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.

[pjcdn2005]

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@Anonymous wrote:

How the hell do they calculate those duties? I'm from Canada and if I go shopping across the border all I have to do is pay 13% GST tax for bringing my purchases back to Canada. Now here on Ebay it's almost 30-40 % of the item's cost, and that's on top of shipping! Also for items up to 60 dollars you don't have to pay duty at all, yet Ebay charges them anyway? It used to be so easy - if there's a duty to pay - you just pay it when you pick up your item at the post office. And most of the time, unless an item is more than 100 bucks they just let it go. Now Ebay charges you upfront and it is waaaaaay more that it is supposed to be. Sorry, I'm just venting because I think it is extremely unfair. 

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Bringing an item back in person and having an item arrive by mail fall under different regulations. Any item that is more than $20 is subject to hst/gst and duty. If the item was made in a NAFTA country then there is no duty. If someone sends you a gift, the duty free limit is $60.  But as you know, when items arrive by mail the regular way, Canada customs often doesn't bother charging tax or duty.

It import charges are 30-40% of an item's cost then there might be a problem with the programming. I don't usually see fees that high so if you have any examples, it would be great if you could list the item numbers.

[arlene_v]

Hi PJ,

Your question wasn't directed at me but just to verify Fille's observation re  items listed under the GSP showing 30-40% import charges, this is not unusual in the categories I generally look at. 

161259314953 ( "Import charges" for Ontario  approx 37%,, that includes the program fees)  

261373968984 (Example of program correctly calculating "Import charges"  approx 17%, that includes program fees)

It really depends on what you are looking for on eBay. This tends to hit those of us searching for  collectible, vintage items, very often made in the USA, and therefore a great many of these items should be exempt from duty, with only GST/HST payable. 

But, this is a small slice of the eBay pie. 

[pjcdn2005]

Thanks arlene,  I wouldn't be happy about a $38 import charge for a $100 tshirt either. It was $29 to Alberta which is almost as outrageous.  I see too that those are more examples of the item detail Country/Region of Manufacturer not taking NAFTA into account.

Even when the correct import rate is given as is with the second tshirt, a total of $32 shipping and import fees to Ontario for a $100 tshirt is higher than many people would prefer to pay.

I've made quite a few comments on the .com Powersellers boards about gsp....all from a Canadian perspective of course...and some sellers that use it have mentioned that they do specifically omit Canada from the program which is nice to see. That has nothing to do with me though...they've obviously done their homework.

I want to take some time to do up a post about the region of manufacturer issue and post it there so that they are aware of the issue. Hopefully, some of them will make sure to use Country of Manufacturer instead. 

[pocomocomputing]

If you create a new listing, the correct eBay item specific that is given is Country/Region of Manufacture. The Country of Manufacture was the item specific from summer of 2012 to Jan 2014 when eBay created the Country/Region of Manufacture item specific. Instead of renaming the original, they created a new one and the old one stayed in listings.

For a year or more the old Country of Manufacture item specific was used and is in many listing. Newer listing have the Country/Region of Manufacture item specific. 

A seller would have to manually add a Country of Manufacture item specific which would not be the true eBay item specific.

The GSP if it is indeed using the old Country of Manufacture may switch over to the new Country/Region of Manufacture causing a new round of issues with the declared country.

eBay/Pitney Bowes need to read both fields or fix it to use the eBay Country/Region of Manufacture item specific and then advise all sellers to use the new field forcing sellers to update the older incorrect listings.

So recommending USA sellers to use a non-existent eBay item specific called  Country of Manufacture is just going to create more issues.

I mentioned this issue way back in the GSP megatopics.

Where is eBay Bennet? eBay needs to be made aware of this issue.

[arlene_v]

Spot on, Pocomocomputing.

I have reported this twice on Weekly Board Hour sessions ...once here, and then on a  GSP Hour on the US site.

On this site I was told it would be looked into. My question re this issue was ignored by staff on the US site. This was about 3 months ago?

No action as yet.

On the odd occasion one  sees a relisted item with the old item specific and BINGO! the import charges are more in line with reality. 

[pjcdn2005]

So recommending USA sellers to use a non-existent eBay item specific called  Country of Manufacture is just going to create more issues.

