Can I filter out GSP

[rosscd57]

I don't suppose this is possible - but is there anyway to search .com and filter out sellers using GSP?

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

That would be a wonderful carrot if eBay would let all buyers  do that, but in all my attempts have yet to find a workaround for that nightmare.

-CM

[reallynicestamps]

• Use a desktop or laptop
• Use List rather than Gallery
• Ignore listings with 'Customs services and international tracking provided'.

That seems to be about it.

But do be aware, as I am sure you are, that the GSP can be the less expensive service if the seller is using a high priced shipping service (like Priority rather than First Class International) or if the item is either bulky or high value, and therefore likely to be stopped and assessed by CBSA.

And of course, we are all trying to forget UPS/FedEx import and customs brokerage charges.

[rosscd57]

Ok the first two are easy, but where do I find: "Ignore listings with"

[ypdc_dennis]

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@rosscd57 wrote:

Ok the first two are easy, but where do I find: "Ignore listings with"

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It involves booting up the the auxiliary computer located behind your eyeballs...

[rosscd57]

Very funny - but it is not on my screen.

[pocomocomputing]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

• Use a desktop or laptop
• Use List rather than Gallery
• Ignore listings with 'Customs services and international tracking provided'.

That seems to be about it.

But do be aware, as I am sure you are, that the GSP can be the less expensive service if the seller is using a high priced shipping service (like Priority rather than First Class International) or if the item is either bulky or high value, and therefore likely to be stopped and assessed by CBSA.

And of course, we are all trying to forget UPS/FedEx import and customs brokerage charges.

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When the GSP first came out, I asked a fellow eBay member to make a browser filter to hide GSP listings in search results by looking for the Customs text above. So a search page would get 50 listings on a search page and show only the say 22 listings that were not GSP. They were still there but just hidden. If you scrolled to the next page of the search, it would show you again the non GSP listings. Worked great. You could toggle it on and off.

That member posted back here in these forums in Canada the tool and got suspended from the forums for a while. Never attempted to post that tool again.

So it is possible to make a browser filter to show non-GSP items in search. Just a hint for anyone to know that it can be done. But details on how would have to be posted in non-eBay forums.

[marnotom!]

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@rosscd57 wrote:

Very funny - but it is not on my screen.

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Dennis is on the money here, though.  You simply have to use your mental prowess to ignore the listing results that have the message about customs and tracking.  Pretend the message reads "Do not click on this result to view the listing".

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

There is another way but it involves a very large purchase of white out and then another purchase for screen cleaner.

-CM

(Said with tongue in cheek)

[amcdc79]

There are many reasons for this question on the sellers board, many of us buy and sell on eBay.

Most sellers and buyers, will check the GSP listings, to see what the shipping and handling, and, taxes and duty charges total, to adjust our prices, or decide to purchase or not.

The GSP may be a great fit for expensive, bulky or heavy items, for the other 50-80% of items, even eBay knows it should not be used. If it didn't use the most expensive shipping service for everything, it might be competitive in more categories.

Once we as sellers, have checked out a few similar GSP listings, there is no need to look at the rest, as the fees are all pretty much the same. When it comes down to total price, buying the same item from Canadians, should always be cheaper. Also many US sellers still offer cheap(er) shipping to Canada, and I am happy to support them. I am also always ready to pay whatever taxes, duty or fees owing, when I receive the package. 

[momcqueen]

“The GSP may be a great fit for expensive, bulky or heavy items, for the other 50-80% of items, even eBay knows it should not be used. If it didn't use the most expensive shipping service for everything, it might be competitive in more categories.”

The shipping cost has to be higher than a one-stop trip in order to cover and compensate for the unique journey between seller and buyer. (Also, increased delays would results from a less-expensive postal option.) Plus GSP gets applied to specific listings only, the ones where the sellers wouldn’t otherwise ship to Canada. I don’t struggle to ignore GSP Listings when I don’t feel need to use the program. The easiest way to do that is to shop on eBay.ca and filter to Canada Only. Using List View and a desktop computer to search is next.

