Questions about the Global Shipping Program

Do you have questions about the Global Shipping Program? Please post here & I'll do my best to track those answers down for you!

 

If you have any comments about the program, use this forum instead.

 

Thanks,

~Kalvin
eBay.ca Community Manager

kalvin@ebay.com

Message 5 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

You won't know exactly what was paid to the government. Part of that import charge is a Pitney Bowes service charge...usually about $3-$5. In your case, the rest of that money is probably for hst. There's no reason to believe that PB is not sending the correct amount to the government although they have never provided any sort of paperwork to show what money goes where. Some on this board have said that when they submit the paperwork to the government they are doing it in bulk...so all items being delivered to Canada are declared at the same time which is why each buyer does not get a receipt.

 

Message 1341 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

which is why each buyer does not get a receipt.

 

The buyer is not the importer, PB is the 'Importer of record' so any receipt for tax would go to PB and its customs broker.

 

The buyer's receipt for import charges,which is a figure made up of more than just the import sales tax, is their Paypal receipt for the payment they made.

Message 1342 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program


@afantiques wrote:

Pitney Bowes opens up every package and remove the bubble wrap in order to save weight. I think that is fraud. The items will most likely be broken!

 

A moment's thought will reveal the idiocy of this. A huge roll of bubble wrap the size of a barrel weighs only a few pounds. You'd probably not get an ounce of bubble in an average package.

 

At the point where someone might remove packing protection, the item is the responsibility of PB as far as safe delivery is concerned, and any damage is a dead loss to PB, not the seller.

 

Why on earth would they want to increase their losses due to damaged items? At the cost of extra labour and for no effective benefit.

 

Truly is it written that a lie will run round the world before the truth has its boots on.


Excellent points. AF. 

 

One aspect which continues to confound though is why PB has not cracked down on making "Place of Manufacture" a mandatory requirement for GSP listings. Not doing so  results in the continued practice of opening and repacking items,  and, based on listings, this could well involve many more than just a small number of items!!!  When looking at GSP listings I see quite the opposite, a great many items lack this info and if purchased under the GSP will need to be opened, checked and repacked in Kentucky. 

 

 

It remains baffling that PB has done virtually nothing to improve this. The only answer is that the financial benefit of omission somehow outweighs the cost of labour in all of this, or is taken into account in the program fees.

 

 

Message 1343 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

Thank you for the replies. Very much appreciated!

Message 1344 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

I am finding that there are many issues regarding this global shipping program.  As some people have already stated, shipping costs are expensive enough to Canada and when you add the import charges, one really has to consider whether purchasing the item is really worth it.  When items were shipped  through regular mail, I rarely had to pay duty.  I find that I look for similar items now that can be shipped through USPS before I make any purchase using global mailing.  Also, I have found that customs is extremely careless when they open the parcels...and yes...every item is opened with this global mailing system.  They  frequently use a box cutter with no regard to the item inside and I have had several items that have been slashed and ....completely ruined.  I find that customs workers slice the parcel open somewhere in the middle where the item is situated rather than making sure that the item is clear before they make their cut.  Sellers need to be aware of this practice at customs and ebay needs to know that this is happening.  I always inform sellers when items arrive damaged and I suggest to them that they make sure that all items are well protected inside the package to help prevent this type of damage in future sales.   USPS tends to be more random in opening parcels and I have had fewer issues with damaged goods. On the positive side, delivery is quick and tracking is usually up to date and I know exactly when the item will arrive.   It seems that sellers have a choice in which carrier they  wish to use when shipping goods as there are still many who use USPS, however, more and more sellers seem to be using this global shipping program and I fear that these sellers may loose valuable international sales which will also effect ebay.  I know I think many times before I purchase items now with this new shipping system.. . 

Message 1345 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

I always inform sellers when items arrive damaged and I suggest to them that they make sure that all items are well protected inside the package to help prevent this type of damage in future sales.  

 

Forget the sellers, for every item damaged in transit make a claim for 'Item not as described'. The seller will keep their payment, you will be refunded in full and you will not have to return the damaged item.

 

Damage after the item reaches Kentucky is the GSP's responsibility, and if they are doing lots of damage, maximise the amount it will cost them by letting nothing go.

 

This is the only way to get the message across.

