Canadians! How was your experience buying from outside of Canada?

[foulger_tyson]

This thread is for Canadians to share your experience buying from outside of Canada so that other Canadians have an idea of what to expect.

Answer these questions:

 1) Did the seller use the Global Shipping Program (GSP)?

        a) YES- were there any problems?

        b) NO- explain your experience paying import fees.

 2) Did you have any problems receiving your item?

 3) How long did it take for the item to arrive?

 4) Overall, how was your experience?

[15westcoast]

I had my item " lost in transit " with the Global Shipping Program and paid a large

extra fee to this program to ensure delivery. It also takes far too long for delivery as it criss crosses the country. I will not buy from GSP sellers again.

USPS International Rate, which has tracking has worked just fine and all items received.

Items received within the time frame posted.

Overall no problems other than GSP

[femmefan1946]

 Only my third experience with GSP. Item, a shirt,  arrived in eleven days.

I was puzzled that eBay was telling me that the item would arrive on the Sunday before Labour Day-- two days after payment.

I can see how this stupid estimate would discombobulate some buyers who don't understand calendars, borders, or the postal system.

My previous two experiences with GSP were a vast overcharge by the seller on a $2.00 item (my error in not reading carefully before purchasing and we subsequently had a polite and professional discussion of how he could improve Canadian sales by not using GSP) and a wildly repacked and overpacked item (huge box, tissue paper for a paperback book) but the lowest price (including GSP) anywhere on eBay including overseas.

I also purchased an item from Lithuania, which came twelve days after purchase, no customs, reasonably packed.

A dress which was sent USPS, on which I paid Canada Post import fees including a $9.95 service fee-- more than the GSP service fee, arrived promptly.

And a dozen bottles of jam from nan*55 in SK, well packed, well priced, no customs (duh!). Try the black currant.

[pmlinne]

Global Shipping Program tends to make delivery longer since all parcels have to go to Kentucky first.  This doesn't make sense when getting a parcel from the west coast.  Parcels going to an increased number of post offices increases the possibility of loss or damage.   

Would rather pay duty at my door... that way parcels are not left on the porch when duty is owed. 

Generally avoid sellers using the GSP if possible. 

[retroman_studios]

I buy from all over the world.

Sure, there are issues. Nothing is perfect. But truthfully, we the buyers often make more of an issue than it's really worth.

I've had GSP shipments that were seized. That was fun. No fault of buyer or seller, just a mistake on PBI. I've had GSP shipments that had delays for possible prohibited items. 

One important item to remember is that not all mail travels in a direct line. So while sometimes we may get a break and mail travels in a direct route, other times it doesn't. For example, some of my watch parts that come from China get dispatched directly to YVR (Vancouver), and other times they go to YYZ (Pearson). 

I have found that the majority of parcels I order from the US all travel to the Mississauga border then travel back west to me in Vancouver.

I just purchased a pack of watch tools from Esslinger and that went from Mendota Heights, MN 55120, USA  to Mississauga  and stayed at customs for almost two weeks. It just was released. I have a feeling it was held due to my order of GS Cement, which is an optically clear adhesive for watch crystals. So I expect I may have some duty/tax to pay on that shipment because it may have gotten more scrutiny.

If you are going to order via GSP, just know and expect that communication won't be very good. Many first time buyers don't read the terms and conditions which are linked at purchase, and often freak out when the order status shows delivered, when in fact it was delivered to a import/export facility to be checked, packed and shipped across the border.

When things do go wrong with GSP shipments, eBay doesn't have many agents who know how to deal with GSP, so that can be frustrating. 

[pjcdn2005]

I've received packages from the gsp a few times and haven't had any problems.  The tracking info does seem to have improved a bit over time. The last time I ordered from a gsp seller I also ordered something from a seller using USPS first class international and they were both shipped the same day. The gsp item took 14 days, the first class parcel arrived in 12 days so not a big difference.

If a seller uses first class to ship directly from the US, I haven't ever had to pay any sort of taxes or duty.  I used to have to pay when they used USPS Priority  but I haven't had anything sent with that method in a couple of years. It's just too expensive.

[inspireinmotion]

Never had any problems. Sometimes I wonder what the real shipping costs are for an item.

[femmefan1946]

When we order through  USPS/Canada Post, each item is handled separately.