[jcurrie78]

what i do is click show canada listings only. This works but you also filter out some usa sellers that arnt useing gsp. So its not full proof but it does work.

[rickkins]

I recently used gsp to buy four freakin tshirts from US to Canada. What a friggin joke. Seems clearly designed to rip people off.

It's a shame sellers use this, believing it's a good thing.

[marnotom!]

It's a bigger shame that so many buyers are impelled to purchase items they feel have the GSP inappropriately applied to them.

[amcdc79]

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@momcqueen wrote:
“The GSP may be a great fit for expensive, bulky or heavy items, for the other 50-80% of items, even eBay knows it should not be used. If it didn't use the most expensive shipping service for everything, it might be competitive in more categories.”

The shipping cost has to be higher than a one-stop trip in order to cover and compensate for the unique journey between seller and buyer. (Also, increased delays would results from a less-expensive postal option.) Plus GSP gets applied to specific listings only, the ones where the sellers wouldn’t otherwise ship to Canada. I don’t struggle to ignore GSP Listings when I don’t feel need to use the program. The easiest way to do that is to shop on eBay.ca and filter to Canada Only. Using List View and a desktop computer to search is next.

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Actually the GSP is the default setting, US sellers have to opt out to not use it.

If ebay could only apply the GSP to specific listings, you would think that all items under the thresh hold, would not need to be sent to Kentucky. Same thing with all the items ebay has said over the years that were not a good fit, such as under $50, small and lightweight. 

Many sellers I have bought from before the GSP, are now using it. So saying they would not ship to Canada without it, is a myth. Also many sellers don't know they are using it until buyers ask them to not use it. Most GSP sellers do not know how much the buyer is paying for shipping and are quite surprised when told.

Yes, the CBSA has increased the percentage of packages they are hitting with duty and taxes, and yes, the Canada Post fee of $9.95 is higher than the fee charged by GSP, so now it's down to how lucky do you feel. I personally have been charged every time the item is over the thresh hold, ymmv. 

What will be very interesting, is if/when the thresh hold is raised, will ebay continue to put the items under the limit, in the GSP program.

[marnotom!]

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@amcdc79 wrote:

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@momcqueen wrote:
 Plus GSP gets applied to specific listings only, the ones where the sellers wouldn’t otherwise ship to Canada.

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Actually the GSP is the default setting, US sellers have to opt out to not use it.

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I think you two actually have the same idea.  You're just looking at it from different sides of the fence.

[marnotom!]

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@amcdc79 wrote:

If ebay could only apply the GSP to specific listings, you would think that all items under the thresh hold, would not need to be sent to Kentucky. Same thing with all the items ebay has said over the years that were not a good fit, such as under $50, small and lightweight. 

Many sellers I have bought from before the GSP, are now using it. So saying they would not ship to Canada without it, is a myth. Also many sellers don't know they are using it until buyers ask them to not use it. Most GSP sellers do not know how much the buyer is paying for shipping and are quite surprised when told.

Yes, the CBSA has increased the percentage of packages they are hitting with duty and taxes, and yes, the Canada Post fee of $9.95 is higher than the fee charged by GSP, so now it's down to how lucky do you feel. I personally have been charged every time the item is over the thresh hold, ymmv. 

What will be very interesting, is if/when the thresh hold is raised, will ebay continue to put the items under the limit, in the GSP program.

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Interesting post, but it neglects a few facts.

1.  The GSP is in place for sellers, even though buyers are the ones footing the bill for the program and its services.  It's there to assure sellers that shipping internationally can be as simple as shipping domestically with little more special preparation involved and, more importantly, little more assumed risk.  

The seller's responsibility for the safe arrival of a GSP-forwarded item ends once the item is accepted in Kentucky.  Sellers tend to like that.  Even sellers of items that are modestly priced, lightweight, and can be sent to Canada as oversized letters (First Class International / Small Packet).  Don't forget, even inexpensive and/or small items need a customs form, and some US sellers get the hives even thinking about filling them out.  The GSP spares them this perceived agony.

