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.

[arlene_v]

BTW, the Ebay.com site is a problem for Canadian buyers. If Canadians are using that site to make GSP purchases no wonder they are upset!

Here is an example.

This listing provides a very clear and upfront BIN price, it also provides a very clear and upfront shipping price if one scrolls down, however it is only when one clicks on the shipping costs line that one realises that there is an extra charge of  almost $50!!

Not good Ebay, not good at all!!! Extra charges are "buried" and that makes for a very  bad shopping experience.

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[chimera148]

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[chimera148]

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[marnotom!]

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@arlene_v wrote:

This listing provides a very clear and upfront BIN price, it also provides a very clear and upfront shipping price if one scrolls down, however it is only when one clicks on the shipping costs line that one realises that there is an extra charge of  almost $50!!

Not good Ebay, not good at all!!! Extra charges are "buried" and that makes for a very  bad shopping experience.

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This may be a browser issue.  I'm using Chrome right now and the import charges came up for me right away.

[arlene_v]

 ..check out the difference in "import charges" ... wowzer!  I obviously need to change browsers!  

LOL! Joking..... guess she added the place of manufacture as Canada and did away with that pesky ol' duty. ..so many listings with seller errors that aren't fixed .... hardly  even worth noting here anymore. Been there done that.

Whatever the reason for this situation  of seeing vs not seeing the "import charges"  it would explain a lot of the frustration folks are having with the the GSP .... I'm just the messenger telling Ebay what I'm seeing as a buyer on their site using my  browser, and it doesn't look good from where I'm sitting.

[arlene_v]

BTW I'm using Chrome as well, just checked ... sometimes I use IE, but IE doesn't always post correctly on these forums ... get "empty posts" ..,another glitch!

Every GSP listing on the .com site appears this way for me using Chrome. To get the "import charges" I need to click on the "Shipping costs" line.

I suspect this might be a common problem. Certainly explains some of the anger.

[marnotom!]

There may be more to it being a browser issue, then.  For what it's worth, I just checked the listing page using Firefox and IE and it came up in the same format as Chrome for me.

You could be right about your results being the reason we see people complaining about not "seeing" the import charges, though, although I would think that they'd be present on the page that follows after the buyer hits the BIN button.  That's how I seem to recall it working when I tested out a U.S. seller's listing, anyway.

Oh, and for what it's worth, the import charges you see in my screenshot are for British Columbia.  😉

[marnotom!]

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@mater721 wrote:

Marnotom!, you seem to weigh into every new posting on the GSP as though you were a veteran of the program, offering "advice" or questioning posters experiences.  For someone who has never used the program, I find that a bit disingenuous. Buyers on ebay have all sorts of reasons for buying the way they do, and there really is no need for you to "understand". Sometimes people want to vent, and share their frustrations.

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I don't think I question posters' experiences.  I question their conclusions or observations, which are often not based on facts or reality.  Maybe that's what gives my postings the weight to which you're alluding:  I'm actually using information that can be obtained elsewhere to back up what I'm saying.

There are others who have weighed in on this board and other boards with their thoughts on the GSP who have not used it, either, most of them sellers with four or five-digit feedback scores.  Are you going to discredit what they have to say, too, as it's pretty much the same as what I post?

[i*m-still-here]

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@marnotom! wrote:

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I don't think I question posters' experiences.  I question their conclusions or observations, which are often not based on facts or reality.  Maybe that's what gives my postings the weight to which you're alluding:  I'm actually using information that can be obtained elsewhere to back up what I'm saying.

There are others who have weighed in on this board and other boards with their thoughts on the GSP who have not used it, either, most of them sellers with four or five-digit feedback scores.  Are you going to discredit what they have to say, too, as it's pretty much the same as what I post?

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marnotom!:  Your conclusions and observations are fine for a certain type of buyer, but you offer up the same advice to everyone.

You are trying to guide buyers who stand heads above you in terms of experience and you are simply not in a position to do that.

You continue to bring up what you read on other boards.  Nobody Cares!

Yes, we should absolutely discredit what these sellers with huge FB scores have to say if you are referring to American sellers yet again.

Stop trying to ride on their shoulders.

