Questions about the Global Shipping Program

[kalvin@ebay.com]

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,

[sylviebee]

This might be more information than you want, but also note that that when items are shipped with insurance, that the seller's insurance claim is invalidated if they ask that items be returned.

Some sellers will want to file insurance claims and get items returned but technically returns negate claims.  They can't have it both ways.

I believe (but not 100% sure) that the Global Shipping Program uses insured methods to ship so in the case of damaged items asking for returns doesn't fit with the program.

[marnotom!]

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@bobenis wrote:

Well I had filed a case for shipping damage via the GSP a year ago on an amplifier that arrived damaged. 
When filed ebay stepped in and the seller was not involved at all. 
Ebay told me to keep the item and refunded me via the GSP but it appears this process might have changed. 
If I have to repack, ship back, wait, etc then it might not be worth all the of the headache. 

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I haven't seen any evidence that the process has changed.

If sellers are only responsible for the safe shipping of the item from their location to the Global Shipping Center, the seller does not have to provide a refund and does not have to get a broken item returned to them if the damage was incurred between Kentucky and the item's destination.

If, however, you've determined that the seller shipped you a broken set of headphones, that's a completely different ball of wax.

[afantiques]

Sellers who have insured an item shipped directly via the PO will be compensated for damage by the PO and it doesn't matter if the damage occurred en route to the GSP hub or en route to the buyer.

I cannot tell if you are implying that the insurance continues after the item reaches the GSP hub.

PO insurance finishes when the item is delivered to the address on the package. Anything else would be akin to saying PO insurance covered the first week the customer used the item as well as delivery.

Once the GSP hub has the item, the seller has no further insurable interest.

[afantiques]

If I have to repack, ship back, wait, etc then it might not be worth all the of the headache. 

You will not have to return the item. The seller has no responsibilty or involvement in GSP damage claims.

[monette99]

Welcome to ebay!

Mark

😄

[stevencarolyn2004]

Hi, I have 3 items that I purchased from the US that are shipping to Canada via GSP, the tracking says they have attempted to deliver but no one is home but I was home and one says they left a note, which they didn't, the tracking numbers do not show who the postal carrier Is, what company do they use once in Canada So i can find out where my parcels are? Thank you

[sylviebee]

I would wait a day before doing anything.

The GSP uses various shipping methods, but the most common is the Post Office.  

The tracking number itself should make is possible to pinpoint the carrier.

Sometimes CPO will scan an item before they've actually performed the service and other shipping companies probably do the same now and then.

If it doesn't show up today when you get your regular mail delivered you could call the PO and if it's not their parcel odds are they could help pinpoint the carrier via the tracking number.

[jonball]

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/201872279679?ul_noapp=true

I have made my last eBay purchase using the Global Shipping. I will only purchase from sellers that ship USPS. It took seller 5 days to place package for shipping and Global held for another 3 days while the buyer is in the dark, seller ignoring messages, seller NOT accepting returns for Global.

When Payment is complete item should be shipped, NOT delayed.

USPS would have had it to Canada Post and delivered in 7 days.

[marnotom!]

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@jonball wrote:

When Payment is complete item should be shipped, NOT delayed.

USPS would have had it to Canada Post and delivered in 7 days.

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Not if the seller waited five days before shipping the item out.  The delay in getting the item in transit is not the Global Shipping Program's fault.  The seller was responsible for that delay.

You may have ended up with a seller who was automatically opted into the GSP by eBay and had no idea how the program works.  Their sales term of shipping only to PayPal confirmed/verified addresses and not accepting other addresses is a yellow alert suggesting to me that they may not totally know what they're doing.

A three-day processing delay could also occur with an item shipped directly by USPS if the item is held by Canada Border Services.

[catthom-s6k3dv]

Global Program is bad. No information on many items purchased and shipped through GSP. Cannot track where packages are located and time in transit. Cost is too much to add to parts customers have to pay for repairs, they don't understand the added cost through Brokers.

