eBay International Shipping Program - No Option to Enroll?
Summary: lotzofuniquegoodies raises an issue about difficulties enrolling in the eBay International Shipping program, noting that enrollment is conducted in batches and the necessary options are not appearing in their account settings. lotzofuniquegoodies finds it hard to believe that neither eBay Customer Service nor their Facebook support can reinstate users who have opted out. They express frustration after taking multiple steps, like contacting eIS central and checking their shipping preferences regularly, without success. Other participants, including mrdutch1001 and msau4301, contribute to the discussion, but no clear resolution is mentioned.
Hello,
Some time ago, I received a notification indicating that I was eligible to enroll in the eIS program for Canada. At the time, I declined automatic enrollment because I wanted to better understand the program before committing.
Since then, I have reviewed the program in detail and would now like to enroll. However, I have not been able to locate any option to do so. My seller account meets all minimum requirements, and all of the items I sell are eligible for the program.
Does anyone have advise as to the proper process to enroll in the eIS program? I have attempted to contact eBay by phone but have not yet been successful.
grann-4629
·6 months agoYou need to go to the US eBay forum, find the guy who is trying to get out of the eIS program, and trade places with him.
Good luck!
lotzofuniquegoodies
·6 months agoRealistic to believe if sellers want IN on the program there should be a process to do so that is easy and painless? Counter intuitive they way this has been handled.
8bitgamesdotca
OP6 months agoOh boy... LOL! What a nightmare
uwantuneedgiftsandgoods
·6 months agoIf you go to your account settings underneath your name click to open and go to selling preferences open that window and the top option should say eBay international shipping and there should be an option to turn it on or opt back in to the program. Please let me know if that works. 3 clicks and you should be able to ship intenationally. It will also automatically add it to your shipping policies and every qualifying listing, just make sure to have the country of origin for your listings to make sure they qualify and you should be good.
8bitgamesdotca
OP6 months agoUnfortunately, there is no option there either for me under Selling Preferences 😞 Thanks though.
uwantuneedgiftsandgoods
·6 months agoI'm sorry to hear that. Im not sure how long you have been selling on eBay but their is a possibility that you may no longer qualify based on Sales History, or Potentially any Defects or Seller Status, The program is still really new and I'm guessing they are trying to iron out some logistics issues, the Tariffs have really complicated Matters and the Problems with Canada Post and the Union have exasperated things, for eBay and Sellers and Buyers. Im kind of thinking that right now eBay is struggling to find ways for us Canadians to be able to sell back to the USA but because of the Tariff troubles they really have to make sure they have people in the program that know the hts codes, that have proper item specifics, countries of origin, and the Tarifs make things more difficult to Combine Ship to the USA as one mislabelled item can probably cause eBay a lot of problems, plus I noticed many of my rock and rap band tees, star wars items, Disney items, wont display to USA buyers, there was patterns so I think there is more trouble at the border than we know. So eBay has to be careful with every item going across the border and every seller that ships to the USA because they may even fine eBay 5 to 10 grand for any mislabelled item from a seller or if its the wrong tarif code, ebay may have to find ways to get the items to clear customs, and for all we know some items may just get stopped at the border for being mislabelled they dispose of the item and refund the buyer if they cant get an item across. Thais the thing to is that if there is any trouble with an item eBay handles all returns no defects are given from what i know unless its something egregious they may just take someone out of the program. This is a very serious and nig thing they are trying to work with, plus Cusma maybe being renegotiated, there are also a lot of countries in duress politically like Ireland Britain and Spain even the USA and they may have trouble shipping to certain addresses right now. Ultimately eBays number one priority is gaining and keeping buyers so they are more likely to want to see within the country sales more so than excessive amounts of international sales until things stabilize, like we still need the CUPW to hear the ratification vote on the new Contract. It may be settled temporarily in an agreement but the deal isnt done until the Contract has been signed. So many factors going on right now, im thinking they may have had to pull some people out of the program or possibly just slow the enrolment until our Postal system is stabilized. Honestly Canada Post and the Union caused chaos worldwide and for multiple huge corporations as neither side bargained in good faith for over 2 years. So im gathering ebay is having to do a lot of risk management right now and that may involve localizing more sales and not just entering every seller on the platform into the program. eBay needs reliable Sellers with a solid track record of customer service, quality shipping, and representing the eBay name, we may be sellers on eBay but we also have to remember that eBay gave us the platform to sell on snd we need to represent them as best we can because there name is on the line. I wouldn't take it personal right now that the option isnt there yet, i think there will be some more meetings to help enrage other Canadians for the program and honestly I was one of the first few groups to get in and i believe that was before November the 8th was my first EIS sale which is pretty fast considering the Tariffs happened in late august so really two months to role out a huge program can not be easy for the IT department and for how to navigate forward while mitigating risks with Sellers we