Hello everyone,
Lots to talk about this week, it seems 🙂
Please go ahead and post your questions and comments. I won't ask you to restrict on the topics, although if you think what you want to ask about the retirement of USD selling or the 2016 Spring Seller Update could benefit others who may not see this thread, please consider posting in those respective threads as well.
Open issues:
- Odd missing gallery picture in search results
- Errors when uploading more than one tracking number at a time (repeated, erroneous numbers saved)
Updates:
- Wrong tax rates applied to PayPal labels - I have asked PayPal and Pitney Bowes for an update
- Missing Tracked Packet destinations -I have asked PayPal and Pitney Bowes for an update
- Sold items going into Unsold container - Team is investigating
- Combined shipping offers not shown to international buyers - under investigation with shipping team
@pocomocomputing wrote:
@x..e wrote:
@pierrelebel wrote:"all I have to do it send it to the Global Shipping Center and they take care of it from there"
Thank you for that post.
In a few words you have explained exactly what is wrong with the program from the buyers (Canadians) point of view.
The program is all about convenience and protection for the American sellers while the delays and additional costs are all paid by foreign buyers.
Really? To me, it seems like it would help the buyers. It shows on my side that the buyers are paying a normal shipping cost whereas if we ship it straight to them, they pay a fortune. The reason I will not leave the GSP is because the only time I shipped an item directly, I lost over $20 on the shipping.
Alex
Wow, you are a real live example of a USA seller who has no clue how the GSP works and what costs a buyer outside the USA sees and has to pay to get your item and all the issues with the GSP!!!
?
@pocomocomputing wrote:
@x..e wrote:
@pocomocomputing wrote:
@x..e wrote:
@pierrelebel wrote:"all I have to do it send it to the Global Shipping Center and they take care of it from there"
Thank you for that post.
In a few words you have explained exactly what is wrong with the program from the buyers (Canadians) point of view.
The program is all about convenience and protection for the American sellers while the delays and additional costs are all paid by foreign buyers.
Really? To me, it seems like it would help the buyers. It shows on my side that the buyers are paying a normal shipping cost whereas if we ship it straight to them, they pay a fortune. The reason I will not leave the GSP is because the only time I shipped an item directly, I lost over $20 on the shipping.
Alex
Wow, you are a real live example of a USA seller who has no clue how the GSP works and what costs a buyer outside the USA sees and has to pay to get your item and all the issues with the GSP!!!
?
Your ? above proves my point about not having a clue about the GSP you are using from a buyers perspective.
PS I am not attacking you personally, just the way the GSP is not truly understood from a buyers view by so many sellers in the USA or UK.
It is not like I have not done well selling internationally..I have sold over 50 items through the GSP, half of them to Canada.
Alex
@mjwl2006 wrote:
Plus import fees that may or may not have been assessed on entrance. Plus a handling fee to Pitney Bowes. But, sure, from the perspective of the seller, okey dokey.
Are you talking to me..because you replied to Raphael...
Alex
I've got lots of stuff to list...so...I have to *disappear* and get working. See you leater.
Alex
I see...you didn't answer my question though...
Alex
PS: I can't help leaving the community open in another tab while I work 
"Really? "
I must agree with Poco. Thousands of American sellers, like yourself, have no idea what the program is all about from a buyers perspective except that it offers the American seller protection and convenience while Canadian and other foreign buyers pay the price for that protection and convenience.
" because the only time I shipped an item directly, I lost over $20 on the shipping."
That proves the point. It is all about protecting the American sellers. We Canadians do NOT have such protection and convenience offered to us. (I would not accept it in any case as I have too much respect for my worldwide buyers)
We do not know what type of items you sell as you decided to use posting ID instead of your real ID as we all do.
So we will use an example: if an American seller were to sell a group of five "baseball cards" for US$20.00, he could:
1) ship to the Canadian buyer by mail at a cost to him (and the buyer) of less than US$2.00 by USPS
2) ship through GSP at a cost to him of only $1.00 shipping to Kentucky. Then GSP re-address the envelope to the Canadian buyer and charges the buyer US$10 to $15 at least for shipping In addition GSP charges an "import charge" to the Canadian buyer of about $7 to $10 depending on the province of residence - to cover cost of Canadian taxes and $5 handling fee for Pitney Bowes.