[femmefan1946]

Yes

It's a program designed for Seller Protection but does not treat buyers well.

It works particularly poorly for Canadian buyers, since CBSA and Canada Post have decided that it is not worth enforcing the $20 dutyfree maximum that we are allowed.

Cannot track

There is tracking available, although frankly it is not needed because if something doesn't arrive, the buyer can open an Item Not Received dispute and get a full refund from GSP.

Bonus-- if the item eventually does show up, the seller has been paid and GSP doesn't want it back. It's yours to deal with as you choose.

Another poster worked this out for buyers who have not yet received their GSP shipment.
TRACKING SYSTEM FOR GSP
It's not user friendly... But I found how to track your package via the global shipping program, once it gets to Canada you need to:
- Log on to eBay.ca
- Under the My eBay menu select Purchase History
- Under your orders find the specific order.  It should have something like the following:
        Estimated delivery Mon, Jan 11 - Thu, Jan 21
        Tracking number: Tracking number UPAAB000000#########
- Click on the UPA number.  This should open up a Shipment Details window, which should contain something like this:
     This shipment has been transferred to CPC for delivery to the final destination # 70351#########
-Click on the Canada Post number to see where the Canada Post Tracking history and expected delivery

Cost is too much to add to parts customers have to pay for repairs,

I'm not clear on this.

GSP is specifically stated NOT to be used for business to business use.

Cost is too much to add to parts customers have to pay for repairs,

If you mean you received something, through GSP, that was broken, unless it was obviously in transit this is up to the seller to correct.

You open an Item Not As Described dispute.

The seller is required to send you either a Return Shipping Label, (not possible cross-border) or the return postage.

It is polite to give the seller this link to Canada Post

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

so that he can see why you are asking for such high rates. You need a TRACKED service.

If he does not provide return postage, you get your payment refunded. And he gets a Defect.

But on the whole it is best to avoid sellers who use GSP unless the item is bulky and/or expensive.

Those items may turn out to be a little cheaper than using USPS First Class International Parcel

https://postcalc.usps.com/Calculator/ShapeAndSize?country=10440&ccode=AE&omil=False&dmil=False&mdt=5...

which is the service you should be asking your seller to use instead.

Many GSP sellers are very uniformed and actually afraid of international shipping. Most don't even know that there is a cheaper rate for shipping to Canada than for shipping overseas.

[kmbs1]

I wonder if SHIPPO will the equivalent method in Canada of screwing sellers like the GSP and Pitney Bowes E Commerce.. If so how easy will it be to opt out. I have on occasion contacted the US seller of the item as to how well their sales are doing to Canada lately. A few have said that they wondered why so many of their shipments are to Kentucky. as per their shipping instructions. They are also surprised how much we ultimately have to pay. The import charge is simply a money cow. After buying over 700 items from the US I think there was maybe a dozen times I had to pay additional charges. Please put in a filter for EBAY ca to exclude GPS items and still see other US items that still use USPS int.

[reallynicestamps]

wonder if SHIPPO will the equivalent method in Canada of screwing sellers like the GSP

It doesnt.

It's a Seller Protection program and does a very good job of that.

The (Canadian) buyer is the one getting the shaft, since CBSA and Canada Post have an informal policy not to bother assessing imports for duty if they are valued under ~$100CDN.

The couriers (including GSP/PB) don't have that luxury and must charge applicable duty (sometimes 0%), applicable sales taxes (from 5% to 17%) and then a fee to cover their assessment costs (from $5 like GSP to $25+ for UPS).

A few have said that they wondered why so many of their shipments are to Kentucky.

Those sellers are unaware that they are enrolled in the GSP.

And 'so many' indicates that they are getting sales to Canada that they would not be getting if they were only allowing US buyers.

import charge is simply a money cow.

Yep.

The federal (duty + GST) and provincial governments (PST) are getting money they would never have seen if only USPS/Canada Post shipping were being used by these US sellers.

