Can't really track global shipping program - Frustrated

[myoldstuff276]

I do not like the global shipping program.  It's ability to track items is seriously flawed.  I live in a rural area and do not get ANY deliveries other than post .  Here is my experience:

I bought an item in the US shipped through the ebay shipping program.  I get an ebay tracking number, and a USPS tracking number.  The ebay tracking number doesn't tell me much about when to expect it.  The USPS number says the item is being sent expedited, and will arrive in two days.  When I update this number, in two days, the status shows it is being delivered.  It was only delivered to the centre in Erlander, Ky.  It sits there for several days.  I have no idea who has it, or what is happening.  If I check the other link (USPS) the only information that it was delivered, which doesn't tell me much or where or how it is being delivered.

The global shipping number can't be tracked outside of ebay, and the domestic shipping number is only for USPS, and shows it as delivered.

I have to logon with different devices, as different devices show different details.  None shows what carrier the item is being transported with, or when the actual realistic delivery date is.  A week wide guess really doesn't cut it.  I don't know if it is being shipped by mail, courier, or by an old guy who is now looking for my house on foot.

Finally, if I go in with one device, I get a link to the fact that this is supposedly being shipped by CanPar.  However, when I click on the hyperlink, I get taken to Canpar and told that that item can not be found.  This has been the case for several days.  I also got an email notice that Pitney Bowes (Ebay shipping) has prepared a delivery label for my through Canada Post.  But no parcel has arrived at Canada Post with that delivery label on it.

I want the ability to know WHO is shipping my parcel, and what the tracking number is ON THEIR SYSTEM.  Why does Ebay obfuscate this information?  And why does the information depend on what device  you are using to retrieve it.  Right now if I go to the Ebay site on my Win8 computer running Chrome, I do NOT get anyway to access the Canpar tracking number (even if it is apparently not correct).  The domestic shipping information that I get on this computeris a week old, and still shows that the package was delivered by USPS!  However, if I use the Ebay APP on a IPad, I get the Canpar information.  If I use the ebay App on a smartphone, I cannot access ANY domestic shipping information.

I need to know who has it because if it is not being sent by CanPost, the courier will not be able to deliver it due to my rural location, and will also have no way to contact me as I do not have a listed phone number.  This is simply dumb.

EBAY!  WHO HAS MY PARCEL AND WHY WON"T YOU LET ME KNOW THIS AND TRACK IT PROPERLY!

[marnotom!]

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@mmel7863 wrote:

Global shipping should be dismantled. It’s useless.

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So is Xpresspost when it's used for small items worth a few bucks.

[Anonymous]

USPS is far superior to "Global Shipping" and yes can be tracked internationally. I do not buy from sellers who use the Global Shipping program because it is a useless system and tax is charged on items with a value of $50 or less into Canada when these items are waived by Canada Post. It is also slower as the parcel has to go to depots first.

[toyotausa]

global shipping program:

it was sent up because Canadians are too passive

no tracking number from ebay shipping wearhouse to canada.  

[ypdc_dennis]

Zombie thread with out of date info

@happy_pigeon

[marnotom!]

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@toyotausawrote:

global shipping program:

it was sent up because Canadians are too passive

no tracking number from ebay shipping wearhouse to canada

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Nonsense.

[momcqueen]

I've been trying to stand back from this thread because I think it's important that users are allowed to vent when they're feeling frustrated -- and I am certainly no lover of the Global Shipping Program myself -- but it's incredible to me exactly how misunderstood, either accidentally or deliberately, the program really is.

Every order that sells to an user who's never had an item shipped via GSP needs to be talked through the entire process from checkout to delivery. Like an ebay buddy is needed to talk them down from the ledge when they start freaking out over 'Import fees?! These are used shoes and they're made in the USA!' which are really usually sales tax plus a small handling fee or "Tracking that shows my ordered was delivered to someplace in Kentucky, who the heck lives in Erlanger? I don't live in Kentucky!' when it's only the first stage of the journey and 'Why is it sitting for six days at the hub?!' and the list goes on and on.   

Perhaps the Order Details should have all this data embedded, to prevent buyers from misunderstanding the process. I'm convinced that more than half of Canadians who shop online are oblivious to the fact our de minimus for import by mail for most items is $20 CAD. 'I've never paid duty on nuttin'!'

It's wearisome. Ebay created this program, it really needed from the start to better support it with continuous communication with its buyers. Answer those questions before they are posed!

[marnotom!]

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@momcqueenwrote:

I've been trying to stand back from this thread because I think it's important that users are allowed to vent when they're feeling frustrated -- and I am certainly no lover of the Global Shipping Program myself -- but it's incredible to me exactly how misunderstood, either accidentally or deliberately, the program really is.

