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]

You got your money back, I wonder if you happen to know if the seller got the cuffs back?

[00716]

Yes I agree everyone wants a piece of the pie but I think it is being presented in a way that the seller believes we are subject to paying these fees. I was taught to speak up for my beliefs and if it didn't make sense don't accept it. My choice is to support small business and to bring attention to the business they are losing because of this global shipping. If they want to do business to suit me fine, if not it is their lose. I think as both a buyer and a seller since 1999 I have some experience in fair dealing.

[reallynicestamps]

E bay must have a deal with Pitney Bowes with this Global Shipping

Well, of course. Do you think that the company lawyers, on either side, would allow the Program to be set up without a thoroughly vetted contract?

Does eBay get a monetary reward? Again, yes. eBay gets a portion (usually around 9%) of the shipping fee the seller charges to send the purchase from his US address to Kentucky where Pitney Bowes' facility is located.

Do they get a monetary reward from PB? Possibly, but the FVF on shipping by sellers can be as low as 0%, even with high priced International shipping, if certain criteria are met.

It is also possible that eBay's reward is lowered customer service costs and fewer refunds from eBay's pockets, because PB offers Delivery Confirmation as part of their services.

 they also believe we have to pay what in included in the global shipping explanation

Sellers join the Global Shipping Program voluntarily, and just like many buyers, don't read what they are agreeing to. As a result they are using the Program for sales under $50, which eBay does not recommend. They are signing up for the program then gaily shipping directly to the customer instead of sending the item to PB for transhipment. And they are charging Canadians overseas shipping rates because they do not realize there is a different, lower rate for shipping to Canada.

But you stopped listening after "Well, of course." didn't you?

[reallynicestamps]

So it  is the USA that restricts the export?

I did some research and export, with the exception of Canada, requires an export permit. Apparently your seller does not have this and probably should not be shipping internationally at all.

http://www.handcuffwarehouse.com/Policies.html

[afantiques]

Sellers join the Global Shipping Program voluntarily,

In theory, but in practice I think the process would be ruled at least 'deceptive' in any court. They can't really be said to be genuine volunteers when they don't even know they they have joined.

[prarie_nerd]

As a buyer do we have to pay unneccesary Global Shipping Program's "customs charges"  We're only supposed to pay duty on items over $20 but most of the time I don't get charged anyways & I'm getting really sick of buying a $25 item & paying an extra $6 for this! Especially when I don't see a declared value on the package when it arrives.   I'm even more mad after reading the summary of how they decide what to charge & they list "size, weight & item catagory".  This is NOT how duty fees are calculated!

[stevephinn2012]

Biggest SCAM ebay has ever put out! Trouble is most sellers from the States have no idea of the "extra" it is costing people to buy from them. I contacted 1 seller and when he found out the additional charge was floored and he refunded it out of his pocket (I did not ask him to do it) and then got out of the program.

I also find that items take longer to arrive with this program than those that are not in it. And before someone says (maybe different times to ship it from different sellers) I have bought from sellers located very close to each other and 1 in the program and 1 not. Items show as shipped 1 day apart but the one in the program (and showed shipped first) got here 8 days after the item not in the program and shown shipped after the first one. So I now pay more for a slower service. I now have started to avoid anybody in the program as well as send them a message explaining WHY.

[bcrafty4fabrics]

I decided to do more shopping online this holiday season.  I have been buying on Ebay for a few years but this year I am not buying anything here.  The shipping charges to Canada are out of this world. I tried to buy a DVD and shipping was $15.75 while other sellers are quoting a more reasonable rate of $8.00 or $7.00.

The other disappointing issue on Ebay is the import charges, this is absolutely crazy! where is that money going to or to whom? $25.00 import charges for a DVD?  so a DVD that costs $12.00 add to that $15.00 shipping plus import charges? I have been completely turn off buy this and have decided whenever possible to buy directly from the source and with Canadian retailers. Another example, a Microsoft Surface bought directly from Microsoft costs $200 CDN plus taxes with free shipping .  Buying one from Ebay ends up being double the price with shipping and import charges.

My advice to anyone is to shop around before paying your money to unscrupulous sellers who are charging and arm and a leg for shipping and on top the import charges.   

Ebay is great if you want to buy mainly from sellers from China, Singapore or Korea who are reasonable with their shipping prices even offering free shipping and no import charges for the rest, electronics, toys or high quality stuff go shop somewhere else.

[staceyr7893]

When shipping USPS to Canada, even with full fees charged at the border and item handed off to Canada post, it is ALWAYS cheaper than the GSP, ALWAYS. I will never buy an item that forces me to use GSP if I have any other options including a different market place all together.

[pierrelebel]

"it is ALWAYS cheaper than the GS"

"always" may be your experience and that of many other Canadian buyers, more so for relatively low cost items.

However, in fairness, we have seen many instances where the low handling fees charged by Pitney Bowes ($4/$5) compared to Canada Post $9.95 resulted in a real saving to the Canadian buyer. 

