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.

[marnotom!]

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@timlin2carter wrote:

Slow action on this eBay. To be honest, this is obviously a horrible program that needs to be discontinued immediately for Canadian buyers.

I refuse to pay unnecessary shipping fees to Canada - fees for which I've never paid in the past. $15 shipping duty and brokerage fees for a $5 baseball card? Are you kidding me? Rip-off - I avoid this program at all cost and slag the program to any seller that offers it via direct contact.

Cancel it now, have the courage before it hurts your bottom line!!!

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Sellers using the Global Shipping Program for items like collectors' cards are likely ones who have not shipped internationally in the past or else they've been shipping internationally using inappropriate shipping methods.

I recently exchanged messages with a seller using the program for items in the $25-50 dollar range.  They had shipped internationally in the past, but felt it necessary to use overkill Express mail when First Class International would have done them just fine.

If nothing else, the GSP puts a big spotlight on sellers who don't know what they're doing when it comes to shipping outside of the United States.  Why would you want to buy from a seller who doesn't know what they're doing?  Find one who does instead.

Oh, and I doubt that the GSP is hurting eBay's bottom line.  They don't administer it so they can't likely "cancel" it easily without a lot of contractual fallout and most sellers using it likely haven't had much in the way of international sales prior to adopting it.

[lumbercanada]

I refuse to purchase anything from a seller using the GSP program it's yet another money grab by Ebay. Ebay has you coming and going listing fees, closing fees, paypal fees, now this GSP scam.

Why do Canadians need GSP forced onto them from US sellers? Never needed it before and certainly ads NOTHING of value or protection to us or the seller.. Any item that is shipped with USPS there is NEVER brokerage fees or duties. Only with UPS has been that way for ever.

I'd love to know how ebay is paying us for collecting taxes on top of a tax? Are you crediting buyers you have already scammed with the GSP (it's illegal FYI) Sure the seller doesn't see it and is another imaginary slight of hand.

Here is an example of a recent purchase of some replacement water cooler taps ($12 to buy $9 shipping) if a GSP seller add another $14 under the GSP for import duties. Really!! Funny considering there was NO duties in the first place.

This is a SCAM by ebay to fleece users again and promoting it to US sellers as a great way to ship internationally. They could ship anytime the wanted to before GSP it offers nothing. Who credits this GSP import grab if there is a problem? I doubt no one and are suppose to just take it for the team. Sure you already have people go in circles when the arises.

GSP is a red flag to buy from someone else. Personally i couldn't care less i will buy it from a seller not in GSP 80% of the time they had no idea about the program ripping customers off with this imaginary pitney bowes scam.

I doubt Ebay care less about their customers it's what's the next revenue stream scam they can pull under some imaginary program.

Maybe everyone should just start selling things for a penny and $200 shipping to level the playing field to avoid fees.

One can dream you will remove GSP to Canadians because it's another Cash cow now. No matter there is always Amazon!

[lumbercanada]

You're NOT listening Canadians want this scam removed for us. We all know it's a cash grab plain and simple. Why play ring around the rosie with excuses.

I guess we can start ripping off US customers by charging a $15 "handling fee" as a thank you.

[lpwasy]

Just another whine.

A non GSP seller can ship me an iPhone case for $5.95 First Class Mail International.

Yet in the GSP 6 miniscule brass washers costing $9 shipped FREE within the USA cost me $13.41 to be shipped to Canada.

Common criminals

[kxeron]

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@bennett4612 wrote:

Hi timlin2carter.

Just a quick two cents. 

In general the GSP is typically not a good fit for items priced under $50. This info can be found on the FAQ page, along with other helpful information: http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/shipping/globalshippingprogram/update_faqs.html

It is not a "one size fits all" program and works well in many cases and not so well in others. 

Hope that helps. 

---Ben

---

Hi,

Documentation is ultimately insufficient in these cases, what ultimately needs to be done is a technological means put in place by the programmers of the eBay site(s) and subsequent policy erected to disable the GSP on items in which the FAQ advises do not benefit.

