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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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

You are correct! That's why I came here. People are friendlier and more knowledgable. 🙂
I didn't even ask on the US site. 🙂
It's ridiculous to charge $30-40 for a $5-10 item.
It's very confusing!
Thank you!
RIP Jann & Charlie Keller. You followed each other to heaven too soon. We miss you both!

Be nice to other people! You don’t know what’s going on in their life.
Message 1921 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

Well, they didn't contact anyone as far as I know. Luckily, I have direct shipping set up. It's not hard. It's a matter of signing the customs form, that's it.
I've not had any problem shipping to Canada. The shipping is already expensive, add on all the GSP charges and it gets ridiculous.
RIP Jann & Charlie Keller. You followed each other to heaven too soon. We miss you both!

Be nice to other people! You don’t know what’s going on in their life.
Message 1922 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

Wow! That's a lot.
RIP Jann & Charlie Keller. You followed each other to heaven too soon. We miss you both!

Be nice to other people! You don’t know what’s going on in their life.
Message 1923 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

Hey, some Americans think Canada is part of the US. Guess they didn't go to school. Lol! 🙂
RIP Jann & Charlie Keller. You followed each other to heaven too soon. We miss you both!

Be nice to other people! You don’t know what’s going on in their life.
Message 1924 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

How much of these Import charges go to PITNEY BOWES as i can't see them doing it for free. In the last 18 months the price of buying from the good old USA  has increased by at least 25% just in import charges, now with the exchange rate being what it is its more like add another 40%. How long are we as Canadians going to put up with this **bleep**

Message 1925 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

"How much of these Import charges go to PITNEY BOWES as i can't see them doing it for free"

 

Within "import charges", a fee of $4/$5 goes to Pitney Bowes to handle the shipment, take care of Customs clearance, etc...  Canada Post charges $9.95 for the same service when taxes need to be collected.

 

If the value of the transaction is below Cdn$ 20.00, the same $4/$5 Pitney Bowes handling fee is incorporated within the shipping charge instead of 'import charges".

Message 1926 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

mg152 may have hit the nail on the head.

 

Many Americans are oblivious to Canada. They don't know that we are next door, work under rule of law, speak English (and French), and often vacation in the USA.

 

They are terrified of shipping outside the Lower 48 (Hey, Hawaii is in Africa, right?).

 

And this is the pool of sellers that the Global Shipping Program was set up to encourage to ship internationally, by making the process simpler (domestic shipping, faster overseas shipping, no customs forms) and 'safer'(confirmation of delivery, feedback protection).

 

The American sellers who already understood the Canadian market are ignoring the GSP as much as possible. Let's encourage those sellers.

 

 

Message 1927 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

lasn.fli
Community Member

I have bought a small candle... ( worth 37$USD because it has a ring inside ) and I was charged 22$USD for shipping. 

How is this possible? 

I live near Montreal and the item is in North Dakota.

When I bought it I thought the shipping was less expensive and I dont even remember seeing that 22$, not even when paying, it just showed up on my Paypal account. (under the name Payment To Pitney Bowes, Inc.)

I can see the 22$ charged by the international shipping when I look on the item's page but I feel like it was not there when I first bought the item. 

 

How can a item so small and unexpensive cost so much to ship from US to Canada?

Message 1928 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

Hey all, quick question : 

 

I'm looking to buy a phone ~$200 CAD and it states a GSM of ~$29; in this case, is it worth to go with GSM or should I gamble with just letting Canada Post handle it?

Message 1929 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

I can see the 22$ charged by the international shipping when I look on the item's page but I feel like it was not there when I first bought the item.

 

Did you look at it on a smart phone? That's not advisable.

 

How can a item so small and inexpensive cost so much to ship from US to Canada?

 

If the seller does not specify size and weight exactly, a default value is used but unhappily this is often a lot heavier than the actual item. Hence the high cost.

 

They do not tell sellers how important full details are, and they do not make it impossible to list without them.

Message 1930 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

I'm looking to buy a phone ~$200 CAD and it states a GSM of ~$29; in this case, is it worth to go with GSM or should I gamble with just letting Canada Post handle it?

 

GSM is a mobile phone technology. I think you mean GSP, and in that case, it is not your gamble, it it the seller's risk. Just buy whatever has the lowest shipping cost, other factors being equal.

 

There are very few circumstances where the GSP has any advantage at all for the buyer. Some very heavy items could show a shipping cost saving, in general you are paying more for worse.

