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Can't combine shipping with Global Shipping Program
Summary: themetaldog expresses frustration with eBay's Global Shipping Program (GSP) for not allowing combined shipping for international orders, which results in disproportionately high shipping costs for buyers ordering multiple items. Despite attempts to clarify this with eBay, there's no official documentation explaining whether combined shipping is supported. janiceold adds that the situation hasn't improved by 2024, highlighting the high costs and inefficiencies involved, and suggesting that eBay benefits financially from this setup. ypdc_dennis mentions that the GSP for the USA has changed and that most US sellers don't pay attention to Canadian forums. pjcdn2005 notes that the new eBay International Shipping Program claims to offer combined shipping for certain items, yet the details remain unclear, particularly regarding auction items.
After being passed around by people who assured me that you CAN combine items (as far as they could tell ---GAH!!! NOTE: that is not the word YES) and then cut off when transferred to an equally unqualified person who put me on hold. I wasted more time and called back. I asked for a URL on the help page that defined YES OR NO (not maybe), if global shipping can be combined. This doesn't exist on any official ebay.com page.
She did send me a quote from her INTERNAL intranet that says you CANNOT use the GSP and combine shipping (ie. usa to canada)
NOTE: you CAN'T use GSP and combine shipping of auction items: feb 21, 2012
email sent thus:
--------FEB 21, 2021-----------------------
Hello xxxxx,
Combined shipping discounts
Seller-specified (domestic shipping) combined shipping discounts aren't supported by the Global Shipping Program, but costs are sometimes cheaper when purchasing multiple items from a single seller.Buyers must add items to the cart in order to receive international shipping discounts through GSP.
Having a member buy multiple items and then requesting a discounted invoice (request total) will allow the seller to send an invoice, but we cannot force the seller to do so. If the seller elects to send an invoice, this will kick the transaction out of GSP.
Sellers creating combined shipping rules and then having the buyer purchase multiple items through the eBay shopping cart to get a discount (i.e., Manage Promotions) does not work with GSP.
Our system automatically calculates the shipping costs for items based on their weight, dimensions, and the buyer's and seller's locations.
When a buyer adds items from the seller to the eBay shopping cart, and then purchases the items as a single order, our system will calculate the shipping costs based off the combined weight. The eBay shopping cart automatically estimates any discounts, and assumes that the seller will ship the items in a single box.
If the buyer doesn't put the items into the eBay shopping cart first, then the items are processed as separate orders. Separate orders don't receive a combined shipping discount. The seller will not be able to combine the orders and must ship all separate orders in their own box.
Combined shipping is cheaper than shipping multiple items separately, so the buyer will see a lower shipping price per item as more items are added to the cart or order.
Example: In a certain scenario, it may cost $14 to ship a 5lb item, $20 to ship a 10lb item, and $25 to ship 15lbs. Therefore, the buyer sees lower shipping costs for 3 items purchased together than 2 items purchased separately.
This is not a set discount; it may vary for every order.
Keep in mind, this is only for international shipping. Import charges such as duty and tax are not discounted regardless if the buyer adds the items to the cart or not.
Thanks,
eBay
[THREAD ID: 1-307912937173]
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I also requested this be put on the help page VER BATIM, and she said she would send it up the chain of command. (sure...)
This is a very important concept that any megacorporation should be able to handle easily, there is no excuse for this not being possible.
If for instance you are buying say a sports card from USA to Canda, the cost is about 16$ GSP shipping.
if you buy 2 cards, you get to pay it AGAIN,
50 cards, you are into 800$ to ship something the size of a deck of cards. This is obviously INSANE.
Something needs to change, and the sooner the better.
EBAY ...MAKE this happen. please.
janiceold
·2 years agoWell, it's 2024 and Ebay is still ripping off international buyers from US sellers! It doesn't look like Ebay wants to change the program because frankly, it's really easy for US sellers and Ebay makes a load of money on it! However, I only deal now with US sellers using good old USPS as they can still combine shipping or the smart US buyers who know to cancel my multiple "wins" and put them in ONE LOT for me - which can then be shipped (remember, same items, same weight) through the Ebay program for ONE price. If a US seller won't do this and expects Canadian and other buyers to pay EXTRA FULL SHIPPING on something that quite frankly would be combined anywhere else in the world or stores, then I know to avoid them because they don't care that Ebay is overcharging their international buyers. And please don't buy the hype that Ebay takes care of all "customs" etc. because both the US and Canada post offices do as well and always have and they ship faster because it's shipped directly to customer not first to a US location and then another international one (which the buyers also pays for). Please US sellers - help out your international buyers!
ypdc_dennis
·2 years agoZOMBIE thread -- the Global Shipping Program for the USA has been replaced.
Also, most USA sellers do not read the Canadian ebay.ca forums.
pjcdn2005
·2 years agoThe GSP did combine the international portion of the shipping if the buyer put their items in the cart. It wasn't a huge saving as the domestic portion wasn't combined but it was combined.
Now, the GSP has been replaced by the eBay International Shipping Program and they have been rolling out combined shipping. In the help pages it states that there is combined shipping for items that qualify but I don't know what exactly qualifies. I do know that they don't combine shipping for auctions even if those items are put in a cart and paid for at once.