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.

[crairett]

The Global Shipping Program is very ill advised in my view. Outrageous charges, shipping delays, mishandled re-packaging; and for what? This program seems designed to add costs to every purchase using the program. As a Canadian, I don't usually have to pay all these duties on items from the US, for example; but the GSP charges me anyway, then delays the whole shipping process and allows some other party to inspect my purchase and repackage it carelessly. Ridiculous.

crairett

[pjcdn2005]

arelene....I find it really odd that Australians would be complaining about the GSP as their tax threshold is $1,000. I did hear that in the beginning, GSP was charging them taxes under that amount but I thought that had been fixed.

I visit the U.S. powersellers board quite often and there are some GSP cheerleaders there. It is very difficult not to reply to some of their comments but I am usually able to stop myself from replying.

They are obviously looking at it from a totally point of view than we are.

[marnotom!]

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@arlene_v wrote:

BTW, please keep us posted on your recent GSP purchase. I hope all goes well. 

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I plan on doing that.  I didn't really have to buy myself a new phone.  The one I have is perfectly serviceable.  But I thought this would be a good test of the GSP, particularly as the shipping price was reasonable and the import charges actually work out to less than the BC PST and GST I'd be paying if I bought it here for the same price.   (I'm pretty sure mobile phones are subject to both taxes in BC.)

[marnotom!]

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@i*m-still-here wrote:

All of the problems associated with the GSP for low end items are magnified with high end items.

The point is really simple.

There have been numerous posts indicating that the GSP does not work for items under $50,  implying that it's fine for items over $50.

I think that these posters are just grasping at straws.

They know it doesn't work for the $20 items that they are buying, and so they reason that it must work for "someone else." 

otherwise ebay wouldn't be pushing it like this.

They then conclude that it works for items over $50.

Trust Me:  It does not! 

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I don't think that's the implication, although I do agree with the gist of what you're saying.  I personally find the claim that "the GSP is not a good fit for items priced under $50" is a serious oversimplification.  It's a combination of the item's nature, size and value that tends to be more indicative of whether the GSP is a viable option, as well as whether the seller offers "free" domestic shipping.

I'm just not sure I agree that the higher the value, the greater the problems with the GSP.

I was hoping you'd elaborate on the GSP problems in the context of the item I purchased.  The listing page shows what I think is a fair shipping price and more than reasonable import charges.  No problems in that department for me.  I'll be keeping people posted if problems in the handling, tracking and transport of the item from Erlanger (where it was received yesterday) appear to develop.

[marnotom!]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

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@pierrelebel wrote:

 Are you suggesting that many Canadian buyers object to GSP because they have to pay taxes (GST/HST/PST) which could have been avoided when the seller shipped directly through the postal system?

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I think that sums it up and is the major bone of contention for many posters. Personally, the less taxes that I pay for a product, the better.

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I really don't think my Walmart versus garage sale analogy is so ridiculous as this is the sort of thing I was trying to describe.

[marnotom!]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

arelene....I find it really odd that Australians would be complaining about the GSP as their tax threshold is $1,000. I did hear that in the beginning, GSP was charging them taxes under that amount but I thought that had been fixed.

I visit the U.S. powersellers board quite often and there are some GSP cheerleaders there. It is very difficult not to reply to some of their comments but I am usually able to stop myself from replying.

They are obviously looking at it from a totally point of view than we are.

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I think what the GSP was charging Aussies for was the "non tax" part of the import charges, but just as with the (typically) four to five dollar charge on non-taxable/dutiable items to Canada, the GSP has now folded those charges into the shipping charge.  As shipping to Australia is already pretty pricey for small items sent through the GSP, this has just made the shipping fees even higher.

If you've got the time and inclination, pjcdn, could you pass along the gist of what some of those on the U.S. PS board are saying about the GSP?  I'm just wondering what makes it attractive to them and if it's having any sort of meaningful impact on their non-U.S. sales.

[arlene_v]

Hi Pjcdn - i was a bit surprised as well .... a regular Australian poster on the US jewelry board expressed her loathing of the GSP, and  linked to a thread on the Australian board ...makes for an interesting read!

http://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/BEWARE-Global-shipping-program/m-p/817933#U817933

[arlene_v]

I must confess that this thread  about the GSP on the Australian board cracks me up ... one of the posters goes a bit "postal" ... sometimes you just have to laugh! 

http://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/Hi-has-any-members-had-problems-with-the-Global-Shipping-prog...

[jimmy63704]

I also take issue with this. I have stopped bidding on low value items using the GSP.

I understand that importing to Canada has requirements.

A number of items and business retailing need such services that GSP provides but the low value items can be handled very reasonably buy USPS.

[marnotom!]

Thanks for the links, Arlene.  Those are interesting threads.

Regarding the packet you received and referred to on the first thread, are you sure the USPS label was for the shipment from Erlanger to Mississsauga?  I'm wondering if it's actually the shipping label that was used by the seller to get the item to Erlanger.  Do you recall if it had any customs information or was it too well obscured by the Canadian Expedited Parcel mailing label?