have roughly 850 thousand sellers in Canada. So if you think about it eBay has to be very specific and very sure of every step they take forward right now, so i would say just hang tight, we went through a very tumultuous year as Canadian Resellers the large waves are hopefully over and we are in rough but still uncharted waters for both eBay and us as Canadian Sellers this is a large transition time, and if they just lket everyone in right now the eBay ship could sink which wouldn’t be good either. I would say just keeping trying to find the best items you can and expect things will be slow, it's just after Christmas people are in the struggle and it's just going to take sometime and us who are in are still a test project we are under close watch and eBay has had to remain cautious because of the Strikes and the lovers Quarrel that we have been subjected to. I guarantee you eBay is as happy with the Union and CP as most Sellers are they are on our side but they like us have been held in limbo because of this also, it's damaged many e commerce sites and small businesses. the Union did damage to much of the world not just Canadians. I truly believe eBay has our back more than CP and the Union do. At least they have worked to find ways for us to sell to the USA and The World Now basically risk free, but that comes with seller responsibility and we have to be the best we can for our own business as well as theirs, if we fail eBay eBay fails, this is no joke selling on eBay they need us to be serious and really care about what we are doing. The Mission is greater now eBay need us to be at top form. The more i learn about eBay the more I realize how big the Machine is and how many parts need repairing, and grease for the Wheels, and how adaptive we have to be as sellers to not just compete with other sellers but entire platforms, eBay is niching down and i truly believe they only want great sellers and great buyers. We are protected here as Sellers if we choose proper business policies and rules unlike other platforms, we are not subject to heavy returns like other platforms also and we get to create our own store models which no there platform gives so many useful tools to engage buyers. It allow us to set a home based business and personalized storefront without all of the overhead to starting a business yes it costs in fees and advertising but it's minimal to what it would cost to run a local business. I think it's just about being patient right now, trusting ebay has a direction, but we are just waiting for the seas to settle and doing some boat repair before we head out to reseller sea. Honestly if they send all of us out into the Ocean at Once guaranteed they would lose a tonne of sellers because of their mistakes, they would lose the buyers that were a part of the Sellers mistake which in turn would sink the whole eBay ship. I think the best we can do is stay patient, let some of the other more seasoned sellers navigate and test the water and help and suggest improvements but right now i think the program will be fine jsut wait till the CP contract is signed and that will give us at least 3 years of no worries until the Union goes on strike again Jan31 2029 lol 2 years to bargain has put strain on so many systems, all i know is those workers better sign or i may have to start my own postal company and hand deliver all of my items locally. I will stay on the eBay ship as long as it takes i trust that it will regain some market share. Here is my prediction the day the Contract is signed and before the ink is dry the sales gates will open up and you will see a clearer path forward. Ebay has had to negotiate rates with Canada Post through all of this also Im a capitalist and so is ebay but Canada in general is not so technically we have been in a battle between private business vs state run business. Look what one Union did and One State funded business did to Millions of people worldwide and 1000s of businesses. 2 poorly run businesses destroyed so many peoples lives and businesses but the beauty of capitalism is it always builds back stronger, better and more refined and more prepared to win and create. Those two business will be the same but if we adapt as entrepreneurs we may just have a chance to create a private mail system that is more effective than CP and make sure that these things never happen again. True Capitalists never give up on doing better and neither should we the day they sign that contract is the day we set sail and we have three years to revolutionize things who knows maybe eBay can start having its own delivery drivers and privatized mail system so that we and ebay are never subjugated to this again. All i know is that Capitalist will innovate and win every time our hearts and ambition is different we dont collect paychecks we have to create paychecks. Its a different drive and there aint nothing better than an unfriendly completion with a state run business. Maybe the postal workers and CP will realize that they need to take care of us Sellers and eBay because if they dont they wont have a business. Capitalist make the world go round and will always Captain and steer the ship in the better direction. Our time to thrive is this year, They better sign on that dotted line which means we have three years to innovate to never be put in this position again its only made my desire to win stronger no way way im letting my business fail just because they fail, relentless ambition to never give uo. The ship will be sailing straight ahead soon with not another Iceberg in site for at least 3 years 🙂 Take care my friend. We got this
mrdutch1001
·6 months agoSorry, these old eyes ain't a-gonna read all that text, and Capitalist propaganda. You do you ...we all have options... and IF you think eBay has your back>think again! ...there is more to online selling than eBay and there is more to online selling than the thought that the USA is a must have... there are many opportunities for selling within Canada...Many of us can do just fine without the USA!... and if anyone thinks CUSMA is going to be re-negotiated don't hold your breath...DT considers CUSMA irreleveant and that means CUSMA may become extinct....