Documentation without practical implementation only serves to pad up the issue so it looks like eBay is doing something to resolve the issue. The only place documentation has in this case is advising sellers why the GSP is unavailable for the item and to advise them to ship by conventional means, pointing out that it is fully possible to ship without the GSP to international locations.

I know you don't have direct authority to implement changes and that there is a rather large process for changes, and yes it is a good starting point for what has happened but there is a far distance to go to resolve this and among the requirements to make this satisfactory is to modify the programme's actual effects. Until the GSP option is made unavailable for sellers who sell outside of the prescribed limits sellers will continue to wrongfully continue to use it simply because it is there.

[marnotom!]

$13.41 sounds pretty fair to me for a shipping method other than letter post (First Class International).

The cheapest your iPhone case could have shipped as a parcel would be about twenty bucks US.

The thing with First Class International is that it makes most other shipping methods look insane in comparison, but it's really an apples and oranges comparison.

[marnotom!]

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@kxeron wrote:

Documentation is ultimately insufficient in these cases, what ultimately needs to be done is a technological means put in place by the programmers of the eBay site(s) and subsequent policy erected to disable the GSP on items in which the FAQ advises do not benefit.

Documentation without practical implementation only serves to pad up the issue so it looks like eBay is doing something to resolve the issue. The only place documentation has in this case is advising sellers why the GSP is unavailable for the item and to advise them to ship by conventional means, pointing out that it is fully possible to ship without the GSP to international locations.

I know you don't have direct authority to implement changes and that there is a rather large process for changes, and yes it is a good starting point for what has happened but there is a far distance to go to resolve this and among the requirements to make this satisfactory is to modify the programme's actual effects. Until the GSP option is made unavailable for sellers who sell outside of the prescribed limits sellers will continue to wrongfully continue to use it simply because it is there.

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The problem with the "$50 rule" is that it's not a hard and fast one.  A $50 item weighing 10 kg is likely going to be cheaper to ship through the GSP than through the mail, but a $50 item weighing 100 grams isn't.

What would be more effective is a set of guidelines explaining to sellers how international shipping rates are calculated, but seeing as this program seems to be largely targeted at sellers who really don't know the first thing about shipping by mail, let alone freight, these guidelines would likely have to be really dumbed down, which is why we've wound up with a "rule" that takes the value of the item into consideration but not its weight.

[kxeron]

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@marnotom! wrote:

The problem with the "$50 rule" is that it's not a hard and fast one.  A $50 item weighing 10 kg is likely going to be cheaper to ship through the GSP than through the mail, but a $50 item weighing 100 grams isn't.

What would be more effective is a set of guidelines explaining to sellers how international shipping rates are calculated, but seeing as this program seems to be largely targeted at sellers who really don't know the first thing about shipping by mail, let alone freight, these guidelines would likely have to be really dumbed down, which is why we've wound up with a "rule" that takes the value of the item into consideration but not its weight.

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Thing is, guidelines are mostly ineffective on a site where a switch still exists to do the "dumb thing". Sellers will see a favourable looking label next to a switch and enable it, just like people making mistakes on tax returns just because a box looks favourable. Anything other than removing that switch if it doesn't make sense will lead to sellers using it regardless if there's 50 pages worth of documentation elsewhere as to why it's a bad idea.

The issue is that a favourable switch that will "melt away all worries and enable convenience" being next to a favorable-looking text caption that outlines this convenience will be enabled.

What needs to again happen is that switch made unavailable for where it doesn't make sense, the process itself altered to make it more difficult for erroneous incidents to be incurred, not just more virtual paper of documentation and policy generated. It's easy for a computer to take a series of figures and indicate with MUCH more accuracy than a human ever could and indicate if logistically the GSP makes sense and to have it available as an option if those figures dictate it is logical.

[agirlnamedvan]

Parcel shipped November 25, stayed in Erlanger for a few days then disappeared. It's jan 2 and no package or new tracking number. Brutal. I have never had something take so long from the states. Neither the seller or eBay are responding.

