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.

[mr.elmwood]

You are talking to Cdn sellers. What do you want us to do?

[atorchia74]

I apologize....I will post it elsewhere! Thanks

[bb_cool_stuff]

A good point was made previously.

Let your feelings be known on the US Boards.

Keep in mind you will not able to convince all US Sellers to drop the program but a few might.

Baby steps.

[bb_cool_stuff]

You're right Inuk, feelings have been posted ad nauseum. Buyers are really frustrated.

I cannot think of a another topic over the years that has garnered such a negative reaction.

I have bought a quarter of what I bought last year due to the GSP, but is anyone listening.

[mr.elmwood]

I never really bought anyway as the products were substandard, shipping was aimed at protecting themselves from thieving Cdns.

What I "think" I am understanding is that sellers are being signed up for international selling w/o their knowledge. They are opted into GSP and selling when they have no desire to sell internationally. I see plenty of them showing up on SC dot com.

There has been a rash of "what do I do now" people who are suddenly getting international buyers. The sellers do not know why and they do not know what to do.

I would guess that the majority of GSP sellers had this forced on them w/o their knowledge. If ya see GSP and high shipping, odds are they do not even know they are selling internationally.

[marnotom!]

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@mr.elmwood wrote:

I would guess that the majority of GSP sellers had this forced on them w/o their knowledge. If ya see GSP and high shipping, odds are they do not even know they are selling internationally.

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It's debatable whether sellers have been "forced".  Enrollment in the GSP is through an "I accept" button at the bottom of the updated .com User Agreement.  The purpose of the button is explained in the UA itself, but what seems to be happening is that people aren't looking too closely (if at all) at the UA and clicking that "I accept" button thinking it means they accept the UA, when in fact it means that they accept adding the GSP as a feature on their listings.

My take on things is that if a seller offers the GSP and doesn't ship under their own steam to countries that aren't supported by the program, they've likely not shipped internationally prior to adopting (by hook or by crook) the GSP and there's a good chance that they're the "involuntary" ones.

[anguscoinshop]

this site doesn't listen nor care, for they are still making money. once they are in the red for a couple of quarter they will start to pay attention.

in the mean time they simply don't care

[naugle8765]

Totally dislike this new GSP,not only for the totally insane added shipping,duty,and other costs added to the price of any items I purchase on Ebay from the U.S into Canada.But my biggest problem is the useless tracking system they use,when you input this 20 digit number or use your tracking number from your invoice,all the info you get is "in transit, multable shippers" No mention of who the shipper is, where the item is, or who the shipper will be during the final delivery. At least when I have my items shipped via USPS I get a useable tracking number which I can check every few days and it tells me when and where the item was shipped,and when item has left the U.S, and when it has arrived in Canada,when it has cleared customs,and when it has finally arrived at my post office to be picked up. Sorry U.S sellers but I will no longer buy from any of you who are using this GSP ripoff scheme, and hope other buyers from Canada, and international destinations do the same untill Ebay either scraps this ill thought concept, or at least put in place a proper and useable way of tracking items...!

[anguscoinshop]

i forgot your pain, i haven't bought anything from outside .ca since Oct 7.

the biggest issue is that your post will simply be another statistic

ebay would prefer lose there customer base than act on the biggest issue they've had in a long long time

[nubian_treasures]

It would take a miracle for ebay to end the GSP.

[anguscoinshop]

yep, your correct on that one,

they suffer the business intelligence deficiency syndrome

[patriciaw2983]

I want to know why eBay wants Canadians to pull out of eBay?  I have started to purchase on Amazon and other places. eBay should be ashamed of themselves for doing this. Pushing American sellers to use Global Shipping and not even letting them know the true expense to Canadians. SHAME, SHAME ON EBAY!!!  If you do not want Canadians to purchase on eBay, then just close us off entirely.  No thinking went into this on eBay's part, that is for sure.  I WILL NOT PURCHASE ANYTHING FROM A SELLER THAT USES GLOBAL SHIPPING OR ANY OTHER COURIER.  USPS does not have these extra cost.  Why would any purchaser in their right mind want to pay extra cost on shipping if they didn't have to. Has ebay lost their mind?   I hear from sellers that ebay is not even giving them options.  New sellers are confused and they are getting upset customers from Canada.  Ebay has put their sellers in a bad situation.  As Dr. Phil would say,  how is it working for you?  Canadians not purchasing and sellers upset you have done this.  COME TO YOUR SENSES BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.  BUYERS SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN HOW THEY WANT THEIR PURCHASES TO BE DELIVERED, AFTER ALL, IT IS THE BUYERS THAT PAY THE SHIPPING COST.  GET RID OF COURIER SERVICE, AND ONLY GIVE IT AS AN OPTION.  THAT IS WHAT YOUR BUYERS WANT.........LISTEN TO US!!!!

I'M ANGRY!!!