This is board for Canadian buyers and American sellers have ZERO insight into what our experience is and they could care less about us to boot.

Stop putting them on a pedestal!

[marnotom!]

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@i*m-still-here wrote:

marnotom!:  Your conclusions and observations are fine for a certain type of buyer, but you offer up the same advice to everyone.

You are trying to guide buyers who stand heads above you in terms of experience and you are simply not in a position to do that.

You continue to bring up what you read on other boards.  Nobody Cares!

Yes, we should absolutely discredit what these sellers with huge FB scores have to say if you are referring to American sellers yet again.

Stop trying to ride on their shoulders.

This is board for Canadian buyers and American sellers have ZERO insight into what our experience is and they could care less about us to boot.

Stop putting them on a pedestal!

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Once again, your love of hyperbole comes out when you refer to my giving the same "advice" to everyone.  I've actually given very little advice on the GSP.  More of my posts are trying to explain how and why the GSP works as it does.  And of course those posts are going to get repetitious for those who are following the GSP threads.  However, they're going to be new posts for those to whom I'm responding.

Having said that, I don't recall the last time you advised Canadian eBay users on how best to make use of the GSP or to deal with sellers who are using the GSP inappropriately.  Given your vast experience as a buyer, why aren't you more forthcoming with information to your fellow Canadian buyers?

And the sellers I'm referring to aren't American sellers, and I'm not sure what the "again" is all about in the context of your post.  I'm assuming you mean as sources of information, but I think I've been referring to them more as a collective and trying to get into the heads of those using the GSP.  People are wondering why sellers are using the GSP.  I've been sharing a few hypotheses.

From what you've said and haven't said in your post and other posts, I almost wonder if you're trying to discourage others from negotiating with GSP sellers as you may be afraid of competition for the items that you like purchasing on eBay.

[chaldo2010]

This GSP is very annoying. Every time I see something of interest I'd like to buy, I end up seeing additional ridiculous charges on top of the shipping fee and item price. What a loss for US sellers......so why do they keep using this stupid GSP thing? I've bought items from the US and was never charged GSP fees, mind you it was very popular sellers.

Thumbs down to GSP!

[3islanders]

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@arlene_v wrote:

I agree with posters here who suggest that Ebay.ca should provide a way of filtering out GSP listings.

And yes, I know we can already do this by glancing at a list view, ...

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Duh... I don't know how to do this... could you explain, please &  thanks? 🙂

[afantiques]

In the search results seen as List View, all GSP items have a line 'Customs services-----------etc provided.' Just avoid these.

[arlene_v]

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@marnotom! wrote:

Oh, and for what it's worth, the import charges you see in my screenshot are for British Columbia.  😉

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Ah, my mistake.

I just looked at the  bloated  import charges in my screen shot and compared with yours and then jumped to the wrong conclusion .... the correct amount for Ontario  being closer to the  amount showing in your screenshot for BC.

This set is attracting duty.  Par for the course with the vintage items I look at listed under the GSP.  Not the exception ...just a random example,.one of thousands and thousands, entirely due to seller error.

I could post examples here all day, everyday, but that horse has been flogged ....and the point of my post was something entirely different. 

[arlene_v]

Hi 3islanders,

Afantiques said it more succinctly than I could ever hope to ...! The list view offers the best way to avoid  these listings  ... the gallery view gets tricky. I would like to have a way of filtering out GSP listings completely. 

The icing on the cake being that these listings are often done by incompetent sellers who verge on xenophobic in some cases, and yet they are the very ones determining how much we get to pay in tax, duty and shipping because their input in the listing is used to calculate those charges. Pfffft!!!

I read your earlier comment about the GSP and totally agree with you, all these pages and pages of complaints ... really hard to find anything positive about the program for us Canadians ... except maybe for folks who buy the odd coffee maker or very heavy items. Then, miraculously, the shipping charges are very very good.

Yes, with the GSP .there is an "Alice in Wonderland" atmosphere. 

[mater721]

"Mater, if I'm reading your posts correctly, you're saying that it's a "scam" that the GSP ensures that taxes are collected and remitted on items purchased through the program."
1) If PBI takes anything on a item <$20 it's a scam.
2) It's CBSA job to collect duty on items, not GSP/PBI.
3) Are you a big fan of photo radar? Do you think everyone who occaisionally speeds should send a cheque to the govt?