Message 1346 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

No questions about GSP but just a comment or two... First, I will not purchase from a seller who is using the program so I tend to buy Canadian or not at all. Second, I think a lot  of Canadians feel the same as my sales to fellow Canucks has gone up 25% in the last few months....Which is fine by me!!!

Message 1347 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

"One aspect which continues to confound though is why PB has not cracked down on making "Place of Manufacture" a mandatory requirement for GSP listings."

 

 

SIMPLE, by enforcing the "Place of Manufacture" rule eBay/PB would eliminate a tremendous amount of a FREE revenue source.   Properly labeled items would NOT be subject to the DUTY portion of the import charge.
 
"3. Casual goods that are acquired in the United States
  • (a) are deemed to originate in the United States and are entitled to the benefit of the United States Tariff if
    • (i) the marking of the goods is in accordance with the marking laws of the United States and indicates that the goods are the product of the United States or Canada, or
    • (ii) the goods do not bear a mark and there is no evidence to indicate that the goods are not the product of the United States or Canada;"
 
Which means NO DUTY on most properly labeled items.  But it could also explain why PB opens and repacks items ...... looking for goodies that falls into the above category, well worth the effort.
 
RECEIPT
Without this piece of paper [possible reasons PB does not issue one] you the bidder/purchaser really have no proof that you actual paid for the duty on the imported item. Without a receipt it is not possible for you the buyer to seek an adjustment or refund of duty under the Casual Refund Program should the need arise.  The Casual Refund Program states in part:
 
 
"The Casual Refund Program manages the refund and adustment processes for the following duties and taxes imposed on non-commercial (casual) importations brought into Canada by mail or by courier or carried by travellers:
  • customs duties"
 
 
Message 1348 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

Is it possible(with GSP) that seller have somehow sent my item but tracking/any shipping details are not available?Thanks for help

Message 1349 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

SIMPLE, by enforcing the "Place of Manufacture" rule eBay/PB would eliminate a tremendous amount of a FREE revenue source.   Properly labeled items would NOT be subject to the DUTY portion of the import charge.

 
 
You might try costing this out a bit. I'd say the expense of checking items would exceed the putative benefit of not paying the occasional small amount of notional duty included in the import charges.
 
It should also be noted that the 'Casual Goods' regulation that you cite applies to a specific circumstance, the personal importation by a cross border traveller, and has no relevance or application to commercial freight imports. No such assumption of origin applies to these imports.
 

RECEIPT
Without this piece of paper [possible reasons PB does not issue one] you the bidder/purchaser really have no proof that you actual paid for the duty on the imported item. Without a receipt it is not possible for you the buyer to seek an adjustment or refund of duty under the Casual Refund Program should the need arise.  The Casual Refund Program states in part:
 
 
"The Casual Refund Program manages the refund and adjustment processes for the following duties and taxes imposed on non-commercial (casual) importations brought into Canada by mail or by courier or carried by travellers:
  • customs duties"

As noted above, the casual refund program specifically excludes commercial imports. GSP items are imported as Commercial Imports. No receipt for tax is issued to the buyer because they are not the importer. PB is the importer of record (see the full terms and conditions).

 

There is a receipt issued to the buyer for the cost of the service PB is supplying, and this is in the form of the Paypal receipt for the GSP part of the payment for the item, which is charged and receipted as a separate item from the seller's price and domestic shipping.

 

All arguments based on anything else but the normal practice for processing commercial freight imports fail for reasons of inapplicability if they are based on the rules and practices of taxing postal and personally carried imports.

Message 1350 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

Is it possible(with GSP) that seller have somehow sent my item but tracking/any shipping details are not available?Thanks for help

 

If you have not run out of time, start an Item Not Received claim in the resolution center.

Message 1351 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

Thanks for reply.So..it isn't possible then,right?

Message 1352 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

"Is it possible(with GSP) that seller have somehow sent my item but tracking/any shipping details are not available?"

 

The tracking information supplied by the seller and the only tracking information available from the seller represents tracking from the seller's location to the Pitney Bowes distribution centre in Kentucky.  That is where the tracking information ends.

 

It is also possible that the seller shipped to the Pitney Bowes distribution centre without tracking.

 

Either way, if your item has not been received within a reasonable period of time (three weeks) file a claim with eBay/PayPal.

 

Message 1353 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

No.

