Questions for eBay.ca Management about GSP
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06-13-2013 09:08 AM
On June 12th, the first post during the "Weekly Board Hour" read:
Good afternoon.
I would like to follow-up on the questions I raised last week about eBay’s Global Shipping Program (GSP).
As stated, eBay does not provide a breakdown of the so-called “import charges”. Often, the number does not seem to make sense based on what buyers know about applicable taxes.
Why can’t eBay provide a detailed breakdown of those “estimated import charges”? How much of it is actually calculated for duty (if applicable)? For taxes (GST/HST/PST) if applicable? Handling fee? Brokerage fee? Additional shipping charge (from PB distribution centre to buyer)? Etc…
Also, have you considered opening a discussion board manned by Pitney Bowes personnel to answer questions on their program? This was done by eBay way back in 1999/2000 for PayPal well before eBay purchased the payment system. PayPal staff was allowed access to eBay’s board to answer technical and policy questions.
A question that keeps coming back is: how do Canadian buyers get their PB “import charges” refunded if the transaction is cancelled? The seller refunds the purchase price, that is easy. However, how do Canadian buyers get their money back from PB? Similar question: how do Canadian buyers get their duty and taxes refunded should the goods be returned to seller in the USA?
Post # 4 from eBay.ca: "These are all great questions for which I'll have to source answers from a colleague from the GSP team."
Post # 29 from eBay.ca: "I'm still waiting for an answer from my US colleague Pierre, I'll post the answers here when I have them and notify you via email."
When can we expect answers?
=============================================================
Then other questions were asked on post #22
"Another question, if I may, on the subject of GSP.
eBay staffers are also eBay buyers.
Have any of you in the Toronto office actually made an eBay purchase from American sellers offering GSP?
What was your experience? Was it faster? Was it more expensive? Was the cost of tax(es) properly broken down? Did Pitney Bowes provide you with their GST/HST or business registration number as required by Canadian law?
Finally, having gone through the experience, would you do it again?"
No reply. Does it suggest nobody on staff at eBay.ca ever used GSP ? The silence speaks for itself.

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06-25-2013 02:10 PM
"Instead you would agree to the sticker shock of extra charge from UPS to liberate yoru package from their grip? Compare also to total shipping cost when a US seller is required to figure in Delivery Confirmation to your Canadian address. It is not nearly as cheap as in US to US."
Its true *IF* there was an expection here that we'd be charged everyitme (even if it was only the $10 by canada post) or even most of the time the GSP would be very competitive if not advantageous. The problem is everyone here is used to receiving items by mail where the odds are so high of not being charged anything its a surprise when we are. Also i think some are still thinking of last years FCI rates and not realizing a lot of the lower priced items wouldn't be viable to have shipped from the USA now anyway
Also the fact we can buy from other high volume retailers who can send for far less. eg I recently bought a $10 item from microsoft shipped from the USA. They collect tax at checkout, and offer free shipping on everything. Recevied by UPS 3 days later. Everything on ebay looks like a rotten deal when you see others can do that compared to a minumim $13.84 extra here
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06-26-2013 03:13 AM
pierrelebel wrote:
As stated, eBay does not provide a breakdown of the so-called “import charges”. Often, the number does not seem to make sense based on what buyers know about applicable taxes.
Why can’t eBay provide a detailed breakdown of those “estimated import charges”? How much of it is actually calculated for duty (if applicable)? For taxes (GST/HST/PST) if applicable? Handling fee? Brokerage fee? Additional shipping charge (from PB distribution centre to buyer)? Etc…
.............................
This is the breakdown of the BOGUS "import fees" eBay and Pitney-Bowes are trying to abscound from international Buyers from USA based Sellers!