My mistake. Because I see both being used, I thought that sellers had a choice of both but I see that isn't true..

[pierrelebel]

"I wonder if Ebay owns a piece or all of Pitney Bowes"

Pitney Bowes is a public company with shares traded on the stock exchange (NY Stock Exchange), valued at about US$ 5,500,000,000 (that is five and half billion):

http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/pbi

Pitney Bowes is a contractor to eBay for this program, just like it is with the "PayPal postage" program.

If you take the time to check their financial statements in details, you will find no evidence of cross ownership.  Investing in Pitney Bowes would not be a good investment for eBay as PB trades at 44 times earnings.

It is more profitable for eBay to simply contract Pitney Bowes for the job and take a small cut of the proceeds.

[justwhatineed01]

Ahh marnotom!.  I'm back.

Just want to congratulate you on your second feedback.  It adds so much more weight to what you say as you champion the global shipping program for ebay.  

Just want to let you know that I have found a way to circumvent this global shipping program.  

I have bought about 40 items from USA to Canada since my last little rampage against this bogus GSP.  In every case I asked the seller nicely to remove the GSP option.  Every one gladly obliged and I made the purchase in each case.  No duties charged.  

I encourage everyone out there to do the same.  It works.  I also annoys marnotom!  Down with the GSP!!!

[pierrelebel]

"I have bought about 40 items from USA to Canada"

That is great.  It is always nice to see a member happy with his eBay purchases.

" No duties charged.  "

Of course not.  Looking at your purchases from the USA, they were all under $10 (many at $1).  No tax or duty is ever charged on those low priced items.

It is unfortunate you had to waste your time asking American sellers to ship directly instead of using GSP.  These items should never have been listed with GSP in the first place. 

I wish eBay would do a better job educating American sellers on the nature of program and find a way to block low value listings (under $50 or $100) from using the program.

[bluecomet]

The horror of the eBay Global Shipping Program continues.  I recently purchased a book from a California seller for $11.45  He had specified the Global Shipping Program but agreed he would ship by a cheaper method.  (I live on the west coast of Canada.) Of course, in spite of erroneous information he received directly from eBay, this proved impossible, so I agreed to spend the $23.35 for GPS which included customs duties that would never be charged on an item of this value.  The GSP shipped the book to Kentucky, and then forwarded it to Canada via THE POST OFFICE.  It's been 17 days since the purchase.  It may be delivered today.  Lord save us from the Global Shipping Program.

[bluecomet]

What has worked well?  Hmmmm. I spend a lot more time communicating with sellers about the GSP than about the actual item for sale.  In fact, I have had many interesting discussions with sellers whom otherwise I would probably not communicate with.  So it has increased my face time with many US sellers.  As well, I always inform sellers who use the GSP that I simply will not bid on their item as a result.  Sort of my contribution to the education of American eBay sellers.

Improve the experience.  How about making it explicit to US sellers that specifying the GSP may result in Canadian buyers simply deciding not to bid.  Don't even have to tell them why.  Wouldn't want to offend anyone, after all.  Also offer a specific option for shipments to Canada - GSP or any other method.

What has deterred me from using GSP.  Cost of shipping and customs fees, and the time it takes for items to arrive.  My one and only experience was a $23. charge on a $10. item that shipped across the US and back across Canada - a 17 day journey.

How would I search for items outside the program?  All my searches are for specific items I am looking for.  If an item comes up bearing the dreaded GSP rates, I just move on.

[Anonymous]

as a Canadian that has over a thousand transactions on ebay, with most of those being purchases i will no longer buy anything from any seller that uses that scam / rip off. i hear all kinds of explanations and excuses for and against the GSP but the bottom line is that everyone but the american seller is getting hosed by this program. i had one seller tell me that he does not care what it cost me as a Canadian buyer because he does not want to stand in line and fill out the export forms that are required..... lame ass lazy seller!!! 