[marnotom!]

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@agirlnamedvan wrote:

Parcel shipped November 25, stayed in Erlanger for a few days then disappeared. It's jan 2 and no package or new tracking number. Brutal. I have never had something take so long from the states. Neither the seller or eBay are responding.

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Have you filed a non-receipt claim through the Resolution Center yet?  You should.  Time is running out.

[marnotom!]

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@kxeron wrote:

What needs to again happen is that switch made unavailable for where it doesn't make sense, the process itself altered to make it more difficult for erroneous incidents to be incurred, not just more virtual paper of documentation and policy generated. It's easy for a computer to take a series of figures and indicate with MUCH more accuracy than a human ever could and indicate if logistically the GSP makes sense and to have it available as an option if those figures dictate it is logical.

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What makes sense for you and me isn't necessarily what makes sense for a US seller who has consumed the Kool-Aid and figures that international shipping is full of almost insurmountable problems and items--no matter what their value--need to be tracked up the wazoo and insured against Armageddon.  

I mentioned elsewhere that I messaged a seller using the GSP for twenty-five to fifty dollar items.  Turns out that seller had used the mail in the past for their international shipments but it was obviously outside of their comfort zone to ship by anything but Express Mail.  I think all that an automated routine is going to do is confuse and frustrate sellers like this.  They're not going to be hit with a blinding epiphany on risk management   I think it's better just to let Darwin--eBay style--to work his magic.  This seller obviously doesn't get it, and I wouldn't give a seller like this my business.  Would you?

[pocariboy73]

As I said before, I live in South Korea and Customs permits TAX/DUTY FREE online purchases from abroad as long as the value does not exceed $130, about $150. Over that, it depends upon the item but an average of 10% Tax must be paid upon before delivery.

Here we have yet another Ebay item, I'd like to buy. The Price is $6.99. Shipping is a high $15.78 (due to weight) and the GSP Import  charge is another $10.32. Making the total for this Planahead Business Diary a wopping $33.09.

The Pintney Bowes Import charge is HIGHER than the actual item. Almost double.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/PlanAhead-74147-Business-Black-Folding-Writing-Letter-Pad-Padfolio-Office-Mee...

And when I try to contact the buyer about this, they ignore me.

This makes me freakin' angry and my New Years Resolution is to have that GSP dismantled.

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[amashorty]

Title pretty well says it all, I have no interest in pre-paying import fees, if they get charged at customs then so be it but I'm not going to pay them up front.

Please get rid of this new nonsense otherwise I'm pretty much done shopping on ebay and I recon you are going to drive many other customers off as well as it no longer makes sense to shop here.

[femmefan1946]

The purpose of the Global Shipping Program was to encourage scaredy -cat US sellers to sell internationally.

The GSP allows the seller to ship his product to Pitney Bowes in Kentucky, with cheap domestic Confirmation of Delivery and have PB take over responsiblity for tracking, insurance and of course, collecting and remitting duty and taxes to Canada.

EBay has not done a good job of explaining to US sellers that items valued under $50 should never be shipped with GSP.

You can, if you find something other wise unobtainable, ask the seller if he would ship by First Class Intenational a USPS service which does include Delivery Confirmation on items weighing up to four pounds. Many sellers only use the GSP because they get the collywobbles shipping without Delivery Confirmation.

Or, of course, you could Buy Canadian.

[marnotom!]

But buying Canadian on eBay sometimes means paying taxes up front, which is something this buyer doesn't seem to like doing. 😉

[amashorty]

Ah but it seems like ebay is charging impoort fees on more then just GSP orders, I've seen many instances where the seller says they put shipping as free but the checkout is still charging import fees.

This new checkout is a complete mess and ebay really needs to fix it.

[amashorty]

Yes if people wanted to pay our insane taxes and unjustifiable Canadian price mark-ups on products then they'd just go to the store to buy them and ebay wouldn't have a reason to exist. We're all here to get a good deal on something, not to pay the same price that you would get it for in the store.