lotzofuniquegoodies
·6 months agoIn several places on the ca page it says once you opt out you only have 24 hrs to opt back in. After that you have to request from my personal experience on the subject.
According to the US page there is this note on the subject.
If you change your mind, you can opt back in 24 hours after opting out. To opt in again, go to Shipping Preferences and select Enroll next to eBay International Shipping.
Has anyone been able to opt out and then opt back in on ca after the 24 hour window? (Re: Enroll) The system should be working the same way on both sites. This is not always the case.
marnotom!
·6 months agoWhere does it say that? The US eIS doesn't have to deal with the complexities of exporting to the US, for starters.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·6 months agoWhat we should or shouldn't see on ca really depends on who you talk to on any given day and the answer they choose to give you.
jtg204
·6 months agoHere are the opt out stages I get...and maybe where you see 24hrs referred to elsewhere?
First they try to stop you:
Then it has a list of reasons to pick, and enter a reason/rant:
Then it sits in this state for a while, before turning back into the enroll link (for me, every time)...
jtg204
·6 months agoYes, I've opted out and in multiple times. (.ca registered account)
The opt out process takes time, depending if there are pending orders/offers or whatever else.
Then the enroll link appears again...and then enrolling link is instant, not even 'are you sure?' confirmation.
Edit: and I have stayed out for up to a week or more, to experiment (since I get no US EIS sales ever)
mrdutch1001
·6 months agoalthough I only tested the one time, (no active listings at the time)... the process was similar and I still have the "enroll" option available... but I am content to leave my listings with Canada only shipping...
intimewithmusic
·6 months ago@lotzofuniquegoodies
"Has anyone been able to opt out and then opt back in on ca after the 24 hour window? (Re: Enroll) The system should be working the same way on both sites. This is not always the case."
OK. Here you go. This may satisfy your need to know. I opted out in December. Just for you I just opted back in. Then I opted back out again. Here are photos of the consequences.
Also, as an added bonus, here's a video link describing the entire opting in-out sensation.
Opting In and Opting Out
dinomitesales
·7 months agoNot all Canadian sellers have been enrolled in the program yet. They're still doing it in batches from what I understand. If I had to guess I would say that by declining to participate at the very beginning, you were placed at the back of the queue so might be one of the last people to be added to the program. You told them you didn't want to participate in the program, so why would they make your account eligible before all the people who were interested have been given the opportunity?
I would recommend sending an inquiry email to eis@ebay.ca to see if they can shed any light on your specific account and it's position in the eIS queue. That was Luke's suggestion during the webinars last month, anyway. You should get a response within a few days to a week.
8bitgamesdotca
OP7 months agoThat is true and very possible, perhaps I messed up my place in line by initially declining! I'll send an email to that address, thanks so much for sharing it! Appreciate it.
mrdutch1001
·7 months agodo you not have the ability to enroll via your shipping preferences?
Account settings>Shipping Preferences>eBay International Shipping>enrol option
lotzofuniquegoodies
·7 months ago@mrdutch1001
@8bitgamesdotca
@devon@ebay Can you shed any more light on this issue?
It's as per ebay CS enrollment is being done in batches. Either monthly or quarterly. I disengaged from eIS when I got notice. I have done everything under the sun to TRY to get back in with no luck. Yes, including messaging eIS central and checking preferences hourly (tongue in cheek). Get the token auto response email and then you play a waiting game for follow up. It should be a toggle on/off but isn't. Just a matter of qualifying as per the rules and regs. The option is not there in my settings where it is supposed to be.