[arlene_v]

Yes, after I posted to that thread I wondered about that as well ... and in retrospect  think it was probably the first leg to Erlanger ...unfortunately I don't have the tracking info anymore.But I think AF was right all along (sorry, AF!) 

[pierrelebel]

"Guess who's paying that..."

Currently buyers pay all fees related to GSP.  That question was raised with eBay last week.

In my opinion, PB fees should be paid in part by sellers who benefit the most from the program.

[choculachick]

Global shipping adds what they call duty and taxes, but we rarely get charged. (I have paid 2x in 1760ish parcels) it takes an extra week for the global shipping to make it to my house making it a total of 3 weeks, where reg. usps takes 2 weeks. Also, it collects all the money and vendors have a difficult time changing the shipping after, as it sends money to Pitney Bowes. I have had several friends stop buying from GSP, it's sad but vendors are told it is going to be beneficial, but it's stopping Canadians from buying. Apparently it took my friend 3 weeks to get her money back when a vendor cancelled a sale...everything is slower, as money had to come from 2 companies instead of one... Please stop GSP. My purchasing on eBay has decreased significantly! it's cheaper locally.

[bubby-joe50]

I just humored an American seller with the GSP, not a good experience, I bought a 15.00 item with 10 lots in a small box listed sales shipping was 17.00 USD with no further import fees.  After checkout I was charged twice for the shipping, first was 17.50 USD to seller and secod was to pitney bowes for 17.34 USD, quoted for border fees and taxes.  My parcel was opened to verify the number of items inclosed and a note to same packed with the item.  The purchase was a good deal right up until checkout the went to **bleep** with double the freight to Canada.  Item arrived a couple of days earlier than a normal purchase.  And to top it all off Pitney Bowes sent the item by USPS that does not charge border fees on most lower priced purchases.  WHY DID I HAVE TO PAY PITNEY BOWES ANYTHING because the seller elected to use the GSP as an experiment will I ever see my money back fat chance of that

But the rub comes when Canada Border sevices waives border fees and taxes for items under 20,00 to Canada but pitney bowes charges for all items shipped to Canada and in the event of a return are not lible to reemburse the shipping cost collected by them.  So from my point of view I just had Pitney Bowes steal 17.34 USD from me.  This was the reason i refuse to use both UPS and Fedex and now GSP  I would really like to see a Seller and a Buyer OPT-OUT for the GSP as without changes to the SCAM as it stands I will no longer shop USA ebay that supports the great Canadian rip off buy UPS FEDEX and GSP.  USP bought there way out of a class action suit in Canada for the same illegal tactics used only on Canadians.

[marnotom!]

I'm not sure I completely understand how this purchase worked, Bubby-Joe.  Do you mean you purchased ten of the same item from the seller?

[pjcdn2005]

bubby joe, This was for item 251419095704?

You might want to double check your account to see what you actually paid because if you are correct then you should be able to get some money back.

Here's what should have happened...

The item was $15U.S. and shipping was $16.99. The seller should have received U.S. $18.50 - $15 for the item and $3.50 for shipping within the U.S. The remainder of the shipping - $13.49 should have gone to Pitney Bowes. But if you paid more than that, then someone owes you money.

[afantiques]

As for shipping,  yes  USPS is sometimes used, and  this  is my recent experience as well with the GSP  ...  I received tracking info from USPS and also Canada Post .

arlene, USPS is as far as I know never used for the international shipping.

 

The label you used as an illustration on the Australian thread was a Canadian label stuck over the top of a USPS label that would have been the original seller's label to send to KY. The Canadian label has as originator code PBIS KY Pitney Bowes international services (or Shipping), Kentucky. It was not sent internationally by USPS,from this evidence.

Canada is the only country in the world where a national postal service is used for the final delivery leg of the shipping.

 

[afantiques]

Item arrived a couple of days earlier than a normal purchase.  And to top it all off Pitney Bowes sent the item by USPS that does not charge border fees on most lower priced purchases.  WHY DID I HAVE TO PAY PITNEY BOWES ANYTHING because the seller elected to use the GSP as an experiment will I ever see my money back fat chance of that

If the item was sent USPS the seller did that. By mistake; they should have sent it to Erlanger. But your shipping label might be like the one illustrated above, a second label over the first leaving it looking like a USPS label at first glance. It is unlikely you still have the packaging but a picture of the label would be revealing.

[arlene_v]

Thanks for the clarification, AF! 

[rick31797]

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@marnotom! wrote:

I'm not sure I completely understand how this purchase worked, Bubby-Joe.  Do you mean you purchased ten of the same item from the seller?

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doesn't really matter what she purchased... her item was 15.00 total and was charged  twice, one was probably a shipping charge the other a import charge... as we have been hearing over and over again, PB will charge you import fee's on any amount purchased..

So here we have a 15.00 item  and the seller pays and extra 17.34..... with some time and several emails it may have been a mistake and over time she might get a refund, or not..

Just another reason to stay away from GSP... 

When you read a post you seem to eliminate the problem and ask a question that has nothing to do with the problem.. remember her item cost 15.00 and the shipping was 17.50..