[marnotom!]

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@amashorty wrote:

Ah but it seems like ebay is charging impoort fees on more then just GSP orders, I've seen many instances where the seller says they put shipping as free but the checkout is still charging import fees.

This new checkout is a complete mess and ebay really needs to fix it.

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I'm not sure what you mean when you say that "the seller says they put shipping as free".  Is this in the "shipping" portion of the listing, or have they just stated it in the listing description or listing subtitle?  I find that a lot of US sellers state "free shipping" when they mean that it's free within the United States, not realizing or caring that they may have non-US eBay users viewing their listings, too.

Besides, shipping charges (or free shipping) and "import charges" are two separate animals.  Keep in mind that the seller has no control over what the GSP charges for shipping or import charges, and may well be unaware of those charges anyway.  There have been quite a few posts that suggest that a lot of sellers using the GSP for international shipping have no idea that they're doing so and, indeed, may not even be interested in selling their items to users outside of the United States.

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@amashorty wrote:

Yes if people wanted to pay our insane taxes and unjustifiable Canadian price mark-ups on products then they'd just go to the store to buy them and ebay wouldn't have a reason to exist. We're all here to get a good deal on something, not to pay the same price that you would get it for in the store.

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The fact is, any personal import with a declared value of over C$20 can be taxed (and "dutied" if duties apply).  It's just that Canada Border Services doesn't do this as much as it used to, but it happened to my wife and I quite a bit when we first started using eBay in 1999.

Having said that, I'm not here for a "good deal" on eBay anymore.  The items I generally buy become cost prohibitive when shipping charges are tacked onto them, and I'm not talking GSP items.  I now tend to search for and buy items that are difficult to source locally.  The view of eBay as an online garage sale is soooo 1999...  😉

[bennett4612]

Hi agirlnamedvan. 

I'd be glad to help but need a little more information first. 

Please send me a Private Message, and include as much as info as you can -- item #, transaction #, tracking #s, email address and user id used in the transaction, etc.

I can then look into it from this end. 

Thanks. 

---Ben

[marnotom!]

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@pocariboy73 wrote:

As I said before, I live in South Korea and Customs permits TAX/DUTY FREE online purchases from abroad as long as the value does not exceed $130, about $150. Over that, it depends upon the item but an average of 10% Tax must be paid upon before delivery.

Here we have yet another Ebay item, I'd like to buy. The Price is $6.99. Shipping is a high $15.78 (due to weight) and the GSP Import  charge is another $10.32. Making the total for this Planahead Business Diary a wopping $33.09.

The Pintney Bowes Import charge is HIGHER than the actual item. Almost double.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/PlanAhead-74147-Business-Black-Folding-Writing-Letter-Pad-Padfolio-Office-Mee...

And when I try to contact the buyer seller about this, they ignore me.

This makes me freakin' angry and my New Years Resolution is to have that GSP dismantled.

---

And as I said before, what's likely making up those "import charges" for you are processing and import/export clearance charges that have nothing to do with taxes.  You can get some idea of what those charges may be for by reading GSP the terms and conditions page for buyers.

I'm not saying that those charges aren't a large proportion of the item's selling price, but I am saying that "import charges" and "taxes" aren't necessarily the same thing.  I note that a lot of inexpensive items show a $10 import charge to Korea.  In Canada, the import charge for non-taxable/dutiable items is less than $4, but it gets folded into the shipping price of the item.

The GSP doesn't work very well for most small, modestly-priced items.  It is what it is.  Then again, neither does Express mail, and I still run into the occasional seller that uses an overkill international mailing method for those types of items, but I'm not about to declare that EMS should be banned as a shipping method on eBay.

Keep in mind that "dismantling" the GSP isn't going to mean that all those sellers using the GSP are going to switch over to direct mailed shipments to their international buyers.  Most of them likely didn't ship internationally prior to the GSP and aren't going to bother pursuing international sales further.