Bottom line is that i WILL NOT buy from any seller that uses the GSP and if we all stuck together and quit buying from these people  [as one person explained to me is, are being bullied into using this program by ebay] then someone at ebay would see that it is effecting their bottom line on profits. and that is something that will get ebays attention. but as long as we go along and grumble and complain but continue to make purchases from these people no one will do anything. i think that ebay has had their day in the sun and now it has lost some of its shine and they are trying to find a way to make more cash and the only way they can do this is by squeezing drops of blood out of the buyers and sellers on their site. think back a few years now when ebay bought pay pal, at that point they made pay pal the only way to pay for your purchases. bullies to get the dollars.

[femmefan1946]

I will.

It is often cheaper to use the GSP when the seller uses it appropriately. Which means for items over $50 -- and preferably over $100 only.

But my first GSP purchase for a US -printed book, was based on it being the lowest price on eBay, even with all the GSP charges. And the seller not only did not specify that it was US -Made (and thus duty free ) but the item was IIRC only $29.99 US and should not have been offered under the GSP at all.

Still was the cheapest on eBay.

[electro514]

I ordered a dvd of true detective and it was shipped using the new ebay global shipping. It started in 

Jul-08-14, 12:41 PM, WERNERSVILLE, PA 19565 and this morning it shows it in Jul-12-14, 04:46 AM, ERLANGER, KY 41025 that`s 4 days for a relatively short distance when it comes to shipping. The worst thing about it is the tracking number which can only be checked on ebay site and is updated when they feel like. Using this system there`s no way you can find out when it actually will be delivered to your home, its expensive and its slower than molasses.

Thanks for nothing EBay

[femmefan1946]

EBay doesn't issue any tracking numbers.

Your seller used a tracked service to send the item to Kentucky for trans-shipment to Canada. That USPS tracking number is useful to the GPS and the seller if the item doesn't arrive. It is useless to you.

Then PitneyBowes who run the GPS puts a tracking number on the item which tells them which container/boxcar/truck your item is in. This is useless to you and is an internal tracking number in any case.

The Canadian shipper who unpack the container/boxcar/truck may also use a tracking number, but this is supplied to PB not to you. And there is no way of knowing which shipper is chosen. (It's usually CanPar or Canada Post. The latter if you don't live in a city.)

Remember that the tracking number is equally likely to be a Confirmation of Delivery number, which only is recorded when the item has been delivered. To you. So it is pretty useless in any case.

If your item does not show up in a reasonable time, and normally without GSP that is around 20 days, you can open an Item Not Received dispute with eBay/Paypal. If GSP cannot show delivery, you will get a full refund.

And the item will be delivered the next day.

[pammer71]

I will not buy anything from buyers that use the G.S.P.its a big rip off.Any buyers using it should be aware of the missed potential with Canadian buyers

[mrx99]

I try to stay away from the global shipping program. I find you have to pay twice for shipping. Once to ship to Pitney Bowes and a second time to ship to my address.

[Anonymous]

I agree it is a scam.  I noticed some listings with up to $20.00 has no import charges, while I see other listings for $19.99 and bingo I see the import charges!  I understand up to $20.00, no import charges or taxes but with $19.99 I am seeing the import charges.

And other listings that are guarantee to scare off the potential buyers when I see listings with starting price of $17.50 with $50.00 Buy It now and I see with hefty import charges based on the Buy It now price not the starting prices!!  That is a guarantee to scare off the potential.  It even said see the full amount at checkout.  I rather knew now before I bid not after I bid on them.

As far as I am concerned it is a scam that way.

[femmefan1946]

Do you mean the seller was enrolled in the GPS but shipped directly to you?

That error gets reported fairly often.

There is an accounting of the cost of GPS  on the listing.

First cost is the seller's statement of shipping cost.

Second cost is the 'import cost", consisting of appropriate Canadian duty and sales taxes, plus around $4-5 USD to Pitney Bowes for handling the importation, both the paperwork and the actual movement.

Nothing secret there.

If you were charged duty, tax and brokerage on your doorstep, the seller goofed. He should just have shipped your purchase to Kentucky (the GSP/PB plant) for re-shipping.

However, you can get the unused GSP part refunded. I'm not clear how, but someone will be along to explain.

Don't you just love this party? Everything's so fancy and they have some kind of hot cheese over there!-- Kaywinnet Lee Frye