When GSP ships to Canada, they are packing a container and everything -beads, used clothing, new iPads, designer sneakers- goes on one manifest.

My imagination has pallets in a container, each pallet ready for reshipment from Mississauga to Vancouver or Halifax or Edmonton.

And on arrival at the terminal, Canada Post opens the pallet and redistributes from the Vancouver Terminal to Vancouver Island, Kamloops, 100 Mile House etc.

Basically, in spite of the map, the amount of handling is minimized which lowers costs considerably.

I could be completely wrong. (Although I have been in PO terminals and it's pretty much like that,with bags rather than pallets. )

[joseph_scallywag]

I found the item bounced around a lot and the shipping cost was excessive.I do receive the items but I think  it would take less time and cheaper shipping direct.

[inspireinmotion]

I find the shipping prices is excessive. 

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

My wish, if a seller insists on using GSP, note which service exactly is going to be used. Calling the shipping service Priority is very misleading and extremely frustrating. In the past buying from US sellers, you had choices. Seems to be no longer the case with your average US sellers.

-CM

[pjcdn2005]

I think that using the term Priority on the gsp listings is misleading so they should change that. But I can't see them listing which service is going to be used as there are generally 3 different ones used..one from the seller to the gsp center, one to the buyer's country and another one within the buyers country.  The same services may not be always be used either.

[femmefan1946]

How about Regular, Fast , Faster, Fastest?

Everything else is adspeak.

[pjcdn2005]

Or just ‘GSP International Shipping’

[fastman614]

I have access to a US side border town shipper/reshipper but I am usually 250 miles from them. I try to co-ordinate purchases with trips to the Canadian side metropolitan area.

I have also, when needing things more or less immediately, used the GSP offered through ebay and the many sellers who take advantage of it. It is, at times illogically expensive and other times very reasonably priced (Hmmm?). I have never received a straight reply (or, actually, any reply at all) on the charge for duties etc - which are invariably priced at a percentage greater than the combined totals of GST & PST. There is, under NAFTA A LOT of items that are supposedly NOT subject to duties - yet on EVERY purchase, MORE THAN the relevant sales taxes are charged. IF it is a brokerage or like fee, why do they not just say so?

An interesting side point on this topic is items sold from OTHER THAN the USA - from, say, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea or China that are offered with Free Shipping. In every instance where I bought an item or items, they come direct to my home address with NO extra charges. The identical items have also been offered from US sellers, usually at higher prices, but also with many dollars more in shipping charges, taxes and fees than the cost of the item. 

In this day of we Canadians being kicked around by an out of touch bully who is apparently "in charge" of the USA, maybe we should all rethink our purchasing habits - and if at all possible - bypass US sellers completely .... I mean - try and source their "Made In China" goods directly from China instead of through them.

[marnotom!]

---

@pjcdn2005 wrote:

Or just ‘GSP International Shipping’

---

Sure, but then USPS should also drop the "Priority" moniker from their international parcel service as it's also misleading.  There's no other international parcel service that it offers consumers that's slower.  First Class International is a letter mail and oversize letter service.

(In fairness, my understanding is that USPS applied "Priority" to the name of its international parcel service as the service level was roughly equivalent to the domestic "Priority" service, which is a step above another offered service.)

[marnotom!]

---

@fastman614 wrote:

I have also, when needing things more or less immediately, used the GSP offered through ebay and the many sellers who take advantage of it. It is, at times illogically expensive and other times very reasonably priced (Hmmm?). I have never received a straight reply (or, actually, any reply at all) on the charge for duties etc - which are invariably priced at a percentage greater than the combined totals of GST & PST. There is, under NAFTA A LOT of items that are supposedly NOT subject to duties - yet on EVERY purchase, MORE THAN the relevant sales taxes are charged. IF it is a brokerage or like fee, why do they not just say so?

---

GSP "import charges" also include various and sundry customs processing and clearance charges.  Usually they work out to around US$5.00 once you take off the amount allocated to duties and taxes.  More information on what constitutes the import charges can be found on a help page linked on the GSP terms and conditions page buyers agree to when they make a purchase that's forwarded through the program.

As for the shipping charges, listings where the seller has provided information on the item's packaged shipping size and weight are rare, which means that the GSP "bot" has to guess at a shipping charge or apply a category average.  Averages being what they are, heavier items are going to have more attractive shipping charges than smaller ones.

