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.

[ut.babe]

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@marnotom! wrote:

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@angus_coin_shop wrote:

Here's a clear example of lost enay revenue, i was looking at buying item # 370916343222. $150 + import charge, made me phone around. I found the exact same one locally at a total price of $734.44 Cdn. on enay it would of been $854.86US plus exchange rate.

Again the GSP was the deciding factor against buying on enay.

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So without the GSP you wouldn't have been encouraged to shop around locally for a better deal?  Interesting.

At any rate, this seller has a number of those presses on hand right now, and given his extensive selling experience I doubt he'd be selling them if he didn't figure he could sell them all.

Given the nature of his merchandise, I doubt he sells much outside of the United States anyway.

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Yes it is interesting.  Again, it comes down to the fact that a lot of people come to ebay and online for speed and ease of purchase.  Don't have to be on the phone shopping around various places (describing what you want over and over), don't have to get in the car and go to different places or even go to pick something up.  Just sit at your computer, type in a search, see if you get what you're looking for at a price you like, buy, pay, wait for it.  Easy.

When its made difficult with things like the GSP, either by the expense of it or trying to take the time to read and understand it, suddenly the 'old way' of local shopping becomes the easier one.

Perhaps, at least in some cases, our local merchants owe Ebay and their GSP a debt of gratitude for making it less pleasant and easy to shop here!

And hey, shopping locally is never a bad thing.  Nice job angus_coin_shop !

[patken123]

I read  a lot of comments on GSP,almost all are negative,except one or two that seem to try to convince the buyers that:

the charges are not that bad,or that unfair,these charges  are what we would have paid if  caught  by the custom authorities,  "import charges" are generally the taxes they'd be paying on the same item if they purchased it from a Canadian brick and mortar retailer

Then I look at the person that posts these comments, who is the only conciliatory voice towards GSP,take a wild guess who that poster is.

[pierrelebel]

"take a wild guess who that poster is.'

???

I give up.  Who is it?

[i*m-still-here]

Well, it's clear to me............:) .............. but I don't think it ever really intentionally hidden from us either. 

[sakaw1067]

Thanks for your advice. Here is what I will do, as a Canadian member. First, do not bid on UPS shipper, second, do not bid on GSP seller without negotiating other options. Find Sale item locally, eBay is just an option living in the city anyway.

[afantiques]

Is anything but rabid condemnation conciliatory?

Under some circumstances GSP can be cheaper than USPS, generally for heavy, large low value items.

As used it is generally inappropriate, but it  is not some kind of thought crime to be less than utterly condemnatory, or to look for whatever advantage can be found in something.

[femmefan1946]

Just to be clear: UPS has nothing to do with the Global Shipping Program which is run for eBay by PitneyBowes, a competitor of UPS.

UPS charges a great deal more for customs brokerage than does PB.

Both PB and UPS are registered to collect and remit Canadian duty and sales taxes, as is Canada Post.

It is a very good idea to ask a GSP seller if he will remove that option for his Canadian customers. Many do not realize how high the cost to their Canadian customers is. However, many of the GSP using sellers have only opted into the program for the security it gives them in international transactions .

[anguscoinshop]

Yes shopping locally is a good thing all around including the health benefit by getting the blood flowing faster(beats sitting in front of that screen).

[i*m-still-here]

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@afantiques wrote:

Is anything but rabid condemnation conciliatory?

Under some circumstances GSP can be cheaper than USPS, generally for heavy, large low value items.

As used it is generally inappropriate, but it  is not some kind of thought crime to be less than utterly condemnatory, or to look for whatever advantage can be found in something.

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I have always objected to posts defending the GSP on the grounds that it "" can be cheaper than USPS, generally for heavy large ""low value""" items." as being a very weak defense of the program.

That's not what it's about.

BTW........ I've noticed that you now added "low value" to that defense and now seem to be stating that it works only for items under $20..

So, then, that's a start.

You have to take the fact the GSP increases shopping time for buyers and stresses them out into account ........... even if they should eventually stumble upon an item that "works".

The GSP does not work for buyers.

The GSP does not work for most sellers.

The GSP does work for some American sellers.