As a side if you do choose to opt out you have to start the process over. eBay staff...both CS and Facebook do not have the power to opt you back in. Somehow I find that very hard to believe.
As side order number 2 you should also not be affected if you have USA turned off in settings. Unable to confirm this is true or not. I have mine turned off because I just not willing to risk using UPS/Fedex/Zonos.
8bitgamesdotca
OP7 months agoInteresting, sounds like we are in the same boat and having the same issue. Most of my orders are going to the United States which is why I wanted to now enroll into eIS. It is strange you can't opt-in after previously being offered it. 😥
mrdutch1001
·7 months agoI opted out way back in September and have NO intention of participating in such a program ever! eBay has 0 competency for customer service and the worst ever support for its sellers...
BTW I have this:"eBay International Shipping
Ship the item to your domestic shipping hub and we’ll handle the rest—at no extra cost to you. Learn more
Not enrolled Enrol" (For this post, I have deleted the link to enrol)
lotzofuniquegoodies
·7 months ago@mrdutch1001
It sounds like the settings are random...depending on the user. Either that or you have "lucked out" and been given the option to opt back in and just have chosen not to. This should not be rocket science. I personally have never or will ever be a fan of automagically being enrolled in anything. Like direct withdrawal for billing. eBay you really have no choice in the matter.
Very little of eIS that I passed on originally to eBay has been addressed. And it seems like it never will. In my situation not having access to the US market even if it will be for only a portion of what I have listed is killing my sales and traffic. Majority of buyers are logged in on dot com so ca ends up getting buried.
mrdutch1001
·7 months agoNO, a site should NEVER auto enrol/opt in ANY seller for ANY reason for ANYTHING!..That really, really is SO wrong! My other selling site is set up thusly that a new seller is automatically opted into their ads that charge a 15% fee on a subsequent sale...accidently got caught on that one when I returned to selling on that site 4 yrs ago...got wise to those auto opt ins thereafter!
grann-4629
·6 months agoHear! Hear!
The eIS program is a total rip-off for Canadian buyers who want to buy from Americans who use it. You will have to pay two shipping charges, and as long as your purchase reaches the US eBay hub, the seller no longer cares, or has to care, what happens to your item.
Those who use it for selling are punishing their buyers with totally stupid shipping charges.
Opting out at the beginning was a good idea. If the program was that good, the process would be reversed ... you would opt in if you wanted to.
eBay is trying to push this the wrong way.
8bitgamesdotca
OP7 months agoUnfortunately, these options are not displaying for me... (see screenshot below):
msau4301
·7 months agoShipping preferences is different that shipping policies. I haven't been selling for several months now but I am opted in the program, and mine shows up under BUSINESS POLICIES, Shipping policy is in there and it should show Domestic and International. It shows me under International Shipping items will be shipped via eIS there. If you have opted out, maybe that is where you have the ability to opt back in?? Since I never opted out I'm not positive, but I do know th eIS does not show under Shipping Preferences, but under Shipping Policies (within Business Policies).
lotzofuniquegoodies
·7 months ago@msau4301 Others have screen shotted in preferences. I do not use Business Policies due to the fact every time I try to opt in I get I get error and conflict messages to fix. At last check it was over 50 + issues. Business policies were probably fine if you starting using early on. Not so much after the fact. All I have gotten from ebay/eIS is it will happen when it will happen. Just be patient. My patience ran out months ago.
jtg204
·7 months agoOn .ca account it shows at top of Shipping Preferences.
It will show above the "Combined Shipping" your enrolled status if you are elligible.
There will be a link on the right side for either 'Enrol', 'Opt Out', or a 'Opt Out Processing' status.
Examples:
msau4301
·7 months agoYes, I just checked mine and you are right, it is Shipping Preferences as well as Shipping Policies.
I always use the Shipping Policies since I (used to) use different ones for US or International depending on size/weight. (back in the good old easy-peasy days of selling). That's where I was used to seeing mine.
I still haven't given it a try....I keep procrastinating starting up again, hoping to see less problems with the program here in the forums (might be waiting a long while yet!)
8bitgamesdotca
OP7 months agoThanks for the screenshot! Can confirm this option is not available to me on that page or under business policies 😞