[patriciaw2983]

Of all my many years as an eBay buyer, I never had to pay duties for items under $150.00.  Now I'm paying import duties on items as little as $10.00, with import duties costing more.  Does that make sense? Why would anybody pay more for shipping than the item itself.  I have never paid duties with sellers used USPS.  It's the courier services that are scamming.  Besides saying they collect the duties, they add an extra charge and pocket it.  I was told by a courier service that they call it an "over-the-border" fee...... really, anything to rip off people!  There are many items that we Canadians do not have to pay duty on, but couriers still collect it.  I have used Amazon and haven't paid duty or import charges.  I ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT DEAL WITH SELLERS WHO USE GLOBAL SHIPPING OR ANY OTHER COURIER SERVICES.  I WILL ONLY DEAL WITH AMERICAN SELLERS WHO USE USPS TO CANADA.

Example of courier pocketing extra fees from buyers:  I once had an item arrive at my door from a courier (I wish I could mention which one, but not sure if I'm permitted), and the courier asked for $25.00 for import fees.  My item was only $25.00 and I already had paid shipping charges, so I refused and told them to send it back.  Later that day, I received a call from the courier saying they didn't want to send it back and offered to collect the taxes only, but would waive the balance of the $25.00.  Now why would they waive the balance of the fee, after taxes, if they weren't pocketing it.  They give you the cost of shipping the item and then surprise you have to pay more and they lead the buyer (and the seller) to believe it is part of the duties when it is not.  I'M SICK OF COURIER SCAMMING!!!!!

[marnotom!]

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@patriciaw2983 wrote:

Of all my many years as an eBay buyer, I never had to pay duties for items under $150.00.  Now I'm paying import duties on items as little as $10.00, with import duties costing more.  Does that make sense? 

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 No, it doesn't make sense.  Could you show us an example of a ten dollar item that has taxes and duty charged on it by the GSP?

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@patriciaw2983 wrote:

I have used Amazon and haven't paid duty or import charges.

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I've done the number-crunching on a couple of listings from U.S. sellers on Amazon who ship to the United States, and the numbers suggest to me that Amazon is burying taxes and customs-related charges into the price of the item.

[barbiegirllyn]

The last 4 packages I had shipped through the Global Shipping Program were opened I guess for inspection at Customs.  This is not a problem but one was sliced in the middle right through the ziplock bag that contained my vintage doll clothes & there was a cork doll shoe missing.  The next parcel had the cork shoe sliced in half.  The last two parcels were not even taped properly with the EBAY tape that they use after opening. We pay a premium shipping price which I think is outrageous & this is how the items are arriving.  It also takes a lot longer through the Global Shipping program than when they're shipped through First Class International.  I am now trying to stay away from purchasing anything that`s shipped through the Global Program. Also let me add that we DO NOT have to pay IMPORT

FEES on every item that crossed the border. 

I live in Ontario, Canada.

Lyn

[reallynicestamps]

Pitney Bowes seems to open a lot of parcels. This may be because this is new to them too.

My only purchase with GSP was also opened. The reason on the note was "Place of Manufacture not given". Many people do not understand that NAFTA duty free status only applies to goods manufactured in NAFTA signatories (Can/USA/Mex/Chile) and not to items sold there.

However, don't blame PB entirely. There does seem to be some weakness in the seller's packaging. Ziploc bags are not proof against sharp objects.

But you are not alone in being unhappy about PB rough handling.

Hmm. Unless you came to an understanding with your seller, you probably should open an Item Not As Described case with eBay. PB does seem to be held responsible for their errors and not the seller. So far. Probably. Too early to tell really.

[pocomocomputing]

eBay has an Item Specific called "Country of Manufacture" in the listing form. It was introduced about 2 years ago before the GSP was announced and started in late summer/early fall last year.

I thought this was to be used to help with customs. Is this printed anywhere on the domestic shipping label to the Kentucky distribution center. Or is it used in any way to minimize the opening of packages since one reason why the packages are opened is because "Place of Manufacture not given". Of course this assumes that the eBay USA seller fills in this information and it is correct.

[pocomocomputing]

I went to the SYI form and looked. It explains the country of manufacture is for the GSP. I should have looked first.

Country of Manufacture 

Telling us the country of manufacture helps streamline customs clearance if you send the item to the US shipping center.

So I would have to assume that this is not filled out by the USA seller making the GSP shipping center open up the item to visually check if they can determine the country of manufacture.

Does the Sell Your Item form warn sellers using the GSP that they should fill in the country of manufacture?

[marnotom!]

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@pocomocomputing wrote:

Does the Sell Your Item form warn sellers using the GSP that they should fill in the country of manufacture?

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Given that some US sellers using the GSP aren't aware that they're using it in the first place, any note like that would likely be overlooked.

Your post raises an interesting question, though.  Are there third-party listing applications that don't have a "country of manufacture" field to be filled out?

[annaferg]

Recently I have purchased two items that entailed use of this program. Both packages had been opened,with an eBay note stating this fact. One package was a box-no harm. The package picked up today was a plastic mailing envelope. One end had been opened,apparently with an exacto knife.,and clumsily resealed. There was also a slit to the side of the package. The purchased item was a coat,which could very easily have been damaged. I have never had a package opened in the past,and very much resent paying an extra fee for careless handling. I sent positive feedback to the seller,as the transaction and packing from her end was without fault. However,I am unlikely to purchase anything else from this seller as I am extremely annoyed by the extra fees,and poor service from Pitney Bowes. What is the purpose of this programme?

     Ann Ferguson