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,

[regalservice]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Kalvin & to any eBay, it seems that there are way too many pages focusing on GSP for too long and with lots of rave and griefs, complaints, etc., do you think it is time for eBay to do something about it?

Like retiring GSP?  Maybe it is okay for International countries but not for Canada unless very heavy and expensive but not for overall for small items, like trading card, photos, magazines, etc.

Unless eBay likes GSP so much that they don't want to retire because they get to charge sellers the final value fees on very way high shipping costs with GSP?

I am amazed that eBay continues to "ignore" us and not to do something about it, like fix it or better to "retire" GSP completly.

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Agreed! and for any other countries too that might be affected!

[afantiques]

Since the seller never saw the duty, tax and PB fees, who refunds those? Does the buyer have to go after CBSA for the duty and tax on the returned import?

This was thrashed out in another thread. PB refunds the PB charges. In cases of loss or damage no return is involved. Other returns are a bit trickier.

This thread on the USA board may or may not clarify things.

http://community.ebay.com/t5/International-Trading/GSP-and-returns/m-p/17781721#M11079

[marnotom!]

Wouldn't a better solution be simply to better educate sellers on its appropriate use?

Keep in mind that most GSP listings that are active now are from sellers who have likely never sold internationally before on eBay.  Take those listings away and all of a sudden you're left with fewer choices for items that are available for shipping to Canada.

[anguscoinshop]

Kalvin

i know that because of the GSP ebay's sales actually went down in Canada, wouldn't be better to cut your losses right now than down the road(i understand that you get a check from this site, i'm sure its your job to speak for the program no matter what).

I'm very happy to fully contribute to Canadian local economy(no ebay purchase in over a month and counting).

[marnotom!]

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@angus_coin_shop wrote:

Kalvin

i know that because of the GSP ebay's sales actually went down in Canada

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I'm not Kalvin, but I would like to know your source for this information.

A decline of sales "in Canada" may very well mean a decline of sales of items listed on .ca.  

In addition, a decline of sales to Canada from the United States doesn't necessarily mean an overall decline in sales.

I just want to see this information for myself to make sure it's being interpreted correctly.

[ht707red]

As a serious ebay Canadian buyer I caled Canadian Customs and asked if we have to pay duty on used cothes and i was told NO - up to 100.00 I DO NOT HAVE TO PAY DUTY - Further more we CANADIANS pay duty in Canada not in the USA - WHO KEEPS the import charges coected by EBAY????  What sort of ega scam is this???? I refuse to buy when GSP is in pace forcing Canadian buyers purchase outside EBAY.  Does any body sees this ????  If I am wrong coud some one expain me how this works???????

[seawolf12]

It's the same for bullion. There is no duty, nor any tax on gold and silver, yet their program adds 4 times the shipping cost. There should be a way for Canadians to opt out.

[anguscoinshop]

For Kalvin only;

"Kalvin

i know that because of the GSP ebay's sales actually went down in Canada, wouldn't be better to cut your losses right now than down the road(i understand that you get a check from this site, i'm sure its your job to speak for the program no matter what).

I'm very happy to fully contribute to Canadian local economy(no ebay purchase in over a month and counting)."

awaiting reply

[anguscoinshop]

You need to buy from Canada, i sell bullion.

[afantiques]

You are not paying duty, you are being charged import sales tax, same as you would be paying sales tax if you bought locally.

The threshold is $20, although it seems most low value items are untaxed if sent by post. This does not mean they are not liable to be taxed.

[anguscoinshop]

You are correct pure gold, pure silver and platinum are some of the very few things that are tax exempt.

[marnotom!]

Bullion is in the "Coins and Paper Money" category which is currently not supported by the Global Shipping Program.

[brickcracker]

Bought a new video game and the bottom of it was slightly cut from a boxknife or such and was not pictured as so on the auction listing.  Could this be from a customs officer or in this case from the Global Shipping Program centre when they verified the contents shipped?  I saw someone post that they did not use the GSP as they have heard complaints about this very matter.  It can be tricky to unpackage a well wrapped item.  I take my time for something of value for my collection, but do they??

[marnotom!]

Was there a note included with your shipment indicating that it had been opened and/or repacked?

[anguscoinshop]

if it was from a custom officer, it would of been retaped with custom official tape.

GSP would of opened it to remove weight so they can cash in with shipping.

[marnotom!]

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@angus_coin_shop wrote:

if it was from a custom officer, it would of been retaped with custom official tape.

GSP would of opened it to remove weight so they can cash in with shipping.

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I think you missed Lady.stark's thread on her experience with the GSP.  In it, she mentions a note being enclosed notifying her that her package had been opened, checked and resealed:

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Buyer-Central/My-first-GSP-purchase/m-p/156299

This page gives the official reasons why items may be opened by whoever's been contracted to handle the logistics end of a GSP shipment:

http://blogs.pb.com/ecommerce/2013/07/17/global-shipping-program-faqs/

[afantiques]

GSP would of have opened it to remove weight so they can cash in with shipping.

Nonsense. A moment's thought would show that the labour cost of routinely unpacking and repacking items would far outweigh any tiny weight advantage.

[bennett4612]

Hi angus_coin_shop. I'll reply for Kalvin, since we more or less tag-team these boards. 

Apologies that your question wasn't answered on its initial posting. I took the question to be rhetorical in nature, and/or simply a case of a Community member sharing an opinion. For the most part we don't usually jump in in these cases, unless we have something to add, as we believe in the "free speech" inherent in message boards. 

Aside from answering questions, providing info, etc., a big part of why we participate in these boards is to get a feel for the issues the Community is having w/ things like the GSP. And while there is a chance you might chalk this reply up to the fact that it is my "job to speak for the program no matter what", I can tell you that that  eBay IS listening, and we ARE trying to make improvements to the Program.

In direct response to your question ... I can't reply directly to your question. This is because I have not seen anything about sales being down in CA, nor have I heard of any plans to eliminate the GSP. As mentioned above we ARE listening and trying to make improvements. 

Hope that helps. 

---Ben

[afantiques]

I can tell you that that  eBay IS listening, and we ARE trying to make improvements to the Program.

It is possible to sort this mess out, but it would take some backtracking and a new approach to the way it is presented. I'm not going to flesh this out, becuse I don;t have the figures I'd need and people get paid good money to sort out messy business problems, and I don't.

In principle the main problems are the ignorant sellers using it inappropritely or even worse, not even knowing they are enrolled. Another factor that is causing so much buyer rage is the disconnect between the realities of low level postal tax collection and the theoretical model the system is based on.

Logistically and contractually it is reasonably well constructed, as it simply replicates an established model used by re-shippers for many years. Unhappily, the potential client base is far less aware of the working of such a system than the average user of the existing re-shippers.

The US seller has access to simple and far cheaper ways of shipping overseas, and affordable insurance can cover all risks the GSP covers. This means that the only real takers will be those who have wild misconceptions about international shipping and those who are sophisticated enough to find the few special applications of the system that advantageous to both seller and buyer.

Making this attractive to buyer and seller are just about possible, but for a far smaller selection of ebay sellers and a smaller pool of buyers than this current arrangement appears to need. This may mean the whole thing is simply not cost effective.

If your writhing executives want some answers it'll be $1200 a day and you know how to find me. 🙂

[pierrelebel]

If your writhing executives want some answers it'll be FREE (I have done it before through your Voices program and the Canadian Profitability Initiative) and you know how to find me.