Comments about the Global Shipping Program

[kalvin@ebay.com]

Feel free to share your thoughts about the Global Shipping Program here. 

A few questions to get the ball rolling:

• What has worked well for you with the Global Shipping Program?
• Any ideas to help improve the experience for Canadian buyers?
• What has deterred you from buying items offered using the Global Shipping Program?
• How have you managed to search for items outside the program?

Please try & keep the comments constructive 🙂

If you have any questions about the program, please post them here.

[afantiques]

281183480466

This item is not a GSP listing. The other one does not appear to be either

[chimera148]

The GSP shows up when i look at the shipping details on both, so not really sure.

I think those are all GSP enabled countries shown.

When I go to bid , no shipping or import charges are shown.

[chimera148]

[chimera148]

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@chimera148 wrote:

The GSP shows up when i look at the shipping details on both, so not really sure.

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A mistake, the GSP shows up when I go to "Ask a question" and click "Shipping" .

[pierrelebel]

"the GSP shows up when I go to "Ask a question" and click "Shipping" "

I clicked on Ask a question then the shipping and there is no mention of GSP

http://contact.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?FindAnswers&redirect=0&iid=281183480466&requested=mitykube

[toby_le_pue]

It don't matter if an item is new or old the GSP goes by the value.

Almost anything over $20.00 Canadian imported is subject to the taxes

in your province and a handling charge whether the seller uses GSP,

USPS or courier.

This is not the first time you have paid the GSP shipping.

Your red shoes was a lot higher GSP charges.

[780maxim]

Someone is benefiting from this program, I suspect Pitney Bowes, don't know about eBay.  Prior to the program, most low cost items from the US. did not have duty applied to them and you only paid the shipping fee quoted by the seller.  When you are looking at an item and the shipping and GSP together is more than the cost of the item, who is going to buy it?  Does anyone know has this impacted the US seller?   What about the Free Trade Agreement?  I do realize not all items purchased are manufactured in the US.  I know when I purchase items from Amazon.com, I generally receive a refund as the shipping charge was in excess of the amount charged when purchased.

I can see that although this issue has been widely discussed, eBay has not been forthcoming with any answers.  I believe Canadians are being unfairly charged, and eBay has an obligation to look into it and clarify the issues  It is reprehensible that there is no way to obtain a breakdown of the Pitney Bowes charges, this is extremely suspicious.  This breakdown should be available before an item is bid on or purchased (or at  least an estimate) so the buyer can make an informed decision.

WE WANT ANSWERS!

[pierrelebel]

"It is reprehensible that there is no way to obtain a breakdown of the Pitney Bowes charges"

I think most Canadians (and other international buyers) agree with you.  This is a question that keeps coming back and has been ignored by eBay for months.  All we have seen is "lip service" from eBay but not action. 

I understand the problem is with Pitney-Bowes not providing the required information.  But since PB works under contract from eBay, it is eBay's responsibility to see to it that it is done.  Otherwise they should fire Pitney-Bowes and find another international forwarder to do the job.

[chimera148]

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@pierrelebel wrote:

"the GSP shows up when I go to "Ask a question" and click "Shipping" "

I clicked on Ask a question then the shipping and there is no mention of GSP

http://contact.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?FindAnswers&redirect=0&iid=281183480466&requested=mitykube

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You could try ebay.com

[pierrelebel]

Obviously there is a major technical problem (bug) with that listing! The question is: where is the mistake?  Is the listing actually offered through GSP or is the information below added by mistake?

When the listing is viewed on eBay.com, there is no indication on the listing page that the item somes through GSP

When checking the "shipping" tab, still no indication that the item is coming through GSP

However, when "asking a question" and selecting "shipping", the following statement is offered (on .com only, not on ,ca):

"I usually pay import charges only when the item is delivered to me. Why do I need to pay import charges when purchasing the item?

• This item ships through the Global Shipping Program. You will be charged for the price of the item at checkout, including shipping and import charges. Import charges include applicable customs duties, taxes, brokerage and other fees. Exclusions apply. Since you pay the import charges when you purchase the item, there are no additional charges at delivery. Import charges must be paid upfront and can't be paid later for items purchased through the Global Shipping Program. For additional information, see the Global Shipping Program terms."