Those sellers are the individuals who just want to sell without regard for the buyer.  

For them: The less they have to bother with the individual.......... the better.  So the GSP works for them.

This is the new eBay.............. and the GSP is a good indication of where buyers fall in the grand scheme of things these days 

Will buyers get annoyed enough with the GSP to leave?

How far can they be pushed?

IF eBay does another flip flop and decides that buyers do indeed matter after all, will those buyers come back?

These questions really are essays in themselves if you care enough to spend time thinking and posting about them.

I'm learning to live with it........... but will others do the same?

[afantiques]

I have always objected to posts defending the GSP on the grounds that it "" can be cheaper than USPS, generally for heavy large ""low value""" items." as being a very weak defense of the program.

That's not what it's about.

I am not defending or for that matter attacking anything, just trying to present a a few verifiable facts in the maelstrom of speculation.

BTW........ I've noticed that you now added "low value" to that defense and now seem to be stating that it works only for items under $20..

So, then, that's a start.

I'd call low value $100 or so, $20 (your figure, not mine) is simply far too low for anything but basic airmail to make any sense, and shipping heavy or large $20 items is also quite daft unless the seller is way  out on value and the buyer has secured an amazing bargain.

You have to take the fact the GSP increases shopping time for buyers and stresses them out into account ........... even if they should eventually stumble upon an item that "works".

This increased shipping time may be a misunderstanding. There is no need for the shipping time to be longer, because the way customs are cleared and the courier shipment from KY may well speed up the international part of the journey considerably. I don't think any conclusions can be drawn here. There is certainly no automatic lengthening of delivery times.

The GSP does not work for buyers.

The GSP does not work for most buyers.

The GSP does not work for most sellers.

True.

The GSP does work for some American sellers.

Those sellers are the individuals who just want to sell without regard for the buyer.  

For them: The less they have to bother with the individual.......... the better.  So the GSP works for them.

Fair enough. No one has ever denied that some sellers are doing a terrible job as sellers.

This is the new eBay.............. and the GSP is a good indication of where buyers fall in the grand scheme of things these days 

Will buyers get annoyed enough with the GSP to leave?

How far can they be pushed?

Let's wait and see. I think it is doomed.

IF eBay does another flip flop and decides that buyers do indeed matter after all, will those buyers come back?

These questions really are essays in themselves if you care enough to spend time thinking and posting about them.

I'm learning to live with it........... but will others do the same?

Who knows?

[i*m-still-here]

Increased "shopping" time.

Not shipping time.

That's one of biggest flaws to the program and one that you can't understand.

That's why I posted that you can't be much of a buyer.......... or you'd get that.  

[marnotom!]

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@i*m-still-here wrote:

I have always objected to posts defending the GSP on the grounds that it "" can be cheaper than USPS, generally for heavy large ""low value""" items." as being a very weak defense of the program.

That's not what it's about.

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So what is it about?  Objections to the costs incurred seem to be what most posters throw up on this discussion board.  The sentiment appears to be that their little electronic garage sale has somehow betrayed them.  Some posters don't seem to realize that imports from the U.S. are subject to tax as their purchases from Walmart.  Some posters don't seem to realize that they've been very lucky in not getting taxed on a lot of their purchases from the United States and what they've been experiencing is a big exception to the rule. 

And I'd bet that some posters objecting to the GSP don't appreciate that goods entering Canada for resale are transported and cleared in a fashion similar to those sent through the GSP.

The GSP increases transit time?  Perhaps, perhaps not.  It certainly decreases the time an item spends in customs, which seems to be a growing problem for items sent from the U.S. to some countries such as Germany.  The mail system isn't always speedy, either.  I once had to wait eight weeks for a First Class envelope to reach me.  It is what it is.

Don't get me wrong (although you probably will, as usual).  The GSP has lots of shortcomings, but to fault it for doing its job is like a cat-lover saying that dogs are bad because they bark instead of meow.  The GSP isn't bogus, isn't a scam, isn't a rip-off, and isn't an attempt to line someone's pockets with buyer's money.  It's a misguided attempt to streamline international sales for some U.S. buyers that's being misused by many sellers who shouldn't have any need for it.  Are you dealing with that aspect of it?