Every order that sells to an user who's never had an item shipped via GSP needs to be talked through the entire process from checkout to delivery. Like an ebay buddy is needed to talk them down from the ledge when they start freaking out over 'Import fees?! These are used shoes and they're made in the USA!' which are really usually sales tax plus a small handling fee or "Tracking that shows my ordered was delivered to someplace in Kentucky, who the heck lives in Erlanger? I don't live in Kentucky!' when it's only the first stage of the journey and 'Why is it sitting for six days at the hub?!' and the list goes on and on.   

Perhaps the Order Details should have all this data embedded, to prevent buyers from misunderstanding the process. I'm convinced that more than half of Canadians who shop online are oblivious to the fact our de minimus for import by mail for most items is $20 CAD. 'I've never paid duty on nuttin'!'

It's wearisome. Ebay created this program, it really needed from the start to better support it with continuous communication with its buyers. Answer those questions before they are posed!

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As I posted on another thread recently, I purchased yet another phone that's being handled through the GSP.  Maybe I'm biased because I'm familiar with the program and know what I'm getting myself into, but I was really impressed by how much more information on the GSP there is provided by eBay and PBI during the Checkout process and how easy it is to find out more about how and why the program works as it does before committing to make a purchase, as compared to my other two GSP purchases.

For whatever reason, some buyers just seem to be missing opportunities to find information about the program, be it in general or just as it pertains to their purchase.  Perhaps it's because over the past decade or so, buyers have become accustomed to straightforward shipping from the US and the lack of assessment and charges of taxes and occasionally duty on postal imports.  We probably have a generation of eBay buyers who believe that shipping from the US should be as straightforward as a shipment within Canada.

I'm sure some people are going to flay me for being an eBay/GSP apologist yet again, but I really can't fault eBay or Pitney Bowes if buyers don't read listings closely enough and wonder why they're being charged what they are for a GSP shipment or why it's taking as long as it is when there's a delivery time estimate for their reference.

[momcqueen]

If you’ve recently purchased through the program, you’re ahead of me. I assume it’s inadvertently misunderstood by buyers but if you’re saying the necessary information is available, then I’ll have to believe Canadian buyers are deliberately overlooking it. Maybe because they don’t WANT to pay import fees and assume that means they shouldn’t have to do it.

[marnotom!]

Here's an example of eBay's communication of the program post-sale.  This is one of two emails I received directly from eBay.  It provides the estimated delivery dates that were on the listing page, explains the payment split and that the GSP will prepare the item for shipment to Canada (admittedly, this point could be made a bit more clearly), and provides links to further information on the program and customer service.  It also states how the buyer can get detailed tracking information on the item (and so far it seems to be working, showing me that it reached the Global Shipping Center a couple of days ago).

In contrast, the one email I received from eBay about the phone case I ordered from a non-GSP seller is pretty spartan when it comes to information.  I got a tracking number (which shows it moved about 52 km to somewhere near LAX and it hasn't received further scans since Wednesday).

[happy_pigeon]

Someone has summoned me to kill a zombie thread, which is appreciated, but it looks like this discussion is still seeing brisk activity so I'm going to let it be. Users new to this discussion should just keep in mind that, due to the length of the topic, comments earlier in the thread may have outdated info.

[propowder101]

Yes I totally agree!! This system totally sucks bigtime!!

[femmefan1946]

I guess this should be added to the thread every 10th message or so.

————————————
Another poster worked this out for buyers who have not yet received their GSP shipment.
TRACKING SYSTEM FOR GSP
It's not user friendly... But I found how to track your package via the global shipping program, once it gets to Canada you need to:
- Log on to eBay.ca
- Under the My eBay menu select Purchase History
- Under your orders find the specific order.  It should have something like the following:
        Estimated delivery Mon, Jan 11 - Thu, Jan 21
        Tracking number: Tracking number UPAAB000000#########
- Click on the UPA number.  This should open up a Shipment Details window, which should contain something like this:
     This shipment has been transferred to CPC for delivery to the final destination # 70351#########
-Click on the Canada Post number to see where the Canada Post Tracking history and expected delivery

[marnotom!]

Or just visit https://parceltracking.pb.com/ with your UPAA tracking number ready to paste.

[retroman_studios]

One important note is that often (in fact almost always) the GSP system simply doesn't work. I had two large shipments like this. Seller sent me an e-mail with shipment details to GSP Hub, which was awesome.  (Note, not all sellers do this) But in my eBay purchase history, although it listed a #UPAA number, it just stated "A tracing number has been provided". Nothing else. Like it was somehow disconnected from the rest of the system. Even using Pitney Bowes tracking tool had zero results.