Also consider that the shipping charge you see on a listing where the GSP has been applied includes the seller's charge for shipping the item to the Global Shipping Center in Kentucky.  The better the seller's shipping charge, the more attractive the total shipping charge is likely to be.

[piloon]

I have been EBay ing for many years and as standard practice only use USPS/Can Post for shipping.
I find that all the other services simply cost too much with all their add on fees and taxes and disbursements.
With the new tariffs ($100 vs previous $20) importing should be more feasible especially using USPS/CanPost.
The previous also allowed $75 in 'gift' category and wonder what the new 'gift' limits will be.

[reallynicestamps]

@marnotom!

Also consider that the shipping charge you see on a listing where the GSP has been applied includes the seller's charge for shipping the item to the Global Shipping Center in Kentucky.  The better the seller's shipping charge, the more attractive the total shipping charge is likely to be.

I don't think this can be emphasized too much.

@piloon

With the new tariffs ($100 vs previous $20) importing should be more feasible especially using USPS/CanPost.

This is somewhat speculative.

The announced amount is $150 but there is something going on with sales taxes, which have usually been higher than any actual duty.

Apparently, postally shipped items will have sales tax applied if they are $20 in value (including shipping) while 'express' shipments (courier? higher valued postal services?) will have sales tax applied only if the value is $40, but keep in mind that still includes the shipping cost.

So a one kilo package valued at $10 with $15 shipping cost by USPS/Canada Post would have no duty, but would have sales taxes PLUS a service fee for the shipping company.

And the same package shipped by UPS with $10 value  and $25 shipping cost would have no sales taxes applied but would have a $25 service /customs brokerage fee.

Ghu and the Great Flying Spaghetti Monster only know what GSP will be doing.

They charge duty and taxes before shipping to Canada. And they usually subcontract delivery to Canada Post. Are they going to be considerd 'express'?

The previous also allowed $75 in 'gift' category and wonder what the new 'gift' limits will be.

The 'gift' limit was $60, I believe.
The previous also allowed $75 in 'gift' category and wonder what the new 'gift' limits will be.

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[reallynicestamps]

With the new tariffs ($100 vs previous $20) importing should be more feasible especially using USPS/CanPost.

[reallynicestamps]

This is somewhat speculative.

[reallynicestamps]

The announced amount is $150 but there is something going on with sales taxes, which have usually been higher than any actual duty.

[reallynicestamps]

Apparently, postally shipped items will have sales tax applied if they are $20 in value (including shipping) while 'express' shipments (courier? higher valued postal services?) will have sales tax applied only if the value is $40, but keep in mind that still includes the shipping cost.

[reallynicestamps]

So a one kilo package valued at $10 with $15 shipping cost by USPS/Canada Post would have no duty, but would have sales taxes PLUS a service fee for the shipping company.

[reallynicestamps]

And the same package shipped by UPS with $10 value  and $25 shipping cost would have no sales taxes applied but would have a $25 service /customs brokerage fee.

[reallynicestamps]

Ghu and the Great Flying Spaghetti Monster only know what GSP will be doing.

[reallynicestamps]

They charge duty and taxes before shipping to Canada. And they usually subcontract delivery to Canada Post. Are they going to be considerd 'express'?

[reallynicestamps]

The previous also allowed $75 in 'gift' category and wonder what the new 'gift' limits will be.

[reallynicestamps]

The 'gift' limit was $60, I believe.
The previous also allowed $75 in 'gift' category and wonder what the new 'gift' limits will be.

[kimosaby1962]

I find the shipping to be Excessive, especially for what I purchased.  The 1st item is $6.95 US and additional items are $2.00 US for Standard International Shipping.  I ended up purchasing 62 pieces of silver jewelry.  The total price for just the shipping is approx $130.00 US. The box is small and everything is just throw in one box.  So paying that amount for such a small box is ridiculous. There should be a cap in the shipping cost.   I could purchase the same amount from another company, and get those items shipped by UPS and the shipping most likely would be a fraction of what I paid.  The shipping costs just eats at my profits.  On top of that the seller uses excuses all the time on why there is such a delay on the shipping.  After 10 days from purchase, the items are still in the same state.  It is getting to the point, where I am just going to get jewelry made abroad instead of purchasing on Ebay.  Shipping is too expensive and getting pieces made abroad is so much cheaper.