2.  The GSP doesn't serve just Canada.  It serves about 100 different countries.  Most of them have a higher de minimis (duty/tax-free threshold) than Canada, but not all.  Australia, until the end of the month, has a de minimis of AU$1000, yet the GSP still gets applied to everything sent there if a listing has the program set up for it and the seller hasn't specifically exempted that country from the GSP.

I doubt that raising the de minimis in Canada would change most US (or UK) sellers' shipping habits if they're wedded to the GSP.

[amcdc79]

I agree with you that the GSP is for the buyer, where I disagree, is in the risk. Shipping First Class International directly to the buyer can be less risky than the GSP, due to PB opening every package. Even customs does not do that.

Yes, US sellers love tracking, which FCI provides, and most US sellers were already used to completing the forms. Many do not know the $20 amount threshold, for tax and duty free.

The GSP works for expensive, heavy and bulky items, for small, lightweight and under the $20 threshold, it does not.

Sellers in Canada love the GSP, as it allows them to compete, due to the high fees and shipping cost it charges.

[reallynicestamps]

I agree with you that the GSP is for the buyer,
It isn't.
It is a SELLER PROTECTION program.
Buyers are not better off with it.


where I disagree, is in the risk. Shipping First Class International directly to the buyer can be less risky than the GSP, due to PB opening every package.

They don't.
This foolish idea has been specifically debunked by @afantiques , who has actually visited the GSP plant.
It also ignores commonsense, given the immense amount of labour that would be required to open, assess and repackage thousands of shipments every working hour.

[marnotom!]

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@amcdc79 wrote:

I agree with you that the GSP is for the buyer, where I disagree, is in the risk. Shipping First Class International directly to the buyer can be less risky than the GSP, due to PB opening every package. Even customs does not do that.

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I actually said that the GSP is (mainly) for the benefit of the seller, but I think that's what you meant.

However, you're misunderstanding the type of risk being referred to here.  Risk of damage or loss is borne by the seller in most other circumstances should the buyer file a claim against them.  Once the Global Shipping Center accepts a GSP item, that risk is no longer borne by the seller, so should the item be damaged or lost while the GSP is handling it, the seller won't be out any funds nor will they have to file an insurance claim themselves.  

So in your scenario of a GSP-forwarded item being damaged by PB's or its agents' handling of it, the seller won't be out anything, and neither will the buyer if they play their cards properly.

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@amcdc79 wrote:

Yes, US sellers love tracking, which FCI provides, and most US sellers were already used to completing the forms. Many do not know the $20 amount threshold, for tax and duty free.

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Of course US sellers love tracking.  They're living in a country that's one of the world's highest when it comes to internet fraud.  And tracking for US domestic mail is free or inexpensive to obtain and a requirement for fraud protection, why not use it?

But why should sellers be responsible to know the tax and duty-free threshold for postal imports into Canada, or any other country in the world for that matter?   That's an unreasonable burden to place on a seller from anywhere.

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@amcdc79 wrote:

The GSP works for expensive, heavy and bulky items, for small, lightweight and under the $20 threshold, it does not.

Sellers in Canada love the GSP, as it allows them to compete, due to the high fees and shipping cost it charges.

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I'm interpreting "work" to mean that "it's cost-effective".  How the program actually operates is not dependent on the item's size or selling price.

Express Mail or parcel post isn't cost-effective for lightweight, modestly-valued items, either, but they work just fine as well.  

As suggested elsewhere, Canadian sellers have trouble competing with US sellers shipping directly because they're forced to use a different postal method.  If US sellers who shipped directly to their non-US buyers suddenly started using parcel post (Priority International) instead of letter mail (First Class International) for all of their international sales, the playing field would be more level.  For shipments to Canada, the GSP's shipping charges are generally closer to those for parcel post than they are for letter mail.