[wetaskiwin50]

As a Canadian, buying from sellers that use the Global Shipping Programs now makes me run fast and long away from those listings.  The shipping cost is astronomical for the item and customs charges are a joke.  The items don't get here any faster, or safer or in better condition that if they were simply sent by First Class Mail......especially items from the US.  I  now avoid sellers who use this system as often I am paying two to three times as much as I am for the item, as well as for shipping when I buy the same or similar item from a seller that uses the mail.

[i*m-still-here]

Again .......... it extends """""SHOPPING TIME"""""".  

Shipping time is minor by comparison.  But you are correct it extends that as well.

Once again:  You miss that very important point over and over and I think that's because it seems that you're not a big buyer here.

To me that is one of the biggest problems with the GSP if not the biggest.

You posted that posters throw up objections to the GSP and that the """  The sentiment appears to be that their little electronic garage sale has somehow betrayed them. """""

WOW!!!!! WOW!!!! WOW!!!!!

Really, I think that most posters just know that they are upset with the GSP.

They come here to vent.

They haven't analyzed it the way you have, and likely can't quite put their fingers on why it's not working for them, but they're acutely aware that it's not and that they are very unhappy with it.

The first thing they notice is cost......... but the list goes on.

 Saying that they're upset because their little electronic garage sale (item) has somehow betrayed them is (you fill in the word, I'm afraid to....... :))

[marnotom!]

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@i*m-still-here wrote:

Saying that they're upset because their little electronic garage sale (item) has somehow betrayed them is (you fill in the word, I'm afraid to....... :))

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You're not afraid.  You're just trying to elicit a reaction.  Read some of the posts again.  There's a lot of anger directed toward eBay.  If that's not a product of a feeling of betrayal, I don't know what is.

[i*m-still-here]

That is not true.

I'm not trying to elicit a reaction.

I'm describing my reaction.

[marnotom!]

Well, re-read my post.  I edited your quote a bit to help you.  You're reacting to something I didn't say.

There's a lot of anger directed toward eBay itself in many posts from buyers complaining about the GSP.  If that doesn't represent a feeling of betrayal, I don't know what does.

By the way, "shopping" time shouldn't be a big issue for you with the GSP if you go through your search results in "list view" rather than "gallery view" as a note about customs services and tracking being provided should show up on the listings where the GSP is used.  If anything, this should cut down on your "shopping" time because you likely won't be reading the listing page associated with that result.  🙂

[chimera148]

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@i*m-still-here wrote:

Again .......... it extends """""SHOPPING TIME"""""".    

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It certainly does with my past experiences with GSP listed items, particularly if you try to explain things to a seller with items listed inappropriately.

The seller has accepted a lower price for their item than what i would have paid and the item has taken longer to sell, even when the seller figures out how to opt out.  

[anglia51]

The Global Shipping Program is going to be the end of my account with eBay if it is not canceled. Why should I pay these outrageous fees every time I make a purchase. The fact of the matter is I only pay extra fees about 1% of time on items that I purchase. & never the amounts that is being charged here. I will not knowing buy from a seller who is in the program. The more money that is spent on shipping & other charges the less that will be spent with sellers equals less money for eBay & investors. It will eventually be the end of eBay.

[marnotom!]

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@anglia51 wrote:

The Global Shipping Program is going to be the end of my account with eBay if it is not canceled. Why should I pay these outrageous fees every time I make a purchase. The fact of the matter is I only pay extra fees about 1% of time on items that I purchase. & never the amounts that is being charged here. I will not knowing buy from a seller who is in the program. The more money that is spent on shipping & other charges the less that will be spent with sellers equals less money for eBay & investors. It will eventually be the end of eBay.

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The Global Shipping Program isn't mandatory and as your post suggests, there are sellers who don't use it.  I get the sense from the International Trading discussion board on the .com site that sellers are slowly waking up to the fact that it's not a "one size fits all" solution to international sales and are opting out of it if they're finding that their items are generally inappropriate for its use.

I suggest you be patient and send the occasional polite note to a seller using the GSP inappropriately explaining why you're unable to purchase their item(s) through them.