eBay Global shipping program?

[worldwandering]

Anybody else get invited to this?

They deal with all customs forms, etc by shipping to a US address?  Feedback is protected from low ratings etc?

What the heck are they talking about?

I said yes, and now they are going to revise all my listings.  I don't understand this nebulous program.  Can anybody sum it up gracefully?

Thank you!

[rose-dee]

Specify a 1-day handling time and ship your item promptly to the US shipping center using a service with tracking. If your item shows a delivery time to the US shipping center of 4 days or less from the date of buyer payment, you'll get an automatic 5-star detailed seller rating for ship time.

Offer free domestic shipping to get an automatic 5-star detailed seller rating for shipping cost.

Good for sellers, but shuts buyers out of response completely -- why?  Could it be that eBay/Pitney-Bowes want to protect their newfound revenues through this programme by making sure sellers don't opt out of GSP due to buyer complaints.  Hmmm...very clever.

[rose-dee]

Frankly, given the above, if I were a buyer in this situation, dinged with a hefty fee for handling, etc. from Pitney-Bowes, and found I was unable to voice a complaint through DSRs, I'd be even angrier.  Sellers may find very nasty emails coming their way from uninformed buyers who suddenly get "dinged" at their end. 

Keep in mind that most of the posters here are fairly experienced on eBay.  Would an inexperienced new buyer think they weren't being scammed, and realize they should work out the problem directly with the seller?  I see nothing but headaches all around.  I certainly won't go for it if it's offered here.

[pierrelebel]

"Good for sellers, but shuts buyers out of response completely -- why? "

Why?  Did you ask why?

Money.  Same old, same old.

Pitney Bowes makes money handling the shipment.  They pay eBay a referral commission on the fees the receive.  WIN-WIN for them. 

Does anyone care in San Jose about the Canadian buyer? 😞

[i*m-still-here]

Free shipping already gets an automatic rating of "5."

I was wondering how they were dealing with the lengthened shipping time though because ultimately it will take longer for the items to arrive.

Go Figure!

[i*m-still-here]

Frankly, given the above, if I were a buyer in this situation, dinged with a hefty fee for handling, etc. from Pitney-Bowes, and found I was unable to voice a complaint through DSRs, I'd be even angrier.  

ME TOO!

I'm pretty sure I'd even break my own rule about (almost) never leaving NFB.

[rose-dee]

And I should add that if I'd never read these discussion boards, I would never have been forewarned.  I would have fallen happily into the honey trap too...so thank you all!

[rose-dee]

Does anyone care in San Jose about the Canadian buyer? 😞

Yes, as always, this is the crux of it.  Why should they care if they're making "free" money off us "foreigners"?  Funny how they can ignore the fact we have a country up here when it suits them, then treat us as aliens when it serves the purpose.

[i*m-still-here]

Just to back track a bit............. it looks like buyers can still rate DSRs for shipping cost unless the seller offers free shipping.................. as is the case for all items so it means nothing at all.

Offering Free Shipping in conjunction with the GSP would be really wonky................. and hard to imagine who would do that because the seller would have to pay shipping to P-B, shipping from P-B to the buyer, plus that added fee that gets tacked on.

So........... shipping time DSR is buffered if the seller gets the item to P-B within 4 days....

That little potential benefit is far outweighed by the risk of getting shipping cost DSRs trashed very badly.

Wouldn't sellers who use that program get their shipping cost DSR trashed all the time?

[i*m-still-here]

It's not about Canadian buyers.

All International buyers are getting nailed by this program and Canadians much less so that most.

It's really about eBay being an American game...............

This.............. could turn back an bite them..............

In one way I really hope they all buy into it............. but on the other hand I'm very afraid they'll chase all those wonderful buyers from Japan, France, the UK etc. away from ebay for good.

It could happen.

Getting them back once the GSP bites the dust might not be that easy because the program insults everyone.

[pierrelebel]

"Offer free domestic shipping to get an automatic 5-star detailed seller rating"

as stated earlier

[lady.stark]

While reading the responses to this topic, a question came to my mind.... does a country - here the USA - have the right to collect customs charges for another country? How do we know the customs fees we pay to P-B are REALLY going to OUR government? Just wondering...

[pierrelebel]

"does a country - here the USA - have the right to collect customs charges for another country?"

It is done all the times.

Many US companies are registered with GST/HST.  They collect the tax on behalf of the Canadian government from Canadian buyers and remit the taxes collected to the Canadian government.  That process allows for faster Customs clearance and delivery to the Canadian buyer.

"How do we know the customs fees we pay to P-B are REALLY going to OUR government?"

It is no different than the tax you pay at McDonald or Sears or any GST/HST registered seller or anywhere else.  How do you know the tax is remitted to the government?

Just do not worry about it.  Let the government do its job and collect the money.

[lady.stark]

Many US companies are registered with GST/HST.

I can live with that. 😉 But as any GST/HST registered company, they should provide their GST/HST number on their invoice right?

Why is this number not listed anywhere on eBay? Will they REALLY register themselves around the world as they should? Or at least where the GSP is available? Their tax numbers should be listed somewhere....

I know, so many questions, LOL, but I feel buyers are being ripped off by this program, because the exact costs of what goes to who are not displayed. It's just a BIG amount the buyer has to pay, and he doesn't even know where his money go and in what percentage...

[lady.stark]

It is no different than the tax you pay at McDonald or Sears or any GST/HST registered seller or anywhere else.  How do you know the tax is remitted to the government?

The difference is, with McDo or Sears or... their number is displayed on all the invoices I get from them. The way I understand it, eBay/Pitney-Bowes doesn't do that: so no proof they are really registered.

[worldwandering]

Hey Gang,

Thank you for all your post's on this topic.  I've been lightly following it, but there are still a few question's that come to mind.

Upon discovering that a seller from USA is using GSP, does that automatically mean that there will be extra charges at the door no matter what the value?

I'm still not sure the implications for a Canadian Buyer on this.

Thanks

[pjcdn2005]

Upon discovering that a seller from USA is using GSP, does that automatically mean that there will be extra charges at the door no matter what the value?

You pay the charges upfront so there should not be any extra charges at the door.

[pierrelebel]

" eBay/Pitney-Bowes doesn't do that: so no proof they are really registered."

???

Check your Pitney Bowes invoice.  It is not eBay providing the service, it is Pitney Bowes.

[productaxi]

Sorry I know this is buried in here somewhere;

Where and what specifically does it say when its part of GSP?

[i*m-still-here]

When the seller is using the GSP the listing will have a shipping cost and you will also see an amount for import fees.

When you see that ............. RUN!

Physically you only make one lump sum payment.

It shows up on your paypal bill as two payments:  One to the seller and one to P-B.

That is the actually the sum of four things:

Item cost.

The seller's shipping cost to P-B.

Import Fees (Duty and.or taxes).

P-B fees.

[pierrelebel]

From eBay's Help page http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html 

Buyer charges

In the listing, the buyer sees an estimate of the international shipping charges and the import charge.

During checkout, the buyer sees the final charges which include the item cost, the international shipping charges, and the import charge.

The international shipping charges include any US shipping, as well as program fees, third-party international shipping charges, fuel surcharges, and processing and handling fees.

The import charge includes applicable customs duties, taxes, and third-party brokerage.

In addition to the final charges, the buyer sees the amount paid to the seller and the amount paid to the global shipping provider.

You receive the item price and the domestic shipping and handling cost from the buyer.