I finally got an e-mail from eBay saying GSP was "reviewing" the items for prohibited goods AKA: We need more time to label and cover our buts. 🙂

It all worked out in the end, but if you do have issues, you can always just wait it out and when no delivery is made open a case. There really isn't more you can do. The seller wasn't at fault, in fact the seller went above and beyond. If it wasn't for the seller giving me tracking, I would not have any idea that the item had in fact made it to the GSP Hub.

[reallynicestamps]

But in my eBay purchase history, although it listed a #UPAA number, it just stated "A tracing number has been provided". ...using Pitney Bowes tracking tool had zero results...

 I finally got an e-mail from eBay saying GSP was "reviewing" the items for prohibited goods...It all worked out in the end,

I can understand why you would be anxious and annoyed.

The non-existent tracking number would be particularly concerning.

But.

You then got an explanation.

Apparently PB/GSP was not clear from the seller's information just what was in the parcel and *sigh* opened, examined and repacked it.

Which is where a lot of problems come up.

Fortunately, the seller had given accurate information and was not shipping ivory as plastic or Chinese made goods as NAFTA protected.

Did you get a tracking number when it re-started its journey?

How much time elapsed from the GSP plant arrival to your doorstep?

[paktaolo]

Hi here,

First of all, I am not with ebay or against ebay. I used GSP once,  but I am 100% sure anyone who praised GSP is with ebay. It is because users are not getting what they pay for. For instance, the total s&h costs for my item was usd $3X.00, but the item was still @ Erlanger after my buyer shipped the item a week ago. With that, I might need to wait another two weeks to receive my item. That is one month in total. It is like users pay for the USPS priority mail express international service, but they are only receiving USPS first-class mail international service.

RL

[momcqueen]

@happy_pigeon: This is kind of a zombie thread, it dates back to 03-11-2015 and I'm not sure users who are directly affected by 'issues with tracking GSP shipments' are still using it to find answers, it seems like more of a hate-on pile-up related to the GSP. 

[femmefan1946]

For instance, the total s&h costs for my item was usd $3X.00,

The $30.00+ include shipping and handling but also Canadian duty, Canadian Sales Taxes*, and a ~$5 service fee from PB/GSP.

but the item was still @ Erlanger after my buyer shipped the item a week ago.

So the item arrived by USPS in Erlanger after a week in transit?

That's very slow for USPS, usually they take two or three days at most.

How many days does USPS tracking show for delivery?

How many days has it actually been in Erlanger? Does that include Saturday and Sunday?

With that, I might need to wait another two weeks to receive my item.

GSP usually ships to the border then transfers most packages to Canada Post.

A week is not unusual for CPO, longer if the recipient is rural or isolated.

On the other hand, I ship from Vancouver Island, and most of my domestic shipments arrive within a week, occasionally two days.

but I am 100% sure anyone who praised GSP is with ebay.

Well, we're not against them.

But the posters to these Boards are buyers and sellers just like you.

Maybe with more time on our hands.

EBay employees do post, but their IDs show an icon of a little crowd of people and they are very conciencious about identifying themselves as employees.

Interestingly, most are also sellers in a small way. And buy here too.

The GSP is above all a SELLER PROTECTION program.

It is not designed to do anything helpful for buyers.

I avoid it as much as possible.

Two purchases since it was introduced, both with minor problems, for items that were not available in Canada.

* Mostly sales taxes, usually. Sales taxes add 5% to 15% to the shipped cost of your foreign purchase, depending on your province or territory.

[paktaolo]

My item reached to Erlanger two days after my seller mailed it. Then, the item sat at Erlanger for a week before it shipped to me. Are you sure that $30+ s&h included Canadian duty, Canadian Sales Taxes? I can tell you that it is not. It is because the import charges do not include customs duties and taxes. Just CPO does not ask for the tax / duty when you get the item 🙂

"Import charges include certain fees, such as export classification, importation risk premium, and variance fees, which are assessed by the global shipping provider as part of the services provided by the Global Shipping Program. These fees are in addition to any customs duties and taxes imposed by country tax and customs officials. For additional information about applicable fees, see the eBay Global Shipping Program Buyer Terms & Conditions."

Then, you are right on the one week domestic shipment. CPO usually is A+ in domestic shipment.

[momcqueen]

"...Are you sure that $30+ s&h included Canadian duty, Canadian Sales Taxes? I can tell you that it is not. It is because the import charges do not include customs duties and taxes. Just CPO does not ask for the tax / duty when you get the item :)...."

You've misunderstood that. With GSP, your import fees and sales taxes are rolled into the 'import fees' and sometimes offset by the shipping rate you are charged. It is known. (Ebay experimented with it to see what mix of shipping and handling and import fees that Canadians found most palatable.) If the Post Office doesn't charge you a handling fee and import fee at the door prior to delivery, count yourself lucky; the law says the de minimus by mail on import into Canada is $20 CAD for most but not all items. Some items have zero dollars de minimus.