you bid and checkout, then wham...double.

The shipping cost is not hidden. The shipping price stated on the listing when you bid should be the exact amount that you paid as that price already includes both the domestic and international shipping charges. When you paid, the total shipping cost would show as being split up between the seller and PB but the total cost would be the same as the cost you saw on the listing.

If the seller shipped the boots directly to you rather than go through the gsp, I'm sure that those shipping for those ski boots would have cost more than the $27 that you paid.

[pjcdn2005]

 I just noticed that you said the seller said the boots would cost $26 to ship directly to you. I'm surprised that it would be that low for something bulky like ski boots.

[dbolullo]

I will not be using Ebay anymore, and I have using it a lot in the last 2 years. When Ebay was using Canada Post if we missed our deliveries we could pick up our parcels at the local post office, in most Canadian communites there is one close by. With Canpar if we miss our delivery we have to pick up from there location in Etobicoke which is not close for most people. Deliveries are done during the day, of course, and most people work during the day. It is longer convenient to use Ebay.

[ajm-1]

Only $27 was shown until I bid. Then another $25 was added after I bid as a second amount.

At payment $11.35 went to seller for handling and $41.53 went to Pitney Bowes. No breakdown is given for how much ebay gets to facilitate the theft.

This all happens out of sight of the seller. If the listing said shipping was $52 I would have avoided this auction. This is social engineering by ebay to increase their profit on the backs of buyers and sellers.

[ajm-1]

Only $26 for USPS to actually air priority ship a pair of very lightweight used pair of carbon fiber skate ski boots; verified by seller.

Normally seller just has to make customs declaration of used sporting equipment and no other charges.

Ebay charge is $52 and on my PayPal it shows Pitney Bowes gets $42 to send by ground.

No breakdown of disbursement of the $42. Even if $20 goes to HST that means PB and ebay split $22 for bulk ground shipping.

The high shipping cost for GSP will completely discourage cross border sales of pre-owned gear in the same way that UPS and Fedex fees discouraged the use of couriers for cross border shopping.

[afantiques]

It may be , but probably is not,  of some concern to ebay that a large number of bitter complaints about the GSP are from people who have no idea what they are doing or what is going on, people who are not reacting to the facts of the GSP but to their perception of what happens.

An appreciable proportion of the negative posts on this thread, and I have read a lot of them, are as much related to reality as a toddler's howls of rage at the universe as a reaction to a stubbed toe. Do marketing classes include seminars on how unpopular campaigns will not only attract justified criticism, they will also  attract blame for everything from the weather to the car getting a puncture.

I think that,  properly analysed, there is material for a PhD thesis in this thread.

[dasia143]

I agree, dbolullo, the involvement of CanPar with its single terminal in Etobicoke is a huge disincentive for Toronto area buyers. I hope someone from eBay takes note that they need to make sure items sold through the GSP are delivered to buyers' homes or to nearby postal outlets.

[dasia143]

Quoting Afantiques, "a large number of bitter complaints about the GSP are from people who have no idea what they are doing or what is going on, people who are not reacting to the facts of the GSP but to their perception of what happens."

I haven’t bought anything from a GSP seller yet. I’ve been tempted, but was discouraged by reading here and elsewhere that:

Shipping may be entrusted to a company that requires recipients not home when they deliver to pick items up within five days from a terminal that in my city is an hour’s drive from much of the population.

Pitney Bowes has been known to open packages and repack them with less protective material, resulting in breakage of one-of-a-kind items. People can win and pay for items that PB will then refuse to ship. They get refunds, but the buyer is left frustrated because what they really wanted was the item itself.

You can’t combine shipping.

In auctions, you won’t know the full cost of import charges until after you bid, i.e. commit to pay.

Are you saying none of this is “reality”? I wish, but the last two points have been confirmed by an eBay employee and they and the other points seem to have been experienced by enough posters to give them the ring of truth.

The first-time posters who find their way here to vent about a less-than-satisfying GSP purchase may lack the in-depth knowledge of the GSP and the finer points of duty regulations some of the thousand-posts-plus members have, but they don’t deserve to be dismissed as howling children. It is their first experience with the program and it didn't go well because of one or another of the points above. They are valid reasons to be upset regardless of whether the no-combined-shipping or extra-charge-at-payment is enumerated in the Terms and Conditions, or whatever hairsplitting argument the experts come up with. Personally I appreciate them sharing their experiences to save others from going through the same thing and to show eBay how flawed the program is.

[walker0017]

dasia143 wrote:

I haven’t bought anything from a GSP seller yet. I’ve been tempted, but was discouraged by reading here and elsewhere that:

Shipping may be entrusted to a company that requires recipients not home when they deliver to pick items up within five days from a terminal that in my city is an hour’s drive from much of the population. 

Pitney Bowes has been known to open packages and repack them with less protective material, resulting in breakage of one-of-a-kind items. People can win and pay for items that PB will then refuse to ship. They get refunds, but the buyer is left frustrated because what they really wanted was the item itself.

You can’t combine shipping.