"That's part of what those import charges went toward, plus various import/export processing charges which are described (somewhat) on the GSP terms and conditions page which is linked to on all GSP listing pages.  Maybe read it sometime."
Bolded unecessary.

"Larger, more-expensive items may see a cost benefit when shipped through the GSP versus the postal system (scroll up a ways to see my links to the coffee maker listings) but the rub is that most international buyers don't buy larger items on eBay."
And thus for most international buyers, GSP is a frustration and extra cost.

"As for the GSP adding costs for import/export clearance, if you haven't already read the GSP terms and conditions for buyers, you may wish to do so as it gives you some idea where that four bucks would be going."
It really does not matter where that extra $4 is going. It is an extra cost to me I did not previously have.

"I do wonder why you've chosen to punish U.S. eBay sellers who don't use the Global Shipping Program. I also wonder if you purchase from Canadian eBay sellers who charge sales tax(es)."
Why would you even ask that second question. You make it sound like a negative thing for someone to not want to have extra costs.  Do you pay sales tax when you visit a yard sale?

"What about my first question, Rick?  Which comes out on top when you compare UPS and the GSP?" 

If A>B and B>C then A>C.

"(1) the shipping charges, which are made up of the seller's charge for shipping the item to Kentucky plus the GSP's charge for shipping the item to Kentucky, and
(2) the "import charges" which are made up of how much Pitney Bowes estimates it will advance in taxes and duties plus any import/export processing-related charges.
Am I making sense or talking in Chinese?"
Bolded not needed. Another example of your condescending attitude toward other posters.

"Are you going to discredit what they have to say, too, as it's pretty much the same as what I post?"

You happen to be the most frequent, by far.

[marnotom!]

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@mater721 wrote:

1) If PBI takes anything on a item <$20 it's a scam.
2) It's CBSA job to collect duty on items, not GSP/PBI.
3) Are you a big fan of photo radar? Do you think everyone who occaisionally speeds should send a cheque to the govt?

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1.)  No it isn't.  There's more to clearing an item through customs than collecting taxes and duties due.

2.)  Tell that to the likes of FedEx and UPS.  Commercial carriers are responsible for seeing that taxes and duty get collected, not CBSA.

3.)  I think you're trying to allude to the fact that items sent through the mail are assessed and charged taxes and duty through a method commonly referred to as "the luck of the draw".  Fair enough.  I've just been trying to say that that method isn't used by any other shipping method, be it UPS, FedEx or the GSP.  It is what it is.  That's all.

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@mater721 wrote:

"That's part of what those import charges went toward, plus various import/export processing charges which are described (somewhat) on the GSP terms and conditions page which is linked to on all GSP listing pages.  Maybe read it sometime."
Bolded unecessary.

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Actually, I was mirroring the writing style of the person to whom I was responding.  Your issue is with that poster.

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@mater721 wrote:

"Larger, more-expensive items may see a cost benefit when shipped through the GSP versus the postal system (scroll up a ways to see my links to the coffee maker listings) but the rub is that most international buyers don't buy larger items on eBay."

And thus for most international buyers, GSP is a frustration and extra cost.

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Not if they search using "list view" and don't buy the item.

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@mater721 wrote:

"I do wonder why you've chosen to punish U.S. eBay sellers who don't use the Global Shipping Program. I also wonder if you purchase from Canadian eBay sellers who charge sales tax(es)."

Why would you even ask that second question. You make it sound like a negative thing for someone to not want to have extra costs.  Do you pay sales tax when you visit a yard sale?

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Why am I the one making it sound as though it's a negative thing to pay taxes due on a sale when it was the person I was responding to who seemed to have an issue with it?

I haven't been to a yard sale where the seller has been registered to collect PST and GST in my province, but I've been to a flea market where that's been the case.  It's not the type of sale that makes merchandise tax-free, it's whether or not the merchant is registered to collect sales taxes.

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@mater721 wrote:

"(1) the shipping charges, which are made up of the seller's charge for shipping the item to Kentucky plus the GSP's charge for shipping the item to Kentucky, and

(2) the "import charges" which are made up of how much Pitney Bowes estimates it will advance in taxes and duties plus any import/export processing-related charges.