Message 1931 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program


@afantiques wrote:
If the seller does not specify size and weight exactly, a default value is used but unhappily this is often a lot heavier than the actual item. Hence the high cost.

 

They do not tell sellers how important full details are, and they do not make it impossible to list without them.


It really angers me how little consideration (none, actually) was given the buyer when setting up this lame program. I am truly sick of the PR-speak about "making thousands of items available to international buyers yadda, yadda, yadda." The GSP is a lame, overpriced, overly complicated shipping scheme that has zero benefit for the buyer 99% of the time.

 

Also, am I the only one who is sick of seeing all GSP-related threads merged into these two mega threads? I wanted to mention this during yesterday's board hour but I couldn't attend.

 

I guess I'm just cranky this morning 😄

Message 1932 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

"I'm looking to buy a phone ~$200 CAD and it states a GSM of ~$29; in this case, is it worth to go with GSM or should I gamble with just letting Canada Post handle it?"

 

What's the breakdown of GSP or overall shipping costs?

 

With a $200 item cost, there may be a good chance that Canada Border Services dings you for import costs at the time of delivery.  You may end up paying import fees & Canada Post fee of ~ $10.00 to collect that.

 

So... this might be a good time to try the GSP.

 

However, I've heard a lot of stories detailing bad experiences on the GSP - independent of cost - about shipping taking a long time, not to mention issues on trying to get returns or disputes worked out.

Message 1933 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

Have any Canadians complained about parcels sent via Global Shipping Plan.

 

I have been over charged, charged Customs Fees when they do not apply, and seen parcels take about a week longer to arrive than if they were sent via USPS. 

 

I now refuse to buy from sellers who use the Global Shipping Plan.

 

Anybody else out there??

Message 1934 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

Well, you are number 1934 in this thread.

While about a third of the posts explain (over and over and over) how the program works, I don't think anyone actually thinks it is a well designed program although it can have some advantages with high value (over $100) items.

 

 

Message 1935 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

Listing stated shipping through Global Shipping Program and that it included tracking.   Shipping cost me $13.60 and $9.40 for brokerage fees.  Seller shipped via the lowest cost USPS no tracking etc and paid $3.70.  How do I get back the money that I spent when the seller changed the shipping after the fact?

Message 1936 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

Hi,  I try to avoid buying any item that uses that system.   In my opinion it is expensive, with excessive import duties. 

Seems to be a needless middle man making an extra buck off buyers, not sure how it affects sellers.

I thought items manufactured in the US were import duty free under North American free trade... 

Message 1937 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

"I thought items manufactured in the US were import duty free under North American free trade... "

 

Yes they are.

 

When you see "import charges" in a listing it does not mean "duty".

 

It means sales tax (GST/HST/PST) and a service charge by Pitney Bowes ($4/$5). Duty is included IF applicable.  Unfortunately, often an American seller may not indicate that the item is manufactured in the USA.  Also many items shipped by American sellers are not manufactured in the USA and, as such, may be subject to duty.

 

However, you are correct in your conclusion: it is generally best for Canadian buyers to avoid listings offering Global Shipping Program (GSP) in most instances

Message 1938 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program


@reallynicestamps wrote:
I don't think anyone actually thinks it is a well designed program although it can have some advantages with high value (over $100) items.

 


The value alone doesn't necessarily make an item a "good fit" for the program. I have seen $300 items that were not a "good fit" for the GSP because they were so small and light that they could travel safely in an envelope with two pieces of rigid cardboard for protection.

 

Generally the GSP doesn't seem to be a good fit for Canadians, period. And now I'm once again seeing $5 lightweight items being "offered" with GSP shipping to Canada. There is no way to know if eBay have decided to end the experiment under which Canada was taken out of the GSP for cheap items because nothing about it was ever announced officially. No wonder people are confused!

Message 1939 of 3,104
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Questions about the Global Shipping Program

The value alone doesn't necessarily make an item a "good fit" for the program. I have seen $300 items that were not a "good fit" for the GSP because they were so small and light that they could travel safely in an envelope with two pieces of rigid cardboard for protection.

 

I understand what you are saying but I think that many (most?) U.S. sellers would be uncomfortable about sending a $300 item by first class international even with delcon. If they used priority, it is a good chance that would be more expensive than the international shipping portion of the gsp.

 

There is also a very good chance that many U.S. sellers would not ship a $300 item out of the country at all except through the gsp so I do think that it can work to a buyer's benefit in that respect.

Message 1940 of 3,104
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