In auctions, you won’t know the full cost of import charges until after you bid, i.e. commit to pay.

 Are you saying none of this is “reality”? I wish, but the last two points have been confirmed by an eBay employee and they and the other points seem to have been experienced by enough posters to give them the ring of truth. 

The first-time posters who find their way here to vent about a less-than-satisfying GSP purchase may lack the in-depth knowledge of the GSP and the finer points of duty regulations some of the thousand-posts-plus members have, but they don’t deserve to be dismissed as howling children. It is their first experience with the program and it didn't go well because of one or another of the points above. They are valid reasons to be upset regardless of whether the no-combined-shipping or extra-charge-at-payment is enumerated in the Terms and Conditions, or whatever hairsplitting argument the experts come up with. Personally I appreciate them sharing their experiences to save others from going through the same thing and to show eBay how flawed the program is.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Well said, like you I have not purchased anything involving the GSP and find that the reluctance of eBay and PBI to rectify these issues after all this time is a clear sign for all non-USA buyers to actively avoid any USA seller who is using this program. Then and only then when the USA sellers start complaining to eBay about their out of country sales drying up because of the GSP will something be done. It is sad when buying from everywhere else is cheaper including shipping than buying from a GSP USA seller. 

[afantiques]

Are you saying none of this is “reality”?

No, not really. Not the rational posts, just the ones where the words amount to no more than inarticulate  rage against the machine.

In auctions, you won’t know the full cost of import charges until after you bid, i.e. commit to pay.

There is a little link that will show you the charges of an auction item if it goes for your full bid, that you can check before placing the bid, but it's not all that obvious and you don't see it till you start to bid, and it is an odd side effect of GSP auction bids that before bidding (if you know what it means when you see it) there is a clue to whether your bid will beat all existant hidden bids.

[dasia143]

Quoting Afantiques,

"There is a little link that will show you the charges of an auction item if it goes for your full bid, that you can check before placing the bid, but it's not all that obvious and you don't see it till you start to bid, and it is an odd side effect of GSP auction bids that before bidding (if you know what it means when you see it) there is a clue to whether your bid will beat all existant hidden bids."

That is interesting. If I ever find a GSP item whose price + shipping and import charges make it worth bidding on, I will look for that elusive link. However, surely you would agree buyers should not have to hunt for such information. Nor should they have to make sure the seller has listed the country of manufacture, etc. Using the GSP without getting into a position of feeling ripped off requires so much arcane knowledge as to make it impractical for the average user. Especially impulse buyers!

[mwc1942]

"There is a little link that will show you the charges of an auction item if it goes for your full bid, that you can check before placing the bid, but it's not all that obvious and you don't see it till you start to bid, and it is an odd side effect of GSP auction bids that before bidding (if you know what it means when you see it) there is a clue to whether your bid will beat all existant hidden bids."

Other less experienced posters may find its location helpful.

[afantiques]

It appears before you actually confirm the bid. So no need to actually buy anything.

If you are directed to a GSP terms and conditions page before the bid is accepted, you have a winning bid, if the bid simply registers, you are already outbid. Although your bid will serve to raise the current bid level.

It has been a few weeks since I tried making real bids (a helpful US ebayer put up a GSP auction for marno and I to play with) so things may have changed.

[arlene_v]

---

@dasia143 wrote:

Quoting Afantiques,

"There is a little link that will show you the charges of an auction item if it goes for your full bid, that you can check before placing the bid, but it's not all that obvious and you don't see it till you start to bid ..."

That is interesting. If I ever find a GSP item whose price + shipping and import charges make it worth bidding on, I will look for that elusive link. However, surely you would agree buyers should not have to hunt for such information.

 .......

---

A big part of the problem is the way the information is presented, hence the many complaints about "surprise" import charges after the fact. 

The bold statement, front and centre, that there are no further import charges for the buyer is very problematic, because it really creates an impression that can be misleading. 

If the auction starts at less than Can $20, and the buyer is the first to bid,  import charges show as zero prior to a bid being placed. 

Now, if the potential buyer inputs a bid amount of say, $45, this screen appears next:

If a buyer just clicks "Confirm" they will have no clue as to the extra import charges.

Now, how many buyers, having read the info presented on the very first page regarding no further import charges will even think of  clicking the calculate button at this stage? I suggest that this is the crux of the problem, the initial message regarding import charges. 

In order to see the actual charges due, the buyer has to hit  the calculate button. 

The buyer can back out or confirm the bid. 

Badly structured. 

[afantiques]

Now, how many buyers, having read the info presented on the very first page regarding no further import charges will even think of  clicking the calculate button at this stage?

You are quite right.

But just the screenshots needed to show what to look for.

[dasia143]

Thank you very much indeed, Arlene, for demonstrating where to find the "Calculate" button. It helps to know one can get that info before committing to buy. I just wonder why when Bennett answered essentially the same questionn for me, he didn't mention the button.

When I started on eBay, I found they had several useful tutorials on how to bid successfully, etc. There doesn't seem to be anything like that for the GSP, at least nothing that goes into sufficient detail.