Much depends on how the shipping charge is affected.  In many instances, the American seller would require a very high shipping cost (Priority) when shipping to Canada. 

American sellers already shipping by regular low cost first class mail should NOT offer GSP.

[femmefan1946]

Hmm.

The full fees would be the same duty and sales tax as are charged by the GSP.

Then PB adds there service charge of $5  or Canada Post adds their service charge of $10.

I'm dysnumeric, but that doesn't quite work.

[staceyr7893]

I agree completely. Your best deal is always USPS which hands the item off to Canada post. Most you pay is the 13% in taxes and a fee which is usually somewhere near 2 % of item cost. Fed-ex, Purolator and UPS all charge large broker fees for paying the duty and ensure you always pay so they can charge the fee (which on smaller items is always way more then the duty and taxes themselves). GSP program now takes all those hidden unjust fees and charges them upfront for an additional premium.

I will never purchase any item using GSP if I have ANY other option including a market place separate from ebay.  I shutter to think of the millions of dollars US retailers will lose this holiday season due to this colossal poke in the eye by ebay to its Canadian customers.

[pierrelebel]

"and a fee which is usually somewhere near 2 % of item cost."

As stated in other posts, when tax is levied by Canada Customs, the fee charged by Canada Post is a flat $9.95, regardless of value.

The fee charged by Pitney-Bowes is around $4/$5 for low value shipments.

The fees charged by Couriers such as UPS, Fed-Ex, etc..  vary depending on the type of shipping service selected by shipper (seller).  As a guideline, please take a look at UPS (free under $20 and going up from there):

http://www.ups.com/content/ca/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs_clearance.html

"his colossal poke in the eye by ebay to its Canadian customers."

GSP is a program offered to American sellers to sell worldwide, not just to Canada.  Only a small percentage of these items come to Canada using that program.  Unfortunately, many American sellers use GSP when they should not.

[patken123]

"We note that the asking price for your item is less than $50, and that you have opted to use the Global Shipping Program for shipping. You should be aware that your international customer will be charged duty and appropriate sales taxes on this item, which may be greater than the selling price of the item. He will then hate you and leave negative feedback and trash your Detailed Seller Ratings. But, your choice. It's a free country."

That's perfect ,I would love to see that on some of the listings,it is also funny(He will then hate you and leave negative feedback and trash your Detailed Seller Ratings. But, your choice. It's a free country.")

[afantiques]

My advice to anyone is to shop around before paying your money to unscrupulous sellers who are charging and arm and a leg for shipping and on top the import charges.  

The sellers get nothing from the international shipping and other charges and have no control over them if the item is a GSP item.

But it is sensible to avoid them.

Many probably do not even know they are offering GSP items.

[theoldestfart]

eBay why not have a FAQ with answers/updates to the frequently asked questions about the GSP program as a sticky post here and make the post as read only. Nothing frustrates people more than being told to wade through threads with 24 pages of posts from buyers and sellers looking for official answers from eBay employees.

If you do not have a definite answer to a question at least indicate that the question is being researched. Asking a question of an eBay employee only to be told to ask another eBay employee the same question only **bleep** off your customers.

[pierrelebel]

Good idea!

However, you assume eBay employees know more than members.  Maybe not.

For example, today, eBay employees did not seem to know about the Canadian government invoicing requirements for GST/HST although that question has been raised over a year ago when GSP was first introduced.

The official answer - from the government of Canada - can be found here:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/gst-tps/bspsbch/itc-cti/nvc-eng.html

I quite frankly find it difficult to beleive that eBay is not aware of the answer to that question.  Yet they keep avoiding it as both eBay, PayPal and Pitney-Bowes are currently violating Canadian regulations.

[stevephinn2012]

HMMMMMMMMMMMM  really? since there is no real break down of the fees Pittney charges.

I just purchased an item under $20 with the seller charging less than $10 shipping but Pittney then nailed me with close to $20 additional in "shipping fees"---shipping of $13 and 'import fees" of $6.65 U.S.

Trouble is the item was UNDER my $20 allowable so the "additional " $20 I am paying Pittney is unreasonable!

Worst part it is the seller that will get "dinged" for un-reasonable shipping fees!!!

[theoldestfart]

Bingo. Passing the buck and skirting the issue by eBay. Its as bad as trying to get a straight answer out of politician.

[prarie_nerd]

Exactly! And it's not a flat rate for duty charges on items over that.  And when the items come through & they have no declared value we wouldn't have been charged at all.  Hell I've had $200 items come through & still not been charged.  And half the time these import charges are on top of overppriced shipping. 
Usually I don't care too much but the last 2 items I bought that had this have made me really mad. 
1 was $22 for the item, $14 shipping & $7 import.  I know it cost them $3 to ship the item & that wouldn't have been charged duty for sure

The other one I was sent a faulty item.  Which has got me thinking how this works if you didn't recieve an item & went to get a refund since you pay to Pitney Bowes seperately