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@mjwl2006 wrote:But why? What on earth could those reasons be? Are ebay.com and ebay.co.uk the only two ebays with the Global Shipping Program or something?
That's the $64,000 question. I can think of possible corporate scenarios that have nothing to do with caring whether eBay Canada lives or dies, in fact that would benefit from quietly sabotaging Canadian sellers. Since I'm playing speculation, let's see:
1) Drive so many smaller eBay Canadian sellers to frustration that they leave en masse;
2) Make it so unprofitable for Canadian sellers (because their U.S. buyers desert them, or because the defects add up to the point where they're practically "invisible" in searches) that they leave en masse. Such recent innovations as the MBG and policies encouraging free shipping and tracked shipping haven't helped. Such recent problems as the US cart disconnect and the vanished categories are adding fuel to the fire.
3) Combination of 1) and 2);
Consider this: If enough Cdn. sellers abandoned the eBay.ca site, that would provide a good reason for San Jose to close it down or simply absorb it into eBay.com. Quite frankly, I'm surprised eBay hasn't set up parameters, features, shipping options, etc. for Canadian sellers on eBay.com by now -- maybe they're waiting until they can phase out .ca completely. I know there used to be a lot more staffing at eBay Canada than there is now. Most of those people have gone. Perhaps the site itself is next.
I don't know what the GSP may have to do with this, except that there is no doubt in my mind eBay is making money off that deal (through Pitney-Bowes' fees). So why wouldn't they want to get rid of a site (Canada) that doesn't need or want it? I wouldn't be surprised that if surviving Canadian eBay sellers were absorbed into the .com site, they too would eventually be obliged to use that programme.
Many years ago, when eBay was in its infancy, so was the whole computer programming world. It may just have been simpler then to set up separate country sites. That may no longer the case, and it would now be much more attractive from a purely financial point of view for eBay.com to absorb us pesky little Canadians.
Ever since eBay became a public corporation, the one drive has been increasing profits, at any cost (including the cost of making this site function properly, every day). It's possible they've exhausted most of the easily available options for boosting profits (such as seducing the big retailers to list here), and are now having to focus on cost-cutting. Perhaps they've gone through the high octane, and are looking for the cheap gas.
Don't forget -- there's a new head at the CEO table of eBay.com. And you know what new brooms do....
All mere wild speculation, but sometimes it's an amusing exercise (i.e. to see if any of it ever materializes). 
You are probably bang on. If I had to bet I would go all in. 
You know what -- I'd take all of these problems with a big smile if it meant my eBay business was thriving and growing, and sales were as good as they were 2 years ago.
I think eBay has broken so much now that the cumulative effect is to make selling harder on this site. How's that for a business plan? Actually, when I think about it, if these site issues aren't part of some plan, then the eBay big wigs are being phenomenally stupid for a bunch of supposedly brilliant people.
I almost want to hope there's a nefarious agenda, otherwise the explanation is that it's just total chaos here that nobody has a handle on. 
" I'd take all of these problems with a big smile if it meant my eBay business was thriving and growing, and sales were as good as they were 2 years ago. "
BINGO !
And, at the same time, this is the problem!
Despite the problems you and other sellers suffer, despite your sales drop, eBay's business is still booming! Their revenues are UP, sales by sellers worldwide are UP, sales by sellers in the USA are UP, sales by sellers using GSP are UP.
And that is what eBay is looking for, Increased sales, leading to increased profits.
They have the results they were looking for. They pat themselves on the back. The changes they made are working for them!
From their perspective in San Jose, the fact some sellers suffer negative effects is regrettable but nothing will be done to solve the problems as they do NOT suffer. Sellers would get more action fixing glitches and problems if eBay's sales and revenues were flat or down.
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