After buying over 700 items from the US I think there was maybe a dozen times I had to pay additional charges.

That sounds about right.

See 'informal decision' above.

The CBSA ignores low cost and small packages.

BTW- the Canada Post service charge for collecting any import fees on those shipments that are assessed is double what PB charges.

SHIPPO apparently is more like stamps.com. They sell shipping labels to Canadian sellers.

Nothing to do with Canadian buyers shopping in the USA.

The shipments then will travel by Canada Post, just as they do now through Paypal.

My concern is that this is a fairly new company. Founded in 2013 it partnered with USPS in 2016.

I'm worried about such  short track record.

[bat119]

Is there a reason the GSP charges anywhere from $16-$54 US for exactly the same item?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MotorGuide-Wireless-Handheld-Remote-M887657-/121376403812?hash=item1c4298f164...

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MotorGuide-Wireless-Handheld-Remote-Mot-M887657-/371630260933?hash=item5686e3...

I contacted the seller he has no idea what the GSP  charges are because he doesn't see them. Do they just pull the charges out of the air?

Long story short I was able to find the same item for $64 + 9.95 USPS shipping (US funds) dropped in my mailbox with no extra  charges not even GST.

If Ebay goes under blame the GSP

[marnotom!]

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@bat119 wrote:

Is there a reason the GSP charges anywhere from $16-$54 US for exactly the same item?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MotorGuide-Wireless-Handheld-Remote-M887657-/121376403812?hash=item1c4298f164...

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MotorGuide-Wireless-Handheld-Remote-Mot-M887657-/371630260933?hash=item5686e3...

I contacted the seller he has no idea what the GSP  charges are because he doesn't see them. Do they just pull the charges out of the air?

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The second item isn't being shipped (forwarded) through the GSP.  It's shipped by UPS Worldwide Expedited.

[harnenijja-0]

I used this program for one of my deliveries and never received the package at all. They actually delivered the pack to an adjacent city and who knows to what address. How do I find out where my package actually went? How do they completely miss an obvious address? Where would this error have occurred?

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kalvin@ebay.com wrote:

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,

---

[marnotom!]

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@harnenijja-0 wrote:

I used this program for one of my deliveries and never received the package at all. They actually delivered the pack to an adjacent city and who knows to what address. How do I find out where my package actually went? How do they completely miss an obvious address? Where would this error have occurred?

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I doubt it's a matter of the delivery contractor (likely Canada Post) missing an obvious address.  What likely happened is that the package containing the item was mislabeled at the Global Shipping Center in Kentucky.  Perhaps whoever received your package had a very similar name as yours, or the number assigned to your shipments were very close.

Try contacting Pitney Bowes (the administrators of the Global Shipping Program) at the address on this webpage.  Can't guarantee you'll get anywhere, but it's worth a first shot at resolving this:

http://www.pitneybowes.com/us/support/account/global-ecommerce-cross-border-shipping-support.html

[paulatns]

Ebay should take note that the GSP is an illegal tariff under NAFTA. Read ILLEGAL when applied to goods and services originating from the jurisdictions of the signatories of the treaty.

Time to rethink the program???

[marnotom!]

I don't think the GSP would have lasted in its present form for four years if it were doing anything illegal.

NAFTA is about eliminating duties for items produced in NAFTA countries. It does not eliminate duties for items produced elsewhere that are sold from NAFTA countries.

More importantly, it does not eliminate GST or HST, and while items shipped by mail often get a free pass from CBSA when it comes to consumption tax charges, Pitney Bowes has to pay those taxes on items forwarded through the GSP and the purchasers of those items have to pay those charges (plus various processing charges) back in the form of "import charges".

[paulatns]

Unfortunately I have proof of my allegations from personal experience. Having worked both sides of the border in the public and private sectors I know that just because they get away with something doesn't mean that it's lawful. Lawyers all would be out of business...