“Import charges”: this amount is comprised of the following variable charges, as applicable:
Commodity taxes: any and all sales, goods and services, and value added taxes or other amounts assessed or levied by any government authority in connection with the importation of goods into the applicable country of importation, including, but not limited to, duties, tariffs or excise taxes, but excluding income taxes, that are required to be paid in respect thereof upon importation to any governmental or regulatory authority in the country of importation, as well as third party brokerage fees (such as advancement and disbursement charges and any and all additional handling or filings fees due to third party customs brokers) and penalties (but excluding any customs duties, taxes, surcharges, fines, penalties, or other charges which may be imposed on you by customs or tax officials after a GSP Item has successfully cleared customs and been delivered to, or made available for pickup at, the delivery address specified by you);
Classification fee: a variable fee associated with the assignment of a Harmonized System (“HS”) classification code to each commodity. An HS classification code is a numerical code used as the basis for the calculation of applicable customs duties and is usually required by your local customs authorities for importation declaration. If the GSP Item that you purchase is not subject to Import charges, this fee will be included within the Shipping amount quoted to you;
Export compliance fee: a fee covering export compliance screening, verification that export licenses are not required, and the assignment of an Export Control Classification Number (ECCN). If the GSP Item that you purchase is not subject to Import charges, this fee will be included within the Shipping amount quoted to you;
and,Importation risk premium fee and variances: a variable fee covering operational expenses associated with short-term loss recovery and the management of any variances between the quoted Import charges and actual costs.
IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE IT
DON'T LIST IT™
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06-26-2013 09:44 AM
Legalese
Must read over ....and over .....again, ....and again....
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06-26-2013 02:33 PM
Two weeks later.....
http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Weekly-Board-Hour-Session/June-26th-Weekly-Board-Hour/m-p/125915#U125915
"The only outstanding question to which I promised an answer was "what happens to the import charges if a buyer returns a GSP item for refund?" I still don't have the answer to this and will follow up with it as soon as I have it, as promised."
Why do I bother? Staffers and managers do not even read the questions 😞

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06-26-2013 03:16 PM
@inuk_the_polar_bear wrote:eBay has really messed this up. Normally, I do not use the word incompetent.
It would be nice to know why the import charges shown on .ca can be double that shown on .com, on the same item.
I'm not buying GSP listed items, but noticed the price variations.
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06-26-2013 03:30 PM - last edited on 06-28-2013 02:15 PM by lizzier-ca
@chimera148 wrote:
It would be nice to know why the import charges shown on .ca can be double that shown on .com, on the same item.
I'm not buying GSP listed items, but noticed the price variations.
I've only seen that once but if you notice more of them, you should send an email to kalvin@ebay.com with all of the information.
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06-26-2013 03:38 PM
@pjcdn2005 wrote:
@chimera148 wrote:I've only seen that once but if you notice more of them, you should send an email to kalvin@ebay.com with all of the information.
Ok, thanks, noticed it on about a third of 15 items checked.
Apparently , similar problem reported for .au for the last 6 weeks or so.
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06-26-2013 03:48 PM
The problem is on the shipping in .au.
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06-27-2013 05:56 AM
What I've been hearing on the US boards is that the GSP system is being rewritten to allow sellers to opt Canada out of the GSP.
Of course, whether we're even going to see those results is anybody's guess.
I think they should make the system optional on an individual basis, with both GSP and non-GSP costs available for an informed decision.
Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. Carl Sagan
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06-27-2013 12:17 PM - edited 06-27-2013 12:17 PM
@surplusdealdude wrote:I think [eBay] should make the system optional on an individual basis, with both GSP and non-GSP costs available for an informed decision.
I suspect that eBay's experiences with Billpoint and PayPal have shown them that most eBay users shy away from something that's "different" and won't embrace it whole-heartedly unless users are shoehorned into accepting it.
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06-27-2013 01:43 PM
@chimera148 wrote:The problem is on the shipping in .au.
I'm not sure what you mean by that.
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06-27-2013 02:07 PM
I have no idea what .au has to do with anything either.
Read the Seller Central board on dot com. They are universally condemning the whole thing. Very rare when that group shows solidarity.
I am recommending to American sellers who do not want to ship outside the 48, and yes, many believe there are only 48 states, that they select expensive shipping and GSP. That should pretty much eliminate all sales outside of the lower 48.
This is the same good idea as when eBay bought Skype so buyers and sellers could chat face to face. Yeah, that worked well.