Am I making sense or talking in Chinese?"

Bolded not needed. Another example of your condescending attitude toward other posters.

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That was actually intended as a bit of self-deprecation on my part.  I guess it didn't come off that well.  Can't win 'em all.

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@mater721 wrote:

"Are you going to discredit what they have to say, too, as it's pretty much the same as what I post?"

You happen to be the most frequent, by far.

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Do you have anything in response to the comment itself?

[goclunker]

Here is a "constructive comment"

1. Ebay fees are already upsurd. $15 per 100$ item.

2. Fees on shipping. Are you kidding me? I charge my buyers shipping COST, without inflation.

3.Paypal fees another $5

So, selling a $100 item, i only made $65

Now, to make ebay even worse, you add GSP , so that items that were never taxed in the past, are all TAXED WITH INFLATED TAX. 

Example: I purchased car suspension , made in the us, from california to canada. I paid duty. $45.

With GSP, I would of paid $150+ import charges!!!!

The suspension cost $600.

How about NAFTA ebay? Care to tell me why I have to pay extra charges on items MADE IN THE USA OR MEXICO COVERED BY NAFTA?

Thats what I thought. There are less and less Items being posted on ebay and amazon is taking over. Ebay made its bed , I hope you can sleep in it and enjoy bankruptcy.

Oh and PS, Scampal alternatives are here too.

🙂

[goclunker]

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1.)  No it isn't.  There's more to clearing an item through customs than collecting taxes and duties due.

WRONG. ACTUALLY, THATS ALL THERE IS.

2.)  Tell that to the likes of FedEx and UPS.  Commercial carriers are responsible for seeing that taxes and duty get collected, not CBSA.

WRONG. You don't even know the laws of the country you reside in!!! That makes me LAUGH.

FedEx and UPS are NOT responsible for taxes and duties, the importer, you know, the person importing the item is. 

This is why, you have the free option to take your delivery invoice to the CBSA office and pay the duty and taxes YOURSELF, because it i YOUR NAME listed as the importer. You can then take your PAID RECIEPT OF IMPORT TAX AND DUTY and fax it to fedex and ups, and they have to release your item for delivery or pick up. SIMPLE AS THAT, and YES, THAT IS HOW I GET AROUND "Brokrage fees" imposed on top of duty by fedex and ups. I PAY THE DUTY DUE TO THE GOV, THE SHIPPING, BUT I WILL NOT PAY FOR AIR "brokrage fees" and GSP is one of those pay for air programs.

GET IT THROUGH YOUR UNEDUCATED SKULL.

3.)  I think you're trying to allude to the fact that items sent through the mail are assessed and charged taxes and duty through a method commonly referred to as "the luck of the draw".  Fair enough.  I've just been trying to say that that method isn't used by any other shipping method, be it UPS, FedEx or the GSP.  It is what it is.  That's all.

Poor poor uneducated canadian. Its not "luck of the draw", its" is it worthwhile". If Customs agents had to open every $20 package, they would miss all the $100 + items, which , are what brings the government PROFIT. $100+ packages get DINGED FOR CUSTOMS 99% of the time, because they bring in PROFIT.

Seriously, use your head.

[pierrelebel]

"Here is a "constructive comment"

1. Ebay fees are already upsurd. $15 per 100$ item.

2. Fees on shipping. Are you kidding me? I charge my buyers shipping COST, without inflation.

3.Paypal fees another $5

So, selling a $100 item, i only made $65"

???

Are you referring to the Lego set you sold for $70 + $25 shipping from last November?

I do not know where you get $15 per $100 or 5% for PayPal.

And what does that transaction have to do with GSP?  You shipped it from Mississauga, ON.

"why I have to pay extra charges on items MADE IN THE USA OR MEXICO COVERED BY NAFTA?"

You should not have to pay any duty on that item if the American seller indicated in the listing that the item was manufactured in the USA.  However, you still have to pay HST (13% in Ontario) plus brokerage fee.

"I paid duty. $45."

I do not know how that is possible unless the seller underdeclared the $600 value of the item for Customs purposes,