[chimera148]

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@pierrelebel wrote:

Obviously there is a major technical problem (bug) with that listing! The question is: where is the mistake?  Is the listing actually offered through GSP or is the information below added by mistake?

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The seller has had completed listings with the GSP and wants out.

Maybe this type of listing, with no shipping and import charges shown in Canada, is part of the reason buyers are getting surprised at checkout and complaining here that the charges aren't showing up till they have to pay.

[afantiques]

Questions and answers are set up by the seller, if they think the pre answered questions would be useful.I have done so myself for the more common queries. The question and answer could be anything. they are not produced by any element of the GSP or ebay but it does seem the seller is aware of the vagaries of GSP shippping.

If that is the only place you can find it it means it is not a GSP item.

[afantiques]

Looking from a UK IP address, logged in on ebay.ca, and setting the ship to address to UK, I see no mention of GSP, just basic  airmail.

[chimera148]

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afantiques wrote

 If that is the only place you can find it it means it is not a GSP item.

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It also shows up when I view the sellers listings on ebay.com, shown in the previous screenshots.

[chimera148]

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@pierrelebel wrote:

Obviously there is a major technical problem (bug) with that listing! The question is: where is the mistake?  Is the listing actually offered through GSP or is the information below added by mistake? 

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My understanding is that once a bid is made on a GSP item, the listing can't be changed to nonGSP.

[marnotom!]

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@chimera148 wrote:

My understanding is that once a bid is made on a GSP item, the listing can't be changed to nonGSP.

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There's a note from the seller on the second listing that reads:

Ebay changed several auctions to include the 'Global Shipping Program'. I do not use this program and normally ship US only.

The seller may have been partially successful in removing the GSP from those two listings.

[marnotom!]

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@780maxim wrote:

Someone is benefiting from this program, I suspect Pitney Bowes, don't know about eBay.  Prior to the program, most low cost items from the US. did not have duty applied to them and you only paid the shipping fee quoted by the seller.  When you are looking at an item and the shipping and GSP together is more than the cost of the item, who is going to buy it?  Does anyone know has this impacted the US seller?   What about the Free Trade Agreement?  I do realize not all items purchased are manufactured in the US.  I know when I purchase items from Amazon.com, I generally receive a refund as the shipping charge was in excess of the amount charged when purchased.

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What about the Free Trade agreement?  I still have to pay sales taxes in a store when I buy an item made in the United States.  What those charges are largely those same taxes with some customs clearance charges added to them.  Items sent through the mail can have taxes assessed by Canada Border Services  and a C$9.95 Canada Post administration fee added to that charge.  It just doesn't happen as often as it used to, that's all.

[afantiques]

Marno, you have the patience of a  saint, and one of the more patient saints at that.  🙂

[bennett4612]

Hi pierrelebel (and 780maxim).

Here's some additional info for you, regarding when buyers and sellers see total fees, as well as some additional info on Pitney Bowes' charges. 

In a GSP transaction the buyer sees estimated fees on the listing, and then actual total fees on the checkout screen. The seller can see total fees on the View Order Details page. 

You can visit the Seller Terms & Conditions page for more information on "Payment & Program Fees" (see item #3) -- 

http://pages.ebay.com/shipping/globalshipping/seller-tnc.html

Hope this helps. 

---Ben

[afantiques]

The seller can see total fees on the View Order Details page.

I assume this is only visible after a sale. Often this is too late.

To see what fees are being charged while the listing is active, the seller has to know the trick of looking at their item's shipping page with another ship to country selected.

This is a work-around, not something sellers would think  of at once or something they would try if they were unaware that they were even enrolled in the GSP.

GSP costs and certainly membership should be quite clear to the seller when looking at their own listings without any special steps. As costs would differ to different destinations, this would not be totally straightforward but some indication should be possible.

Possibly 'See Global Shipping Program Costs' with a dropdown country choice menu.