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06-27-2013 03:12 PM
"Why can’t eBay provide a detailed breakdown of those “estimated import charges”? How much of it is actually calculated for duty (if applicable)? For taxes (GST/HST/PST) if applicable? Handling fee? Brokerage fee? Additional shipping charge (from PB distribution centre to buyer)"
All people have to do is look at a few items and its easy see the GSP take is very low and a lot of the complaints are way over the top. Just find an item that isnt subject to duty and has free usa shipping
eg take this phone
The fee for GSP marking up the tax line is only $4.40.
Priority shipping (on top of free domestic shipping burried in the price) is $12.64 by GSP. If the seller shipped it prioirty themself, retail USPS postage would be $20. If they were willing to send FCI it would be $9 or so.
If it was a rare American seller who was only charging the Canadian buyer their exact extra cost over an American shipment we'd be looking at ~$15 extra for seller sent priorit or ~$5 extra by FCI. If the item gets taxed here plus CP's $10 then the GSP cost was either a few dollars more or a few dollars less then the seller mailing it themself. The difference comes down to avoding the tax or not on an item sent directly by the seller. Most Americans aren't charging Canadians only their exact extra cost and/or aren't willing to use FCI, which makes the GSP look bettter
Ive seen Canadains elsewhere praising it for not having to travel to pay and retrieve the item when they miss the delivery. If you aren't urban that can be an inconvenient trip to a limited hours outlet
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06-27-2013 03:42 PM
"All people have to do is look at a few items..."
Toby do not make excuses for the staff and management of eBay.ca.
All they have to do is give Canadian users answers instead of us having to do the detective work and assume we have the right answers

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06-27-2013 05:20 PM
@pjcdn2005 wrote:
@chimera148 wrote:The problem is on the shipping in .au.
I'm not sure what you mean by that.
This might help for now, will try to find one of the posts that better explains the .au differences in shipping charges on the same item later. post #34
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/topic/Seller-Central/Global-Shipping-Program/5200160966?start=24
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06-27-2013 07:40 PM
@toby**bleep**zu wrote:All people have to do is look at a few items and its easy see the GSP take is very low and a lot of the complaints are way over the top.
Just take a look at this item: 171041177942
Item price: $21.99
Shipping: $17.03
Import Charges: $6.79
Shipping + Import charges are more than 100% of the item price. Doesn't make any sense
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06-27-2013 08:01 PM
Obviously low cost paper items that can be sent large envelope don't make any sense to choose to use gsp. But the rate is correct for the gsp
The seller is charging $5 domestic shipping.
THe GSP just adds the $12 priority to Canada, the $2.86 in tax and the small gsp markup on everything
The seller is either marking up their shipping or not willing to just put it in an evnvelope like a letter if they are charging $5 domestic, so their rate to Canada would be more then that if they were sending direct. Then add $9.95 for canada Post to collect the same tax and the GSP isnt any more then if it was sent directly and was assessed tax
A seller choosing to use gsp for a $22 paper item is probably a paranoid type who would be listing with priority otherwise...at $20 USPS shipping plus risk of $9.95 canadapost fee and tax
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06-28-2013 05:40 AM - edited 06-28-2013 05:43 AM
@chimera148 wrote:
@pjcdn2005 wrote:
@chimera148 wrote:The problem is on the shipping in .au.
I'm not sure what you mean by that.
This might help for now, will try to find one of the posts that better explains the .au differences in shipping charges on the same item later. post #34
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/topic/Seller-Central/Global-Shipping-Program/5200160966?start=24
In regards to the Australian shipping costs
This may be part of the reason sellers are receiving bad feedback and loss of sales on GSP listed items.
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06-28-2013 09:46 AM
ebat should hang their head in shame..
It is an outrage to steal funds from people in this matter...
I will no longer purchase from the USA..
I will no longer accept US Federal notes either..
shame on u ebay for using some middle man to do your dirty work...
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06-28-2013 10:54 AM
Zoom, maybe or maybe not.
I really believe that the snot nose pukes in San Jose thought they were doing a good thing. They are young, smart, highly educated, and absolutely no life experience.
They operate from inside their glass enclosed sanctuary, inside the Republic of California, in the isolationist policy USA. Too many layers to see through.