EBay prefers to surprise the deadbeats.

 

It's like police not telling the world how to avoid red lights. Counter-productive.

 

It's pretty generally accepted that the first Strike can be removed on appeal, because everyone maks mistakes. The general opinion is four Strikes, but there is no proof of that.

Message 1354 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

Does PitneyBowes just voluntarily send money to Canada Customs based on

 

It's not 'voluntary' any more than paying income tax is voluntary.

They are obeying the law.

Message 1355 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

The GSP advertises that the parcel will be tracked and at some point the buyer should be able to see a tracking number that will be valid from the Kentucky depot to delivery. But it does seem that quite often once the item reaches Canada, the tracking info isn't updated.

 

 

Message 1356 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

"You might try costing this out a bit. I'd say the expense of checking items would exceed the putative benefit of not paying the occasional small amount of notional duty included in the import charges."
 ................................. 
 
I'd suggest that this amounts to far more than an "occasional" benefit.  We can't even guess the number of items that are shipped via the GSP into Canada but it must be considerable.  Of all these items duty would apply only to those items that clearly show evidence that they are NOT a product of the USA.  According to information provided there is no rule that states an item must be labelled "Made in the USA" to be an non-dutiable item.  As to being a presumed benefit, again I would suggest that this adds more to the financial bottom line than anything gained by unpack & repacking to save on shipping cost, as is often the accepted explanation for the extra handling and resulting damages.
Why eBay fails to enforce its "Place of Manufacturing" requirement is indeed a mystery.  As speculative as it is, until someone can offer a better explanation this one satisfies my interest.
.................................. 
 
 
"It should also be noted that the 'Casual Goods' regulation that you cite applies to a specific circumstance, the personal importation by a cross border traveller, and has no relevance or application to commercial freight imports. No such assumption of origin applies to these imports."
 ................................
 
"INTERPRETATION
2 In these Regulations, “casual goods” means goods other than goods imported for sale or for an industrial, occupational, commercial or institutional or other like use."
 
Notice that this is pretty well what the GSP states in Rules & Conditions, Item 2[d] Non Commercial Use, states in part " and not for commercial resale purposes."  The imported items are "Casual Goods" and the method of delivery is commercial but would that  change what the classification of the item, don't believe so. 
 
.................................. 
 
"As noted above, the casual refund program specifically excludes commercial imports. GSP items are imported as Commercial Imports. No receipt for tax is issued to the buyer because they are not the importer. PB is the importer of record (see the full terms and conditions)."

................................... 

 

If federal law stipulates that interest rates cannot be charged higher than a specified rate and a financial institution does if fact charge more than that specified rate would they not be in violation of the law, even if it was by mutual consent.  PB may be the importer of records and a commercial delivery enterprise but would that exclude it from following NAFTA, which happens to be law between the USA & Canada.

....................................

"There is a receipt issued to the buyer for the cost of the service PB is supplying, and this is in the form of the Paypal receipt for the GSP part of the payment for the item, which is charged and receipted as a separate item from the seller's price and domestic shipping.

 

All arguments based on anything else but the normal practice for processing commercial freight imports fail for reasons of inapplicability if they are based on the rules and practices of taxing postal and personally carried imports."

.................................

 
 
Again, the delivery vehicle should make no difference.  Shipping by commercial delivery should not change the items classification from "casual goods" to "commercial goods"  The buyer must pay the duty [included with the import charge] before the transaction is even processed by ebay.  Yes, there are receipts but not for the duty paid by buyer. But how can they issue a receipt to the buyer for duty paid when in fact the item may not  be dutiable in the first place.  No duty is payable on items [some exceptions] unless there is clear evidence that the item is NOT a product of the USA, if that item happens to be "casual" or "commercial" goods appears immaterial.  So what happens to all the monies collected from buyer's on the pretext of paying duty when in fact there may not be duty payable? 
 
Message 1357 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

OK, whatever.

Message 1358 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

I have never, in over 200 US purchases, (knowingly) donated good money to PB, but it would be an interesting exercise for a province to investigate whether they are actually receiving funds through sales tax from PB eBay purchases.

Message 1359 of 3,104
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what do oihers think about international shipping program

I have lots of problems with international shipping, run by pitney bowes. what do other people think?

Message 1360 of 3,104
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