Result: US seller saves $1, Canadian buyer pays an extra $20 to $25 on a $20 item
Does that make sense to you? Do you understand why Canadian buyers are generally mad at the program - and - to some extent - sellers using it.
All that because some American sellers may suffer from paranoia and are afraid to lose a few dollars or feedback rating from time to time? Because the GSP is more convenient? Even when the terms of use for GSP tells American sellers to use the system for items worth US$50 or more?
GSP was never intended to be used by American sellers who can easily ship their items by mail to Canadian buyers as has been done since the beginning of the mail order industry, over one hundred years ago.
Respect for Canadian buyers is what is missing in that equation.
@pierrelebel wrote:"Really? "
I must agree with Poco. Thousands of American sellers, like yourself, have no idea what the program is all about from a buyers perspective except that it offers the American seller protection and convenience while Canadian and other foreign buyers pay the price for that protection and convenience.
" because the only time I shipped an item directly, I lost over $20 on the shipping."
That proves the point. It is all about protecting the American sellers. We Canadians do NOT have such protection and convenience offered to us. (I would not accept it in any case as I have too much respect for my worldwide buyers)
We do not know what type of items you sell as you decided to use posting ID instead of your real ID as we all do.
So we will use an example: if an American seller were to sell a group of five "baseball cards" for US$20.00, he could:
1) ship to the Canadian buyer by mail at a cost to him (and the buyer) of less than US$2.00 by USPS
2) ship through GSP at a cost to him of only $1.00 shipping to Kentucky. Then GSP re-address the envelope to the Canadian buyer and charges the buyer US$10 to $15 at least for shipping In addition GSP charges an "import charge" to the Canadian buyer of about $7 to $10 depending on the province of residence - to cover cost of Canadian taxes and $5 handling fee for Pitney Bowes.
Result: US seller saves $1, Canadian buyer pays an extra $20 to $25 on a $20 item
Does that make sense to you? Do you understand why Canadian buyers are generally mad at the program - and - to some extent - sellers using it.
All that because some American sellers may suffer from paranoia and are afraid to lose a few dollars or feedback rating from time to time? Because the GSP is more convenient? Even when the terms of use for GSP tells American sellers to use the system for items worth US$50 or more?
GSP was never intended to be used by American sellers who can easily ship their items by mail to Canadian buyers as has been done since the beginning of the mail order industry, over one hundred years ago.
Respect for Canadian buyers is what is missing in that equation.
Wow, I never knew that about the GSP. I never thought anything about that. I probably should change all of my listings now...
Alex
To better understand the stupidity of the system at times, look at this listing (using a Canadian address as a buyer)
Selling price US$0.99 (one baseball card in an envelope)
Shipping through GSP to Canada: US$ 13.78 (over Cdn$18.00)
Shipping by mail (USPS) to USA address (without GSP of course) US$0.75
Wow, the GSP looks really silly now. I don't know why anybody from Canada has bought from me!
Alex
@forester_studios wrote:Hi Raphael - I have a question about the "active content" rule coming into effect later this year. I have used the Auctiva scrolling gallery in most of my listings for many years. Can you please tell us if this feature will have to be removed from our listings when the "active content" rule comes into effect. Thanks!
As far as I know, the scrolling galleries will be removed because most of them use JavaScript.
Alex
@00nevermind00 wrote:OMG, I never thought that this Weekly Session would turn into yet another GSP thread. I only wanted to mention the tinkering that seems to be going on with the program while Canadian buyers are left in the dark. I also wanted to reiterate the need for a GSP filter, which the comments made to this thread tend to illustrate.
Sorry. I didn't notice how long this was getting...
Alex
@x..e wrote:I see...you didn't answer my question though...
Alex
PS: I can't help leaving the community open in another tab while I work
Again, my apologies. I was replying to you even if it didn't look like it. I'm back at my desk now so I can not only select to whom to reply but also include their comment above. (Both features which are not available on the mobile version of Community.) While you were trying to set aside this thread in order to to list new items, XE, I was trying (and failing) to cook supper but because of my sick urge to check emails and all the notifications coming from ebay Community, I did not notice that my three small children had voluntarily and without provocation peeled for me an entire bag of onions until it started to snow onion peels in my kitchen. Little boys. I should have known better than to allow myself to become distracted!
Pocomo, I too understand seeing the fall-out from the Spring Update as entertaining sport. Righteous Indignation is a great tongue-loosener, and sudden changes provide all the stimulation one needs to tell others how one really thinks.
